The deepest quality of a work of art will always be the quality of the mind of the producer...No good novel will ever proceed from a superficial mind.
Henry JamesRead
I don't want everyone to like me; I should think less of myself if some people did.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of self-worth over the desire for universal acceptance.
Henry James's quote conveys the idea that seeking approval from everyone can diminish one’s self-respect. It suggests that if one is liked by all, it may indicate a lack of depth or integrity in their character, and instead one should prioritize authenticity and self-regard over the superficial approval of others.
Themes
Self-WorthAuthenticityApprovalIndividualityIntegrity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote is perfect for a motivational speech about self-acceptance.
More from Henry James
All quotes →What is character but the determination of incident? What is incident but the illustration of character?
Henry JamesRead
Never say you know the last word about any human heart.
Henry JamesRead
I adore adverbs; they are the only qualifications I really much respect.
Henry JamesRead
We care what happens to people only in proportion as we know what people are.
Henry JamesRead
A swift carriage, of a dark night, rattling with four horses over roads that one can’t see--that’s my idea of happiness.
Henry JamesRead
Similar quotes
Let every step you take upon the earth be as a prayer.
Black ElkRead
I'm not sure I understand how responsibility for our choices makes sense if they are not determined.
Thomas NagelRead
Never have ideas about children, and never have ideas for them.
George OrwellRead
The multiplication of our kind borders on the obscene; the duty to love them, on the preposterous.
Emile M. CioranRead
No man is rich enough to buy back his past.
Oscar WildeRead
Abraham Lincoln recognized that we could not survive as a free land when some men could decide that others were not fit to be free and should therefore be slaves. Likewise, we cannot survive as a free nation when some men decide that others are not fit to live and should be abandoned to abortion or infanticide.
Ronald ReaganRead