--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Although human beings are incapable of…" description: "\"Although human beings are incapable of talking about themselves with total honesty, it is much harder to avoid the truth while pretending to be other p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/akira-kurosawa-14889_certain_although-human-beings-are-incapable-of-t_2843467.jpg" --- # Although human beings are incapable of talking about… ![“Although human beings are incapable of talking about themselves with total honesty, it is much harder to avoid the truth while pretending to be other people. They often reveal much about themselves in a very straightforward way. I am certain that I did. There is nothing that says more about its…” quote by Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/akira-kurosawa-14889_certain_although-human-beings-are-incapable-of-t_2843467.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/akira-kurosawa-14889_certain_although-human-beings-are-incapable-of-t_2843467.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/akira-kurosawa-14889_certain_although-human-beings-are-incapable-of-t_2843467.jpg) > “Although human beings are incapable of talking about themselves with total honesty, it is much harder to avoid the truth while pretending to be other people. They often reveal much about themselves in a very straightforward way. I am certain that I did. There is nothing that says more about its creator than the work itself.” [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People reveal their true nature when they adopt false personas, exposing deeper truths. **In simple terms:** Pretending hides truth. Key Takeaway Observe behavior to understand character. Themes identity authenticity psychology Mood introspective critical Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - acting workshops - leadership training - social media analysis Key Concepts masking self‑presentation truth‑seeking Questions to Reflect On - What masks do you wear? - Can deception ever be justified? A Different Perspective Assuming personas can also protect privacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creator/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [All fiction is about people, unless it's about rabbits pretending to be people. It's all essentially characters in action, which means characters moving through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/all-fiction-is-about-people-unless-it-s-about-rabbits-pretending-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I have driven school buses, sold egg rolls and painted houses, and I have often wondered what my life would have been like if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-malkovich/i-have-driven-school-buses-sold-egg-rolls-and-painted-houses-and-i/) [John Malkovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-malkovich/) > [I love pretending to be other people. The more unlike me they are the better - I find other people endlessly fascinating and myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacki-weaver/i-love-pretending-to-be-other-people-the-more-unlike-me-they-are-the/) [Jacki Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacki-weaver/) > [That is a strange phenomenon, people pretending to be other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-samberg/that-is-a-strange-phenomenon-people-pretending-to-be-other-people/) [Andy Samberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-samberg/) > [The happiest that I remember myself was putting on plays and pretending to be other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inbar-lavi/the-happiest-that-i-remember-myself-was-putting-on-plays-and/) [Inbar Lavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inbar-lavi/) > [It's not that Shakespeare is frivolous, but you spend your time just getting people to dress up in other people's costumes and pretending to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-miller/it-s-not-that-shakespeare-is-frivolous-but-you-spend-your-time-just/) [Jonathan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-miller/) > [In our lives, when we do not create something out of total honesty, it cannot last long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-chang/in-our-lives-when-we-do-not-create-something-out-of-total-honesty-it/) [Henry Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-chang/) > [I can claim with total honesty that no home minister has visited Kashmir as many times as I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajnath-singh/i-can-claim-with-total-honesty-that-no-home-minister-has-visited/) [Rajnath Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajnath-singh/) > [I'm definitely good. I'm not bad; I'm extremely honest, and I allow no bullshit to pass by my radar. And that will always get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-m-definitely-good-i-m-not-bad-i-m-extremely-honest-and-i-allow-no/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I write incessantly, I'm very productive, I write for a dozen publications and blogs and websites. A lot of very hardcore political stuff. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/i-write-incessantly-i-m-very-productive-i-write-for-a-dozen/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [What are we afraid of? We're afraid of the truth. We're pretending that we live in a democracy, and we're pretending we're free. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-evans/what-are-we-afraid-of-we-re-afraid-of-the-truth-we-re-pretending-that/) [Jodie Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-evans/) > [I've always believed you can get closer to the truth by pretending not to speak it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armistead-maupin/i-ve-always-believed-you-can-get-closer-to-the-truth-by-pretending/) [Armistead Maupin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armistead-maupin/) > [Truth is I'm done pretending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-forgotten/truth-is-i-m-done-pretending/) The Forgotten > [Telling lies is the easy bit, but telling the truth and pretending you are lying is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/telling-lies-is-the-easy-bit-but-telling-the-truth-and-pretending-you/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [If someone treats you badly its because they dont like things about you. It does not mean its true, but the truth is they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/if-someone-treats-you-badly-its-because-they-dont-like-things-about/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) ## More by Akira Kurosawa > [The truth is in the mystery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/the-truth-is-in-the-mystery/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [The Japanese see self-assertion as immoral and self- sacrifice as the sensible course to take in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/the-japanese-see-self-assertion-as-immoral-and-self-sacrifice-as-the/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [Take me, subtract movies, and you get zero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/take-me-subtract-movies-and-you-get-zero/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [“IT IS QUITE ENOUGH IF A HUMAN BEING HAS BUT ONE FIELD WHERE HE OR SHE IS STRONG. IF A HUMAN BEING WERE STRONG…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/it-is-quite-enough-if-a-human-being-has-but-one-field-where-he-or-she/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [I like unformed characters. This may be because, no matter how old I get, I am still unformed myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/i-like-unformed-characters-this-may-be-because-no-matter-how-old-i/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [Human beings are unable to be honest with themselves about themselves. They cannot talk about themselves without embellishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/human-beings-are-unable-to-be-honest-with-themselves-about-themselves/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [If you look at everything straight on, there is nothing to be afraid of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/if-you-look-at-everything-straight-on-there-is-nothing-to-be-afraid-of/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [It is the power of memory that gives rise to the power of imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/it-is-the-power-of-memory-that-gives-rise-to-the-power-of-imagination/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [I suppose all of my films have a common theme. If I think about it, though, the only theme I can think of is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/i-suppose-all-of-my-films-have-a-common-theme-if-i-think-about-it/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [During the shooting of a scene the director’s eye has to catch even the minutest detail. But this does not mean glaring concentratedly at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/during-the-shooting-of-a-scene-the-director-s-eye-has-to-catch-even/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [Of all my films, people wrote to me most about this one... ...I had wanted to make The Idiot long before Rashomon. Since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/of-all-my-films-people-wrote-to-me-most-about-this-one-i-had-wanted/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [If you want to be a great director, be a great screenwriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/if-you-want-to-be-a-great-director-be-a-great-screenwriter/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [Movie directors, or should I say people who create things, are very greedy and they can never be satisfied... That's why they can keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/movie-directors-or-should-i-say-people-who-create-things-are-very/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [A truly good movie is enjoyable too. There’s nothing complicated about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/a-truly-good-movie-is-enjoyable-too-there-s-nothing-complicated-about/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) > [Man is a genius when he is dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-kurosawa/man-is-a-genius-when-he-is-dreaming/) [Akira Kurosawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) [Explore all 45 Akira Kurosawa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-kurosawa/) ## More Certain quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Why do we love certain homes, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/why-do-we-love-certain-homes-and-why-do-they-seem-to-love-us-it-is/) T. H. 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But later in life good poets burn their early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-think-that-at-a-certain-age-say-fifteen-or-sixteen-poetry-is-like/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [If a person does not listen to the demands of their own spiritual and heart life and insists on a certain program, you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/if-a-person-does-not-listen-to-the-demands-of-their-own-spiritual-and/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) Browse all 13,673 Certain quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Although human beings are incapable of talking about themselves with total honesty, it is much harder to avoid the truth while pretending to be other people. They often reveal much about themselves in a very straightforward way. I am certain that I did. 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