--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The worst vice of a fanatic is his…" description: "\"The worst vice of a fanatic is his sincerity.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/oscar-wilde-16_fanatic_the-worst-vice-of-a-fanatic-is-his-since_82056.jpg" --- # The worst vice of a fanatic is his sincerity. ![“The worst vice of a fanatic is his sincerity.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/oscar-wilde-16_fanatic_the-worst-vice-of-a-fanatic-is-his-since_82056.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/oscar-wilde-16_fanatic_the-worst-vice-of-a-fanatic-is-his-since_82056.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/oscar-wilde-16_fanatic_the-worst-vice-of-a-fanatic-is-his-since_82056.jpg) > “The worst vice of a fanatic is his sincerity.” [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. Fanaticism's danger lies in its earnestness, which blinds critical judgment and fuels extremist actions. **In simple terms:** Blind zeal harms truth Key Takeaway Sincerity can be a flaw Themes extremism critical thinking psychology integrity danger of zeal Mood cautionary reflective critical Type aphorism maxim observation When to use this quote - political rallies - religious movements - cult recruitment - ideological debates - social media echo chambers Key Concepts fanaticism sincerity bias self-deception Practical Applications - risk assessment of extremist groups - educational curricula on critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How does sincerity become a liability? - Can honest belief be dangerous? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sincerity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sincerity/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [The worst vice of the fanatic is his sincerity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-worst-vice-of-the-fanatic-is-his-sincerity/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The worst vice of the solitary is the worship of his food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/the-worst-vice-of-the-solitary-is-the-worship-of-his-food/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [My worst vice is also my best vice. It's my empathy and my love for people-it can wear me out. I rarely can turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-brooks/my-worst-vice-is-also-my-best-vice-it-s-my-empathy-and-my-love-for/) [Meredith Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-brooks/) > [Good taste is the worst vice ever invented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-sitwell/good-taste-is-the-worst-vice-ever-invented/) [Edith Sitwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-sitwell/) > [My worst vice is gluttony. I try to keep myself under control because I'm an athlete, but once a week I like to pig…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianluigi-buffon/my-worst-vice-is-gluttony-i-try-to-keep-myself-under-control-because/) [Gianluigi Buffon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianluigi-buffon/) > [“In those days the worst vice in England was pride, I guess—the worst vice of all, because folks thought it was a virtue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-ryrie-brink/in-those-days-the-worst-vice-in-england-was-pride-i-guess-the-worst/) [Carol Ryrie Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-ryrie-brink/) > [No one ever reached the worst of a vice at one leap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/no-one-ever-reached-the-worst-of-a-vice-at-one-leap/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [“All pleasure is a vice because seeking pleasure is what everyone does in life, and the worst vice of all is to do what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/all-pleasure-is-a-vice-because-seeking-pleasure-is-what-everyone-does/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“Curiosity is also my worst vice, and once stirred one not to be denied.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ryan/curiosity-is-also-my-worst-vice-and-once-stirred-one-not-to-be-denied/) [Anthony Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ryan/) > [Hostility to youth is the worst vice of the middle-aged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-spender/hostility-to-youth-is-the-worst-vice-of-the-middle-aged/) [J. A. Spender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-spender/) > [“True. In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/true-in-matters-of-grave-importance-style-not-sincerity-is-the-vital/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Now, the value of an idea has nothing whatsoever to do with the sincerity of the man who expresses it. Indeed, the probabilities are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/now-the-value-of-an-idea-has-nothing-whatsoever-to-do-with-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [In all unimportant matters, style, not sincerity, is the essential. In all important matters, style, not sincerity, is the essential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-all-unimportant-matters-style-not-sincerity-is-the-essential-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“In matters of great importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-matters-of-great-importance-style-not-sincerity-is-the-vital-thing/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“the value of an idea has nothing whatsoever to do with the sincerity of the man who expresses it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-value-of-an-idea-has-nothing-whatsoever-to-do-with-the-sincerity/) [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 Fanatic quotes > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Motherland is our property and we have right to handle our properties as pleased. The jokes about death for the sake of the motherland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/motherland-is-our-property-and-we-have-right-to-handle-our-properties/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Your best friends are your principles, if you havent them, dont look for another friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/your-best-friends-are-your-principles-if-you-havent-them-dont-look/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [A strong saying is not afraid of criticism, because it includes all the answers to criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/a-strong-saying-is-not-afraid-of-criticism-because-it-includes-all/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“Fanatics are those who, when following a doctrine becomes inconvenient, make up rules of their own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/fanatics-are-those-who-when-following-a-doctrine-becomes-inconvenient/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [I didn't really grow up a comic book fanatic. I was a big baseball player, and my passion in life, in third grade, was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ritchson/i-didn-t-really-grow-up-a-comic-book-fanatic-i-was-a-big-baseball/) [Alan Ritchson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ritchson/) > [A noble person stands up as though a theater curtain rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/a-noble-person-stands-up-as-though-a-theater-curtain-rises/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [I am a cookbook fanatic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-bee/i-am-a-cookbook-fanatic/) [Samantha Bee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-bee/) > [I'm a London fanatic. That's my city. I love being from there, you don't appreciate it until you go out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/i-m-a-london-fanatic-that-s-my-city-i-love-being-from-there-you-don-t/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [I'm a racehorse fanatic rather than a football fanatic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mcmanaman/i-m-a-racehorse-fanatic-rather-than-a-football-fanatic/) Steve McManaman > [I am a sports fanatic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urvashi-rautela/i-am-a-sports-fanatic/) [Urvashi Rautela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urvashi-rautela/) > [Subconsciously it is possible to act, consciously it is possible to decide and overconsciously to create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/subconsciously-it-is-possible-to-act-consciously-it-is-possible-to/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [I Am More Spiritual Than Religious; Besides I Am Not A Fanatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aamir-khan/i-am-more-spiritual-than-religious-besides-i-am-not-a-fanatic/) [Aamir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aamir-khan/) > [“Some people in orthodox churches in Africa take poverty as a path that leads to heaven, making christianity look unattractive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/some-people-in-orthodox-churches-in-africa-take-poverty-as-a-path/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Baseball is like cricket, and I grew up in a country where they had cricket. So I understand cricket, soccer and basketball. I played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-soon-shiong/baseball-is-like-cricket-and-i-grew-up-in-a-country-where-they-had/) [Patrick Soon-Shiong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-soon-shiong/) Browse all 214 Fanatic quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The worst vice of a fanatic is his sincerity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-worst-vice-of-a-fanatic-is-his-sincerity/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fanatic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-worst-vice-of-a-fanatic-is-his-sincerity/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/oscar-wilde-16_fanatic_the-worst-vice-of-a-fanatic-is-his-since_82056.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/oscar-wilde-16_fanatic_the-worst-vice-of-a-fanatic-is-his-since_82056.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/oscar-wilde-16_fanatic_the-worst-vice-of-a-fanatic-is-his-since_82056.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The worst vice of a fanatic is his sincerity.” — 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 worst vice of a fanatic...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-worst-vice-of-a-fanatic-is-his-sincerity/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-worst-vice-of-a-fanatic-is-his-sincerity/#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 } } ] } ```