"When we see that almost everything men devote their lives to attain, sparing no effort and encountering a thousand toils and dangers in the process, has, in the end, no further object than to raise themselves in the estimation of others; when we see that not only offices, titles, decorations, but also wealth, nay, even knowledge[1] and art, are striven for only to obtain, as the ultimate goal of all effort, greater respect from one's fellowmen,-is not this a lamentable proof of the extent to which human folly can go?"

Vanity, Ego, Recognition, Folly, Status

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"When we see that almost everything men devote their lives to attain, sparing no effort and encountering a thousand toils and dangers in the process, has, in the end, no further object than to raise themselves in the estimation of others; when we see that not only offices, titles, decorations, but also wealth, nay, even knowledge[1] and art, are striven for only to obtain, as the ultimate goal of all effort, greater respect from one's fellowmen,-is not this a lamentable proof of the extent to which human folly can go?"

Exlpore more Vanity quotes

"The contest of world's tallest skyscraper is a childish thing. Whereas with similar budget, they could construct flying building."

Toba Beta, Indonesian Author

Vanity, Ambition, Power, Truth, Wisdom

"She wore so much thick white makeup in order to conceal her naturally rosy complexion that if she turned around suddenly her face would probably end up on the back of her head."

Terry Pratchett, English Author

Vanity, Humor, Truth, Regret, Life

"Even eighty-odd is sometimes vulnerable to vanity."

L. M. Montgomery, Canadian Author

Vanity, Aging, Pride, Emotion

"When we see that almost everything men devote their lives to attain, sparing no effort and encountering a thousand toils and dangers in the process, has, in the end, no further object than to raise themselves in the estimation of others; when we see that not only offices, titles, decorations, but also wealth, nay, even knowledge[1] and art, are striven for only to obtain, as the ultimate goal of all effort, greater respect from one's fellowmen,-is not this a lamentable proof of the extent to which human folly can go?"

Arthur Schopenhauer, German Philosopher

Vanity, Ego, Recognition, Folly, Status

"Egotism, n: Doing the New York Times crossword puzzle with a pen."

Ambrose Bierce, American Journalist

Vanity, Egotism, Pen

"Visibility without Value is Vanity."

Bernard Kelvin Clive, Ghanaian Author

Vanity, Visibility, Values, Self-Worth

"It is less mortifying to believe one's self unpopular than insignificant, and vanity prefers to assume that indifference is a latent form of unfriendliness."

Edith Wharton, American Author

Vanity, Perception, Ego, Self-Deception

"'Tis pleasant, sure, to see one's name in print. A book's a book, although there's nothing in 't."

Lord Byron, British Poet

Vanity, Name, Nothing

"My vanity was flattered by having been mistaken for our revered sovereign. I ordered a banquet to be got ready for the following evening, under the trees before my house, and invited the whole town."

Adelbert von Chamisso, German Poet

Vanity, Evening, Trees

"You think too much of your "toilette", Adele; but you may have a flower." I took a rose from a vase and fastened it in her sash. She sighed a sign of ineffable satisfaction, as if her cup of happiness were now full. I turned my face away to conceal a smile I could not suppress; there was something ludicrous as well as painful in the little Parisienne's earnest and innate devotion to matters of dress."

Charlotte Bronte, British Novelist

Vanity, Appearance, Joy, Materialism, Childhood

Explore more quotes by Arthur Schopenhauer

"Great minds are related to the brief span of time during which they live as great buildings are to a little square in which they stand: you cannot see them in all their magnitude because you are standing too close to them."

Time,

"Men are by nature merely indifferent to one another; but women are by nature enemies."

Nature, Men, Women, Enemies

"If you want to know your true opinion of someone, watch the effect produced in you by the first sight of a letter from him."

Relationship, Effect, First, Opinion, Sight

"Writers may be classified as meteors, planets, and fixed stars. They belong not to one system, one nation only, but to the universe. And just because they are so very far away, it is usually many years before their light is visible to the inhabitants of this earth."

Literature, Fame, Legacy, Universe, Light

"Every nation ridicules other nations, and all are right."

Nation, Nations, Right

"With people of limited ability modesty is merely honesty. But with those who possess great talent it is hypocrisy."

Talent, People, Honesty, Ability

"Money is human happiness in the abstract; he, then, who is no longer capable of enjoying human happiness in the concrete devotes himself utterly to money."

Happiness, Money

"We seldom think of what we have but always of what we lack."

Gratitude, Desire, Values, Focus

"Every society requires mutual accommodation and mutually agreeable temper; hence the larger it is, the duller."

Society, Agreement, Humanity, Diversity

"Newspapers are the second hand of history. This hand, however, is usually not only of inferior metal to the other hands, it also seldom works properly."

History, Newspapers