--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On one level, I am a total softie, sort…" description: "\"On one level, I am a total softie, sort of depressed and afraid of losing the people I love or failing them. To disguise that, there's all this harsh, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/george-saunders-317_depressed_on-one-level-i-am-a-total-softie-sort-of_252834.jpg" --- # On one level, I am a total softie, sort of depressed and… ![“On one level, I am a total softie, sort of depressed and afraid of losing the people I love or failing them. To disguise that, there's all this harsh, poop-centric, external swagger, full of nastiness. I'm a cloaking device.” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/george-saunders-317_depressed_on-one-level-i-am-a-total-softie-sort-of_252834.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/george-saunders-317_depressed_on-one-level-i-am-a-total-softie-sort-of_252834.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/004/george-saunders-317_depressed_on-one-level-i-am-a-total-softie-sort-of_252834.jpg) > “On one level, I am a total softie, sort of depressed and afraid of losing the people I love or failing them. To disguise that, there's all this harsh, poop-centric, external swagger, full of nastiness. I'm a cloaking device.” [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker hides vulnerability behind aggressive bravado, using a harsh exterior as a protective mask. **In simple terms:** They cover fear with a tough front. Key Takeaway Recognize and address underlying insecurities. Themes vulnerability self‑protection masking bravado Mood introspective candid Type essay personal When to use this quote - social interactions - personal growth - mental health Key Concepts psychology defense mechanisms authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What shields you from vulnerability? - How can you safely lower your guard? A Different Perspective Masking can prevent genuine connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Depressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressed/) [Disguise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disguise/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Swagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swagger/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not going to worry about the critics until some of my peers start saying I'm a softie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/i-m-not-going-to-worry-about-the-critics-until-some-of-my-peers-start/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [I'm actually a softie. Tough guys get killed too early... I've got a full head of hair and don't wear eyeglasses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-spillane/i-m-actually-a-softie-tough-guys-get-killed-too-early-i-ve-got-a-full/) [Mickey Spillane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-spillane/) > [I'm a pretty softie kind of guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-baffert/i-m-a-pretty-softie-kind-of-guy/) [Bob Baffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-baffert/) > [Softie was not a word you could use in the same sentence as Eric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/softie-was-not-a-word-you-could-use-in-the-same-sentence-as-eric/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“For a guy who can be such a badass, you’re sure a softie when it comes to women.” “As far as I know, that’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-proby/for-a-guy-who-can-be-such-a-badass-you-re-sure-a-softie-when-it-comes/) [Kristen Proby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-proby/) > [I'm just a softie at heart, a scaredy cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-astin/i-m-just-a-softie-at-heart-a-scaredy-cat/) [Sean Astin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-astin/) > [I am a little bit of a softie, yes. Actually I don't think it's softness, I think it's kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-goodman/i-am-a-little-bit-of-a-softie-yes-actually-i-don-t-think-it-s/) [Len Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-goodman/) > [I'm thought to be a tough writer, but I'm really a softie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/i-m-thought-to-be-a-tough-writer-but-i-m-really-a-softie/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [I don't show it but I'm actually quite a softie deep down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maura-higgins/i-don-t-show-it-but-i-m-actually-quite-a-softie-deep-down/) [Maura Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maura-higgins/) > [I'm a big softie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-momoa/i-m-a-big-softie/) [Jason Momoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-momoa/) > [At home, he's a 100-percent softie; that's who he is. I just blew his cover. When Howard has a really stressful day at work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ostrosky-stern/at-home-he-s-a-100-percent-softie-that-s-who-he-is-i-just-blew-his/) [Beth Ostrosky Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ostrosky-stern/) > [I have always been a softie, and I fight it with every fiber of my being. Sadly, my being's fibers need to hit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisha-tyler/i-have-always-been-a-softie-and-i-fight-it-with-every-fiber-of-my/) [Aisha Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisha-tyler/) > [I am an appalling softie. But somehow, somewhere along the line, I've learnt how to hide it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-perkins/i-am-an-appalling-softie-but-somehow-somewhere-along-the-line-i-ve/) [Sue Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-perkins/) > [The core of who I am and what I'm about, I'm a loyal person, I'm honourable, as I say I'm a softie I'll do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-deeney/the-core-of-who-i-am-and-what-i-m-about-i-m-a-loyal-person-i-m/) [Troy Deeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-deeney/) > [I'm genuinely a big softie, I put this front on, and I'm just a laid-back fool really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-deeney/i-m-genuinely-a-big-softie-i-put-this-front-on-and-i-m-just-a-laid/) [Troy Deeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-deeney/) ## More by George Saunders > [Success is like a mountain in front of you that keeps growing. If you're not careful, it will take up your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/success-is-like-a-mountain-in-front-of-you-that-keeps-growing-if-you/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Wow wow wow is all I can say! Remember how I always buy lunchtime Scratch-Off ticket? Have I said? Maybe did not say? Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/wow-wow-wow-is-all-i-can-say-remember-how-i-always-buy-lunchtime/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“None of it was real; nothing was real. Everything was real; inconceivably real, infinitely dear. These and all things started as nothing, latent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/none-of-it-was-real-nothing-was-real-everything-was-real/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“We must see God not as a Him (some linear rewarding fellow) but an IT, a great beast beyond our understanding, who wants something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-must-see-god-not-as-a-him-some-linear-rewarding-fellow-but-an-it-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [America, to me, should be shouting all the time, a bunch of shouting voices, most of them wrong, some of them nuts, but please,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/america-to-me-should-be-shouting-all-the-time-a-bunch-of-shouting/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [In my case, when I am trying to be "kind" I often default in a sort of toothless loving-all stance that is, actually, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/in-my-case-when-i-am-trying-to-be-kind-i-often-default-in-a-sort-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Whatever your supposed politics are - left, right - if you put it in a human connection, most people will rise to the occasion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/whatever-your-supposed-politics-are-left-right-if-you-put-it-in-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“A Clinton staffer tells me his theory. Think about Frank Sinatra, he says: born to sing. Think about Willie Mays: born to play ball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/a-clinton-staffer-tells-me-his-theory-think-about-frank-sinatra-he/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-try-we-fail-we-posture-we-aspire-we-pontificate-and-then-we-age/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Rachel got up and did this happy little shuffle, like she was some cheerful farmer chick who'd just stepped outside to find the hick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/rachel-got-up-and-did-this-happy-little-shuffle-like-she-was-some/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What America is, to me, is a guy doesn't want to buy, you let him not buy, you respect his not buying. A guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-america-is-to-me-is-a-guy-doesn-t-want-to-buy-you-let-him-not/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What good the prophet in the wilderness may do is incremental and personal. It's good for us to hear someone speak the irrational truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-good-the-prophet-in-the-wilderness-may-do-is-incremental-and/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We're in the transition between birth and death. But the one that people often know about is the transition between the moment of death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-re-in-the-transition-between-birth-and-death-but-the-one-that/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [You don't want to be that parent - the one who dresses his kid in a cloth sack when all the other kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-don-t-want-to-be-that-parent-the-one-who-dresses-his-kid-in-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) [Explore all 690 George Saunders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## More Depressed quotes > [I get very anti-social, depressed and irritable with people. I don't have time for them. I can't make phone calls and stuff. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-cowell/i-get-very-anti-social-depressed-and-irritable-with-people-i-don-t/) [Simon Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-cowell/) > [Most people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/most-people-do-surprisingly-poorly-when-dealing-with-a-relative-who/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Like everybody, you get nights where you feel completely depressed. You start thinking about all the bad things and think about the glass half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/like-everybody-you-get-nights-where-you-feel-completely-depressed-you/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I was always very depressed, even when I was a youngster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-hatton/i-was-always-very-depressed-even-when-i-was-a-youngster/) [Ricky Hatton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-hatton/) > [I'm hurt all the time. I don't want to cry for the way I feel inside. I just want someone to hold me... I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-hurt-all-the-time-i-don-t-want-to-cry-for-the-way-i-feel-inside-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For me being depressed means you can spend all day in bed, and still not get a good night's rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/for-me-being-depressed-means-you-can-spend-all-day-in-bed-and-still/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [I don't think I suffered with depression, I don't think I'm a depressed type of person - I just think I suffered a depression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-o-sullivan/i-don-t-think-i-suffered-with-depression-i-don-t-think-i-m-a/) [Ronnie O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-o-sullivan/) > [Im not depressed. Just stressed and confused. Im not happy at all. I smile sometimes. And I laugh most times. I honestly dont know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-not-depressed-just-stressed-and-confused-im-not-happy-at-all-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is to short to being living with stress I'm to young to be all depressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-to-short-to-being-living-with-stress-i-m-to-young-to-be-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've definitely had times in my life where I've been depressed and not able to do anything at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-lynskey/i-ve-definitely-had-times-in-my-life-where-i-ve-been-depressed-and/) [Melanie Lynskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-lynskey/) > [I got really depressed when Sidney Moncrief lost to Larry Bird. That really depressed me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-besser/i-got-really-depressed-when-sidney-moncrief-lost-to-larry-bird-that/) [Matt Besser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-besser/) > [I got into the music business thinking it was really radical, that it wasn't really a business at all, that it was a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-got-into-the-music-business-thinking-it-was-really-radical-that-it/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I was depressed. I knew I was lost, but I had no idea how to find myself again. It was as though I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/i-was-depressed-i-knew-i-was-lost-but-i-had-no-idea-how-to-find/) [Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/) > [Everything that gave her pleasure was small and depressed him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/everything-that-gave-her-pleasure-was-small-and-depressed-him/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [If I don't do high-intensity interval training classes for an hour every morning and yoga a few days a week, I get depressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davinia-taylor/if-i-don-t-do-high-intensity-interval-training-classes-for-an-hour/) [Davinia Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davinia-taylor/) [Browse all 1,033 Depressed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "On one level, I am a total softie, sort of depressed and afraid of losing the people I love or failing them. 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