---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you read someone else's diary, you get…"
description: "\"If you read someone else's diary, you get what you deserve.\" — David Sedaris"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/david-sedaris-333_books_if-you-read-someone-else-s-diary-you-get_3221507.png"
---

#  If you read someone else's diary, you get what you deserve.

![“If you read someone else's diary, you get what you deserve.” quote by David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/david-sedaris-333_books_if-you-read-someone-else-s-diary-you-get_3221507.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/david-sedaris-333_books_if-you-read-someone-else-s-diary-you-get_3221507.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/david-sedaris-333_books_if-you-read-someone-else-s-diary-you-get_3221507.png)

> “If you read someone else's diary, you get what you deserve.”

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Reading someone else's diary reveals uncomfortable truths about ourselves, suggesting that we receive what we deserve based on our own curiosity and judgment.

**In simple terms:** Reading private thoughts shows what we deserve.

Key Takeaway

Respect privacy and reflect on your motives.

Themes

privacy curiosity self‑judgment karma

Mood

thoughtful cautious

Type

essay observational

When to use this quote

- reading a diary
- conflict with a
- social media
- personal boundaries

Key Concepts

ethical reflection personal responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you think curiosity justifies invasion of privacy?
- What does “getting what you deserve” mean to you?

A Different Perspective

The line between curiosity and intrusion is blurry, and consequences may be unintended.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Deserve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deserve/) [Diaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diaries/) [Diary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diary/) [Diary Deserve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diary-deserve-2837379/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read/) [Read Diary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-diary-834215/) [What you deserve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-you-deserve/)

## Related quotes

> [If you read somebody's diary, you get what you deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/if-you-read-somebody-s-diary-you-get-what-you-deserve/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [Don't read my diary when I'm gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/don-t-read-my-diary-when-i-m-gone/)

[Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/)

> [Please read my diary, look through my things and figure me out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/please-read-my-diary-look-through-my-things-and-figure-me-out/)

[Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/)

> [I would rather have someone read my diary than look at my iPod playlists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-would-rather-have-someone-read-my-diary-than-look-at-my-ipod/)

[Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/)

> [Until I read Anne Frank's diary, I had found books a literal escape from what could be the harsh reality around me. After I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-fuller/until-i-read-anne-frank-s-diary-i-had-found-books-a-literal-escape/)

[Alexandra Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-fuller/)

> [When I read my own diary, a lot of those feelings came flooding back, such as the idea that the first boy you fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-o-porter/when-i-read-my-own-diary-a-lot-of-those-feelings-came-flooding-back/)

[Dawn O'Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-o-porter/)

> [Like a lot of people, I read 'The Diary of Anne Frank' again and again and again when I was growing up - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-hesse/like-a-lot-of-people-i-read-the-diary-of-anne-frank-again-and-again/)

[Monica Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-hesse/)

> [“I read your diary. I KNOW.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-papas/i-read-your-diary-i-know/)

[Mary Papas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-papas/)

> [Writing is communication, not self-expression. Nobody in this world wants to read your diary except your mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-peck/writing-is-communication-not-self-expression-nobody-in-this-world/)

[Richard Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-peck/)

> [ Certainly when you read someone's diary \[ superficial\] that's a word that jumps to mind. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-cohen/certainly-when-you-read-someone-s-diary-superficial-that-s-a-word/)

[Andy Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-cohen/)

> [Of course, the diary helps me as well. 'That wasn't your position on July 7, 1991,' I'll remind Hugh an hour after we've had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/of-course-the-diary-helps-me-as-well-that-wasn-t-your-position-on/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [Is Fate getting what you deserve, or deserving what you get?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/is-fate-getting-what-you-deserve-or-deserving-what-you-get/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [By and large, life will give you what you deserve and it doesn't give a damn what you like. So it is up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/by-and-large-life-will-give-you-what-you-deserve-and-it-doesn-t-give/)

[Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/)

> [We think of justice sometimes as getting what you deserve, you know - what crime was committed and what is the punishment for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/we-think-of-justice-sometimes-as-getting-what-you-deserve-you-know/)

[Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/)

> [Then the old man's face hardened. "What about you young man?" he asked flatly. "Would you like to get what you deserve?" Jones let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/then-the-old-man-s-face-hardened-what-about-you-young-man-he-asked/)

[Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/)

## More by David Sedaris

> [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [“never fall asleep in a Dumpster, never underestimate a bee, never drive a convertible behind a flatbed truck, never get old, never get drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/never-fall-asleep-in-a-dumpster-never-underestimate-a-bee-never-drive/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [“It was a father, one hand resting teapot-style on his hip, and the other - what would be the spout - formed into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-was-a-father-one-hand-resting-teapot-style-on-his-hip-and-the/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [“A Japanese woman we’d met in Paris came to the apartment yesterday and spent several hours explaining our appliances. The microwave, the water kettle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/a-japanese-woman-we-d-met-in-paris-came-to-the-apartment-yesterday/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [One thing I like about the United States, and I kind of miss about the United States, is there's an election coming up here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/one-thing-i-like-about-the-united-states-and-i-kind-of-miss-about-the/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [When you read comic material and people aren't laughing how do you know they're listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/when-you-read-comic-material-and-people-aren-t-laughing-how-do-you/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [“You have how many children in your family?" the teacher would ask. "I'm guessing you must be Catholic, am I right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-have-how-many-children-in-your-family-the-teacher-would-ask-i-m/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [“Like most seasoned phonies, I roundly suspect that everyone is as disingenuous as I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/like-most-seasoned-phonies-i-roundly-suspect-that-everyone-is-as/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [As a child I assumed that when I reached adulthood, I would have grown-up thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/as-a-child-i-assumed-that-when-i-reached-adulthood-i-would-have-grown/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [“You just take and take don´t you? Out there with your thumb in the air—not a care in the world, just grabbing whatever you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-just-take-and-take-don-t-you-out-there-with-your-thumb-in-the-air/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [In other parts of the country people tried to stay together for the sake of the children. In New York they tried to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/in-other-parts-of-the-country-people-tried-to-stay-together-for-the/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [My boyfriend got me a computer three years ago. I'll admit it does make things a lot easier. When I was working on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/my-boyfriend-got-me-a-computer-three-years-ago-i-ll-admit-it-does/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [I spent months searching for some secret code before I realized that common sense has nothing to do with it. Hysteria, psychosis, torture, depression:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-spent-months-searching-for-some-secret-code-before-i-realized-that/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [I hated leaving a hole in the smoking world, and so I recruited someone to take my place. People have given me a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-hated-leaving-a-hole-in-the-smoking-world-and-so-i-recruited/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [Write relentlessly, until you find your voice. Then, use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/write-relentlessly-until-you-find-your-voice-then-use-it/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

[Explore all 667 David Sedaris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

## More Books quotes

> [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/)

[Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/)

> [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/)

[Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/)

> [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/)

[Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/)

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/)

[Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/)

> [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/)

[Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/)

> [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/)

[Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/)

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/)

[Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/)

> [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/)

[Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/)

> [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/)

[Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/)

> [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/)

[Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/)

> [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/)

[Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/)

[Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If you read someone else's diary, you get what you deserve.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Sedaris"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/if-you-read-someone-else-s-diary-you-get-what-you-deserve/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Books"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/if-you-read-someone-else-s-diary-you-get-what-you-deserve/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/david-sedaris-333_books_if-you-read-someone-else-s-diary-you-get_3221507.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/david-sedaris-333_books_if-you-read-someone-else-s-diary-you-get_3221507.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/david-sedaris-333_books_if-you-read-someone-else-s-diary-you-get_3221507.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If you read someone else's diary, you get what you deserve.” — David Sedaris",
                "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 Sedaris",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If you read someone else's diary,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/if-you-read-someone-else-s-diary-you-get-what-you-deserve/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/if-you-read-someone-else-s-diary-you-get-what-you-deserve/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
