--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: According to one influential wing of…" description: "\"According to one influential wing of modern secular society there are few more disreputable fates than to end up being 'like everyone else' for 'everyo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/alain-de-botton-221_boring_according-to-one-influential-wing-of-mod_1487295.jpg" --- # According to one influential wing of modern secular… ![“According to one influential wing of modern secular society there are few more disreputable fates than to end up being 'like everyone else' for 'everyone else' is a category that comprises the mediocre and the conformist, the boring and the suburban. The goal of all right-thinking people should be…” quote by Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/alain-de-botton-221_boring_according-to-one-influential-wing-of-mod_1487295.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/alain-de-botton-221_boring_according-to-one-influential-wing-of-mod_1487295.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ff/alain-de-botton-221_boring_according-to-one-influential-wing-of-mod_1487295.jpg) > “According to one influential wing of modern secular society there are few more disreputable fates than to end up being 'like everyone else' for 'everyone else' is a category that comprises the mediocre and the conformist, the boring and the suburban. The goal of all right-thinking people should be to mark themselves off from the crowd and 'stand out' in whatever way their talents allow.” [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Conformity limits individuality; striving to be distinct honors personal talent. **In simple terms:** Stand out to honor your unique gifts. Key Takeaway Cultivate distinctiveness in your work and life. Themes individuality conformity talent self‑expression Mood thoughtful encouraging Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career development - artistic pursuits - personal branding Key Concepts existentialism psychology creativity Questions to Reflect On - What unique talent can you showcase more boldly? - How do you balance belonging with standing out? A Different Perspective Risk of alienating others or over‑emphasizing difference. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Secular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secular/) [Secular society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secular-society/) [Standing out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing-out/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [We used to build temples, and museums are about as close as secular society dares to go in facing up to the idea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-used-to-build-temples-and-museums-are-about-as-close-as-secular/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“We can then recognize that we invented religions to serve two central needs which continue to this day and which secular society has not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-can-then-recognize-that-we-invented-religions-to-serve-two-central/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Our inner lives must be lent a structure and our best thoughts reinforced to counter the continuous pull of distraction and disintegration. Religions have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/our-inner-lives-must-be-lent-a-structure-and-our-best-thoughts/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [We are presented with an unpleasant choice between either committing to peculiar concepts about immaterial deities or letting go entirely of a host of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-are-presented-with-an-unpleasant-choice-between-either-committing/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Secular society has been unfairly impoverished by the loss of an array of practices and themes which atheists typically find it impossible to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/secular-society-has-been-unfairly-impoverished-by-the-loss-of-an/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [I have a great interest in Victorian musical & cabaret performances and Weimar artists so the references are there, to Cabaret and also All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/i-have-a-great-interest-in-victorian-musical-cabaret-performances-and/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [Within the field of a secular society, which is a sort of neutral frame that allows individuals to develop their own lives, so long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/within-the-field-of-a-secular-society-which-is-a-sort-of-neutral/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [A church has the right to set its own standards within its community. I don't think it has a right to prohibit birth control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/a-church-has-the-right-to-set-its-own-standards-within-its-community/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [It's been so long now and so much has happened that I am able now to look back with much less emotion and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-colacello/it-s-been-so-long-now-and-so-much-has-happened-that-i-am-able-now-to/) [Bob Colacello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-colacello/) > [The demand that Islam makes of women is to not attract attention to yourself, and if you are in a secular society, that attire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/the-demand-that-islam-makes-of-women-is-to-not-attract-attention-to/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [Religion says earn your life. Secular society says create your life. Jesus says, 'My life for your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/religion-says-earn-your-life-secular-society-says-create-your-life/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The basic assumption of the secular society is that modernity overcomes religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrich-beck/the-basic-assumption-of-the-secular-society-is-that-modernity/) [Ulrich Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrich-beck/) > [Man would indeeded be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/man-would-indeeded-be-in-a-poor-way-if-he-had-to-be-restrained-by/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“The challenge for the modern Christ-follower in a secular society may be to ask prophetic questions before there is opportunity to provide Christ-oriented answers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-macdonald/the-challenge-for-the-modern-christ-follower-in-a-secular-society-may/) [Gordon MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-macdonald/) > [You grow up and recognize that in any educated secular society, there's no excuse for ignorance. You have to recognize in yourself, and challenge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hozier/you-grow-up-and-recognize-that-in-any-educated-secular-society-there/) [Hozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hozier/) ## More by Alain de Botton > [“To be mature is, we're told, to move beyond possessiveness. Jealousy is for babies. The mature person knows that no one owns anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/to-be-mature-is-we-re-told-to-move-beyond-possessiveness-jealousy-is/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“He feared that by leaving her he would ruin her life - so he stayed, and did just that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/he-feared-that-by-leaving-her-he-would-ruin-her-life-so-he-stayed-and/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [You have to be quite heavily invested in someone to do them the honour of telling them you're annoyed with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/you-have-to-be-quite-heavily-invested-in-someone-to-do-them-the/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“The Anxiety of Sunday afternoon: your unlived lives and infinite possibility pressing upon the constraints of reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-anxiety-of-sunday-afternoon-your-unlived-lives-and-infinite/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Those who divorce aren't necessarily the most unhappy, just those neatly able to believe their misery is caused by one other person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/those-who-divorce-aren-t-necessarily-the-most-unhappy-just-those/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“We could not be fulfilled if we weren't inauthentic some of the time—inauthentic, that is, in relation to such things as our passing desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-could-not-be-fulfilled-if-we-weren-t-inauthentic-some-of-the-time/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Insofar as we appreciate order, it is when we perceive it as being accompanied by complexity, when we feel that a variety of elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/insofar-as-we-appreciate-order-it-is-when-we-perceive-it-as-being/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [I like the values associated with a medical family - common sense, being practical but also thoughtful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/i-like-the-values-associated-with-a-medical-family-common-sense-being/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Anyone who urgently needs us deserves, in the true book of love, to be our friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/anyone-who-urgently-needs-us-deserves-in-the-true-book-of-love-to-be/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“We can then recognize that we invented religions to serve two central needs which continue to this day and which secular society has not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-can-then-recognize-that-we-invented-religions-to-serve-two-central/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Half the ingratitude and complacency in the world down to how slowly and imperceptibly most good and bad things unfold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/half-the-ingratitude-and-complacency-in-the-world-down-to-how-slowly/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [It is perhaps when our lives are at their most problematic that we are likely to be most receptive to beautiful things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/it-is-perhaps-when-our-lives-are-at-their-most-problematic-that-we/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Does what is praised becomes better? Does an emerald become worse if it isn't praised? And what a gold, ivory, a flower or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/does-what-is-praised-becomes-better-does-an-emerald-become-worse-if/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [The bourgeois thinkers of the eighteenth century thus turned Aristotle's formula on its head: satisfactions which the Greek philosopher had identified with leisure were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-bourgeois-thinkers-of-the-eighteenth-century-thus-turned/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Reputation matters so much only because people so seldom think for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/reputation-matters-so-much-only-because-people-so-seldom-think-for/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) [Explore all 850 Alain de Botton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) ## More Boring quotes > [Normal is so Boring!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/normal-is-so-boring/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't want easy success. It's boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudeep/i-don-t-want-easy-success-it-s-boring/) [Sudeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudeep/) > [I'd be very controversial if I said why, and I don't do controversial anymore. That's too passé. So last year. Being controversial is boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/i-d-be-very-controversial-if-i-said-why-and-i-don-t-do-controversial/) M.I.A > [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Life is what you make it¦If one refuses to use ones imagination..it will be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-what-you-make-it-if-one-refuses-to-use-ones-imagination-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I'm bored of being bored because being bored is very boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachithra/i-m-bored-of-being-bored-because-being-bored-is-very-boring/) [Sachithra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachithra/) > [The films I find boring are the ones that have no space for the audience's misconceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-decker/the-films-i-find-boring-are-the-ones-that-have-no-space-for-the/) [Josephine Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-decker/) > [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I've always felt that dark lyrics with dark music is pretty useless. Maybe that's a strong statement - not useless, but for me, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-ve-always-felt-that-dark-lyrics-with-dark-music-is-pretty-useless/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [Something is wrong if workers do not look around each day, find things that are tedious or boring, and then rewrite the procedures. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taiichi-ohno/something-is-wrong-if-workers-do-not-look-around-each-day-find-things/) [Taiichi Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taiichi-ohno/) > [Plumbing is usually boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/plumbing-is-usually-boring/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/if-something-is-boring-after-two-minutes-try-it-for-four-if-still/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Acting is an escape from the boring person that I am in real life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/acting-is-an-escape-from-the-boring-person-that-i-am-in-real-life/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) Browse all 3,123 Boring quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "According to one influential wing of modern secular society there are few more disreputable fates than to end up being 'like everyone else' for 'everyone else' is a category that comprises the mediocre and the conformist, the boring and the suburban. 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