--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s hard to be different,” Scarborough…" description: "\"“It’s hard to be different,” Scarborough said. “And perhaps the best answer is not to tolerate differences, not even to accept them. But to celebrate t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f87/bill-konigsberg-14554_acceptance_it-s-hard-to-be-different-scarborough-sa_2476709.jpg" --- # It’s hard to be different,” Scarborough said. “And perhaps… ![“It’s hard to be different,” Scarborough said. “And perhaps the best answer is not to tolerate differences, not even to accept them. But to celebrate them. Maybe then those who are different would feel more loved, and less, well, tolerated.” quote by Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f87/bill-konigsberg-14554_acceptance_it-s-hard-to-be-different-scarborough-sa_2476709.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f87/bill-konigsberg-14554_acceptance_it-s-hard-to-be-different-scarborough-sa_2476709.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f87/bill-konigsberg-14554_acceptance_it-s-hard-to-be-different-scarborough-sa_2476709.jpg) > ““It’s hard to be different,” Scarborough said. “And perhaps the best answer is not to tolerate differences, not even to accept them. But to celebrate them. Maybe then those who are different would feel more loved, and less, well, tolerated.”” [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Differences should be celebrated, not merely tolerated or accepted, to foster genuine love and inclusion. **In simple terms:** Celebrate differences fully. Key Takeaway Embrace and honor diversity. Themes diversity inclusion acceptance Mood empathetic encouraging Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - school environments - workplaces - social media - community events Key Concepts social psychology identity politics Questions to Reflect On - How can you actively celebrate differences? - What barriers prevent true inclusion? A Different Perspective Celebration may be uncomfortable for some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Inspirational attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-attitude/) [Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance/) ## Related quotes > [And perhaps the best answer is not to tolerate differences, not even to accept them. But to celebrate them. Maybe then those who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/and-perhaps-the-best-answer-is-not-to-tolerate-differences-not-even/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [You may judge me for my differences, but I accept you for yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/you-may-judge-me-for-my-differences-but-i-accept-you-for-yours/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can accept it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kand3n/if-we-cannot-end-now-our-differences-at-least-we-can-accept-it/) [Kand3n](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kand3n/) > [It's just wrong, no man can know the mystery of the woman's heart, the thought, that man do not want to know if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/it-s-just-wrong-no-man-can-know-the-mystery-of-the-woman-s-heart-the/) Mak\_786 > [We tolerate differences of opinion in people who are familiar to us. But differences of opinion in people we do not know sound like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooks-atkinson/we-tolerate-differences-of-opinion-in-people-who-are-familiar-to-us/) [Brooks Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooks-atkinson/) > [We must not only learn to tolerate our differences. We must welcome them as the richness and diversity which can lead to true intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/we-must-not-only-learn-to-tolerate-our-differences-we-must-welcome/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Actually, I began to think that maybe there is a god, after all. Or maybe its a different one. The old one got fired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-gilliam/actually-i-began-to-think-that-maybe-there-is-a-god-after-all-or/) [Terry Gilliam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-gilliam/) > [Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren't so different. We saw the same sunset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/maybe-the-two-different-worlds-we-lived-in-weren-t-so-different-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Maybe I have a different story to other people, but I never struggled or suffered, being a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-greenwood/maybe-i-have-a-different-story-to-other-people-but-i-never-struggled/) [Alex Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-greenwood/) > [Maybe all of these different possibilities exist at the same time, like each moment we live has a thousand other moments layered underneath it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/maybe-all-of-these-different-possibilities-exist-at-the-same-time/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [You see so many series on Netflix that are international, and it's beautiful because I think people really want to see something that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shira-haas/you-see-so-many-series-on-netflix-that-are-international-and-it-s/) [Shira Haas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shira-haas/) > [I don't really have an image of myself. Now, is that true? Well, maybe I do and it's different, which is why I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-annis/i-don-t-really-have-an-image-of-myself-now-is-that-true-well-maybe-i/) [Francesca Annis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-annis/) > [“He was different. Maybe he was so different he was broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-rucka/he-was-different-maybe-he-was-so-different-he-was-broken/) [Greg Rucka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-rucka/) > [Maybe there's a different story when it comes to hip-hop or different genres, but as far as rock music goes, I think there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/maybe-there-s-a-different-story-when-it-comes-to-hip-hop-or-different/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [It amazes me how easy it is for things to change, how easy it is to start off down the same road you always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-amazes-me-how-easy-it-is-for-things-to-change-how-easy-it-is-to/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) ## More by Bill Konigsberg > [“I shivered. Careful, I told myself. You don't want to set yourself up for a fall. Be happy. Just not too happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/i-shivered-careful-i-told-myself-you-don-t-want-to-set-yourself-up/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [“It’s hard when you open your heart and let someone in and then suddenly they’re not in it anymore. It doesn’t matter whose fault…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/it-s-hard-when-you-open-your-heart-and-let-someone-in-and-then/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [Wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a world where no one thought being gay was even something to ride someone about?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/wouldn-t-it-be-nice-if-we-lived-in-a-world-where-no-one-thought-being/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [The world needs people who are more comfortable standing still. We keep the earth on it axis when everybody else is bouncing around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/the-world-needs-people-who-are-more-comfortable-standing-still-we/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [“To agape,” we all echoed, raising our wineglasses and drinking to higher love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/to-agape-we-all-echoed-raising-our-wineglasses-and-drinking-to-higher/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [“Then Albie reached into his pocket and pulled out one shiny Jonathan apple. “Hungry?” he asked us. “How’d you do that?” I asked, wondering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/then-albie-reached-into-his-pocket-and-pulled-out-one-shiny-jonathan/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [“I think some people are bi, definitely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/i-think-some-people-are-bi-definitely/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [“When trust is violated, it's like you're left with an empty piggy bank. Building trust again, she said, is like putting big, fat nickels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/when-trust-is-violated-it-s-like-you-re-left-with-an-empty-piggy-bank/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [“I had the strong sensation that I'd underestimated my parents and their devotion to me. Of course they'd be on my side, whether they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/i-had-the-strong-sensation-that-i-d-underestimated-my-parents-and/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [“Why can’t I just be bad?” I asked, figuring my mom would have no idea what I was talking about. “Well, that’s easy, sweetie.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/why-can-t-i-just-be-bad-i-asked-figuring-my-mom-would-have-no-idea/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [“We hugged, and my dad cried a little. I don't have a macho-type dad, who hunts and fishes and collects guns. He's sensitive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/we-hugged-and-my-dad-cried-a-little-i-don-t-have-a-macho-type-dad-who/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [“A thought came to me. What do I think about the date with Rafe? Here I am thinking about what everyone else would think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/a-thought-came-to-me-what-do-i-think-about-the-date-with-rafe-here-i/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [“was an amazing guy, really. Totally himself. Totally unapologetic about having all these different sides of his personality that didn’t quite mesh. He didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/was-an-amazing-guy-really-totally-himself-totally-unapologetic-about/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [I don't think about relatability (when writing), I think about the heart of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/i-don-t-think-about-relatability-when-writing-i-think-about-the-heart/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [“And during, I realized that the labels didn’t matter, because when two people feel that sort of pull toward each other, it just works,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/and-during-i-realized-that-the-labels-didn-t-matter-because-when-two/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) [Explore all 46 Bill Konigsberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. 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