--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only thing worse than being talked…" description: "\"The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/oscar-wilde-16_gossip_the-only-thing-worse-than-being-talked-a_2036497.jpg" --- # The only thing worse than being talked about is not being… ![“The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/oscar-wilde-16_gossip_the-only-thing-worse-than-being-talked-a_2036497.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/oscar-wilde-16_gossip_the-only-thing-worse-than-being-talked-a_2036497.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/oscar-wilde-16_gossip_the-only-thing-worse-than-being-talked-a_2036497.jpg) > “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” [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. Being ignored is worse than being criticized because it implies irrelevance and loss of influence. **In simple terms:** Ignorance feels worse than criticism. Key Takeaway Seek engagement, not silence. Themes reputation communication social perception Mood anxious reflective Type aphilosophical social commentary When to use this quote - public speaking - social media presence - career networking - personal relationships Key Concepts ego visibility validation Questions to Reflect On - Do you prefer being ignored or criticized? - How does visibility affect your self-worth? A Different Perspective Silence can also be strategic; not all attention is positive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gossip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gossip/) ## Related quotes > [“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-is-only-one-thing-in-the-world-worse-than-being-talked-about/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-is-only-one-thing-in-life-worse-than-being-talked-about-and/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. A portrait like this would”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/than-being-talked-about-and-that-is-not-being-talked-about-a-portrait/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. A portrait like this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-is-only-one-thing-in-the-world-worse-than-being-talked-about-3/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“You do anything in the world to gain a reputation. As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/you-do-anything-in-the-world-to-gain-a-reputation-as-soon-as-you-have/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“There Is Only One Thing In The World Worse Than Being Talked About, And That Is Not Being Talked About." – Oscar Wilde”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-is-only-one-thing-in-the-world-worse-than-being-talked-about-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“We talked and talked and talked. Maybe love comes in at the eyes, but not nearly as much as it comes in at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/we-talked-and-talked-and-talked-maybe-love-comes-in-at-the-eyes-but/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [He talked and talked because he didn't know what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/he-talked-and-talked-because-he-didn-t-know-what-to-say/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [The only thing worse than quoting me, is not quoting me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-only-thing-worse-than-quoting-me-is-not-quoting-me/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“The only thing worse than writing is not writing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buffy-cram/the-only-thing-worse-than-writing-is-not-writing/) Buffy Cram > [There's one thing worse than change and that's the status quo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/there-s-one-thing-worse-than-change-and-that-s-the-status-quo/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“If there’s one thing worse than not HAVING a job… It’s LOOKING for one!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-stuart/if-there-s-one-thing-worse-than-not-having-a-job-it-s-looking-for-one/) Laurence Stuart > [“The only thing that's worse than people who say "I am what I am" is people who say "I yam what I yam" while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-leve/the-only-thing-that-s-worse-than-people-who-say-i-am-what-i-am-is/) [Ariel Leve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-leve/) > [The only thing worse than being in the Hall of Fame is not being in the Hall of Fame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-only-thing-worse-than-being-in-the-hall-of-fame-is-not-being-in/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“I never had a more wonderful time with anyone than I had with Mary that afternoon. I won her a small stuffed bear, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-underwood/i-never-had-a-more-wonderful-time-with-anyone-than-i-had-with-mary/) [Bobby Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-underwood/) ## 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 Gossip quotes > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“She was the goddess of gossip and rumor, not the goddess of thoroughly fact-checked information. Some people, Principal Zeus included, didn't seem to realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-holub-suzanne-williams/she-was-the-goddess-of-gossip-and-rumor-not-the-goddess-of-thoroughly/) Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [Mechanical instruments, potentially a vehicle of rational human purposes, are scarcely a blessing when they enable the gossip of the village idiot and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/mechanical-instruments-potentially-a-vehicle-of-rational-human/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [There is no friendship that cares about an overheard secret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/there-is-no-friendship-that-cares-about-an-overheard-secret/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [My back is not a voicemail. Say it to my face bitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/superman/my-back-is-not-a-voicemail-say-it-to-my-face-bitch/) Superman > [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/) > [Destroy gossip by ignoring it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariane-corbito/destroy-gossip-by-ignoring-it/) [Mariane Corbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariane-corbito/) > [My mum, Olwen, was a bright and talkative woman who loved a gossip and a story and was given slightly to malapropisms. And she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jason/my-mum-olwen-was-a-bright-and-talkative-woman-who-loved-a-gossip-and/) [David Jason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jason/) > [I went straight from high school to 'Gossip Girl,' and both were very structured, scheduled environments, so I never had freedom to explore and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-lively/i-went-straight-from-high-school-to-gossip-girl-and-both-were-very/) [Blake Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-lively/) > [“A session of boasting won't attract any real friends.  It will set you up on a pedestal, however, making you a clearer target.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/a-session-of-boasting-won-t-attract-any-real-friends-it-will-set-you/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“Don't give me truth, just give me gossip And skeletons from people's closets, I wanna be normal And millions buy it, I am blinded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/don-t-give-me-truth-just-give-me-gossip-and-skeletons-from-people-s/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [“Slander does to a soul what cancer does to a cell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/slander-does-to-a-soul-what-cancer-does-to-a-cell/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Gossip is just drama, waiting to start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/gossip-is-just-drama-waiting-to-start/) Author Name [Browse all 1,468 Gossip quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gossip/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-only-thing-worse-than-being-talked-about-is-not-being-talked-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gossip" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-only-thing-worse-than-being-talked-about-is-not-being-talked-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/oscar-wilde-16_gossip_the-only-thing-worse-than-being-talked-a_2036497.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/oscar-wilde-16_gossip_the-only-thing-worse-than-being-talked-a_2036497.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/643/oscar-wilde-16_gossip_the-only-thing-worse-than-being-talked-a_2036497.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” — 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 only thing worse than being...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-only-thing-worse-than-being-talked-about-is-not-being-talked-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-only-thing-worse-than-being-talked-about-is-not-being-talked-about/#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 } } ] } ```