--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We aren't who we appear to be on the…" description: "\"“We aren't who we appear to be on the outside...We keep up appearances in order to survive...”\" — Dexter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b0/dexter-44190_appear_we-aren-t-who-we-appear-to-be-on-the-out_2617711.jpg" --- # We aren't who we appear to be on the outside...We keep up… ![“We aren't who we appear to be on the outside...We keep up appearances in order to survive...” quote by Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b0/dexter-44190_appear_we-aren-t-who-we-appear-to-be-on-the-out_2617711.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b0/dexter-44190_appear_we-aren-t-who-we-appear-to-be-on-the-out_2617711.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b0/dexter-44190_appear_we-aren-t-who-we-appear-to-be-on-the-out_2617711.jpg) > ““We aren't who we appear to be on the outside...We keep up appearances in order to survive...”” [Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People hide true selves to fit in and survive socially. **In simple terms:** We mask ourselves to survive. Key Takeaway Accept authenticity over façade. Themes identity survival social pressure Mood anxious reflective Type advice psychological When to use this quote - workplace - dating - friendships - online profiles Key Concepts self‑presentation authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What parts of yourself are you hiding? - How does appearance affect your relationships? A Different Perspective Masking can lead to isolation and loss of self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [We are what we think we are - not what we appear to be on the outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-j-meyer/we-are-what-we-think-we-are-not-what-we-appear-to-be-on-the-outside/) [Paul J. Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-j-meyer/) > [Sometimes things aren't what they appear. We all have hurts that we don't show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sheehan-miles/sometimes-things-aren-t-what-they-appear-we-all-have-hurts-that-we/) [Charles Sheehan-Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sheehan-miles/) > [There's not much difference between what I appear to be on stage and what I am. I think people like that, that I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/there-s-not-much-difference-between-what-i-appear-to-be-on-stage-and/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“You need a third option," he said. "Yeah. I guess i do." He nodded, absorbing this. "Well," he said,"For what it's worth, it's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-need-a-third-option-he-said-yeah-i-guess-i-do-he-nodded-absorbing/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Growing up as a singer, and a cast member, and now as an adult, a songwriter, I get the luxury of choosing the kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/growing-up-as-a-singer-and-a-cast-member-and-now-as-an-adult-a/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [Who are you?" "I am Death," said the creature. "I thought that was obvious." "But you're so small!" "Only because you are small. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/who-are-you-i-am-death-said-the-creature-i-thought-that-was-obvious/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [My face frowns by default, so when I'm most calm is when I appear the least approachable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-leung/my-face-frowns-by-default-so-when-i-m-most-calm-is-when-i-appear-the/) [Ken Leung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-leung/) > [Usually, the leaders appear in the moment of the highest stress, when it is time, speaking symbolically, to go to the barricades. Then people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-bukovsky/usually-the-leaders-appear-in-the-moment-of-the-highest-stress-when/) [Vladimir Bukovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-bukovsky/) > [Whatever the reason, American Muslims appear far less inclined to support the global jihad than their European counterparts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/whatever-the-reason-american-muslims-appear-far-less-inclined-to/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [War is big and there are only so many reporters and only so many places for their words and images to appear. Choices are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jackson/war-is-big-and-there-are-only-so-many-reporters-and-only-so-many/) [Bruce Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jackson/) > [“A might force, a consummate power lieth concealed in the world of being. Fix your gaze upon it and upon its unifying influences, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/a-might-force-a-consummate-power-lieth-concealed-in-the-world-of/) [Baha'u'llah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/) > [Though the world may often appear to be more charitable than the church, it is crucial to remember that, for the church, the care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/though-the-world-may-often-appear-to-be-more-charitable-than-the/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [“Appear On Your Fear, It Will Disappear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syed-sharukh/appear-on-your-fear-it-will-disappear/) [Syed Sharukh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syed-sharukh/) > [“Give someone more time and they'll appear to have done more with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/give-someone-more-time-and-they-ll-appear-to-have-done-more-with-it/) [Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) ## More by Dexter > [Giving justice to anyone is fair treatment to everyone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter/giving-justice-to-anyone-is-fair-treatment-to-everyone/) [Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter/) > [Once you start loving a person, you will getting jealous with nonsense reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter/once-you-start-loving-a-person-you-will-getting-jealous-with-nonsense/) [Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter/) > [Do what u love & love what u do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter/do-what-u-love-love-what-u-do/) [Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter/) > [“Millions of years ago, the first lizard crawled out of the water and hit the second lizard over the head with a rock. Thus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter/millions-of-years-ago-the-first-lizard-crawled-out-of-the-water-and/) [Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter/) > [“All we can do in life is play along and hope that we get it right. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter/all-we-can-do-in-life-is-play-along-and-hope-that-we-get-it-right/) [Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter/) > [Tonight's the night. And it's going to happen, again and again. It has to happen. Nice night. Miami is a great town. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter/tonight-s-the-night-and-it-s-going-to-happen-again-and-again-it-has/) [Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter/) > [I can do anything Almost everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter/i-can-do-anything-almost-everything/) [Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter/) > [There's no such thing as being toobusy. if you really want something, you'll make time for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter/there-s-no-such-thing-as-being-toobusy-if-you-really-want-something/) [Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter/) [Explore all 9 Dexter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter/) ## More Appear quotes > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [“Give someone more time and they'll appear to have done more with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/give-someone-more-time-and-they-ll-appear-to-have-done-more-with-it/) [Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/) > [“Appear On Your Fear, It Will Disappear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syed-sharukh/appear-on-your-fear-it-will-disappear/) [Syed Sharukh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syed-sharukh/) > [Though the world may often appear to be more charitable than the church, it is crucial to remember that, for the church, the care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/though-the-world-may-often-appear-to-be-more-charitable-than-the/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [“A might force, a consummate power lieth concealed in the world of being. Fix your gaze upon it and upon its unifying influences, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/a-might-force-a-consummate-power-lieth-concealed-in-the-world-of/) [Baha'u'llah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/) > [War is big and there are only so many reporters and only so many places for their words and images to appear. Choices are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jackson/war-is-big-and-there-are-only-so-many-reporters-and-only-so-many/) [Bruce Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jackson/) > [Whatever the reason, American Muslims appear far less inclined to support the global jihad than their European counterparts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/whatever-the-reason-american-muslims-appear-far-less-inclined-to/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Usually, the leaders appear in the moment of the highest stress, when it is time, speaking symbolically, to go to the barricades. Then people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-bukovsky/usually-the-leaders-appear-in-the-moment-of-the-highest-stress-when/) [Vladimir Bukovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-bukovsky/) > [My face frowns by default, so when I'm most calm is when I appear the least approachable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-leung/my-face-frowns-by-default-so-when-i-m-most-calm-is-when-i-appear-the/) [Ken Leung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-leung/) > [Who are you?" "I am Death," said the creature. "I thought that was obvious." "But you're so small!" "Only because you are small. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/who-are-you-i-am-death-said-the-creature-i-thought-that-was-obvious/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Growing up as a singer, and a cast member, and now as an adult, a songwriter, I get the luxury of choosing the kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/growing-up-as-a-singer-and-a-cast-member-and-now-as-an-adult-a/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [“You need a third option," he said. "Yeah. I guess i do." He nodded, absorbing this. "Well," he said,"For what it's worth, it's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-need-a-third-option-he-said-yeah-i-guess-i-do-he-nodded-absorbing/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [There's not much difference between what I appear to be on stage and what I am. I think people like that, that I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/there-s-not-much-difference-between-what-i-appear-to-be-on-stage-and/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Newspapers are not free and they never have been. They can appear to be so, but someone, somewhere is covering the costs whether that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-brooke/newspapers-are-not-free-and-they-never-have-been-they-can-appear-to/) [Heather Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-brooke/) > [I won't divulge the details, but there's a way to call somebody's phone and have whatever number you want appear on the caller I.D.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-malina/i-won-t-divulge-the-details-but-there-s-a-way-to-call-somebody-s/) [Joshua Malina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-malina/) Browse all 401 Appear quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We aren't who we appear to be on the outside...We keep up appearances in order to survive...”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dexter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter/we-aren-t-who-we-appear-to-be-on-the-outside-we-keep-up-appearances/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appear" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter/we-aren-t-who-we-appear-to-be-on-the-outside-we-keep-up-appearances/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b0/dexter-44190_appear_we-aren-t-who-we-appear-to-be-on-the-out_2617711.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b0/dexter-44190_appear_we-aren-t-who-we-appear-to-be-on-the-out_2617711.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b0/dexter-44190_appear_we-aren-t-who-we-appear-to-be-on-the-out_2617711.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We aren't who we appear to be on the outside...We keep up appearances in order to survive...” — Dexter", "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": "Dexter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We aren't who we appear to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter/we-aren-t-who-we-appear-to-be-on-the-outside-we-keep-up-appearances/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter/we-aren-t-who-we-appear-to-be-on-the-outside-we-keep-up-appearances/#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 } } ] } ```