--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone is happier if they have someone…" description: "\"Everyone is happier if they have someone else to look down on, as well as someone to look up to, especially if they resent both.\" — Christopher Moore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/christopher-moore-353_happier_everyone-is-happier-if-they-have-someone_1676669.png" --- # Everyone is happier if they have someone else to look down… ![“Everyone is happier if they have someone else to look down on, as well as someone to look up to, especially if they resent both.” quote by Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/christopher-moore-353_happier_everyone-is-happier-if-they-have-someone_1676669.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/christopher-moore-353_happier_everyone-is-happier-if-they-have-someone_1676669.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/christopher-moore-353_happier_everyone-is-happier-if-they-have-someone_1676669.png) > “Everyone is happier if they have someone else to look down on, as well as someone to look up to, especially if they resent both.” [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People feel content when they can both admire someone and feel superior to another, especially if they harbor resentment toward both. **In simple terms:** Contentment comes from both admiration and superiority, especially with resentment. Key Takeaway Recognize the mixed motives behind your relationships. Themes social hierarchy resentment self-esteem comparison power dynamics Mood cynical reflective critical Type observational satirical When to use this quote - leadership - team dynamics - family relationships - political rivalry - online communities Key Concepts psychology social status emotional conflict Questions to Reflect On - Do you seek admiration or superiority more? - How does resentment shape your view of others? A Different Perspective This view can justify cruelty and neglect of empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happier/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ## Related quotes > [Lipstick can glam up a whole look, especially in red.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rihanna/lipstick-can-glam-up-a-whole-look-especially-in-red/) [Rihanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rihanna/) > [Always wear a smile sometime during the day - it makes you feel happier and look younger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-bax/always-wear-a-smile-sometime-during-the-day-it-makes-you-feel-happier/) [Kylie Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-bax/) > [I always resent anybody interfering with anybody else trying to do his job. Everybody has his own job to do. If he's good, he'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-always-resent-anybody-interfering-with-anybody-else-trying-to-do/) [Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/) > [Happiness does not come from a job. It comes from knowing what you truly value, and behaving in a way that’s consistent with those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rowe/happiness-does-not-come-from-a-job-it-comes-from-knowing-what-you/) [Mike Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rowe/) > [Silent Witness' took nine months a year, so it did cut out an awful lot of projects that I would have loved to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/silent-witness-took-nine-months-a-year-so-it-did-cut-out-an-awful-lot/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [“You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day, every day. You have to keep remembering all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman-2/you-only-have-to-forgive-once-to-resent-you-have-to-do-it-all-day-2/) [M. L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman-2/) > [A readiness to resent injuries is a virtue only in those who are slow to injure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/a-readiness-to-resent-injuries-is-a-virtue-only-in-those-who-are-slow/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [“You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day, every day. You have to keep remembering all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/you-only-have-to-forgive-once-to-resent-you-have-to-do-it-all-day/) [M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/) > [I don’t want to have to be like a Scarlett Johansson – who I have nothing against, but I don’t want to have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-don-t-want-to-have-to-be-like-a-scarlett-johansson-who-i-have/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. The Eisenhower administration believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/in-1953-the-united-states-played-a-significant-role-in-orchestrating/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [You are Insignificant. One of millions, neither special nor unique. I did not ask for this ignominy, and I resent the comparison. Fine. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/you-are-insignificant-one-of-millions-neither-special-nor-unique-i/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [We resent being faced with facts we'd prefer to ignore as much as being wrongly accused of doing something we haven't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-chambers/we-resent-being-faced-with-facts-we-d-prefer-to-ignore-as-much-as/) [Aidan Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-chambers/) > [It's tragic what America has become because there is a great segment of society that now resents luxury and success and achievement by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/it-s-tragic-what-america-has-become-because-there-is-a-great-segment/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [I don't really resent being on the red carpet as much as I do having to deal with the paparazzi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-don-t-really-resent-being-on-the-red-carpet-as-much-as-i-do-having/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) ## More by Christopher Moore > [“Love them all," said Renoir. "That is the secret, young man. Love them all." The painter let go of his arm and shrugged. "Then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/love-them-all-said-renoir-that-is-the-secret-young-man-love-them-all/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“I tried cutting myself to express my heartbreak over Tommy (Lord Flood) rejecting me, but OMFG it hurts like flaming fuck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-tried-cutting-myself-to-express-my-heartbreak-over-tommy-lord-flood/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Canada is a myth people made up to entertain children, like the Tooth Fairy. There’s no such place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/canada-is-a-myth-people-made-up-to-entertain-children-like-the-tooth/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Sarcasm will make your tits fall off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/sarcasm-will-make-your-tits-fall-off/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“I hope you are not here to ask me to do my bawdy business- the monkey has a nosebleed and the circus, sir, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-hope-you-are-not-here-to-ask-me-to-do-my-bawdy-business-the-monkey/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [The prospect of change is a many-fanged beast, my dear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/the-prospect-of-change-is-a-many-fanged-beast-my-dear/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“The night was crisp and the stars shone with a cold blue light like loneliness or infinity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/the-night-was-crisp-and-the-stars-shone-with-a-cold-blue-light-like/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Children see magic because they look for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/children-see-magic-because-they-look-for-it/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“Abby Von Normal - And I'm like, "Don't change the subject, Kung Pao, what I want to know is if you're ready to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/abby-von-normal-and-i-m-like-don-t-change-the-subject-kung-pao-what-i/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“You can't just go around blurting out the truth like a prophet with Tourette's syndrome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/you-can-t-just-go-around-blurting-out-the-truth-like-a-prophet-with/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [How could you deal with a creature as devious as woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/how-could-you-deal-with-a-creature-as-devious-as-woman/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“…turning your ankle hurts like hell, even if you're a superhero.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/turning-your-ankle-hurts-like-hell-even-if-you-re-a-superhero/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Lonliness evaporated off of them like the steam off dry ice, and by morning it was just a cloud on the ceiling of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/lonliness-evaporated-off-of-them-like-the-steam-off-dry-ice-and-by/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“Give us a call or you know, flash a searchlight in the sky with your logo on it, because we monitor everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/give-us-a-call-or-you-know-flash-a-searchlight-in-the-sky-with-your/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“it wasn't so much like the hands of time had stood still here, more like they'd been thrown in the air in exasperation, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/it-wasn-t-so-much-like-the-hands-of-time-had-stood-still-here-more/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) [Explore all 591 Christopher Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) ## More Happier quotes > [“If we can focus on making clear what parts of our day are within our control and what parts are not, we will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/if-we-can-focus-on-making-clear-what-parts-of-our-day-are-within-our/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Smile and show him that life is still going on and is happier without him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumika/smile-and-show-him-that-life-is-still-going-on-and-is-happier-without/) [Bhumika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumika/) > [“I am happier when I love than when I am loved. I adore my husband, my son, and my grandchildren, my mother, my dog,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/i-am-happier-when-i-love-than-when-i-am-loved-i-adore-my-husband-my/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [Things don't go on forever, and the quicker you accept that change is inevitable, the happier you're gonna be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-anastasio/things-don-t-go-on-forever-and-the-quicker-you-accept-that-change-is/) [Trey Anastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-anastasio/) > [“I do think everyone would be a lot happier if we laid eggs on our own and could just have friendship and didn't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-do-think-everyone-would-be-a-lot-happier-if-we-laid-eggs-on-our-own/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [Only surround yourself with positive people that bring out the best in you and you'll be surprised at how much happier you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-surround-yourself-with-positive-people-that-bring-out-the-best/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The world would be happier if men had the same capacity to be silent that they have to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/the-world-would-be-happier-if-men-had-the-same-capacity-to-be-silent/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [You have to be fulfilled in order for everyone else to be fulfilled. I'm a way happier, more pleasant person to be around when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-dewan/you-have-to-be-fulfilled-in-order-for-everyone-else-to-be-fulfilled-i/) [Jenna Dewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-dewan/) > [Yes, Im a New Yorker, born and bred. While Im not quite the L.A. snob that Woody Allen is, I do find myself happier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/yes-im-a-new-yorker-born-and-bred-while-im-not-quite-the-l-a-snob/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [I was much happier when I had less responsibility... when my only responsibility was to my work and to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/i-was-much-happier-when-i-had-less-responsibility-when-my-only/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [The most you can do is stand up for what you believe in. I'm much happier since coming out to my friends and family.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/the-most-you-can-do-is-stand-up-for-what-you-believe-in-i-m-much/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [“Sophia, you’re the best thing that could have happened to Alistair. I’ve never seen him happier than he is now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/sophia-you-re-the-best-thing-that-could-have-happened-to-alistair-i/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [Low-cost gear can make restless people like myself feel marginally happier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-quart/low-cost-gear-can-make-restless-people-like-myself-feel-marginally/) [Alissa Quart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-quart/) > [I'm certainly much happier when I feel that the work is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-diane-raphael/i-m-certainly-much-happier-when-i-feel-that-the-work-is-good/) [June Diane Raphael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-diane-raphael/) > [We feel much happier and more secure when we think we know precisely what to do, no matter what happens, then when we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kingdon-clifford/we-feel-much-happier-and-more-secure-when-we-think-we-know-precisely/) [William Kingdon Clifford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kingdon-clifford/) [Browse all 940 Happier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happier/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everyone is happier if they have someone else to look down on, as well as someone to look up to, especially if they resent both.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Moore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/everyone-is-happier-if-they-have-someone-else-to-look-down-on-as-well/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happier" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/everyone-is-happier-if-they-have-someone-else-to-look-down-on-as-well/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/christopher-moore-353_happier_everyone-is-happier-if-they-have-someone_1676669.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/christopher-moore-353_happier_everyone-is-happier-if-they-have-someone_1676669.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b36/christopher-moore-353_happier_everyone-is-happier-if-they-have-someone_1676669.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everyone is happier if they have someone else to look down on, as well as someone to look up to, especially…” — Christopher Moore", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Christopher Moore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Everyone is happier if they have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/everyone-is-happier-if-they-have-someone-else-to-look-down-on-as-well/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/everyone-is-happier-if-they-have-someone-else-to-look-down-on-as-well/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```