--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The basis of every scandal is immoral…" description: "\"“The basis of every scandal is immoral certainty.”\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/oscar-wilde-16_immoralism_the-basis-of-every-scandal-is-immoral-ce_1938500.jpg" --- # The basis of every scandal is immoral certainty. ![“The basis of every scandal is immoral certainty.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/oscar-wilde-16_immoralism_the-basis-of-every-scandal-is-immoral-ce_1938500.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/oscar-wilde-16_immoralism_the-basis-of-every-scandal-is-immoral-ce_1938500.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/oscar-wilde-16_immoralism_the-basis-of-every-scandal-is-immoral-ce_1938500.jpg) > ““The basis of every scandal is immoral certainty.”” [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. Scandals arise from absolute confidence in immoral actions, exposing hidden truths. **In simple terms:** Scandals start when people are sure they’re doing wrong. Key Takeaway Question certainty in unethical behavior. Themes morality scandal certainty truth Mood critical thoughtful serious Type philosophical ethical literary When to use this quote - political scandal - personal betrayal - corporate misconduct Key Concepts ethical philosophy social critique human nature Questions to Reflect On - How does certainty fuel wrongdoing? - Can doubt prevent scandal? A Different Perspective Assumes all scandals stem from certainty, ignoring nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Scandal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scandal/) ## Related quotes > [“I deny morality as I deny alchemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-deny-morality-as-i-deny-alchemy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [You silly Arthur! If you knew anything about...anything, which you don't, you would know that I adore you. Everyone in London knows it except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/you-silly-arthur-if-you-knew-anything-about-anything-which-you-don-t/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [One should never make one's debut in a scandal. One should reserve that to give interest to one's old age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/one-should-never-make-one-s-debut-in-a-scandal-one-should-reserve/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I love scandals about other people, but scandals about myself don’t interest me. They have not got the charm of novelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-love-scandals-about-other-people-but-scandals-about-myself-don-t/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Scandal is gossip made tedious by morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/scandal-is-gossip-made-tedious-by-morality/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [My dear Arthur, I never talk scandal. I only talk gossip. What is the difference between scandal and gossip? Oh! Gossip is charming! History…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/my-dear-arthur-i-never-talk-scandal-i-only-talk-gossip-what-is-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [One should never make one's entrance with a scandal. One should reserve that to give an interest to one's old age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/one-should-never-make-one-s-entrance-with-a-scandal-one-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“There is no such thing as a good influence, Mr. Gray. All influence is immoral - immoral from the scientific point of view.' 'Why?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-good-influence-mr-gray-all-influence-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [There is no such thing as morality or immorality in thought. There is immoral emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-is-no-such-thing-as-morality-or-immorality-in-thought-there-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Thereis no such thing as amoral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/thereis-no-such-thing-as-amoral-or-an-immoral-book-books-are-well/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The English public takes no interest in a work of art until it is told that the work in question is immoral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-english-public-takes-no-interest-in-a-work-of-art-until-it-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“There is no such thing as good influence, Mr. Gray. All influence is immoral- immoral from a scientific point of view.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-is-no-such-thing-as-good-influence-mr-gray-all-influence-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Art has no influence upon action. It annihilates the desire to act. It is superbly sterile. The books that the world calls immoral are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/art-has-no-influence-upon-action-it-annihilates-the-desire-to-act-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-ugly-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-corrupt-without-2/) [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/) ## 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 Immoral quotes > [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/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I do not think homosexuality is immoral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-do-not-think-homosexuality-is-immoral/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Americans have always had an ambivalent attitude toward intelligence. When they feel threatened, they want a lot of it, and when they don't, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-a-walters/americans-have-always-had-an-ambivalent-attitude-toward-intelligence/) [Vernon A. Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-a-walters/) > [What is moral is what you feel good after, and what is immoral is what you feel bad after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/what-is-moral-is-what-you-feel-good-after-and-what-is-immoral-is-what/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Food is being purposefully formulated to addict you.Then it is purposefully marketed, targeted to young children to addict them at an early age. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-david/food-is-being-purposefully-formulated-to-addict-you-then-it-is/) [Laurie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-david/) > [Consumer wants can have bizarre, frivolous, or even immoral origins, and an admirable case can still be made for a society that seeks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/consumer-wants-can-have-bizarre-frivolous-or-even-immoral-origins-and/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [I am calling on all citizens with access to unreleased records pertaining to illegal, unconstitutional, or immoral government activities to return those records to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-shapiro/i-am-calling-on-all-citizens-with-access-to-unreleased-records/) [Ryan Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-shapiro/) > [Give up money, give up fame, give up science, give the earth itself and all it contains rather than do an immoral act. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/give-up-money-give-up-fame-give-up-science-give-the-earth-itself-and/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“I've put men to death-men with supposedly immoral souls-that looked dumber than that mouse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-ve-put-men-to-death-men-with-supposedly-immoral-souls-that-looked/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [One of two things when the guy you're dating isn't really ready to commit. He's an a\*\*hole and he's cheating on you; bottom line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-catherwood/one-of-two-things-when-the-guy-you-re-dating-isn-t-really-ready-to/) Michael Catherwood > [I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts. I do not believe that the Armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-pace/i-believe-that-homosexual-acts-between-individuals-are-immoral-and/) [Peter Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-pace/) > [When it comes to explaining human thought and behavior, the possibility that heredity plays any role at all still has the power to shock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/when-it-comes-to-explaining-human-thought-and-behavior-the/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [ \[General Curtis\] LeMay recognized that what he was doing would be thought immoral if his side has lost. But what makes it immoral if… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/general-curtis-lemay-recognized-that-what-he-was-doing-would-be/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) Browse all 677 Immoral quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The basis of every scandal is immoral certainty.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-basis-of-every-scandal-is-immoral-certainty/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Immoral" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-basis-of-every-scandal-is-immoral-certainty/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/oscar-wilde-16_immoralism_the-basis-of-every-scandal-is-immoral-ce_1938500.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/oscar-wilde-16_immoralism_the-basis-of-every-scandal-is-immoral-ce_1938500.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/oscar-wilde-16_immoralism_the-basis-of-every-scandal-is-immoral-ce_1938500.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The basis of every scandal is immoral certainty.” — Oscar Wilde", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The basis of every scandal is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-basis-of-every-scandal-is-immoral-certainty/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-basis-of-every-scandal-is-immoral-certainty/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```