--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That was a lesson everyone (every human?)…" description: "\"“That was a lesson everyone (every human?) learned before puberty, not to let reality seem diminished by fiction. As the proverb went, It's bad enough ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ae/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_comparing-yourself_that-was-a-lesson-everyone-every-human-l_507071.png" --- # That was a lesson everyone (every human?) learned before… ![“That was a lesson everyone (every human?) learned before puberty, not to let reality seem diminished by fiction. As the proverb went, It's bad enough comparing yourself to Isaac Newton without comparing yourself to Kimball Kinnison.” quote by Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ae/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_comparing-yourself_that-was-a-lesson-everyone-every-human-l_507071.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ae/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_comparing-yourself_that-was-a-lesson-everyone-every-human-l_507071.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ae/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_comparing-yourself_that-was-a-lesson-everyone-every-human-l_507071.png) > ““That was a lesson everyone (every human?) learned before puberty, not to let reality seem diminished by fiction. As the proverb went, It's bad enough comparing yourself to Isaac Newton without comparing yourself to Kimball Kinnison.”” [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The lesson warns against letting fictional narratives diminish our grasp of reality, urging us to compare ourselves to real achievements rather than idealized heroes. **In simple terms:** Don’t let stories cloud your real‑world standards. Key Takeaway Focus on tangible role and realistic role models. Themes reality fiction comparison humility Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - personal growth - media consumption - career planning Key Concepts cognitive bias self‑assessment literary influence Questions to Reflect On - How does fiction inspire you? - What realistic standards guide you? A Different Perspective Overlooks the motivational value of fiction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comparing yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comparing-yourself/) [Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proverb/) ## Related quotes > [I've had a pretty good lesson in human nature. It's more important to try to surround yourself with people who can give you a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/i-ve-had-a-pretty-good-lesson-in-human-nature-it-s-more-important-to/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [“It was the first and only fight of his childhood, but it had taught him a valuable lesson about human nature, how people were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-j-molles/it-was-the-first-and-only-fight-of-his-childhood-but-it-had-taught/) [D.J. 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Society has conditioned us to value people who fit a secular mold of perfection".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-woolley/comparing-yourself-to-others-does-nothing-for-you-society-has/) [Michele Woolley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-woolley/) > [Don’t undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-dyson/don-t-undermine-your-worth-by-comparing-yourself-with-others-it-is/) [Brian Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-dyson/) > [Free your mind from comparing yourself to anyone! You are a priceless original that brings something to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/free-your-mind-from-comparing-yourself-to-anyone-you-are-a-priceless/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Beauty is a complex theme, for sure. 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The only comparison that makes any sense is whether you are better today than you were yesterday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/quit-comparing-yourself-to-others-the-only-comparison-that-makes-any/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [Do you know what its like to wake up every morning, having to find a hell of a lot of energy, physical and mental,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-know-what-its-like-to-wake-up-every-morning-having-to-find-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Confidence cannot be found by comparing yourself to your friends, family or pick up star in a magazine. It found in your heart when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-low/confidence-cannot-be-found-by-comparing-yourself-to-your-friends/) [Alex Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-low/) [Browse all 121 Comparing yourself quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comparing-yourself/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That was a lesson everyone (every human?) learned before puberty, not to let reality seem diminished by fiction. 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