Pride

You go above and beyond them: but the higher you climb, the smaller you appear to the eye of envy. And he who flies is hated most of all.

The Great Man... is colder, harder, less hesitating, and without fear of 'opinion'; he lacks the virtues that accompany respect and 'respectability,' and altogether everything that is the 'virtue of the herd.' If he cannot lead, he goes alone... He knows he is incommunicable: he finds it tasteless to be familiar... When not speaking to himself, he wears a mask. There is a solitude within him that is inaccessible to praise or blame.

My Ego taught me a new pride, I teach it to men: No longer to bury the head in the sand of heavenly things, but to carry it freely, an earthly head which creates meaning for the earth!

We set no special value on the possession of a virtue until we percieve that it is entirely lacking in our adversary.

You look up when you wish to be exalted. And I look down because I am exalted.

Arrogance on the part of the meritorious is even more offensive to us than the arrogance of those without merit: for merit itself is offensive.

The awareness of our own strength makes us modest.

The real moment of success is not the moment apparent to the crowd.

Conceit spoils the finest genius.

If you can’t handle me at my worst, then you don’t deserve me at my best.

We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.

We are all worms, but I do believe I am a glowworm.

I don’t want everyone to like me; I should think less of myself if some people did.

The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability; he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability he has.

The defect of equality is that we desire it only with our superiors.

The vanity of being known to be entrusted with a secret is generally one of the chief motives to disclose it.

If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.

Men often mistake notoriety for fame, and would rather be remarked for their vices and follies than not be noticed at all.

The only cure for vanity is laughter. And the only fault that’s laughable is vanity.

The intelligent man who is proud of his intelligence is like the condemned man who is proud of his large cell.

I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it.

Modesty is to merit what shade is to figures in a picture; it gives it strength and makes it stand out.

Show me the man you honor, and I will know what kind of man you are.

Half of the harm that is done in this world Is due to people who want to feel important.