--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In essence, individuals more concerned…" description: "\"“In essence, individuals more concerned with portraying their own uniqueness were more likely to select an alcoholic beverage not yet ordered at their ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c8/dan-ariely-1899_food_in-essence-individuals-more-concerned-wi_2900019.png" --- # In essence, individuals more concerned with portraying… ![“In essence, individuals more concerned with portraying their own uniqueness were more likely to select an alcoholic beverage not yet ordered at their table in an effort to demonstrate that they were in fact one of a kind. What these results show is that people are sometimes willing to sacrifice…” quote by Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c8/dan-ariely-1899_food_in-essence-individuals-more-concerned-wi_2900019.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c8/dan-ariely-1899_food_in-essence-individuals-more-concerned-wi_2900019.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c8/dan-ariely-1899_food_in-essence-individuals-more-concerned-wi_2900019.png) > ““In essence, individuals more concerned with portraying their own uniqueness were more likely to select an alcoholic beverage not yet ordered at their table in an effort to demonstrate that they were in fact one of a kind. What these results show is that people are sometimes willing to sacrifice the pleasure they get from a particular consumption experience in order to project a certain image to others. When people order food and drinks, they seem to have two goals: to order what they will enjoy most and to portray themselves in a positive light in the eyes of their friends.”” [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often choose items that signal individuality, even if those items are less enjoyable, to manage social image. **In simple terms:** Choosing to stand out can outweigh personal pleasure. Key Takeaway Balance authenticity with enjoyment. Themes social identity consumption self‑presentation uniqueness image management Mood reflective analytical Type observational research‑based When to use this quote - dining out - gift buying - fashion choices - online profile c - celebrity endorsements Key Concepts signaling theory behavioral economics social comparison Questions to Reflect On - Do you ever pick something just to seem different? - How much does peer perception influence your choices? A Different Perspective May lead to regret if the novelty wears off or the experience is poor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beverage Ordered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beverage-ordered-4119144/) [Consumption Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption-experience-4119145/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Order Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order-food/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Portraying Uniqueness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portraying-uniqueness-4119143/) [Uniqueness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uniqueness/) [Uniqueness Likely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uniqueness-likely-4119146/) ## Related quotes > [“people are sometimes willing to sacrifice the pleasure they get from a particular consumption experience in order to project a certain image to others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/people-are-sometimes-willing-to-sacrifice-the-pleasure-they-get-from/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Never order food in excess of your body weight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/never-order-food-in-excess-of-your-body-weight/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Forgive me but I've been tutted at in Paris a fair few times and I still don't know if it's because I was wearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-millican/forgive-me-but-i-ve-been-tutted-at-in-paris-a-fair-few-times-and-i/) [Sarah Millican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-millican/) > [Every decision we make - when we choose a vehicle, when we pump gas into that vehicle, when we order food - is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-velez-mitchell/every-decision-we-make-when-we-choose-a-vehicle-when-we-pump-gas-into/) [Jane Velez-Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-velez-mitchell/) > [I make it a point to order food from Karim's or any of the places from Paranthewali Gali if I can't take my crew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pulkit-samrat/i-make-it-a-point-to-order-food-from-karim-s-or-any-of-the-places/) [Pulkit Samrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pulkit-samrat/) > [I order food like a normal human being. If I'm out to lunch, I'm going to order three courses like everybody else. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lampanelli/i-order-food-like-a-normal-human-being-if-i-m-out-to-lunch-i-m-going/) [Lisa Lampanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lampanelli/) > [In restaurants, when people order food - and they have menus - I hate that. Just give me something to eat. Quantity matters, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/in-restaurants-when-people-order-food-and-they-have-menus-i-hate-that/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I'm the worst wife in the cooking department. I always thought you can't be good at food and sex, but you can always order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beckinsale/i-m-the-worst-wife-in-the-cooking-department-i-always-thought-you-can/) [Kate Beckinsale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beckinsale/) > [I can’t go to a restaurant and order food because I keep looking at the fonts on the menu.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/i-can-t-go-to-a-restaurant-and-order-food-because-i-keep-looking-at/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [I pretty much have no life outside of the theatre. I go home every night, and I put the TV on, and I veg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idina-menzel/i-pretty-much-have-no-life-outside-of-the-theatre-i-go-home-every/) [Idina Menzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idina-menzel/) > [For me chilling out is when I can stay at home, order food from outside and watch a film with my friends. Listening to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bipasha-basu/for-me-chilling-out-is-when-i-can-stay-at-home-order-food-from/) [Bipasha Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bipasha-basu/) > [Technology has made it possible to order food, buy clothes, get a ride - anything you can think of, really - at the touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-neumann/technology-has-made-it-possible-to-order-food-buy-clothes-get-a-ride/) [Adam Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-neumann/) > [“Your name is Lift, right?" "Right." "And your order?" "More food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/your-name-is-lift-right-right-and-your-order-more-food/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [I don't cook, I always order food or I go out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dobrik/i-don-t-cook-i-always-order-food-or-i-go-out/) [David Dobrik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dobrik/) > [“Cal: “I’m not presuming. I know exactly what you think about me. You think I’m an anal-retentive Armrest Nazi . . . an arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/cal-i-m-not-presuming-i-know-exactly-what-you-think-about-me-you/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) ## More by Dan Ariely > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [ “\[..\] we human beings are ready and willing to steal something that does not explicitly reference monetary value - that is, something that lacks… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/we-human-beings-are-ready-and-willing-to-steal-something-that-does/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [It is true that from a behavioral economics perspective we are fallible, easily confused, not that smart, and often irrational. We are more like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/it-is-true-that-from-a-behavioral-economics-perspective-we-are/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [“Contrafreeloading,” a term coined by the animal psychologist Glen Jensen, refers to the finding that many animals prefer to earn food rather than simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/contrafreeloading-a-term-coined-by-the-animal-psychologist-glen/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [One of the big lessons from behavioral economics is that we make decisions as a function of the environment that we're in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/one-of-the-big-lessons-from-behavioral-economics-is-that-we-make/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Not all debt is bad. From time to time we should get into debt when there's a good reason for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/not-all-debt-is-bad-from-time-to-time-we-should-get-into-debt-when/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [“This result suggests that cheating is not driven by concerns about standing out. Rather, it shows that our sense of our own morality is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/this-result-suggests-that-cheating-is-not-driven-by-concerns-about/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [“ONE OF THE main differences between standard and behavioral economics involves this concept of “free lunches.” According to the assumptions of standard economics, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/one-of-the-main-differences-between-standard-and-behavioral-economics/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Money is all about opportunity cost. Every time you spend on something, that's something you can't spend on something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/money-is-all-about-opportunity-cost-every-time-you-spend-on-something/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [The people that lend you money basically give you an answer based on the risk that they are willing to take. But just because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/the-people-that-lend-you-money-basically-give-you-an-answer-based-on/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [“Upton Sinclair once noted, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.”)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/upton-sinclair-once-noted-it-is-difficult-to-get-a-man-to-understand/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [If you get people to feel that they are putting something, that they are creating it and so on, their love for the project…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-get-people-to-feel-that-they-are-putting-something-that-they/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [If I gave you now, $10 as a gift, how happy would you be? Would you be happy, is the marginal $10, the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-i-gave-you-now-10-as-a-gift-how-happy-would-you-be-would-you-be/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Imagine you have six loans, small to huge. People want to close loans and because of that, they try to pay off the small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/imagine-you-have-six-loans-small-to-huge-people-want-to-close-loans/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [“he started by selling his Porsche Boxster and buying a Toyota Prius in its place.4 “I don’t want to live the life of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/he-started-by-selling-his-porsche-boxster-and-buying-a-toyota-prius/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) [Explore all 198 Dan Ariely quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) ## More Food quotes > [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/) [Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [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/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“My God, Joseph, your toasted sandwiches are the fucking shit. You do know that right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ashworth/my-god-joseph-your-toasted-sandwiches-are-the-fucking-shit-you-do/) [Beth Ashworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ashworth/) > [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“if you cannot control your hunger and appetite, good luck managing your blood chemistry, metabolism, waistline, and, in the bigger picture, the prospect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-perlmutter/if-you-cannot-control-your-hunger-and-appetite-good-luck-managing/) [David Perlmutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-perlmutter/) > [“Hungarian Proverb: A dish of cabbages can be heated when it grows cold, but it will never taste the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mourid-barghouti/hungarian-proverb-a-dish-of-cabbages-can-be-heated-when-it-grows-cold/) [Mourid Barghouti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mourid-barghouti/) > [“The phrase “low and slow” was coined to describe the relatively low temperatures used for smoking and the lengthy amount of time it takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-reader/the-phrase-low-and-slow-was-coined-to-describe-the-relatively-low/) [Ted Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-reader/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [“Live is like a box of chocolates, we are all just waiting for a hungry hand to come down and grab us and eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunshine/live-is-like-a-box-of-chocolates-we-are-all-just-waiting-for-a-hungry/) [sunshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunshine/) > [Sometimes, when full and in fear that I will continue to eat unwanted food just because it's staring at me, I will place my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/sometimes-when-full-and-in-fear-that-i-will-continue-to-eat-unwanted/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [“Pumpkin Flavor Latte Scrub   Ingredients 1 ½ cups of brown sugar 2 tablespoons of ground coffee 1-2 tablespoons of pumpkin spice ¾ -1…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-hilton/pumpkin-flavor-latte-scrub-ingredients-1-cups-of-brown-sugar-2/) [Kate Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-hilton/) [Browse all 34,183 Food quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In essence, individuals more concerned with portraying their own uniqueness were more likely to select an alcoholic beverage not yet ordered at their table in an effort to demonstrate that they were in fact one of a kind. What these results show is that people are sometimes willing to sacrifice the pleasure they get from a particular consumption experience in order to project a certain image to others. When people order food and drinks, they seem to have two goals: to order what they will enjoy most and to portray themselves in a positive light in the eyes of their friends.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dan Ariely" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/in-essence-individuals-more-concerned-with-portraying-their-own/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Food" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/in-essence-individuals-more-concerned-with-portraying-their-own/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c8/dan-ariely-1899_food_in-essence-individuals-more-concerned-wi_2900019.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c8/dan-ariely-1899_food_in-essence-individuals-more-concerned-wi_2900019.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c8/dan-ariely-1899_food_in-essence-individuals-more-concerned-wi_2900019.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In essence, individuals more concerned with portraying their own uniqueness were more likely to select an…” — Dan Ariely", "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": "Dan Ariely", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“In essence, individuals more concerned with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/in-essence-individuals-more-concerned-with-portraying-their-own/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/in-essence-individuals-more-concerned-with-portraying-their-own/#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 } } ] } ```