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I'm fascinated by the ways in which people express themselves, because their responses are often counter to what they're actually feeling. Like when they're frightened, they tend to freeze. When they're angry, it doesn't always come out as volume. There are wonderful contradictions in the way that people express their emotions.
Edward Norton
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Interpretation

What this quote means

People often express emotions in ways that contradict their true feelings.

This quote highlights the complexity of human emotions and expression. Edward Norton points out that individuals may not show their true feelings in expected ways; for example, someone who is frightened may become still instead of fleeing, and anger may not always manifest as loud outbursts. These contradictions reveal the depth of human emotional experiences, suggesting that understanding someone's true feelings may require deeper insight beyond their outward expressions.

Themes

EmotionsExpressionHuman BehaviorContradictionPsychology

In practice

Example use cases

In a psychology class discussing emotional expressions and behaviors.

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