Decency is the unspoken agreement that binds humanity together, a quiet force that reminds us of the value of integrity, respect, and kindness.
It doesn’t demand recognition or applause; it simply is.
The beauty of decency lies in its subtlety – its ability to inspire without shouting.
These quotes capture the essence of decency, offering reflections that speak to the better parts of who we are.
Best Decency Quotes
“Decency is the essence of humanity.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” – C.S. Lewis
“Politeness is the flower of humanity.” – Joseph Joubert
“Respect is what we owe; love is what we give.” – Philip James Bailey
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop
“The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.” – Samuel Johnson
“Decency must be the foundation of our lives.” – John Lewis
“Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot.” – Clarence Thomas
“Decency is not a weakness; it is a strength.” – Michelle Obama
“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” – Mark Twain
“True politeness consists in being easy yourself and making everyone about you as easy as you can.” – Alexander Pope
“A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter is not a nice person.” – Dave Barry
“Decency is not an act of duty; it’s an act of dignity.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues.” – Confucius
“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“The highest form of respect is selflessness.” – Bryant H. McGill
“Decency costs nothing, but it buys everything.” – Anne Lamott
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“True dignity is never gained by place, and never lost when honors are withdrawn.” – Philip Massinger
“An honest man is the noblest work of God.” – Alexander Pope
“Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree.” – Marian Wright Edelman
“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” – Thomas Jefferson
“True respect is earned, not demanded.” – Albert Einstein
“Decency is not a weakness; it is a strength.” – Michelle Obama
“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” – Mark Twain
“True politeness consists in being easy yourself and making everyone about you as easy as you can.” – Alexander Pope
“A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter is not a nice person.” – Dave Barry
“Decency is not an act of duty; it’s an act of dignity.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues.” – Confucius
“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“The highest form of respect is selflessness.” – Bryant H. McGill
“Decency costs nothing, but it buys everything.” – Anne Lamott
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“True dignity is never gained by place, and never lost when honors are withdrawn.” – Philip Massinger
“An honest man is the noblest work of God.” – Alexander Pope
“Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree.” – Marian Wright Edelman
“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” – Thomas Jefferson
“True respect is earned, not demanded.” – Albert Einstein
“Kindness and courtesy are the roots of a positive life.” – Max Lucado
“Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners.” – Laurence Sterne
“Decency means more than following rules; it means living with integrity.” – Maya Angelou
“Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others.” – Emily Post
“Goodness is about character—integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage.” – Dennis Prager
“True decency is shown not in words, but in deeds.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived—that is to have succeeded.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Character is what you do when no one is looking.” – J.C. Watts
“Courtesy is a little act of love that makes the world a better place.” – Unknown
“Decency shines brighter than the sun.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“It is a kingly act to assist the fallen.” – Mother Teresa
“Good manners are a passport to a better world.” – Baroness Orczy
“Kindness is a mark of faith.” – Prophet Muhammad
“Honesty is the cornerstone of all success.” – Mary Kay Ash
“Respect begins with an open mind and an open heart.” – Dalai Lama
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” – Albert Einstein
“Humility is the soul of decency.” – William Bennett
“Courage is grace under pressure, and decency is grace in all situations.” – Ernest Hemingway
“It’s the little things in life that reveal the measure of a person.” – James Herriot
“To err is human, to forgive divine.” – Alexander Pope
“A kind heart is the fountain of gladness.” – Washington Irving
“Gratitude and decency walk hand in hand.” – Cicero
“Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same. It means everyone gets what they need.” – Rick Riordan
“Justice is the constant and perpetual wish to render to everyone their due.” – Justinian
“Kindness gives birth to kindness.” – Sophocles
“Compassion is the ultimate expression of decency.” – Unknown
“Decency requires nothing more than a willingness to care.” – Angela Merkel
“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” – Dalai Lama
“Moral courage is higher than physical courage.” – William Slim
“Be the reason someone believes in the goodness of people.” – Karen Salmansohn
“Decency is the key to a life of honor.” – Unknown
“Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day.” – Heraclitus
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” – The Golden Rule
“True greatness lies in how we treat the least among us.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“Peace is not absence of conflict; it is the ability to handle conflict decently.” – Ronald Reagan
“The test of a civilization is in the way it cares for its helpless members.” – Pearl S. Buck
“Generosity is giving more than you can; pride is taking less than you need.” – Kahlil Gibran
“Politeness is the art of choosing among your thoughts.” – Madame de Staël
“Decency requires patience, understanding, and humility.” – Unknown
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
“Do the right thing, even when it’s hard.” – Roy T. Bennett
“Integrity is the beauty of character.” – John Wooden
“A decent man stands up not just for himself, but for others too.” – Barack Obama
“Kindness is a passport that opens doors and fashions friends.” – Albert Schweitzer
“Manners maketh man.” – William Horman
“Decency demands a moral backbone, not just a polite face.” – Unknown
“Compassion is the chief law of human existence.” – Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Justice and decency go hand in hand.” – Thomas Paine
“There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness, and truth.” – Leo Tolstoy
“One kind word can warm three winter months.” – Japanese Proverb
“True generosity consists precisely in fighting to destroy the causes which nourish false charity.” – Paulo Freire
“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.” – Margaret J. Wheatley
“Kindness is the essence of decency.” – Unknown
“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.” – Mark Twain
“Decency is the art of thinking less of oneself and more of others.” – Unknown
“Virtue begins in the heart and shows itself in our actions.” – Confucius
“To respect others is to respect humanity itself.” – Friedrich Schiller
“Decency is the foundation of trust, and trust is the foundation of a community.” – Unknown
“Good people bring out the good in people.” – Unknown
“Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“Decency is not about perfection; it’s about effort and intention.” – Brené Brown
