--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know what i can't understand? You…" description: "\"You know what i can't understand? You have all these people telling you all the time how great you are, smart and funny and talented and all that, i me..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/david-nicholls-873_being-nice_you-know-what-i-can-t-understand-you-hav_1002410.jpg" --- # You know what i can't understand? You have all these… ![“You know what i can't understand? You have all these people telling you all the time how great you are, smart and funny and talented and all that, i mean endlessly, i've been telling you for years. So why don't you believe it? why do you think people say that stuff, Em? Do you think it's a…” quote by David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/david-nicholls-873_being-nice_you-know-what-i-can-t-understand-you-hav_1002410.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/david-nicholls-873_being-nice_you-know-what-i-can-t-understand-you-hav_1002410.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/david-nicholls-873_being-nice_you-know-what-i-can-t-understand-you-hav_1002410.jpg) > “You know what i can't understand? You have all these people telling you all the time how great you are, smart and funny and talented and all that, i mean endlessly, i've been telling you for years. So why don't you believe it? why do you think people say that stuff, Em? Do you think it's a conspiracy, people secretly ganging up to be nice about you?” [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑doubt persists despite constant positive feedback, leading to questioning others’ motives. **In simple terms:** People doubt themselves even when praised. Key Takeaway Recognize and accept genuine compliments. Themes self‑esteem confidence perception social validation Mood reflective empathetic Type motivational psychological When to use this quote - personal relationships - therapy sessions - team meetings - social media - mentoring Key Concepts cognitive bias impostor syndrome affirmation Questions to Reflect On - Do you truly trust the source of praise? - How can you internalize positive feedback? A Different Perspective Compliments may be insincere or misunderstood, limiting their impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-nice/) [Cheer up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheer-up/) [Conspiracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conspiracy/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Smart and funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-and-funny/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Do you think it's a conspiracy, people secretly ganging up to be nice to you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/do-you-think-it-s-a-conspiracy-people-secretly-ganging-up-to-be-nice/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [In fact, I point out that all the conspiracies in history - especially during the last 5000 years - are actually different aspects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eustace-mullins/in-fact-i-point-out-that-all-the-conspiracies-in-history-especially/) [Eustace Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eustace-mullins/) > [The bunker business is just one instantiation, the grandest instantiation, of what you might think of as conspiracy capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lowrey/the-bunker-business-is-just-one-instantiation-the-grandest/) [Annie Lowrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lowrey/) > [One of the things that is interesting about reading conspiracy theory is that much of what folks think is conspiracy is really many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-austin-fitts/one-of-the-things-that-is-interesting-about-reading-conspiracy-theory/) [Catherine Austin Fitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-austin-fitts/) > [“When you’re young, you look at television and think, There’s a conspiracy. The networks have conspired to dumb us down. But when you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/when-you-re-young-you-look-at-television-and-think-there-s-a/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I think conspiracy theories have gotten more and more close to the mainstream because what you've got is a fragmentation of the media, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-think-conspiracy-theories-have-gotten-more-and-more-close-to-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Hippy, you think everything is a conspiracy. Everything is!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-harris/hippy-you-think-everything-is-a-conspiracy-everything-is/) [Ed Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-harris/) > [“You know what I can't understand? You have all these people telling you all the time how great you are, smart and funny and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/you-know-what-i-can-t-understand-you-have-all-these-people-telling-2/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [Since nostaglia is fueled by inflation, could it be that inflation is the result of a conspiracy by the people who are trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/since-nostaglia-is-fueled-by-inflation-could-it-be-that-inflation-is/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [Everything is a conspiracy. People kind of demonize the word. But a conspiracy is when two people get together and do something. So, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-belzer/everything-is-a-conspiracy-people-kind-of-demonize-the-word-but-a/) [Richard Belzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-belzer/) > [“I honestly do wonder, without wishing to be morbid, how I reached this present pass. So far as I can ever remember of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/i-honestly-do-wonder-without-wishing-to-be-morbid-how-i-reached-this/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [I kind of think that if you show conspiracy theorists a photo of the dead Bin Laden they will come up with an explanation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/i-kind-of-think-that-if-you-show-conspiracy-theorists-a-photo-of-the/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [“Do you think it’s a conspiracy?’ ‘Mr Durukan, if God is dead then everything is conspiracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcdonald/do-you-think-it-s-a-conspiracy-mr-durukan-if-god-is-dead-then/) [Ian McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcdonald/) > [“The reason people don't buy conspiracy theories is they think 'conspiracy' means everybody's on the same program. That's not how it works. Everybody's got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lee-burke/the-reason-people-don-t-buy-conspiracy-theories-is-they-think/) [James Lee Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lee-burke/) > [When you're young, you look at television and think, there's a conspiracy. The networks have conspired to dumb us down. But when you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/when-you-re-young-you-look-at-television-and-think-there-s-a-2/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) ## More by David Nicholls > [These days grief seems like walking on a frozen river; most of the time he feels safe enough, but there is always that danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/these-days-grief-seems-like-walking-on-a-frozen-river-most-of-the/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“Good God, 'the elusive thing'. She had reached a turning point. She no longer believed that a situation could be made better by writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/good-god-the-elusive-thing-she-had-reached-a-turning-point-she-no/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [Emma was a shocking driver, simultaneously sloppy and petrified, and for the first fifty miles had been absent-mindedly driving with her spectacles on top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/emma-was-a-shocking-driver-simultaneously-sloppy-and-petrified-and/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [I still find it absurdly difficult to concentrate on a novel if there's a phone or computer to hand; I have taken to locking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/i-still-find-it-absurdly-difficult-to-concentrate-on-a-novel-if-there/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [You've got to stop letting women slip drugs into your mouth, Dex, it's unhygienic. And dangerous. One day it'll be a cyanide capsule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/you-ve-got-to-stop-letting-women-slip-drugs-into-your-mouth-dex-it-s/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“He presses two fingers against each eye and attempts to account for this crippling melancholy, but is having trouble with rational thought. It feels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/he-presses-two-fingers-against-each-eye-and-attempts-to-account-for/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“Live each day as if it's our last', that was the conventional advice, but really who had the energy for that? What if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/live-each-day-as-if-it-s-our-last-that-was-the-conventional-advice/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [She was reaching the limits of how much its possible to change a man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/she-was-reaching-the-limits-of-how-much-its-possible-to-change-a-man/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“How would she fill the days? She had no idea. The trick of it, she told herself, is to be courageous and bold and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/how-would-she-fill-the-days-she-had-no-idea-the-trick-of-it-she-told/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“What if it rained or you felt a bit glandy? It just wasn't practical. Better by far to simply try and be good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/what-if-it-rained-or-you-felt-a-bit-glandy-it-just-wasn-t-practical/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [Sometimes, when it is going badly, she wonders if what she believes to be a love of the written word is really just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/sometimes-when-it-is-going-badly-she-wonders-if-what-she-believes-to/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [The city had defeated her, just like they said it would. Like some overcrowded party, no one had noticed her arrival, and would notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/the-city-had-defeated-her-just-like-they-said-it-would-like-some/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [Better by far to be good and courageous and bold and to make difference. Not change the world exactly, but the bit around you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/better-by-far-to-be-good-and-courageous-and-bold-and-to-make/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [A screenplay is really an instruction manual, and it can be interpreted in any number of ways. The casting, the choice of location, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/a-screenplay-is-really-an-instruction-manual-and-it-can-be/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [Most of the books and films I love walk a knife edge between romance and cynicism, and I wanted 'One Day' to stay on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/most-of-the-books-and-films-i-love-walk-a-knife-edge-between-romance/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) [Explore all 332 David Nicholls quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) ## More Being nice quotes > [Business school graduates from the best schools earn large salaries and frequently rise to positions of great power. It would be nice if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/business-school-graduates-from-the-best-schools-earn-large-salaries/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [What is needed, however, isn't just that people working together be nice to each other. It is discipline. Discipline is hard--harder than trustworthiness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/what-is-needed-however-isn-t-just-that-people-working-together-be/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [I think there's a lot of scope in broadening the way videogames approach depictions of masculinity, which is still extremely narrow in scope. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-druckmann/i-think-there-s-a-lot-of-scope-in-broadening-the-way-videogames/) Neil Druckmann > [He put his arms around her. “Well, in my defense, then, whatever I did seemed to work, didn't it?” She sighed. “I suppose.” “You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/he-put-his-arms-around-her-well-in-my-defense-then-whatever-i-did/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Somewhere where people aren't so mad would be nice, but I don't know if there is anywhere like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/somewhere-where-people-aren-t-so-mad-would-be-nice-but-i-don-t-know/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [Most of the people I know who were raised to be accommodating or were raised to just be nice and put everybody's needs ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/most-of-the-people-i-know-who-were-raised-to-be-accommodating-or-were/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“When we are nice to others, we generally lose all claim to their respect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/when-we-are-nice-to-others-we-generally-lose-all-claim-to-their/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Being nice from now on, leaving the old BS where it's at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-from-now-on-leaving-the-old-bs-where-it-s-at/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can see that I imagine all kinds of rejection that never happens. I can see that I beg and plead for love that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wurtzel/i-can-see-that-i-imagine-all-kinds-of-rejection-that-never-happens-i/) [Elizabeth Wurtzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wurtzel/) > [I think music is better listened to with other people. Music is better shared. It depends what situation you're in - if it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-odell/i-think-music-is-better-listened-to-with-other-people-music-is-better/) [Tom Odell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-odell/) > [Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great. To many people, being nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-arden/everybody-wants-to-be-good-but-not-many-are-prepared-to-make-the-2/) [Paul Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-arden/) > [Give me a mirror.Or holy water. I'll drink it,even!" I gasped as someone threw water on the side of my face. "A little warning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/give-me-a-mirror-or-holy-water-i-ll-drink-it-even-i-gasped-as-someone/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [What inspired me as a child is the same thing that inspires me now: being nice. I always try to one up everybody with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joell-ortiz/what-inspired-me-as-a-child-is-the-same-thing-that-inspires-me-now/) [Joell Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joell-ortiz/) > [My ex-wife was trying to be nice once, so she took me to a concert in Los Angeles. I went with her to Symphony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/my-ex-wife-was-trying-to-be-nice-once-so-she-took-me-to-a-concert-in/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) [Browse all 659 Being nice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-nice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You know what i can't understand? 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