--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was the passions about whose origin we…" description: "\"It was the passions about whose origin we deceived ourselves that tyrannized most strongly over us. Our weakest motives were those of whose nature we w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/oscar-wilde-16_passion_it-was-the-passions-about-whose-origin-w_1034632.jpg" --- # It was the passions about whose origin we deceived… ![“It was the passions about whose origin we deceived ourselves that tyrannized most strongly over us. Our weakest motives were those of whose nature we were conscious. It often happened that when we thought we were experimenting on others we were really experimenting on ourselves.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/oscar-wilde-16_passion_it-was-the-passions-about-whose-origin-w_1034632.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/oscar-wilde-16_passion_it-was-the-passions-about-whose-origin-w_1034632.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/oscar-wilde-16_passion_it-was-the-passions-about-whose-origin-w_1034632.jpg) > “It was the passions about whose origin we deceived ourselves that tyrannized most strongly over us. Our weakest motives were those of whose nature we were conscious. It often happened that when we thought we were experimenting on others we were really experimenting on ourselves.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We are often misled by our own desires, believing they dominate us, while they actually reveal our hidden weaknesses and self‑experiments. **In simple terms:** Our desires mislead us about our true motives. Key Takeaway Recognize and question your own motives. Themes self‑awareness psychology power motivation Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - relationship dynamics - ethical decision‑making Key Concepts human nature self‑deception control Questions to Reflect On - What hidden motives drive your actions? - How can you test if you are influencing others or yourself? A Different Perspective Our self‑deception can blind us to external influences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deceived Tyrannized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceived-tyrannized-2384851/) [Motives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motives/) [Origin Deceived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/origin-deceived-2384853/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Passions Origin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passions-origin-2384854/) [Weakest Motives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakest-motives-2384852/) ## Related quotes > [It was the passions about whose origin we deceived ourselves that tyrannized most strongly over us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-was-the-passions-about-whose-origin-we-deceived-ourselves-that-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [It is in the brain, and the brain only, that the great sins of the world take place also. You, Mr. Gray, you yourself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-in-the-brain-and-the-brain-only-that-the-great-sins-of-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Secret to remain young is to have an inordinate passion for pleasure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/secret-to-remain-young-is-to-have-an-inordinate-passion-for-pleasure/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“People have motives, what they are, is what you need to notice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-d-walker/people-have-motives-what-they-are-is-what-you-need-to-notice/) [S.D. Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-d-walker/) > [“This was what growing up was about: hide the corpse, don't bare your heart, do make assumptions about the motives of others. They're certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/this-was-what-growing-up-was-about-hide-the-corpse-don-t-bare-your/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“Maybe sometimes the motive behind people’s terrorizing acts isn’t just because of their beliefs or past or some complex and twisted logic. Sometimes their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-torres/maybe-sometimes-the-motive-behind-people-s-terrorizing-acts-isn-t/) [David Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-torres/) > [“how could I have been so naive before, thinking perhaps everyone had good motives, that everyone has a good side to them, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lotus-rose/how-could-i-have-been-so-naive-before-thinking-perhaps-everyone-had/) [Lotus Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lotus-rose/) > [Relationships, for me, have been elusive. And I would say mostly it's been my fault. I was always more concentrated on my career. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-lane/relationships-for-me-have-been-elusive-and-i-would-say-mostly-it-s/) [Nathan Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-lane/) > [I never desire to know anything of the detail of political measures, lest even those which I think best should lose anything of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-kemble/i-never-desire-to-know-anything-of-the-detail-of-political-measures/) [Fanny Kemble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-kemble/) > [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is hard to work for years with pure motives, and all the time be looked upon by most of those to whom our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livingstone/it-is-hard-to-work-for-years-with-pure-motives-and-all-the-time-be/) [David Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livingstone/) > [“motives are like little flies flying around in my room. I believe I've killed most of them”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitry-dyatlov/motives-are-like-little-flies-flying-around-in-my-room-i-believe-i-ve/) [Dmitry Dyatlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitry-dyatlov/) > [Getting down to the nitty-gritty, most people are motivated by unconscious motives most of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/getting-down-to-the-nitty-gritty-most-people-are-motivated-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is usual to explain the motivation of those who enjoy dangerous activities as some sort of pathological need: they are trying to exorcise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/it-is-usual-to-explain-the-motivation-of-those-who-enjoy-dangerous/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [You can drive yourself crazy trying to peer into a person's soul--or you can do the sensible thing: ask not what inner motives drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-begala/you-can-drive-yourself-crazy-trying-to-peer-into-a-person-s-soul-or/) [Paul Begala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-begala/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Motives quotes > [You can drive yourself crazy trying to peer into a person's soul--or you can do the sensible thing: ask not what inner motives drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-begala/you-can-drive-yourself-crazy-trying-to-peer-into-a-person-s-soul-or/) [Paul Begala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-begala/) > [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is hard to work for years with pure motives, and all the time be looked upon by most of those to whom our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livingstone/it-is-hard-to-work-for-years-with-pure-motives-and-all-the-time-be/) [David Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livingstone/) > [“People have motives, what they are, is what you need to notice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-d-walker/people-have-motives-what-they-are-is-what-you-need-to-notice/) [S.D. Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-d-walker/) > [“It is usual to explain the motivation of those who enjoy dangerous activities as some sort of pathological need: they are trying to exorcise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/it-is-usual-to-explain-the-motivation-of-those-who-enjoy-dangerous/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Getting down to the nitty-gritty, most people are motivated by unconscious motives most of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/getting-down-to-the-nitty-gritty-most-people-are-motivated-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“motives are like little flies flying around in my room. I believe I've killed most of them”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitry-dyatlov/motives-are-like-little-flies-flying-around-in-my-room-i-believe-i-ve/) [Dmitry Dyatlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitry-dyatlov/) > [I never desire to know anything of the detail of political measures, lest even those which I think best should lose anything of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-kemble/i-never-desire-to-know-anything-of-the-detail-of-political-measures/) [Fanny Kemble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-kemble/) > [Relationships, for me, have been elusive. And I would say mostly it's been my fault. I was always more concentrated on my career. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-lane/relationships-for-me-have-been-elusive-and-i-would-say-mostly-it-s/) [Nathan Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-lane/) > [“how could I have been so naive before, thinking perhaps everyone had good motives, that everyone has a good side to them, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lotus-rose/how-could-i-have-been-so-naive-before-thinking-perhaps-everyone-had/) [Lotus Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lotus-rose/) > [“Maybe sometimes the motive behind people’s terrorizing acts isn’t just because of their beliefs or past or some complex and twisted logic. Sometimes their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-torres/maybe-sometimes-the-motive-behind-people-s-terrorizing-acts-isn-t/) [David Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-torres/) > [“This was what growing up was about: hide the corpse, don't bare your heart, do make assumptions about the motives of others. They're certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/this-was-what-growing-up-was-about-hide-the-corpse-don-t-bare-your/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“Art needs motives that are more profound than profit if it is to maintain its difference from—and position above—other cultural forms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-thornton/art-needs-motives-that-are-more-profound-than-profit-if-it-is-to/) [Sarah Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-thornton/) > [Get to know two things about a man. How he earns his money and how he spends it. You will then have the clue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mccracken/get-to-know-two-things-about-a-man-how-he-earns-his-money-and-how-he/) [Robert McCracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mccracken/) > [I have always examined closely the motives of any group for which I am asked to raise money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-smith/i-have-always-examined-closely-the-motives-of-any-group-for-which-i/) [Kate Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-smith/) [Browse all 337 Motives quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motives/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It was the passions about whose origin we deceived ourselves that tyrannized most strongly over us. Our weakest motives were those of whose nature we were conscious. 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