---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here's the thing: I'm not beautiful. I…"
description: "\"Here's the thing: I'm not beautiful. I mean, I'm a perfectly normal-looking Jewish guy. My face has never been my fortune, nor has my body... physical ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/david-rakoff-3308_beautiful_here-s-the-thing-i-m-not-beautiful-i-mea_1476724.png"
---

#  Here's the thing: I'm not beautiful. I mean, I'm a…

![“Here's the thing: I'm not beautiful. I mean, I'm a perfectly normal-looking Jewish guy. My face has never been my fortune, nor has my body... physical beauty has never been part of my equation. It's just not on my shopping list.” quote by David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/david-rakoff-3308_beautiful_here-s-the-thing-i-m-not-beautiful-i-mea_1476724.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/david-rakoff-3308_beautiful_here-s-the-thing-i-m-not-beautiful-i-mea_1476724.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/david-rakoff-3308_beautiful_here-s-the-thing-i-m-not-beautiful-i-mea_1476724.png)

> “Here's the thing: I'm not beautiful. I mean, I'm a perfectly normal-looking Jewish guy. My face has never been my fortune, nor has my body... physical beauty has never been part of my equation. It's just not on my shopping list.”

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

## 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 rejects societal beauty standards, emphasizing self‑acceptance beyond appearance.

**In simple terms:** Beauty isn’t my priority.

Key Takeaway

Value inner qualities over looks.

Themes

self‑acceptance beauty standards identity

Mood

introspective confident

Type

philosophical advice

When to use this quote

- dating
- career
- social interactions

Key Concepts

social norms self‑esteem body image

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you define personal worth?
- Can you separate appearance from value?

A Different Perspective

May ignore genuine attraction.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beautiful Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful-mean-2791716/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Beauty Equation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty-equation-4732382/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Equation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equation/) [Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Here](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/here/) [Jewish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jewish/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [List](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/list/) [Looking Jewish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-jewish-2619722/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Nor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nor/) [Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/part/) [Perfectly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfectly/) [Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical/) [Physical beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-beauty/) [Shopping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shopping/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/)

## Related quotes

> [I have a book out called 'The Beauty Equation' and it discusses how off track we have gone in considering beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-barker/i-have-a-book-out-called-the-beauty-equation-and-it-discusses-how-off/)

[Nigel Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-barker/)

> [I grew up looking to all those Jewish athletes for inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-aaron/i-grew-up-looking-to-all-those-jewish-athletes-for-inspiration/)

[Max Aaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-aaron/)

> [“If one is working from the point of view of getting beauty into one's equation, ... one is on a sure line of progress.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-a-m-dirac/if-one-is-working-from-the-point-of-view-of-getting-beauty-into-one-s/)

[Paul A.M. Dirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-a-m-dirac/)

> [“You’re beautiful, Anne’s pussy. Just beautiful. And I’m not mean like her. I’m on your side and I love you very much because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-scott/you-re-beautiful-anne-s-pussy-just-beautiful-and-i-m-not-mean-like/)

[Kylie Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-scott/)

> [Every girl wants a guy she can go to in her sweats, hair a mess, make-up running down her face, eyes red from crying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-chable/every-girl-wants-a-guy-she-can-go-to-in-her-sweats-hair-a-mess-make/)

[Ana Chable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-chable/)

> [Its really sad to see people starving themselves only to be called beautiful. Everyone is beautiful, and I mean it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfaaz/its-really-sad-to-see-people-starving-themselves-only-to-be-called/)

[Alfaaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfaaz/)

> [“You look beautiful even when you cry. I mean, not that you don’t look beautiful when you’re happy. Of course, you’re beautiful all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-buxbaum/you-look-beautiful-even-when-you-cry-i-mean-not-that-you-don-t-look/)

[Julie Buxbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-buxbaum/)

> [“God, she’s beautiful. I mean, look at her. She’s like a volcano going off—fierce and fiery and breathtaking. If she doesn’t find a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chase/god-she-s-beautiful-i-mean-look-at-her-she-s-like-a-volcano-going-off/)

[Emma Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chase/)

> [“Raise your children to love and embrace others. Tell them they are beautiful; they may grow up to be stars one day, and "beautiful"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiden-blake/raise-your-children-to-love-and-embrace-others-tell-them-they-are/)

[Kaiden Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiden-blake/)

> [“If love is an equation,then it is undifined for all values of x.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/themba-alex-khumalo/if-love-is-an-equation-then-it-is-undifined-for-all-values-of-x/)

[Themba Alex Khumalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/themba-alex-khumalo/)

> [My first year on 'SNL', I made $90,000 dollars. And I bought a red Corvette for $45,000 dollars. I'm thinking, 'I've got 45 grand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/my-first-year-on-snl-i-made-90-000-dollars-and-i-bought-a-red/)

[Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/)

> [“Why fit in someones equation when you can create your own theorem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nivesh-raj/why-fit-in-someones-equation-when-you-can-create-your-own-theorem/)

[Nivesh Raj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nivesh-raj/)

> [“Their trajectory of attraction is like an equation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandy-hall/their-trajectory-of-attraction-is-like-an-equation/)

[Sandy Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandy-hall/)

> [When you're a girl, passion can dominate the equation, but as you grow up relationships evolve. Mad passion can grab you at first, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-watley/when-you-re-a-girl-passion-can-dominate-the-equation-but-as-you-grow/)

[Jody Watley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-watley/)

> [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/)

[Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/)

## More by David Rakoff

> [“The hiking boots the outdoor adventure magazine sent me to buy - large, ungainly potato like things that I have been trying to break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/the-hiking-boots-the-outdoor-adventure-magazine-sent-me-to-buy-large/)

[david rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [Is there some lesson on how to be friends? I think what it means is that central to living a life that is good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/is-there-some-lesson-on-how-to-be-friends-i-think-what-it-means-is/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [“We are disclosing animals, wired for unburdening. It's what we do as a species. When I am being told, I listen, mindful of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/we-are-disclosing-animals-wired-for-unburdening-it-s-what-we-do-as-a/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [“Details can change or go missing entirely, particularly in moments of physical peril. A kind of amnesia goes hand in hand with sickness, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/details-can-change-or-go-missing-entirely-particularly-in-moments-of/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [“Is there some lesson on how to be friends? I think what it means is that central to living A life that is good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/is-there-some-lesson-on-how-to-be-friends-i-think-what-it-means-is-2/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [“The central drama of my life is about being a fraud, alas. That's a complete lie, really; the central drama of my life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/the-central-drama-of-my-life-is-about-being-a-fraud-alas-that-s-a/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [I am going to the bad place, as is my wont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/i-am-going-to-the-bad-place-as-is-my-wont/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [The only thing that makes one an artist is making art. And that requires the precise opposite of hanging out; a deeply lonely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/the-only-thing-that-makes-one-an-artist-is-making-art-and-that/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [I will forever be grateful to my oncologist for opening the door and saying, 'Damn it, the tumor's 10 percent bigger,' before he even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/i-will-forever-be-grateful-to-my-oncologist-for-opening-the-door-and/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [“It was nice to find out, then, that if one is characterologically incapable of not being a total fuckface, science has not shown you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/it-was-nice-to-find-out-then-that-if-one-is-characterologically/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [People are really trying their best. Just like being happy and sad, you will find yourself on both sides of the equation many times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/people-are-really-trying-their-best-just-like-being-happy-and-sad-you/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [“One day reach idealization; after all, it's the journey, not the destination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/one-day-reach-idealization-after-all-it-s-the-journey-not-the/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [“It was turning out to be an anxious Christmas season. Too many were the early mornings spent sitting at the table, insomniac in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/it-was-turning-out-to-be-an-anxious-christmas-season-too-many-were/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [“The best=laid plans, one's most fastidious contingency strategies have revealed themselves in the cold light of day to be laughably inadequate, no match for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/the-best-laid-plans-one-s-most-fastidious-contingency-strategies-have/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

> [Unfortunately, there's no greater rhyme or reason as to why it would be me. And since there is no answer as to why me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/unfortunately-there-s-no-greater-rhyme-or-reason-as-to-why-it-would/)

[David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

[Explore all 134 David Rakoff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/)

## More Beautiful quotes

> [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/)

[Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/)

> [Being beautiful comes naturally!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-beautiful-comes-naturally/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/)

[Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/)

> [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/)

[Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/)

> [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/)

[Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/)

> [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/)

[Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/)

> [Call her beautiful a million times and she won't believe you. Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/)

[Tumblr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tumblr/)

> [You will never know just how beautiful you are to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-know-just-how-beautiful-you-are-to-me/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/)

[Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/)

> [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [You're beautiful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, and fuck.. I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/)

[Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/)

> [Growing up in Iceland, it was very beautiful, very safe, but quite isolated. There was something about jazz music that had a way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laufey/growing-up-in-iceland-it-was-very-beautiful-very-safe-but-quite/)

[Laufey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laufey/)

> [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/)

[Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/)

> [Sometimes it's about less is more. It's about the seed. Thinking about this gigantic tree that you think is so beautiful but it started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-durst/sometimes-it-s-about-less-is-more-it-s-about-the-seed-thinking-about/)

[Fred Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-durst/)

> [God's Word does provide life lessons to teach us how to live. And it gives us beautiful poetry that gives voice to our human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rothschild/god-s-word-does-provide-life-lessons-to-teach-us-how-to-live-and-it/)

[Jennifer Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rothschild/)

[Browse all 17,976 Beautiful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Here's the thing: I'm not beautiful. I mean, I'm a perfectly normal-looking Jewish guy. My face has never been my fortune, nor has my body... physical beauty has never been part of my equation. It's just not on my shopping list.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Rakoff"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/here-s-the-thing-i-m-not-beautiful-i-mean-i-m-a-perfectly-normal/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Beautiful"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/here-s-the-thing-i-m-not-beautiful-i-mean-i-m-a-perfectly-normal/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/david-rakoff-3308_beautiful_here-s-the-thing-i-m-not-beautiful-i-mea_1476724.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/david-rakoff-3308_beautiful_here-s-the-thing-i-m-not-beautiful-i-mea_1476724.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/david-rakoff-3308_beautiful_here-s-the-thing-i-m-not-beautiful-i-mea_1476724.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Here's the thing: I'm not beautiful. I mean, I'm a perfectly normal-looking Jewish guy. My face has never…” — David Rakoff",
                "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": "David Rakoff",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Here's the thing: I'm not beautiful....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/here-s-the-thing-i-m-not-beautiful-i-mean-i-m-a-perfectly-normal/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/here-s-the-thing-i-m-not-beautiful-i-mean-i-m-a-perfectly-normal/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
