--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not pessimistic about people in…" description: "\"I'm not pessimistic about people in general, but only about the way they live.\" — Claude Chabrol" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/claude-chabrol-21663_people_i-m-not-pessimistic-about-people-in-gene_69034.jpg" --- # I'm not pessimistic about people in general, but only… ![“I'm not pessimistic about people in general, but only about the way they live.” quote by Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/claude-chabrol-21663_people_i-m-not-pessimistic-about-people-in-gene_69034.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/claude-chabrol-21663_people_i-m-not-pessimistic-about-people-in-gene_69034.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/claude-chabrol-21663_people_i-m-not-pessimistic-about-people-in-gene_69034.jpg) > “I'm not pessimistic about people in general, but only about the way they live.” [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker doubts humanity’s moral direction, not humanity itself, highlighting a concern with societal choices rather than innate nature. **In simple terms:** Critique of societal lifestyles Key Takeaway Question the impact of cultural norms Themes Ethics Societal critique Human nature Culture Morality Mood Reflective Concerned Type Observation Critique When to use this quote - Urban planning debates - Environmental activism - Corporate culture assessments - Community development meetings Key Concepts Social behavior Values Collective identity Practical Applications - Designing ethical policies - Creating awareness campaigns Questions to Reflect On - What actions can individuals take to improve societal living? - How does personal responsibility intersect with systemic change? A Different Perspective Some argue that individuals can reshape society, making pessimism unnecessary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [General Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-way-911606/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People General](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-general-482532/) [Pessimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimistic/) [Pessimistic People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimistic-people-497132/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I hate being around depressing, pessimistic people...Ugh, stop complaining, smile and get over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-being-around-depressing-pessimistic-people-ugh-stop/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Of all the pessimistic people, I am the most optimistic. I look forward to looking down on all the people looking up to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/of-all-the-pessimistic-people-i-am-the-most-optimistic-i-look-forward/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Very often pessimistic people speak against their own desire. They want to undertake some work, and they say, 'I will do this, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/very-often-pessimistic-people-speak-against-their-own-desire-they/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [“There’s no possibility of being pessimistic when people are dependent on you for their only optimism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-no-possibility-of-being-pessimistic-when-people-are-dependent/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A coach is a general, he has his way and at the end of the day as players we have to do our best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-rudiger/a-coach-is-a-general-he-has-his-way-and-at-the-end-of-the-day-as/) [Antonio Rudiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-rudiger/) > [Modest, kind or optimistic people often smile more than snobbish, unkind or pessimistic people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/modest-kind-or-optimistic-people-often-smile-more-than-snobbish/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [I think people in general think more about their insecurities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-vancamp/i-think-people-in-general-think-more-about-their-insecurities/) [Emily VanCamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-vancamp/) > [Historically, there would always be people among the general population who had family members, friends, cousins who'd done time or who'd been in prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-azaria/historically-there-would-always-be-people-among-the-general/) [Hank Azaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-azaria/) > [I think people in general have neglected to learn about history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-people-in-general-have-neglected-to-learn-about-history/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [“Prejudices are holes in people's general knowledge, filled with negative nonsense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-z-riffi/prejudices-are-holes-in-people-s-general-knowledge-filled-with/) [M.Z.Riffi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-z-riffi/) > [There are no greater wretches in the world than many of those whom people in general take to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-are-no-greater-wretches-in-the-world-than-many-of-those-whom/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The state itself becomes more and more identified with the interests of those who run things than with the interests of the people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/the-state-itself-becomes-more-and-more-identified-with-the-interests/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [I've always been struck by how unsuspicious people are in general, if you tell them what you're about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-always-been-struck-by-how-unsuspicious-people-are-in-general-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People, in general, want to improve their lives and the lives of their children and other loved ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-standing/people-in-general-want-to-improve-their-lives-and-the-lives-of-their/) [Guy Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-standing/) > [I'm disappointed in people in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinton-cerf/i-m-disappointed-in-people-in-general/) [Vinton Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinton-cerf/) ## More by Claude Chabrol > [You make a film to distract people, to interest them, perhaps to make them think, perhaps to help them be a little less naive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/you-make-a-film-to-distract-people-to-interest-them-perhaps-to-make/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [You have to accept the fact that sometimes you are the pigeon, and sometimes you are the statue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/you-have-to-accept-the-fact-that-sometimes-you-are-the-pigeon-and/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [I like making black and white films in natural surroundings, but I much prefer shooting a color film inside a studio where the colors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/i-like-making-black-and-white-films-in-natural-surroundings-but-i/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [A woman confronting men is a proper subject, it is inexhaustible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/a-woman-confronting-men-is-a-proper-subject-it-is-inexhaustible/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [Stupidity is infinitely more fascinating that intelligence. Intelligence has its limits while stupidity has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/stupidity-is-infinitely-more-fascinating-that-intelligence/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [ On their own, each \[character\] is a victim of no importance. But when you bring them together, they become a dangerous weapon. Jeanne is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/on-their-own-each-character-is-a-victim-of-no-importance-but-when-you/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [I'm not wild about hand-held shots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/i-m-not-wild-about-hand-held-shots/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [First I went to the Sorbonne to do my licence en lettres, but I also started to study law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/first-i-went-to-the-sorbonne-to-do-my-licence-en-lettres-but-i-also/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [I remember an article, I can't recall who by, it was after the fall of the Berlin Wall, which said that now the Wall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/i-remember-an-article-i-can-t-recall-who-by-it-was-after-the-fall-of/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [We live in an era where pizzas show up faster than the police.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/we-live-in-an-era-where-pizzas-show-up-faster-than-the-police/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [It's often wrong to write for specific actors because one ends up using what is least interesting about them, their mannerisms and habits. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/it-s-often-wrong-to-write-for-specific-actors-because-one-ends-up/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [I wanted to make a film about stupid people that was very vulgar and deeply stupid. From that moment on I can hardly be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/i-wanted-to-make-a-film-about-stupid-people-that-was-very-vulgar-and/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [Some colors are very difficult to render, and you must compensate to get the color you want on the screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/some-colors-are-very-difficult-to-render-and-you-must-compensate-to/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [“On ne peut pas tout avoir. Et puis d'abord où le mettrait-on?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/on-ne-peut-pas-tout-avoir-et-puis-d-abord-o-le-mettrait-on/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) > [My father wanted me to be a pharmacist like himself. He had been a doctor, but he no longer believed in medicine; so he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/my-father-wanted-me-to-be-a-pharmacist-like-himself-he-had-been-a/) [Claude Chabrol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) [Explore all 27 Claude Chabrol quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/) ## More People quotes > [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) [Browse all 211,607 People quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not pessimistic about people in general, but only about the way they live.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Claude Chabrol" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/i-m-not-pessimistic-about-people-in-general-but-only-about-the-way/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "People" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/i-m-not-pessimistic-about-people-in-general-but-only-about-the-way/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/claude-chabrol-21663_people_i-m-not-pessimistic-about-people-in-gene_69034.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/claude-chabrol-21663_people_i-m-not-pessimistic-about-people-in-gene_69034.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/claude-chabrol-21663_people_i-m-not-pessimistic-about-people-in-gene_69034.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm not pessimistic about people in general, but only about the way they live.” — Claude Chabrol", "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": "Claude Chabrol", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-chabrol/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm not pessimistic about people in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/i-m-not-pessimistic-about-people-in-general-but-only-about-the-way/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-chabrol/i-m-not-pessimistic-about-people-in-general-but-only-about-the-way/#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 } } ] } ```