--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Silence is not always tact, and it is…" description: "\"Silence is not always tact, and it is tact that is golden - not silence\" — Samuel Butler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/samuel-butler-823_silence_silence-is-not-always-tact-and-it-is-tac_2798950.jpg" --- # Silence is not always tact, and it is tact that is golden… ![“Silence is not always tact, and it is tact that is golden - not silence” quote by Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/samuel-butler-823_silence_silence-is-not-always-tact-and-it-is-tac_2798950.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/samuel-butler-823_silence_silence-is-not-always-tact-and-it-is-tac_2798950.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/samuel-butler-823_silence_silence-is-not-always-tact-and-it-is-tac_2798950.jpg) > “Silence is not always tact, and it is tact that is golden - not silence” [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Silence isn’t always the polite choice; sometimes tactful action—speaking up—is more valuable. **In simple terms:** Silence isn’t always polite; speak wisely. Key Takeaway Choose tact over silence when needed. Themes communication etiquette wisdom courage Mood reflective practical Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - team meetings - family disputes - public debates - customer service Key Concepts silence tact speech social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When is silence the better option? - How do we gauge the right moment to speak? A Different Perspective Silence can be protective in dangerous contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Tact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tact/) ## Related quotes > [It is tact that is golden, not silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/it-is-tact-that-is-golden-not-silence/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Silence and tact may or may not be the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/silence-and-tact-may-or-may-not-be-the-same-thing/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“Mute in that golden silence hung with green, Come down from heaven and bring me in your eyes Remembrance of all beauty that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegfried-sassoon/mute-in-that-golden-silence-hung-with-green-come-down-from-heaven-and/) [Siegfried Sassoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegfried-sassoon/) > [Silence is golden but if silence is wrapped under guilt it will be culminate into dissatisfaction,fear & pains of discomfort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/silence-is-golden-but-if-silence-is-wrapped-under-guilt-it-will-be/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [Modern civilization has taught us to convert night into day and golden silence into brazen din and noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/modern-civilization-has-taught-us-to-convert-night-into-day-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I regard (parenting) as the hardest, most complicated, anxiety-ridden, sweat-and-blood-producing job in the world. Succeeding requires the ultimate in patience, common sense, commitment, humor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-satir/i-regard-parenting-as-the-hardest-most-complicated-anxiety-ridden/) [Virginia Satir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-satir/) > [To extraordinary powers of labor, both mental and physical, he unites that tact and judgement which are requisite to the successful direction of such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/to-extraordinary-powers-of-labor-both-mental-and-physical-he-unites/) [Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/) > [I have tales to tell, but I don't tell them. Discretion. Discretion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-peck/i-have-tales-to-tell-but-i-don-t-tell-them-discretion-discretion/) [Gregory Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-peck/) > [Love is the tact of every good, The only warmth, the only peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delmore-schwartz/love-is-the-tact-of-every-good-the-only-warmth-the-only-peace/) [Delmore Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delmore-schwartz/) > [Lies hold civilization together. If people ever seriously begin telling each other what they really think, there'd be no peace. Good-bye to tact. Good-bye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/lies-hold-civilization-together-if-people-ever-seriously-begin/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [A Positive Mental Attitude is the right mental attitude. What is the right mental attitude? It is most often comprised of the "plus" characteristics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-positive-mental-attitude-is-the-right-mental-attitude-what-is-the/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“A schoolmate of Matt Chandler's with the locker next to his: "I need to tell you about Jesus. When do you want to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-chandler/a-schoolmate-of-matt-chandler-s-with-the-locker-next-to-his-i-need-to/) [Matt Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-chandler/) > [Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tact-is-the-ability-to-describe-others-as-they-see-themselves/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [... the majority of colored men do not yet think it worth while that women aspire to higher education… The three R's, a littlemusic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-julia-cooper/the-majority-of-colored-men-do-not-yet-think-it-worth-while-that/) [Anna Julia Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-julia-cooper/) > [If you use tact you can say anything, then make it funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/if-you-use-tact-you-can-say-anything-then-make-it-funny/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) ## More by Samuel Butler > [Is life worth living? This is a question for an embryo not for a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/is-life-worth-living-this-is-a-question-for-an-embryo-not-for-a-man/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [I am the enfant terrible of literature and science. If I cannot, and I know I cannot, get the literary and scientific bigwigs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/i-am-the-enfant-terrible-of-literature-and-science-if-i-cannot-and-i/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [If you follow reason far enough it always leads to conclusions that are contrary to reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/if-you-follow-reason-far-enough-it-always-leads-to-conclusions-that/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [All animals, except man, know that the principal business of life is to enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/all-animals-except-man-know-that-the-principal-business-of-life-is-to/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [The advantage of doing one's praising for oneself is that one can lay it on so thick and exactly in the right places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/the-advantage-of-doing-one-s-praising-for-oneself-is-that-one-can-lay/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Spare the rod and spoil the child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/spare-the-rod-and-spoil-the-child/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Opinions have vested interests just as men have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/opinions-have-vested-interests-just-as-men-have/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“we must judge men not so much by what they, as by what they make us feel that they have it in them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/we-must-judge-men-not-so-much-by-what-they-as-by-what-they-make-us/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [If I die prematurely I shall be saved from being bored to death at my own success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/if-i-die-prematurely-i-shall-be-saved-from-being-bored-to-death-at-my/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Vaccination is the medical sacrament corresponding to baptism. Whether it is or is not more efficacious I do not know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/vaccination-is-the-medical-sacrament-corresponding-to-baptism-whether/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“Having, then, once introduced an element of inconsistency into his system, he was far too consistent not to be inconsistent consistently, and he lapsed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/having-then-once-introduced-an-element-of-inconsistency-into-his/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Brigands demand your money or your life; women require both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/brigands-demand-your-money-or-your-life-women-require-both/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [A man who lets himself be bored is even more contemptible than the bore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/a-man-who-lets-himself-be-bored-is-even-more-contemptible-than-the/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [It is not sufficiently considered in the hour of exultation, that all human excellence is comparative; that no man performs much but in proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/it-is-not-sufficiently-considered-in-the-hour-of-exultation-that-all/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“The oldest books are still only just out to those who have not read them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/the-oldest-books-are-still-only-just-out-to-those-who-have-not-read/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) [Explore all 355 Samuel Butler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) ## More Silence quotes > [Let us have the luxury of silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/let-us-have-the-luxury-of-silence/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [I just can’t, Nick, okay? Now, please give me a second to lie here in silence and bleed.” – Caleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-just-can-t-nick-okay-now-please-give-me-a-second-to-lie-here-in/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“SILENT LIKE SLEEP You appear by my side, silent like sleep. Soft hair, a little wild. No fear, gentle like a calm river. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/silent-like-sleep-you-appear-by-my-side-silent-like-sleep-soft-hair-a/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [“A word is not filling in the gaps, but the fertilization of silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/a-word-is-not-filling-in-the-gaps-but-the-fertilization-of-silence/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [“I’m not like her. I don’t steal people.” Mr. Tibbalt watched her, saying nothing. The silence made Victoria bristle. “Well, I don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-legrand/i-m-not-like-her-i-don-t-steal-people-mr-tibbalt-watched-her-saying/) [Claire Legrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-legrand/) > [Silence can be the world's strongest weapon in torturing people's emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/silence-can-be-the-world-s-strongest-weapon-in-torturing-people-s/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“When all are one sentience, Language withers and fades away. Let's sit together and speak in silence, Let's be light to each other's way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/when-all-are-one-sentience-language-withers-and-fades-away-let-s-sit/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [True friendship is sitting together in silence and feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-friendship-is-sitting-together-in-silence-and-feeling-like-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“So what did God say to me in the silence that morning? I’m not sure, but I think God said something like, Don’t try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/so-what-did-god-say-to-me-in-the-silence-that-morning-i-m-not-sure/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [If nothing that can be seen can either be God or represent Him to us as He is, then to find God we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-nothing-that-can-be-seen-can-either-be-god-or-represent-him-to-us/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I suppose he'll just have to do," she amended. "You'll have to suffer in silence with your male model...I feel for you." "Oh, stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-adornetto/i-suppose-he-ll-just-have-to-do-she-amended-you-ll-have-to-suffer-in/) [Alexandra Adornetto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-adornetto/) > [The silent majority is silent, and that is best for everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-kocher/the-silent-majority-is-silent-and-that-is-best-for-everybody/) [Gerhard Kocher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-kocher/) > [“I once asked you what anxiety felt like, and you told me that most days left you riddled with bullet holes. Every morning came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-s/i-once-asked-you-what-anxiety-felt-like-and-you-told-me-that-most/) d.a.s [Browse all 8,731 Silence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Silence is not always tact, and it is tact that is golden - not silence", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Butler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/silence-is-not-always-tact-and-it-is-tact-that-is-golden-not-silence/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Silence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/silence-is-not-always-tact-and-it-is-tact-that-is-golden-not-silence/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/samuel-butler-823_silence_silence-is-not-always-tact-and-it-is-tac_2798950.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/samuel-butler-823_silence_silence-is-not-always-tact-and-it-is-tac_2798950.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/samuel-butler-823_silence_silence-is-not-always-tact-and-it-is-tac_2798950.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Silence is not always tact, and it is tact that is golden - not silence” — Samuel Butler", "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": "Samuel Butler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Silence is not always tact, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/silence-is-not-always-tact-and-it-is-tact-that-is-golden-not-silence/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/silence-is-not-always-tact-and-it-is-tact-that-is-golden-not-silence/#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 } } ] } ```