--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you based your knowledge of the human…" description: "\"If you based your knowledge of the human species exclusively on adverts, you'd think that the normal condition of humanity was to be a good-looking sin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/francis-spufford-12650_definitions_if-you-based-your-knowledge-of-the-human_2810711.png" --- # If you based your knowledge of the human species… ![“If you based your knowledge of the human species exclusively on adverts, you'd think that the normal condition of humanity was to be a good-looking single person between 20 and 35, with excellent muscle-definition and/or an excellent figure, and a large disposable income.” quote by Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/francis-spufford-12650_definitions_if-you-based-your-knowledge-of-the-human_2810711.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/francis-spufford-12650_definitions_if-you-based-your-knowledge-of-the-human_2810711.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/francis-spufford-12650_definitions_if-you-based-your-knowledge-of-the-human_2810711.png) > “If you based your knowledge of the human species exclusively on adverts, you'd think that the normal condition of humanity was to be a good-looking single person between 20 and 35, with excellent muscle-definition and/or an excellent figure, and a large disposable income.” [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Media portrayals skew perception of normal humanity toward idealized standards. **In simple terms:** Media skews ideas of normal humanity. Key Takeaway Question media standards. Themes media perception beauty standards Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - advertising - social media - dating - body image Key Concepts sociology cultural studies Questions to Reflect On - How does media shape self‑image? - What alternatives exist? A Different Perspective May overlook diversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Condition Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/condition-humanity-1108963/) [Definitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definitions/) [Disposable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disposable/) [Excellent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-species/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humanity Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity-good-768378/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Income](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Looking good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-good/) [Muscles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muscles/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Single person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/single-person/) [Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [“Why even try to understand the human condition if humanity revealed itself as grotesque, dark, not worth it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/why-even-try-to-understand-the-human-condition-if-humanity-revealed/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Man is subject to innumerable pains and sorrows by the very condition of humanity, and yet, as if nature had not sown evils enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/man-is-subject-to-innumerable-pains-and-sorrows-by-the-very-condition/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“Oh, wearisome condition of humanity, Born under one law, to another bound; Vainly begot, and yet forbidden vanity, Created sick, commanded to be sound.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-wearisome-condition-of-humanity-born-under-one-law-to-another/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The man who is forever disturbed about the condition of humanity either has no problems of his own or has refused to face them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-man-who-is-forever-disturbed-about-the-condition-of-humanity/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [For me, justice is the prime condition of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/for-me-justice-is-the-prime-condition-of-humanity/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [“As many times as Hell had been created, history stood as indisputable proof that the mass of humanity was good. People built more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/as-many-times-as-hell-had-been-created-history-stood-as-indisputable/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [“Humanity is a good thing. Perhaps we can arrange the murder of a sizable number of people to save it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-patchen/humanity-is-a-good-thing-perhaps-we-can-arrange-the-murder-of-a/) [Kenneth Patchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-patchen/) > [For awhile I taped soap operas and watched them at night when I thought I might be forgetting what it was like to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/for-awhile-i-taped-soap-operas-and-watched-them-at-night-when-i/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“We are God's representatives on earth. We are God's glory, displaying his likeness. After each day of creation God declares what he has made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-chester/we-are-god-s-representatives-on-earth-we-are-god-s-glory-displaying/) [Tim Chester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-chester/) > [“For as fashionable as cynicism always was, the truth was that when it came to basic human responsibility, people rose to the challenge. Pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/for-as-fashionable-as-cynicism-always-was-the-truth-was-that-when-it/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [Intellect without humanity is not good enough...what the world is suffering from at the present time is not so much an overabundance of intellect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/intellect-without-humanity-is-not-good-enough-what-the-world-is/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [“Well, listen then. On the other side, fresh young lives thrown away for want of help and by thousands, on every side! A hundred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/well-listen-then-on-the-other-side-fresh-young-lives-thrown-away-for/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“As for the belief that humanity is mostly good, Secular humanism, when in that alignment, always presumes the existence of a higher power, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/as-for-the-belief-that-humanity-is-mostly-good-secular-humanism-when/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I've been treated with the utmost respect by the whitest of white guys, and I've been treated bad by the whitest of white persons.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-reed/i-ve-been-treated-with-the-utmost-respect-by-the-whitest-of-white/) [Ed Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-reed/) > [Humanity is good. Some people are terrible and broken, but humanity is good. I believe that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/humanity-is-good-some-people-are-terrible-and-broken-but-humanity-is/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) ## More by Francis Spufford > [If your memory was OK you could descend upon on a bookshop – a big enough one so that the staff wouldn’t hassle a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/if-your-memory-was-ok-you-could-descend-upon-on-a-bookshop-a-big/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [There have been low moments before, but Christianity is an incredibly adaptable organism, using different parts of its repertoire to mutate into new ecological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/there-have-been-low-moments-before-but-christianity-is-an-incredibly/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [“Beyond the breakwater you can no longer touch bottom, but you are not afraid, for in this sea the harder you swim the stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/beyond-the-breakwater-you-can-no-longer-touch-bottom-but-you-are-not/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [Self-awareness is not the same thing as self-approval, any more than imagination is the same thing as day-dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/self-awareness-is-not-the-same-thing-as-self-approval-any-more-than/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [What follows is more about books than it is about me, but nonetheless it is my inward autobiography, for the words we take into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/what-follows-is-more-about-books-than-it-is-about-me-but-nonetheless/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [Despite the best efforts of apologists like William Lane Craig, the 'evidence' for Christianity's truth is, in truth, not the kind that science will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/despite-the-best-efforts-of-apologists-like-william-lane-craig-the/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [“You do not chuse where You bestow your Heart. Your Heart bestows Itself, will-you-nill-you, in the Midst of other Business. —”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/you-do-not-chuse-where-you-bestow-your-heart-your-heart-bestows/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [Anyone can be self-educated if they find the loose end of something to care about passionately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/anyone-can-be-self-educated-if-they-find-the-loose-end-of-something/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [You never came out the way you came in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/you-never-came-out-the-way-you-came-in/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [For a believer, Christian faith is true to the human heart, not in the sense that any old thing we fancy believing in will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/for-a-believer-christian-faith-is-true-to-the-human-heart-not-in-the/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [When I'm tired and therefore indecisive, it can take half an hour to choose the book I am going to have with me while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/when-i-m-tired-and-therefore-indecisive-it-can-take-half-an-hour-to/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [“...what goes on inside believers is mysterious. So far as it can be guessed at - if for some reason you wanted to guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/what-goes-on-inside-believers-is-mysterious-so-far-as-it-can-be/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [I can always tell when you're reading somewhere in the house,' my mother used to say. 'There's a special silence, a reading silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/i-can-always-tell-when-you-re-reading-somewhere-in-the-house-my/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [I think I have made allowances for the kind of despair which would test my faith, but you cannot know in advance what disaster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/i-think-i-have-made-allowances-for-the-kind-of-despair-which-would/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) > [You don't have to become an investment banker as a way of demonstrating that education has worked for you. But librarians have to believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/you-don-t-have-to-become-an-investment-banker-as-a-way-of/) [Francis Spufford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) [Explore all 54 Francis Spufford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/) ## More Definitions quotes > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The poet reminds men of their uniqueness and it is not necessary to possess the ultimate definition of this uniqueness. Even to speculate is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/the-poet-reminds-men-of-their-uniqueness-and-it-is-not-necessary-to/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [But when you have to deal with notes, and to be able to make a full definition of what a sound is - if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-brown/but-when-you-have-to-deal-with-notes-and-to-be-able-to-make-a-full/) [Dennis Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-brown/) > [ The self is defined psychologically as the psychic totality of the individual. Anything that a \[person\] postulates as being a greater totality than \[oneself\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-self-is-defined-psychologically-as-the-psychic-totality-of-the/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Before I had kids, I thought you should never lie to a kid. But now I've had them, I realize you almost lie to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/before-i-had-kids-i-thought-you-should-never-lie-to-a-kid-but-now-i/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [my definition of the ideal man is 'that particular man with whom a woman happens to be in love at that particular time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-boothe-luce/my-definition-of-the-ideal-man-is-that-particular-man-with-whom-a/) [Clare Boothe Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-boothe-luce/) > [He emphasised basic truths: you are not dying yet, you have to live your life until you are. Underpinning them was the belief that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/he-emphasised-basic-truths-you-are-not-dying-yet-you-have-to-live/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [My briefest ever definition of science fiction is 'Hubris clobbered by Nemesis.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/my-briefest-ever-definition-of-science-fiction-is-hubris-clobbered-by/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [Was man made stupid to see his own stupidity? Is God by definition indifferent, beyond us all? Is the eternal truth man's fighting soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eberhart/was-man-made-stupid-to-see-his-own-stupidity-is-god-by-definition/) [Richard Eberhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eberhart/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. It makes its own limited models of things; operating upon these indices or variables to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/science-manipulates-things-and-gives-up-living-in-them-it-makes-its/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-accumulation-of-all-powers-legislative-executive-and-judiciary-in/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“I'm going to use them to track him down and thwart him." "Thwart?" Sarissa asked. "Thwart." I said. "To prevent someone from accomplishing something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-m-going-to-use-them-to-track-him-down-and-thwart-him-thwart-sarissa/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [A design may be called organic when there is an harmonious organization of the parts within the whole, according to structure, material, and purpose.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-noyes/a-design-may-be-called-organic-when-there-is-an-harmonious/) [Eliot Noyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-noyes/) > [Of Rhetoric various definitions have been given by different writers; who, however, seem not so much to have disagreed in their conceptions of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/of-rhetoric-various-definitions-have-been-given-by-different-writers/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) [Browse all 2,047 Definitions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definitions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you based your knowledge of the human species exclusively on adverts, you'd think that the normal condition of humanity was to be a good-looking single person between 20 and 35, with excellent muscle-definition and/or an excellent figure, and a large disposable income.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis Spufford" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/if-you-based-your-knowledge-of-the-human-species-exclusively-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Definitions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/if-you-based-your-knowledge-of-the-human-species-exclusively-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/francis-spufford-12650_definitions_if-you-based-your-knowledge-of-the-human_2810711.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/francis-spufford-12650_definitions_if-you-based-your-knowledge-of-the-human_2810711.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/francis-spufford-12650_definitions_if-you-based-your-knowledge-of-the-human_2810711.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you based your knowledge of the human species exclusively on adverts, you'd think that the normal…” — Francis Spufford", "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": "Francis Spufford", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-spufford/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you based your knowledge of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/if-you-based-your-knowledge-of-the-human-species-exclusively-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spufford/if-you-based-your-knowledge-of-the-human-species-exclusively-on/#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 } } ] } ```