Shame quotes
445 quotes on this topic — from poets, philosophers, and thinkers across history.
"Nobody escapes being wounded. We are all wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The main question is not, 'How can we hide our wounds?' so we don't have to be embarrassed, but 'How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?' When our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers."
"Only those who have learned well to be earnestly dissatisfied with themselves, and to be confounded with shame at their wretchedness truly understand the Christian gospel."
"The only shame in masturbation is the shame of not doing it well."
"Shaming is one of the deepest tools of imperialist, white supremacist, capitalist patriarchy because shame produces trauma and trauma often produces paralysis."
"Survival is your strength not your shame."
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Browse quotes that often appear alongside shame — connected by shared ideas and recurring themes.
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"There's no shame in failing. The only shame is not giving things your best shot."
"Mine has been a life of much shame. I can't even guess myself what it must be to live the life of a human being."
"If a man deceives me once, shame on him; if he deceives me twice, shame on me."
"Study carefully, the character of the one you recommend, lest their misconduct bring you shame."
"Shame hates it when we reach out and tell our story. It hates having words wrapped around it - it can't survive being shared. Shame loves secrecy... When we bury our story, the shame metastasizes."
"Shame derives its power from being unspeakable."
"There is no shame in preferring happiness."
"You will not achieve happiness if you don't work hard; and it's a shame not to want to work hard."
"Those who do nothing are inviting shame as well as violence. Those who act boldly are recognizing right as well as reality."
"Give, but, if possible, spare the poor man the shame of begging."
"Be gentle and forgiving with yourself, abandon any and all shame, and refuse to engage in any self-repudiation."
"It's a shame to waste [the uniqueness that is you], by doing what someone else has done."
"Tell truth, and shame the devil."
"Only in recent history has "working hard" signaled pride rather than shame for lack of talent, finesse and, mostly, sprezzatura ."
"Drink not the third glass, which thou canst not tame, When once it is within thee; but before Mayst rule it, as thou list: and pour the shame, Which it would pour on thee, upon the floor. It is most just to throw that on the ground, Which would throw me there, if I keep the round."
"You cannot shame or belittle people into changing their behaviors."
"There is no shame in being hungry for another person. There is no shame in wanting very much to share your life with somebody."
"A fellow by the hand of nature mark'd, Quoted, and sign'd, to do a deed of shame."
"A true repentance shuns the evil itself, more than the external suffering or the shame."
"Shame is the lie someone told you about yourself."
