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Motives Quotes

Why people really do what they do.

Motives quotes question whether people's stated reasons for acting are ever the real ones, opening with the sharp claim that what people Believe drives their conduct is often just a convenient excuse. Another insists real convictions should never be sold or bargained for.

What we believe to be the motives of our conduct are usually but the pretexts for it.

Quotes by Miguel de Unamuno

Principles, convictions and motives are neither sold nor bargained for!

Quotes by Joseph Pulitzer

It's the millenium, motives are incidental.

Quotes by Jamie Kennedy

For months, Obama administration officials attacked Snowden's motives and said the work of the NSA was distorted by selective leaks and misinterpretations.

Quotes by Barton Gellman

Administration Quotes

People have motives and thoughts of which they are unaware.

Quotes by Albert Ellis

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the quote about motives being 'pretexts' suggest?
It argues that the reasons people believe explain their own conduct are usually just convenient excuses rather than the true underlying motives, a fairly skeptical view of self-knowledge.
Is there a quote about political officials questioning someone's motives?
Yes, one quote describes how Obama administration officials attacked Edward Snowden's motives for months, arguing that the leaks he was responsible for were distorted and misinterpreted. More is under Administration quotes.
What does the quote about convictions 'not being bargained for' mean?
It insists that genuine principles, convictions, and motives shouldn't be treated as negotiable, standing in contrast to the more cynical view found elsewhere on this page.
Are motives always treated as important in this collection?
Not quite: one short quote claims that in the current era, motives are merely incidental, suggesting outcomes or actions matter more than the reasoning behind them.
Do these quotes connect motives to conduct directly?
Yes, the opening quote ties the two together explicitly, arguing that what people call the motives behind their Conduct is often just a convenient story told after the fact.

A topical quote describes how Obama Administration officials publicly attacked Edward Snowden's motives, framing his leaks as distorted rather than addressing them directly. A closing line adds a cynical note, calling motives merely incidental now.