--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is common to assume that we are…" description: "\"“It is common to assume that we are dealing with a highly intelligent book when we cease to understand it.”\" — Alain de Botton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/alain-de-botton-221_books_it-is-common-to-assume-that-we-are-deali_630687.jpg" --- # It is common to assume that we are dealing with a highly… ![“It is common to assume that we are dealing with a highly intelligent book when we cease to understand it.” quote by Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/alain-de-botton-221_books_it-is-common-to-assume-that-we-are-deali_630687.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/alain-de-botton-221_books_it-is-common-to-assume-that-we-are-deali_630687.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/alain-de-botton-221_books_it-is-common-to-assume-that-we-are-deali_630687.jpg) > ““It is common to assume that we are dealing with a highly intelligent book when we cease to understand it.”” [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. We often overestimate the intelligence of complex texts once we stop grasping their meaning. **In simple terms:** Assuming books are smart when we don’t understand them. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about a text’s depth. Themes interpretation humility learning Mood reflective curious Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - academic study - personal reading - teaching - book clubs Key Concepts cognitive bias literary criticism Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify a text’s value? - What strategies help maintain understanding? A Different Perspective Complex works can be misleading without effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book Cease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-cease-5083281/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Cease Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cease-understand-3712628/) [Highly intelligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highly-intelligent/) [Intelligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent/) [Intelligent Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent-book-4673788/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Oh, 'Pandaemonium', by Chris Brookmyre! Just fabulous - such a layered, beautifully structured, engaging, intelligent book. 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For… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/about-pierre-de-fermat-it-cannot-be-denied-that-he-has-had-many/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [Hillary Clinton's a highly intelligent woman, hard-working, she's dedicated her life to public service, but unfortunately, she does not have a track record of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/hillary-clinton-s-a-highly-intelligent-woman-hard-working-she-s/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [It should be done with the same degree of alacrity and nonchalance that you would display in authorizing a highly intelligent trained bear to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-s-greenberg-2/it-should-be-done-with-the-same-degree-of-alacrity-and-nonchalance/) [Daniel S Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-s-greenberg-2/) > [Lionel Messi is a wonderful player. Very skillful. Highly intelligent. 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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? 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