--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When one is in love, one always begins by…" description: "\"When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one's self, and one always ends by deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance.\" — Osc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38b/oscar-wilde-16_deceiving-others_when-one-is-in-love-one-always-begins-by_1504638.jpg" --- # When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one's… ![“When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one's self, and one always ends by deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38b/oscar-wilde-16_deceiving-others_when-one-is-in-love-one-always-begins-by_1504638.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38b/oscar-wilde-16_deceiving-others_when-one-is-in-love-one-always-begins-by_1504638.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38b/oscar-wilde-16_deceiving-others_when-one-is-in-love-one-always-begins-by_1504638.jpg) > “When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one's self, and one always ends by deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance.” [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. Love begins with self‑deception and ends by deceiving others, which society labels romance. **In simple terms:** Love involves self‑deception and deceiving others. Key Takeaway Recognize romance’s illusion. Themes love deception romance human nature society Mood melancholic ironic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - marriage - dating culture Key Concepts existentialism social critique psychology of love Questions to Reflect On - Why do we accept deception in love? - Can honesty coexist with romance? A Different Perspective Romantic idealism can mask truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deceiving others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceiving-others/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) ## Related quotes > [When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving oneself, and one always ends by deceiving others. That is what the world calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/when-one-is-in-love-one-always-begins-by-deceiving-oneself-and-one/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“In love, one always begins in deceiving oneself, and one always ends in deceiving others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-love-one-always-begins-in-deceiving-oneself-and-one-always-ends-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/deceiving-others-that-is-what-the-world-calls-a-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [It is best, if possible, to deceive no one; for he that ... begins by deceiving others, will end ... by deceiving himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-best-if-possible-to-deceive-no-one-for-he-that-begins-by/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Romance should never begin with sentiment. It should begin with science and end with a settlement. Nothing spoils romance so much as a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/romance-should-never-begin-with-sentiment-it-should-begin-with-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois/love-does-not-begin-and-end-the-way-we-seem-to-think-it-does-love-is-2/) [Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois/) > [It is vain to find fault with those arts of deceiving wherein men find pleasure to be deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/it-is-vain-to-find-fault-with-those-arts-of-deceiving-wherein-men/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [To deceive gracefully is the very essence of social life. One must start by deceiving oneself, and make a lifelong practice of deceiving others;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/to-deceive-gracefully-is-the-very-essence-of-social-life-one-must/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [We often shed tears that deceive ourselves after deceiving others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-often-shed-tears-that-deceive-ourselves-after-deceiving-others/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Perhaps the reader is astonished by the frankness with which I expose and emphasize my mediocrity; let him remember that frankness is the virtue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machado-de-assis/perhaps-the-reader-is-astonished-by-the-frankness-with-which-i-expose/) [Machado de Assis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machado-de-assis/) > [Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/be-doers-of-the-word-and-not-hearers-only-deluding-yourselves/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [He who has made it a practice to lie and deceive his father, will be the most daring in deceiving others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/he-who-has-made-it-a-practice-to-lie-and-deceive-his-father-will-be/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [“You're a shit cake with cum for whipped cream and dynamite for candles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-mostafa/you-re-a-shit-cake-with-cum-for-whipped-cream-and-dynamite-for-candles/) [Ahmed Mostafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-mostafa/) > [“Know all ritual, ceremony, and conditions to be arbitrary (you have yourself to please): in the end, they are just a hindrance and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/know-all-ritual-ceremony-and-conditions-to-be-arbitrary-you-have/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“Dan Ariely did a study in which people were given the opportunity to cheat on a test. (They didn’t know the researchers administering the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/dan-ariely-did-a-study-in-which-people-were-given-the-opportunity-to/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) ## 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 Deceiving others quotes > [“Dan Ariely did a study in which people were given the opportunity to cheat on a test. (They didn’t know the researchers administering the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/dan-ariely-did-a-study-in-which-people-were-given-the-opportunity-to/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [We often shed tears that deceive ourselves after deceiving others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-often-shed-tears-that-deceive-ourselves-after-deceiving-others/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/be-doers-of-the-word-and-not-hearers-only-deluding-yourselves/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [“You're a shit cake with cum for whipped cream and dynamite for candles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-mostafa/you-re-a-shit-cake-with-cum-for-whipped-cream-and-dynamite-for-candles/) [Ahmed Mostafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-mostafa/) > [It is vain to find fault with those arts of deceiving wherein men find pleasure to be deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/it-is-vain-to-find-fault-with-those-arts-of-deceiving-wherein-men/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving oneself, and one always ends by deceiving others. That is what the world calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/when-one-is-in-love-one-always-begins-by-deceiving-oneself-and-one/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Know all ritual, ceremony, and conditions to be arbitrary (you have yourself to please): in the end, they are just a hindrance and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/know-all-ritual-ceremony-and-conditions-to-be-arbitrary-you-have/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“In love, one always begins in deceiving oneself, and one always ends in deceiving others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-love-one-always-begins-in-deceiving-oneself-and-one-always-ends-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [He who has made it a practice to lie and deceive his father, will be the most daring in deceiving others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/he-who-has-made-it-a-practice-to-lie-and-deceive-his-father-will-be/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [It is best, if possible, to deceive no one; for he that ... begins by deceiving others, will end ... by deceiving himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-best-if-possible-to-deceive-no-one-for-he-that-begins-by/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [“Perhaps the reader is astonished by the frankness with which I expose and emphasize my mediocrity; let him remember that frankness is the virtue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machado-de-assis/perhaps-the-reader-is-astonished-by-the-frankness-with-which-i-expose/) [Machado de Assis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machado-de-assis/) > [Deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/deceiving-others-that-is-what-the-world-calls-a-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois/love-does-not-begin-and-end-the-way-we-seem-to-think-it-does-love-is-2/) [Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois/) > [To deceive gracefully is the very essence of social life. One must start by deceiving oneself, and make a lifelong practice of deceiving others;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-huxley/to-deceive-gracefully-is-the-very-essence-of-social-life-one-must/) [Elspeth Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-huxley/) > [Romance should never begin with sentiment. It should begin with science and end with a settlement. Nothing spoils romance so much as a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/romance-should-never-begin-with-sentiment-it-should-begin-with-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Browse all 17 Deceiving others quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceiving-others/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one's self, and one always ends by deceiving others. 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