--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because all men are apt to flatter…" description: "\"Because all men are apt to flatter themselves, to entertain the addition of other men's praises is most perilous.\" — Walter Raleigh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/walter-raleigh-4068_flattery_because-all-men-are-apt-to-flatter-thems_2430486.png" --- # Because all men are apt to flatter themselves, to… ![“Because all men are apt to flatter themselves, to entertain the addition of other men's praises is most perilous.” quote by Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/walter-raleigh-4068_flattery_because-all-men-are-apt-to-flatter-thems_2430486.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/walter-raleigh-4068_flattery_because-all-men-are-apt-to-flatter-thems_2430486.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/walter-raleigh-4068_flattery_because-all-men-are-apt-to-flatter-thems_2430486.png) > “Because all men are apt to flatter themselves, to entertain the addition of other men's praises is most perilous.” [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Flattery is dangerous; seeking others' praise can lead to self-deception and risk. **In simple terms:** Flattery leads to self‑deception and danger. Key Takeaway Beware of flattery. Themes pride self-awareness danger social dynamics Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - social interactions - leadership - public speaking - self‑reflection - career advancement Key Concepts Psychology of ego risk management humility Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate sincere praise from manipulation? - Can you accept criticism without feeling threatened? A Different Perspective May ignore genuine feedback in fear of flattery. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flattery/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [Flatterers are the worst kind of traitors, for they will strengthen thy imperfections, encourage thee in all evils, correct thee in nothing, but so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/flatterers-are-the-worst-kind-of-traitors-for-they-will-strengthen/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Everyone seems agreed that writing about sex is perilous, partly because it threatens to swamp highly individualised characters in a generic, featureless activity (much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/everyone-seems-agreed-that-writing-about-sex-is-perilous-partly/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [The intellectual power, through words and things, Went sounding on a dim and perilous way!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/the-intellectual-power-through-words-and-things-went-sounding-on-a/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“The only thing worse than a perilous adventure is a boring one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/the-only-thing-worse-than-a-perilous-adventure-is-a-boring-one/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [Reading, solitude, idleness, a soft and sedentary life, intercourse with women and young people, these are perilous paths for a young man, and these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/reading-solitude-idleness-a-soft-and-sedentary-life-intercourse-with/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [A strength to harm is perilous in the hand of an ambitious head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/a-strength-to-harm-is-perilous-in-the-hand-of-an-ambitious-head/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [Regarding R. 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Don't ever stop dancing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/love-is-a-perilous-dance-too-you-see-and-if-we-stop-dancing-we-ll-die/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) > [Fortune's wheel never stands still the highest point is therefore the most perilous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/fortune-s-wheel-never-stands-still-the-highest-point-is-therefore-the/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [By far my most perilous assignment was covering a tank car explosion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-savitch/by-far-my-most-perilous-assignment-was-covering-a-tank-car-explosion/) [Jessica Savitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-savitch/) > [“The fact that pigs were abroad in the night seemed to bring home to me the perilous nature of my enterprise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/the-fact-that-pigs-were-abroad-in-the-night-seemed-to-bring-home-to/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > ["Lawyers Are": Perilous mouths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/lawyers-are-perilous-mouths/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A woman in such an emotional tempest is as perilous as a blind cobra to any about her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-howard/a-woman-in-such-an-emotional-tempest-is-as-perilous-as-a-blind-cobra/) [Robert E. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-howard/) ## More by Walter Raleigh > [ \[It is a basic principle of a tyrant\] to unarm his people of weapons, money and all means whereby they resist his power. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/it-is-a-basic-principle-of-a-tyrant-to-unarm-his-people-of-weapons/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [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/) > [Flatterers are the worst kind of traitors, for they will strengthen thy imperfections, encourage thee in all evils, correct thee in nothing, but so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/flatterers-are-the-worst-kind-of-traitors-for-they-will-strengthen/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Expressive glances Shall be our lances And pops of Sillery Our light artillery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/expressive-glances-shall-be-our-lances-and-pops-of-sillery-our-light/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [The world is itself but a larger prison, out of which some are daily selected for execution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/the-world-is-itself-but-a-larger-prison-out-of-which-some-are-daily/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Whosoever, in writing a modern history, shall follow truth too near the heels, it may happily strike out his teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/whosoever-in-writing-a-modern-history-shall-follow-truth-too-near-the/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Fain would I, but I dare not; I dare, and yet I may not; I may, although I care not, for pleasure when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/fain-would-i-but-i-dare-not-i-dare-and-yet-i-may-not-i-may-although-i/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [And when I'm introduced to one I wish I thought What Jolly Fun!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/and-when-i-m-introduced-to-one-i-wish-i-thought-what-jolly-fun/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [The gain of lying is nothing else but not to be trusted of any, nor to be believed when we say the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/the-gain-of-lying-is-nothing-else-but-not-to-be-trusted-of-any-nor-to/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [An anthology is like all the plums and orange peel picked out of a cake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/an-anthology-is-like-all-the-plums-and-orange-peel-picked-out-of-a/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Corrupt seeds bring forth corrupt plants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/corrupt-seeds-bring-forth-corrupt-plants/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [No one can take less pains than to hold his tongue. Hear much, and speak little; for the tongue is the instrument of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/no-one-can-take-less-pains-than-to-hold-his-tongue-hear-much-and/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [In a word, we may gather out of History a policy no less wise than I eternal; by the comparison and application of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/in-a-word-we-may-gather-out-of-history-a-policy-no-less-wise-than-i/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Romance is a love affair in other than domestic surroundings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/romance-is-a-love-affair-in-other-than-domestic-surroundings/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [Hath triumphed over time, which besides it nothing but eternity hath triumphed over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/hath-triumphed-over-time-which-besides-it-nothing-but-eternity-hath/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) [Explore all 116 Walter Raleigh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) ## 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": "Because all men are apt to flatter themselves, to entertain the addition of other men's praises is most perilous.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Walter Raleigh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/because-all-men-are-apt-to-flatter-themselves-to-entertain-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Flattery" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/because-all-men-are-apt-to-flatter-themselves-to-entertain-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/walter-raleigh-4068_flattery_because-all-men-are-apt-to-flatter-thems_2430486.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/walter-raleigh-4068_flattery_because-all-men-are-apt-to-flatter-thems_2430486.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/walter-raleigh-4068_flattery_because-all-men-are-apt-to-flatter-thems_2430486.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Because all men are apt to flatter themselves, to entertain the addition of other men's praises is most…” — Walter Raleigh", "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": "Walter Raleigh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Because all men are apt to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/because-all-men-are-apt-to-flatter-themselves-to-entertain-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/because-all-men-are-apt-to-flatter-themselves-to-entertain-the/#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 } } ] } ```