--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never underestimate the meanness in…" description: "\"Never underestimate the meanness in people's souls... Even when they're being kind... especially when they're being kind.\" — Alice Munro" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94c/alice-munro-1231_be-kind_never-underestimate-the-meanness-in-peop_2382729.png" --- # Never underestimate the meanness in people's souls... Even… ![“Never underestimate the meanness in people's souls... Even when they're being kind... especially when they're being kind.” quote by Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94c/alice-munro-1231_be-kind_never-underestimate-the-meanness-in-peop_2382729.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94c/alice-munro-1231_be-kind_never-underestimate-the-meanness-in-peop_2382729.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94c/alice-munro-1231_be-kind_never-underestimate-the-meanness-in-peop_2382729.png) > “Never underestimate the meanness in people's souls... Even when they're being kind... especially when they're being kind.” [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People can hide cruelty behind kindness, revealing darker motives despite friendly behavior. **In simple terms:** Kindness can mask hidden cruelty. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant to underlying motives. Themes trust deception human nature Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - friendships - workplace dynamics - family interactions Key Concepts psychology empathy social masks Questions to Reflect On - How do you discern true intent? - When have you misread someone's kindness? A Different Perspective Not all kindness is genuine; may lead to cynicism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Be kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-kind/) [Especially Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/especially-kind-1447360/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Meanness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meanness/) [Meanness People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meanness-people-2048586/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Souls Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/souls-kind-4931779/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Underestimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underestimate/) [Underestimate Meanness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underestimate-meanness-5907039/) ## Related quotes > [Twitter is an open forum and it brings the meanness in people. It shouldn't be taken seriously as at times it's a sadistic thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-bhatt/twitter-is-an-open-forum-and-it-brings-the-meanness-in-people-it/) [Vikram Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-bhatt/) > [I don't let negative attitudes and meanness from other people keep me from living my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-gettinger/i-don-t-let-negative-attitudes-and-meanness-from-other-people-keep-me/) [Ruby Gettinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-gettinger/) > [Make the world better. 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If the mouth has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-you-mysterious-girls-when-you-are-fifty-two-we-shall-find-you-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Love can excuse anything except meanness; but meanness kills love, cripples even natural affection; without esteem true love cannot exist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/love-can-excuse-anything-except-meanness-but-meanness-kills-love/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [I read the rumors, and I know there is a cottage industry of meanness out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lauer/i-read-the-rumors-and-i-know-there-is-a-cottage-industry-of-meanness/) [Matt Lauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lauer/) > [Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office-seeking. Men of good character and impulses are betrayed by it into all sorts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/nothing-brings-out-the-lower-traits-of-human-nature-like-office/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) ## More by Alice Munro > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“Not very long ago I was driving with my husband on the back roads of Grey County, which is to the north and east…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/not-very-long-ago-i-was-driving-with-my-husband-on-the-back-roads-of/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“Her silent singing wrapped around the story she was telling herself, which she extended further every night on the deck. (Averill often told herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/her-silent-singing-wrapped-around-the-story-she-was-telling-herself/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“Something happened here. 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You put it away for a little while, and now and again you look in the closet for something else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/this-is-what-happens-you-put-it-away-for-a-little-while-and-now-and/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [She sits in her usual ample armchair, with piles of books and unopened magazines around her. She sips cautiously from the mug of weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/she-sits-in-her-usual-ample-armchair-with-piles-of-books-and-unopened/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [The images, the language, of pornography, and romance are alike; monotonous and mechanically seductive, quickly leading to despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/the-images-the-language-of-pornography-and-romance-are-alike/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I was a grade B housewife, maybe a B minus. 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What I wanted \[to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/peoples-lives-in-jubilee-as-elsewhere-were-dull-simple-amazing/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) [Explore all 261 Alice Munro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) ## More Be kind quotes > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [Volunteer. Find ways to be useful. Be kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-black/volunteer-find-ways-to-be-useful-be-kind/) [Claudia Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-black/) > [Remember to be kind. Remember to be loving. Remember to feel all your feelings and to take care of yourself. 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