--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know what’s so funny and sad about us…" description: "\"“You know what’s so funny and sad about us human beings? . . . We are constantly torn between the all-consuming desire to be loved and the terrifying f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/earlene-fowler-84442_fear_you-know-what-s-so-funny-and-sad-about-u_93604.jpg" --- # You know what’s so funny and sad about us human beings?… ![“You know what’s so funny and sad about us human beings? . . . We are constantly torn between the all-consuming desire to be loved and the terrifying fear of being known. Deep inside we don’t believe the two things can exist together, that if anyone really knew us, they would surely never love us…” quote by Earlene Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/earlene-fowler-84442_fear_you-know-what-s-so-funny-and-sad-about-u_93604.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/earlene-fowler-84442_fear_you-know-what-s-so-funny-and-sad-about-u_93604.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/earlene-fowler-84442_fear_you-know-what-s-so-funny-and-sad-about-u_93604.jpg) > ““You know what’s so funny and sad about us human beings? . . . We are constantly torn between the all-consuming desire to be loved and the terrifying fear of being known. Deep inside we don’t believe the two things can exist together, that if anyone really knew us, they would surely never love us, so we spend our whole lives concocting this wonderful, plastic shell that we fight like madmen to keep pristine. But eventually the plastic cracks and what is inside is a raw, quivering mass of imperfect humanity that has always been lovely and precious enough for God Himself to love.”” Earlene Fowler ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Explores human fear of being truly known versus desire for love, concluding divine love accepts imperfect humanity. **In simple terms:** Fear of being known blocks love; God loves our imperfections. Key Takeaway Embrace vulnerability to receive love. Themes fear love vulnerability spirituality humanity Mood introspective hopeful Type spiritual psychological When to use this quote - therapy - spiritual counseling - personal growth Key Concepts self-acceptance divine love psychology of intimacy Questions to Reflect On - How does fear shape relationships? - What does divine love mean to you? A Different Perspective Vulnerability may expose painful truths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Intimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimacy/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Vulnerability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerability/) ## Related quotes > [“I marvelled about the nature of humanity, and how something as lovely as friendship could stem from something so hideous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-higgins/i-marvelled-about-the-nature-of-humanity-and-how-something-as-lovely/) [Wendy Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-higgins/) > [Zoe Saldana is such an angel. She’s got such an openness and vulnerability on camera and yet such great strength. She can kick ass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/zoe-saldana-is-such-an-angel-she-s-got-such-an-openness-and/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [“And so perhaps it was entirely possible - common, even - for you to look into the eyes of someone you'd been falling in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-f-kuang/and-so-perhaps-it-was-entirely-possible-common-even-for-you-to-look/) [R.F. Kuang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-f-kuang/) > [Being in love makes me vulnerable. Intimacy on that level can be so exposing. 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Most people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/in-other-words-first-we-must-call-people-to-communion-with-god-to/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“We cannot make God love us more, and we cannot make God love us less. We do not have that kind of power because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/we-cannot-make-god-love-us-more-and-we-cannot-make-god-love-us-less/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [God's love never ceases. Never... God doesn't love us less if we fail or more if we succeed. God's love never ceases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/god-s-love-never-ceases-never-god-doesn-t-love-us-less-if-we-fail-or/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“There is nothing we could ever do to make God love us more; there is nothing we can do to make Him love us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillon-burroughs/there-is-nothing-we-could-ever-do-to-make-god-love-us-more-there-is/) [Dillon Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillon-burroughs/) > [“God does not love us in our goodness; God loves us in our entirety.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sj-james-f-keenan/god-does-not-love-us-in-our-goodness-god-loves-us-in-our-entirety/) SJ, James F. Keenan > [“God first love us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/god-first-love-us/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## More by Earlene Fowler > [“I was six years old when my mother died. For a long time afterward, the sweet and earthy magnolia scent of her would permeate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earlene-fowler/i-was-six-years-old-when-my-mother-died-for-a-long-time-afterward-the/) Earlene Fowler Explore all 2 Earlene Fowler quotes ## More Fear quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. 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