---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Women love to be called cruel, even when…"
description: "\"Women love to be called cruel, even when they are kindest.\" — Samuel Richardson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/samuel-richardson-1695_cruel_women-love-to-be-called-cruel-even-when_2212675.png"
---

#  Women love to be called cruel, even when they are kindest.

![“Women love to be called cruel, even when they are kindest.” quote by Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/samuel-richardson-1695_cruel_women-love-to-be-called-cruel-even-when_2212675.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/samuel-richardson-1695_cruel_women-love-to-be-called-cruel-even-when_2212675.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/samuel-richardson-1695_cruel_women-love-to-be-called-cruel-even-when_2212675.png)

> “Women love to be called cruel, even when they are kindest.”

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People sometimes enjoy being labeled harshly even when they act kindly, revealing a paradox in self-perception.

**In simple terms:** People like being called cruel despite kindness.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the irony in how others label you.

Themes

psychology selfimage paradox

Mood

reflective critical

Type

philosophical conversational

When to use this quote

- personal relationships
- literary analysis
- social media commentary

Key Concepts

Self‑deception social labeling irony

Questions to Reflect On

- Why might someone prefer a negative label?
- How does this affect behavior?

A Different Perspective

Labels can reinforce negative self‑views.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Kindest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindest/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/)

## Related quotes

> [Women love those best (whether men, women, or children) who give them most pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/women-love-those-best-whether-men-women-or-children-who-give-them/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [Women are so much in love with compliments that rather than want them, they will compliment one another, yet mean no more by it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/women-are-so-much-in-love-with-compliments-that-rather-than-want-them/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [If women would make themselves appear as elegant to an Husband, as they were desirous to appear to him while a Lover, the Rake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/if-women-would-make-themselves-appear-as-elegant-to-an-husband-as/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [Soup is cuisines kindest course](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/soup-is-cuisines-kindest-course/)

[Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/)

> [“kindest people are often those who have come through testing personal tragedies. A”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruskin-bond/kindest-people-are-often-those-who-have-come-through-testing-personal/)

[Ruskin Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruskin-bond/)

> [“Naturally, we lunatics are the kindest of the bunch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/naturally-we-lunatics-are-the-kindest-of-the-bunch/)

[Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/)

> [“If someone is facing a difficult time, one of the kindest things you can do for him or her is to say, “I’m just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-friedenfeld/if-someone-is-facing-a-difficult-time-one-of-the-kindest-things-you/)

[Molly Friedenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-friedenfeld/)

> [The truth is the kindest thing we can give folks in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/the-truth-is-the-kindest-thing-we-can-give-folks-in-the-end/)

[Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/)

> [“Or to look at it from the other end of the telescope: Who in your life, do you remember most fondly, with the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/or-to-look-at-it-from-the-other-end-of-the-telescope-who-in-your-life/)

[George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/)

> [“I’ll tell you, got it? I’ll tell you—it’s because you are the kindest person I’ve ever met. Just the kindest fucking person. How about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/i-ll-tell-you-got-it-i-ll-tell-you-it-s-because-you-are-the-kindest/)

[Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/)

> [Some people don't realize that a straight 'No' can be the kindest answer in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-coe/some-people-don-t-realize-that-a-straight-no-can-be-the-kindest/)

[Jonathan Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-coe/)

> [Werdum is one of the nicest, kindest people I've ever met.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beneil-dariush/werdum-is-one-of-the-nicest-kindest-people-i-ve-ever-met/)

[Beneil Dariush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beneil-dariush/)

> [“He has the kindest, sweetest heart you could ever know. He's funny, he's smart, and he knows just what to say to make me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-murphy/he-has-the-kindest-sweetest-heart-you-could-ever-know-he-s-funny-he-s/)

[Monica Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-murphy/)

> [The kindest word to describe my performance in school was Sloth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/the-kindest-word-to-describe-my-performance-in-school-was-sloth/)

[Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/)

> [The countries with the greatest problems have the kindest people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-lindhout/the-countries-with-the-greatest-problems-have-the-kindest-people/)

[Amanda Lindhout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-lindhout/)

## More by Samuel Richardson

> [I never knew a man who deserved to be thought well of for his morals who had a slight opinion of our Sex in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/i-never-knew-a-man-who-deserved-to-be-thought-well-of-for-his-morals/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [The life of a good man was a continual warfare with his passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/the-life-of-a-good-man-was-a-continual-warfare-with-his-passions/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [A beautiful woman must expect to be more accountable for her steps, than one less attractive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/a-beautiful-woman-must-expect-to-be-more-accountable-for-her-steps/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [The person who is worthiest to live, is fittest to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/the-person-who-is-worthiest-to-live-is-fittest-to-die/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [Vast is the field of Science... the more a man knows, the more he will find he has to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/vast-is-the-field-of-science-the-more-a-man-knows-the-more-he-will/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [The difference in the education of men and women must give the former great advantages over the latter, even where geniuses are equal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/the-difference-in-the-education-of-men-and-women-must-give-the-former/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [There are men who think themselves too wise to be religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/there-are-men-who-think-themselves-too-wise-to-be-religious/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [Love is a blazing, crackling, green-wood flame, as much smoke as flame; friendship, married friendship particularly, is a steady,intense, comfortable fire. Love, in courtship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/love-is-a-blazing-crackling-green-wood-flame-as-much-smoke-as-flame/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [A good man will honor him who lives up to his religious profession, whatever it be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/a-good-man-will-honor-him-who-lives-up-to-his-religious-profession/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [Quantity in diet is more to be regarded than quality. A full meal is a great enemy both to study and industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/quantity-in-diet-is-more-to-be-regarded-than-quality-a-full-meal-is-a/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [Superstitious notions propagated in infancy are hardly ever totally eradicate, not even in minds grown strong enough to despise the like credulous folly in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/superstitious-notions-propagated-in-infancy-are-hardly-ever-totally/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [The eye is the casement at which the heart generally looks out. Many a woman who will not show herself at the door, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/the-eye-is-the-casement-at-which-the-heart-generally-looks-out-many-a/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [People of little understanding are most apt to be angry when their sense is called into question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/people-of-little-understanding-are-most-apt-to-be-angry-when-their/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [I have my choice: who can wish for more? Free will enables us to do everything well while imposition makes a light burden heavy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/i-have-my-choice-who-can-wish-for-more-free-will-enables-us-to-do/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

> [There would be no supporting life were we to feel quite as poignantly for others as we do for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/there-would-be-no-supporting-life-were-we-to-feel-quite-as-poignantly/)

[Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

[Explore all 215 Samuel Richardson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/)

## More Cruel quotes

> [“History has a cruel way of disappointing optimists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-thompson/history-has-a-cruel-way-of-disappointing-optimists/)

Keith Thompson

> [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/)

[Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/)

> [“Don't be so cruel to me. Don't promise me anything. I've got everything that i need. I need love in a good way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tegan-quin/don-t-be-so-cruel-to-me-don-t-promise-me-anything-i-ve-got-everything/)

[Tegan Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tegan-quin/)

> [Pity is cruel. Pity destroys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/pity-is-cruel-pity-destroys/)

[Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/)

> [“Even the cruel feel pain. And even the cruel can change. I hope this changes him. He could do so much, if only he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/even-the-cruel-feel-pain-and-even-the-cruel-can-change-i-hope-this/)

[Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/)

> [You must learn that to endure cruelty is to become cruel yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bleach/you-must-learn-that-to-endure-cruelty-is-to-become-cruel-yourself/)

[Bleach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bleach/)

> [“my power is as cruel a joke as it can get? That’s”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-d-anderson/my-power-is-as-cruel-a-joke-as-it-can-get-that-s/)

Katie D. Anderson

> [I must be cruel only to be kind; Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-must-be-cruel-only-to-be-kind-thus-bad-begins-and-worse-remains/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Huamns, uregulated, are cruel and capricious; violet and selfish; miserable and quarrelsome. It is only after their instincts and basic emotions have been controlled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/huamns-uregulated-are-cruel-and-capricious-violet-and-selfish/)

[Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/)

> [“You would think those who have endured unkindness would be kinder as a result, intent on sparing others the awful suffering they abhorred firsthand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/you-would-think-those-who-have-endured-unkindness-would-be-kinder-as/)

[Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/)

> [how cruel, your veins are full of ice-water and mine are boiling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/how-cruel-your-veins-are-full-of-ice-water-and-mine-are-boiling/)

[Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/)

> [There is no kindness more cruel than the kindness which consigns another person to their sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-is-no-kindness-more-cruel-than-the-kindness-which-consigns/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [Vanity can create a very cruel space for you if you don't know how to manage it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/vanity-can-create-a-very-cruel-space-for-you-if-you-don-t-know-how-to/)

[Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/)

> [Life is cruel and we do terrible things to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-pym/life-is-cruel-and-we-do-terrible-things-to-each-other/)

[Barbara Pym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-pym/)

> [What people loathe the most is to be orphaned, desolate, unworthy. But this is what princes and kings call themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-people-loathe-the-most-is-to-be-orphaned-desolate-unworthy-but/)

[Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/)

Browse all 1,069 Cruel quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Women love to be called cruel, even when they are kindest.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Samuel Richardson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/women-love-to-be-called-cruel-even-when-they-are-kindest/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cruel"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/women-love-to-be-called-cruel-even-when-they-are-kindest/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/samuel-richardson-1695_cruel_women-love-to-be-called-cruel-even-when_2212675.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/samuel-richardson-1695_cruel_women-love-to-be-called-cruel-even-when_2212675.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/samuel-richardson-1695_cruel_women-love-to-be-called-cruel-even-when_2212675.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Women love to be called cruel, even when they are kindest.” — Samuel Richardson",
                "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 Richardson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Women love to be called cruel,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/women-love-to-be-called-cruel-even-when-they-are-kindest/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/women-love-to-be-called-cruel-even-when-they-are-kindest/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
