--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No one can be despised by another until…" description: "\"No one can be despised by another until he has learned to despise himself.\" — Seneca the Younger" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/seneca-the-younger-219_despise_no-one-can-be-despised-by-another-until_3096257.jpg" --- # No one can be despised by another until he has learned to… ![“No one can be despised by another until he has learned to despise himself.” quote by Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/seneca-the-younger-219_despise_no-one-can-be-despised-by-another-until_3096257.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/seneca-the-younger-219_despise_no-one-can-be-despised-by-another-until_3096257.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/seneca-the-younger-219_despise_no-one-can-be-despised-by-another-until_3096257.jpg) > “No one can be despised by another until he has learned to despise himself.” [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑contempt is the prerequisite for judging others harshly; without self‑respect, we project contempt outward. **In simple terms:** You must respect yourself before you can despise others. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑respect. Themes self‑esteem judgment stoicism Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal relationships - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts self‑contempt projection moral psychology Questions to Reflect On - Do you judge others to avoid judging yourself? - How can self‑respect change your view of others? A Different Perspective Self‑contempt may be rooted in deeper trauma, not just personal choice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despise/) [Despised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despised/) [Despised Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despised-learned-5345666/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned/) [Learned Despise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned-despise-1152196/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Self hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-hatred/) ## Related quotes > [For generations, even many otherwise decent white Southerners learned to despise black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/for-generations-even-many-otherwise-decent-white-southerners-learned/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [Ay, do despise me, I'm the prouder for it; I like to be despised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/ay-do-despise-me-i-m-the-prouder-for-it-i-like-to-be-despised/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [If we don't believe in free expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-we-don-t-believe-in-free-expression-for-people-we-despise-we-don-t/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The foremost art of Kings is the power to endure hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-foremost-art-of-kings-is-the-power-to-endure-hatred/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Certain people give off positive energy, others negative. It's the quality of someone's being, a measure of the love with which they've led their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-orloff/certain-people-give-off-positive-energy-others-negative-it-s-the/) [Judith Orloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-orloff/) > [Commerce is a noble profession, and Jews should get over any self-hatred they might harbor from contemplating the capitalist spirit of diaspora Judaism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/commerce-is-a-noble-profession-and-jews-should-get-over-any-self/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“Perhaps the most liberating moment in my life was when I realized that my self-loathing was not a product of my inadequacy but, rather,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/perhaps-the-most-liberating-moment-in-my-life-was-when-i-realized/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [“My self-destructive behaviour and self-hatred had hit an all-time high.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christa-cervone/my-self-destructive-behaviour-and-self-hatred-had-hit-an-all-time-high/) [Christa Cervone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christa-cervone/) > [If the denial of death is self-hatred, as it is to deny our freedom and live in fear of death (which is to say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-critchley/if-the-denial-of-death-is-self-hatred-as-it-is-to-deny-our-freedom/) [Simon Critchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-critchley/) > [Forgive yourself and get over 'self hatred.' In life, everybody screws up I mean everybody. Some people blame themselves for stuff, when they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/forgive-yourself-and-get-over-self-hatred-in-life-everybody-screws-up/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [Stop hating on yourself for not being perfect. If God wanted perfection, He would have made you an angel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/stop-hating-on-yourself-for-not-being-perfect-if-god-wanted/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [Its hard to simultaneously hold onto self-hatred when youre actively engaged in acts of charity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/its-hard-to-simultaneously-hold-onto-self-hatred-when-youre-actively/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [I wanted to kill the me underneath. That fact haunted my days and nights. When you realize you hate yourself so much, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wanted-to-kill-the-me-underneath-that-fact-haunted-my-days-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I guess that is the strange part of the human brain that people have studied for eons - is hatred and self-hatred. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/i-guess-that-is-the-strange-part-of-the-human-brain-that-people-have/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [Manhattan has generated a shameless architecture that has been loved in direct proportion to its defiant lack of self-hatred, has been respected exactly to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rem-koolhaas/manhattan-has-generated-a-shameless-architecture-that-has-been-loved/) [Rem Koolhaas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rem-koolhaas/) ## More by Seneca the Younger > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [It is for the superfluous we sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-for-the-superfluous-we-sweat/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Men trust rather to their eyes than to their ears; the effect of precepts is therefore slow and tedious, whilst that of examples is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-trust-rather-to-their-eyes-than-to-their-ears-the-effect-of/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [A great step towards independence is a good-humored stomach, one that is willing to endure rough treatment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-great-step-towards-independence-is-a-good-humored-stomach-one-that/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Men can be divided into 2 groups: one that goes ahead and achieves something, and one that comes after and criticizes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-can-be-divided-into-2-groups-one-that-goes-ahead-and-achieves/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Leisure without study is death, and the grave of a living man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/leisure-without-study-is-death-and-the-grave-of-a-living-man/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Such as the chain of causes we call Fate, such is the chain of wishes: one links on to another; the whole man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/such-as-the-chain-of-causes-we-call-fate-such-is-the-chain-of-wishes/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [To rule yourself is the ultimate power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/to-rule-yourself-is-the-ultimate-power/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The road by precepts is tedious, by example, short and efficacious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-road-by-precepts-is-tedious-by-example-short-and-efficacious/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Misfortune is the test of a person's merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/misfortune-is-the-test-of-a-person-s-merit/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [He who does not want to die should not want to live. For life is tendered to us with the proviso of death. Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/he-who-does-not-want-to-die-should-not-want-to-live-for-life-is/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Let us not seek our disease out of ourselves; 'tis in us, and planted in our bowels; and the mere fact that we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/let-us-not-seek-our-disease-out-of-ourselves-tis-in-us-and-planted-in/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [After death there is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/after-death-there-is-nothing/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Adversity finds at last the man whom she has often passed by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/adversity-finds-at-last-the-man-whom-she-has-often-passed-by/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Hesitation is the best cure for anger. The first blows of anger are heavy, but if it waits, it will think again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/hesitation-is-the-best-cure-for-anger-the-first-blows-of-anger-are/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) [Explore all 872 Seneca the Younger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## More Despise quotes > [My whole life has conspired to bring me to this place, and I can’t despise my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/my-whole-life-has-conspired-to-bring-me-to-this-place-and-i-can-t/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“You don’t know what it’s like to worry you’ll start to despise the people who help you, the ones you should love, because they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-guzeman/you-don-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-worry-you-ll-start-to-despise-the/) [Tracy Guzeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-guzeman/) > [Never despise a drink because it is easy to make and/or uses commercial mixes. Unquestioning devotion to authenticity is, in any department of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/never-despise-a-drink-because-it-is-easy-to-make-and-or-uses/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [Everyone has conscience enough to hate; few have religion enough to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/everyone-has-conscience-enough-to-hate-few-have-religion-enough-to/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I agree that biphobia is real, but I think it's absolutely worth considering that someone who "despises" having sex with her husband - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-ortberg/i-agree-that-biphobia-is-real-but-i-think-it-s-absolutely-worth/) [Mallory Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallory-ortberg/) > [If you want to know how to make people shun you and laugh at you behind your back and even despise you, here is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/if-you-want-to-know-how-to-make-people-shun-you-and-laugh-at-you/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I despise a person of little mind - one might as well not have any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-dunham-kelley-hawkins/i-despise-a-person-of-little-mind-one-might-as-well-not-have-any/) [Emma Dunham Kelley-Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-dunham-kelley-hawkins/) > [I despise computers in many ways. I think they’re hopelessly underevolved and overrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-despise-computers-in-many-ways-i-think-they-re-hopelessly/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [With the single exception of Homer, there is no eminent writer, not even Sir Walter Scott, whom I can despise so entirely as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/with-the-single-exception-of-homer-there-is-no-eminent-writer-not/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [I despise the pleasure of pleasing people that I despise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/i-despise-the-pleasure-of-pleasing-people-that-i-despise/) [Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/) > [It was beautiful and rare, and you have every right to despise me." She stood pressed to the wall, not moving. "When you came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/it-was-beautiful-and-rare-and-you-have-every-right-to-despise-me-she/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“I'm really starting to despise good -nights and good -byes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mi-juan-yu-tu/i-m-really-starting-to-despise-good-nights-and-good-byes/) [Mi Juan Yu tu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mi-juan-yu-tu/) > [But miserable most, to love unloved? This you should pity rather than despise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-miserable-most-to-love-unloved-this-you-should-pity-rather-than/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Browse all 918 Despise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No one can be despised by another until he has learned to despise himself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seneca the Younger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/no-one-can-be-despised-by-another-until-he-has-learned-to-despise/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Despise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/no-one-can-be-despised-by-another-until-he-has-learned-to-despise/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/seneca-the-younger-219_despise_no-one-can-be-despised-by-another-until_3096257.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/seneca-the-younger-219_despise_no-one-can-be-despised-by-another-until_3096257.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/seneca-the-younger-219_despise_no-one-can-be-despised-by-another-until_3096257.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No one can be despised by another until he has learned to despise himself.” — Seneca the Younger", "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": "Seneca the Younger", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No one can be despised by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/no-one-can-be-despised-by-another-until-he-has-learned-to-despise/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/no-one-can-be-despised-by-another-until-he-has-learned-to-despise/#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 } } ] } ```