--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Flattery is like friendship in show, but…" description: "\"Flattery is like friendship in show, but not in fruit.\" — Socrates" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/socrates-405_flattery_flattery-is-like-friendship-in-show-but_715072.jpg" --- # Flattery is like friendship in show, but not in fruit. ![“Flattery is like friendship in show, but not in fruit.” quote by Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/socrates-405_flattery_flattery-is-like-friendship-in-show-but_715072.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/socrates-405_flattery_flattery-is-like-friendship-in-show-but_715072.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/socrates-405_flattery_flattery-is-like-friendship-in-show-but_715072.jpg) > “Flattery is like friendship in show, but not in fruit.” [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns that flattery is superficial, appearing friendly but lacking genuine substance or truth. **In simple terms:** Flattery looks friendly but lacks real value. Key Takeaway Seek sincere relationships over empty praise. Themes trust authenticity communication Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - social interactions - leadership - personal relationships Key Concepts philosophy human nature integrity Questions to Reflect On - How do you distinguish genuine praise from flattery? - When is flattery acceptable, if ever? A Different Perspective Flattery can sometimes be socially useful despite its insincerity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flattery/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit/) ## Related quotes > [Flattery is like a painted armor; only for show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/flattery-is-like-a-painted-armor-only-for-show/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Though flattery blossoms like friendship, yet there is a vast difference in the fruit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/though-flattery-blossoms-like-friendship-yet-there-is-a-vast/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Flattery is like cologne water, to be smelt of, not swallowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/flattery-is-like-cologne-water-to-be-smelt-of-not-swallowed/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Flattery is like chewing gum. Enjoy it but don't swallow it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-ketcham/flattery-is-like-chewing-gum-enjoy-it-but-don-t-swallow-it/) [Hank Ketcham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-ketcham/) > [“Lifelong friendship is a fruit of love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/lifelong-friendship-is-a-fruit-of-love/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Flattery, then, is like the other strategies discussed above in that it should be ineffective; unlike the others, however, it usually works. As Milan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gilovich/flattery-then-is-like-the-other-strategies-discussed-above-in-that-it/) [Thomas Gilovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gilovich/) > [Flattery is like cologne water, to be smelt, not swallowed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/flattery-is-like-cologne-water-to-be-smelt-not-swallowed/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Flattery is like a chewing gum. Chew it but never swallow it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/flattery-is-like-a-chewing-gum-chew-it-but-never-swallow-it/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [A little flattery, like a warm bath and soft towel, will let you get along with yourself, lie down with yourself, and sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-regier/a-little-flattery-like-a-warm-bath-and-soft-towel-will-let-you-get/) [Willis Regier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-regier/) > [Flattery is like wine, which exhilarates a man for a moment, but usually ends by going to his head and making him act foolishly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/flattery-is-like-wine-which-exhilarates-a-man-for-a-moment-but/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [Because nothing says flattery like a gun to the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/because-nothing-says-flattery-like-a-gun-to-the-head/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“There are some things more important than your own life. Like friendship, and love, and trust, and goodness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-estes/there-are-some-things-more-important-than-your-own-life-like/) [David Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-estes/) > [I hate it when I become friends with a girl, a beautiful girl, and I end up liking her... I try to impress her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/my/i-hate-it-when-i-become-friends-with-a-girl-a-beautiful-girl-and-i/) My > [“I feel like our whole friendship was a lie. She's probably the only person I've ever really opened up to, and the whole time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-halpin/i-feel-like-our-whole-friendship-was-a-lie-she-s-probably-the-only/) [Brendan Halpin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-halpin/) > [Love someone? miss someone? if they dont want to see you but they want to keep in touch (more like friendship), it will hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-boro/love-someone-miss-someone-if-they-dont-want-to-see-you-but-they-want/) Michelle Boro ## More by Socrates > [By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/by-all-means-marry-if-you-get-a-good-wife-you-ll-be-happy-if-you-get/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Falling down is not a failure. Failure comes when you stay where you have fallen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/falling-down-is-not-a-failure-failure-comes-when-you-stay-where-you/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Do not go through life like leaf blown from here to there believing whatever you are told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/do-not-go-through-life-like-leaf-blown-from-here-to-there-believing/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [If the whole world depends on today's youth, I can't see the world lasting another 100 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-the-whole-world-depends-on-today-s-youth-i-can-t-see-the-world/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“I only know, I know nothing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-only-know-i-know-nothing/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-cannot-teach-anybody-anything-i-can-only-make-them-think/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [If measure and symmetry are absent from any composition in any degree, ruin awaits both the ingredients and the composition... Measure and symmetry are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-measure-and-symmetry-are-absent-from-any-composition-in-any-degree/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Marry a good woman, and be happy the rest of your life. Or, marry a bad, and become a good philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/marry-a-good-woman-and-be-happy-the-rest-of-your-life-or-marry-a-bad/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“For the fear of death is indeed the pretense of wisdom, and not real wisdom, being a pretense of knowing the unknown; and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/for-the-fear-of-death-is-indeed-the-pretense-of-wisdom-and-not-real/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [There is no difference between knowledge and temperance; for he who knows what is good and embraces it, who knows what is bad and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/there-is-no-difference-between-knowledge-and-temperance-for-he-who/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Besides, it is a shame to let yourself grow old through neglect before seeing how you can develop the maximum beauty and strength of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/besides-it-is-a-shame-to-let-yourself-grow-old-through-neglect-before/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [The greatest blessing granted to mankind come by way of madness, which is a divine gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-greatest-blessing-granted-to-mankind-come-by-way-of-madness-which/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I desire only to know the truth, and to live as well as I can...And, to the utmost of my power, I exhort all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-desire-only-to-know-the-truth-and-to-live-as-well-as-i-can-and-to/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [So you would rather suffer an injustice than do an injustice?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/so-you-would-rather-suffer-an-injustice-than-do-an-injustice/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [The end of life is to be like unto God; and the soul following God, will be like unto Him; He being the beginning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-end-of-life-is-to-be-like-unto-god-and-the-soul-following-god/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) [Explore all 579 Socrates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) ## More Flattery quotes > [“Flattery looks like friendship, just like a wolf looks like a dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice/flattery-looks-like-friendship-just-like-a-wolf-looks-like-a-dog/) [Oscar Auliq-Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-auliq-ice/) > [“What a situation!' cried Miss Squeers; '...What is the reason that men fall in love with me, whether I like it or not, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/what-a-situation-cried-miss-squeers-what-is-the-reason-that-men-fall/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [By God, I cannot flatter, I do defy The tongues of soothers! but a braver place In my heart's love hath no man than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/by-god-i-cannot-flatter-i-do-defy-the-tongues-of-soothers-but-a/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I'm not drunk, I'm just intoxicated by you. I was so enchanted by your beauty that I ran into that wall over there. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paperboi/i-m-not-drunk-i-m-just-intoxicated-by-you-i-was-so-enchanted-by-your/) Paperboi > [The most skillful flattery is to let a person talk on, and be a listener.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/the-most-skillful-flattery-is-to-let-a-person-talk-on-and-be-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Love of another is merely empty flattery and self-deception for one who cannot accept himself without pretense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/love-of-another-is-merely-empty-flattery-and-self-deception-for-one/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [I have a car that I call Flattery because it gets me nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/i-have-a-car-that-i-call-flattery-because-it-gets-me-nowhere/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [Dont get confused between flattery and kindness these are the new kind of deceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chops/dont-get-confused-between-flattery-and-kindness-these-are-the-new/) [Chops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chops/) > [It is an unquestionable truth, that the body of the people in every country desire sincerely its prosperity. But it is equally unquestionable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-is-an-unquestionable-truth-that-the-body-of-the-people-in-every/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Truth and ceremony are two things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/truth-and-ceremony-are-two-things/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The best form of flattery is to master the art of listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/the-best-form-of-flattery-is-to-master-the-art-of-listening/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“You are the belle of the ball tonight.” He said as he moved in closer. “How can you be so sinfully beautiful Mrs. Norman?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gray/you-are-the-belle-of-the-ball-tonight-he-said-as-he-moved-in-closer/) [Barry Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gray/) > [He who says he hates all kinds of flattery, and says so in earnest, has undoubtedly not as yet become acquainted with all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/he-who-says-he-hates-all-kinds-of-flattery-and-says-so-in-earnest-has/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [What signifies protesting so against flattery when a person speaks well of one, it must either be true or false, you know if true,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/what-signifies-protesting-so-against-flattery-when-a-person-speaks/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [But it is hard to know them from friends, they are so obsequious and full of protestations; for a wolf resembles a dog, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/but-it-is-hard-to-know-them-from-friends-they-are-so-obsequious-and/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) [Browse all 636 Flattery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flattery/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Flattery is like friendship in show, but not in fruit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Socrates" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/flattery-is-like-friendship-in-show-but-not-in-fruit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Flattery" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/flattery-is-like-friendship-in-show-but-not-in-fruit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/socrates-405_flattery_flattery-is-like-friendship-in-show-but_715072.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/socrates-405_flattery_flattery-is-like-friendship-in-show-but_715072.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/socrates-405_flattery_flattery-is-like-friendship-in-show-but_715072.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Flattery is like friendship in show, but not in fruit.” — Socrates", "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": "Socrates", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Flattery is like friendship in show,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/flattery-is-like-friendship-in-show-but-not-in-fruit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/flattery-is-like-friendship-in-show-but-not-in-fruit/#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 } } ] } ```