--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In truth, politeness is artificial good…" description: "\"In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/thomas-jefferson-43_ends_in-truth-politeness-is-artificial-good-h_2310373.jpg" --- # In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers… ![“In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the real virtue.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/thomas-jefferson-43_ends_in-truth-politeness-is-artificial-good-h_2310373.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/thomas-jefferson-43_ends_in-truth-politeness-is-artificial-good-h_2310373.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/thomas-jefferson-43_ends_in-truth-politeness-is-artificial-good-h_2310373.jpg) > “In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the real virtue.” [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politeness is a forced humor that masks true intentions, becoming a substitute for genuine virtue. **In simple terms:** Politeness can hide true motives, not real virtue. Key Takeaway Seek authenticity over superficial courtesy. Themes ethics social behavior authenticity virtue Mood thoughtful balanced Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - diplomacy - customer service - personal interactions - leadership Key Concepts Moral philosophy social psychology civility Questions to Reflect On - When is politeness appropriate? - How can you express honesty kindly? A Different Perspective Politeness can still be valuable in maintaining harmony. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [Politeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politeness/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-truth-politeness-is-artificial-good-humor-it-covers-the-natural/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Politeness has been defined to be artificial good-nature; but we may affirm, with much greater propriety, that good-nature is natural politeness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/politeness-has-been-defined-to-be-artificial-good-nature-but-we-may/) [Stanisław I Leszczyński](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/) > [Real charity and real ability never to condemn-the one real virtue-is so often the result of a waking experience that gives a glimpse of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/real-charity-and-real-ability-never-to-condemn-the-one-real-virtue-is/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [“there is no virtue in doing something for someone else when it’s something you also want to do. That’s merely being helpful, but it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-b-ross/there-is-no-virtue-in-doing-something-for-someone-else-when-it-s/) [Ann B. Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-b-ross/) > [Trusting as we did to the virtue of the people, the real people, not the politicians and demagogues, we passed through the most responsible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/trusting-as-we-did-to-the-virtue-of-the-people-the-real-people-not/) [Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/) > [While the soul is in mortal sin, nothing can profit it; none of its good works merit an eternal reward, since they do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/while-the-soul-is-in-mortal-sin-nothing-can-profit-it-none-of-its/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For many wish not so much to be, as to seem to be, endowed with real virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/for-many-wish-not-so-much-to-be-as-to-seem-to-be-endowed-with-real/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The governors of the world believe, and have always believed, that virtue can only be taught by teaching falsehood, and that any man who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-governors-of-the-world-believe-and-have-always-believed-that/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [ But of all the views of this law \[universal education\] none is more important, none more legitimate, than that of rendering the people the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/but-of-all-the-views-of-this-law-universal-education-none-is-more/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Our country is too large to have all its affairs directed by a single government. Public servants at such a distance, and from under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/our-country-is-too-large-to-have-all-its-affairs-directed-by-a-single/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Nature intended me for the tranquil pursuits of science, by rendering them my supreme delight. But the enormities of the times in which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/nature-intended-me-for-the-tranquil-pursuits-of-science-by-rendering-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Nature intended me for the tranquil pursuits of science by rendering them my supreme delight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/nature-intended-me-for-the-tranquil-pursuits-of-science-by-rendering/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The freedom of the press is a valuable privilege; but the abuse of it, in this country, is a frightful evil. The licentiousness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/the-freedom-of-the-press-is-a-valuable-privilege-but-the-abuse-of-it/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [In his bleak mercy, Death forever strips The soul of light and memory, rendering blind Our vision, lest surmounted deeps appal, As when on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-ashton-smith/in-his-bleak-mercy-death-forever-strips-the-soul-of-light-and-memory/) [Clark Ashton Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-ashton-smith/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More by Thomas Jefferson > [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [ \[States and the Federal government are\] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/states-and-the-federal-government-are-coordinate-departments-of-one/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-for-freedom-of-religion-and-against-all-maneuvers-to-bring-about/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-to-the-accidental-opinion-of-a/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Perceiving the order of nature to be that individual happiness shall be inseparable from the practice of virtue, I am willing to hope it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/perceiving-the-order-of-nature-to-be-that-individual-happiness-shall/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/free-government-is-founded-in-jealousy-and-not-in-confidence-it-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Though you cannot see, when you take one step, what will be the next, yet follow truth, justice, and plain dealing, and never fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/though-you-cannot-see-when-you-take-one-step-what-will-be-the-next/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-well-informed-citizenry-is-the-best-defense-against-tyranny/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The two principles on which our conduct towards the Indians should be founded are justice and fear. After the injuries we have done them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-two-principles-on-which-our-conduct-towards-the-indians-should-be/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Knowledge is power...knowled ge is safety...knowle dge is happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/knowledge-is-power-knowled-ge-is-safety-knowle-dge-is-happiness/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There is... an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents... The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/there-is-an-artificial-aristocracy-founded-on-wealth-and-birth/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Nothing but free argument, raillery and even ridicule will preserve the purity of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/nothing-but-free-argument-raillery-and-even-ridicule-will-preserve/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/when-the-people-are-afraid-of-the-government-that-s-tyranny-but-when/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-hold-these-truths-to-be-self-evident-that-all-men-are-created/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Explore all 2,098 Thomas Jefferson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More Ends quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The end is nothing; the road is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/the-end-is-nothing-the-road-is-all/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [it is the brevity of life which makes it tolerable; its experiences have value because they have an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/it-is-the-brevity-of-life-which-makes-it-tolerable-its-experiences/) [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Believe to the end, even if all men went astray and you were left the only one faithful; bring your offering even then and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/believe-to-the-end-even-if-all-men-went-astray-and-you-were-left-the/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [When the amount of change externally exceeds the amount of change internally, the end is in sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/when-the-amount-of-change-externally-exceeds-the-amount-of-change/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The beginning of love is all about the butterflies, but the end of it is when you can't get out of bed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-beginning-of-love-is-all-about-the-butterflies-but-the-end-of-it/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) Browse all 20,790 Ends quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the real virtue.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Jefferson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-truth-politeness-is-artificial-good-humor-it-covers-the-natural-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ends" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-truth-politeness-is-artificial-good-humor-it-covers-the-natural-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/thomas-jefferson-43_ends_in-truth-politeness-is-artificial-good-h_2310373.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/thomas-jefferson-43_ends_in-truth-politeness-is-artificial-good-h_2310373.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/thomas-jefferson-43_ends_in-truth-politeness-is-artificial-good-h_2310373.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering…” — Thomas Jefferson", "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": "Thomas Jefferson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In truth, politeness is artificial good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-truth-politeness-is-artificial-good-humor-it-covers-the-natural-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-truth-politeness-is-artificial-good-humor-it-covers-the-natural-2/#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 } } ] } ```