--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't go around hoping that most…" description: "\"You can't go around hoping that most people have sterling moral characters. The most you can hope for is that people will pretend that they do.\" — Fran..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/fran-lebowitz-690_character_you-can-t-go-around-hoping-that-most-peo_3000722.jpg" --- # You can't go around hoping that most people have sterling… ![“You can't go around hoping that most people have sterling moral characters. The most you can hope for is that people will pretend that they do.” quote by Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/fran-lebowitz-690_character_you-can-t-go-around-hoping-that-most-peo_3000722.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/fran-lebowitz-690_character_you-can-t-go-around-hoping-that-most-peo_3000722.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/345/fran-lebowitz-690_character_you-can-t-go-around-hoping-that-most-peo_3000722.jpg) > “You can't go around hoping that most people have sterling moral characters. The most you can hope for is that people will pretend that they do.” [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often assume others are virtuous, but reality shows many merely act moral. **In simple terms:** People pretend to be moral more than they are. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about others' character. Themes skepticism morality human nature Mood cautious reflective Type observational critical When to use this quote - personal relationships - workplace interactions - political discourse - online communities Key Concepts social psychology ethical perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify someone's integrity? - When does pretending become harmful? A Different Perspective Moral judgments are often based on appearances, not deep character. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [My characters hope for better lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/my-characters-hope-for-better-lives/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [I think when you're a fan of a book you do have your own little version of the characters and I hope that some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killian-scott/i-think-when-you-re-a-fan-of-a-book-you-do-have-your-own-little/) [Killian Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killian-scott/) > [The characters are whole, real people to me that I'm getting to know, and since real people are all flawed, so are my characters,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/the-characters-are-whole-real-people-to-me-that-i-m-getting-to-know/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [It's not about finding Mr Right, or that sort of conventional ending, but I do want my characters to have hope - and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/it-s-not-about-finding-mr-right-or-that-sort-of-conventional-ending/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [I feel my characters are valid, my characters are people, my characters have hope. Hope is the thing that'll take us through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-feel-my-characters-are-valid-my-characters-are-people-my-characters/) [Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/) > [There's a lot of pressure putting an album out all over the world and hoping people everywhere like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/there-s-a-lot-of-pressure-putting-an-album-out-all-over-the-world-and/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [It must be horrible to do things that you don't like hoping to please other people, and they don't like it either, and you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/it-must-be-horrible-to-do-things-that-you-don-t-like-hoping-to-please/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [The American public tunes in every night hoping to see two people screwing. Obviously, we can't give them that but let's always keep it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-diller/the-american-public-tunes-in-every-night-hoping-to-see-two-people/) [Barry Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-diller/) > [Hopefully it will be possible to get all our other albums in American shops one day so if people are interested they can hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ville-valo/hopefully-it-will-be-possible-to-get-all-our-other-albums-in-american/) [Ville Valo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ville-valo/) > [I think whenever you take over a role, you're just really hoping that people will embrace you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camilla-luddington/i-think-whenever-you-take-over-a-role-you-re-just-really-hoping-that/) [Camilla Luddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camilla-luddington/) > [You don't know what you're doing. You're just hoping that people won't make fun of you. I had no idea how it would turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/you-don-t-know-what-you-re-doing-you-re-just-hoping-that-people-won-t/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [I work hard, do my best and send it out to the world hoping that people can relate to it. I accept any reaction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/i-work-hard-do-my-best-and-send-it-out-to-the-world-hoping-that/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [So, I kind of rather was hoping that people thought it would have a nice mixture of different topics and it also takes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/so-i-kind-of-rather-was-hoping-that-people-thought-it-would-have-a/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [What I'm hoping is that people in my age group will grow up with me and keep listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-darwish/what-i-m-hoping-is-that-people-in-my-age-group-will-grow-up-with-me/) [Tiffany Darwish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-darwish/) > [You just keep shining a light and hoping people will start to pay attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-macy/you-just-keep-shining-a-light-and-hoping-people-will-start-to-pay/) [Beth Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-macy/) ## More by Fran Lebowitz > [Why not have your first baby at sixty, when your husband is already dead and your career is over? Then you can really devote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/why-not-have-your-first-baby-at-sixty-when-your-husband-is-already/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I've never had the experience of being edited and never will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-ve-never-had-the-experience-of-being-edited-and-never-will/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I think humor is warmer, and wit is colder. Wit is judgment, whereas humor invites some sort of response.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-think-humor-is-warmer-and-wit-is-colder-wit-is-judgment-whereas/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Communists all seem to wear small caps, a look I consider better suited to tubes of toothpaste than to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/communists-all-seem-to-wear-small-caps-a-look-i-consider-better/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [“lack, or loutish and crass kollective is a program dedicated to the proposition that vulgarity and bad taste are an inalienable right. the lackies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/lack-or-loutish-and-crass-kollective-is-a-program-dedicated-to-the/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I figure you have the same chance of winning the lottery whether you play or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-figure-you-have-the-same-chance-of-winning-the-lottery-whether-you/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [ \[Friendships\] are easy to get out of compared to love affairs, but they are not easy to get out of compared to, say, jail. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/friendships-are-easy-to-get-out-of-compared-to-love-affairs-but-they/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Smoking is, as far as I'm concerned, the entire point of being an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/smoking-is-as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-entire-point-of-being-an-adult/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [If you want to get ahead in this world get a lawyer -- not a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-this-world-get-a-lawyer-not-a-book/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [When it comes to sports I am not particularly interested. Generally speaking, I look upon them as dangerous and tiring activities performed by people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-it-comes-to-sports-i-am-not-particularly-interested-generally/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [The first time I ever saw platform shoes in the '70s, I knew they'd been revived from the '40s, and I felt sickened. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/the-first-time-i-ever-saw-platform-shoes-in-the-70s-i-knew-they-d/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Children ask better questions than adults. "May I have a cookie?" "Why is the sky blue?" and "What does a cow say?" are far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/children-ask-better-questions-than-adults-may-i-have-a-cookie-why-is/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [ I do not think everyone is created equal. In fact, I know they're not. \[The Constitution\] means that everyone should have the same laws… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-do-not-think-everyone-is-created-equal-in-fact-i-know-they-re-not/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [When I fly, I'm never afraid the plane is going to crash. But there have often been times when I was afraid it wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-i-fly-i-m-never-afraid-the-plane-is-going-to-crash-but-there/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Smoking is, if not my life, then at least my hobby. I love to smoke. Smoking is fun. Smoking is cool. Smoking is, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/smoking-is-if-not-my-life-then-at-least-my-hobby-i-love-to-smoke/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) [Explore all 408 Fran Lebowitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) ## More Character 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/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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