--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a difficult thing to like anybody…" description: "\"It is a difficult thing to like anybody else's ideas of being funny.\" — Gertrude Stein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/gertrude-stein-667_being-funny_it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody_114641.jpg" --- # It is a difficult thing to like anybody else's ideas of… ![“It is a difficult thing to like anybody else's ideas of being funny.” quote by Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/gertrude-stein-667_being-funny_it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody_114641.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/gertrude-stein-667_being-funny_it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody_114641.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/gertrude-stein-667_being-funny_it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody_114641.jpg) > “It is a difficult thing to like anybody else's ideas of being funny.” [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledges the difficulty of appreciating humor that originates from another’s perspective, highlighting subjectivity in taste. **In simple terms:** Humor is hard to like when it’s not yours. Key Takeaway Comedy is deeply personal. Themes humor subjectivity taste social perception Mood reflective thoughtful Type observation philosophical When to use this quote - evaluating a comedy show - discussing jokes in a multicultural team - writing comedic material Key Concepts cultural context personal bias Practical Applications - Seek shared references before expecting laughter - Adapt humor to audience background Questions to Reflect On - What makes a joke universally funny? - Can humor be taught? A Different Perspective Humor can bridge differences when crafted with universal themes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-funny/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Difficult thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-thing/) [Difficult things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-things/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) ## Related quotes > [The ideas that you find funny and the things that you are offering to an audience are tied up with who you are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/the-ideas-that-you-find-funny-and-the-things-that-you-are-offering-to/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [Maintaining marriage seems to be tougher than fatherhood: apparently its the most difficult thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-slater/maintaining-marriage-seems-to-be-tougher-than-fatherhood-apparently/) [Kelly Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-slater/) > [I am facing the most difficult thing of my life, my own greatest failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/i-am-facing-the-most-difficult-thing-of-my-life-my-own-greatest/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [A good story is obviously a difficult thing to invent, but its difficulty is a poor reason for despising it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-good-story-is-obviously-a-difficult-thing-to-invent-but-its/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Bringing a baby into the world is not like grilling enchiladas. It's a difficult thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-garcia-bernal/bringing-a-baby-into-the-world-is-not-like-grilling-enchiladas-it-s-a/) [Gael Garcia Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-garcia-bernal/) > [I guess the most difficult thing for me was living up to my mom's expectations. I was always scared that if I didn't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milla-jovovich/i-guess-the-most-difficult-thing-for-me-was-living-up-to-my-mom-s/) [Milla Jovovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milla-jovovich/) > [The most difficult thing in the world is to say thinkingly what everybody says without thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-chartier/the-most-difficult-thing-in-the-world-is-to-say-thinkingly-what/) [Emile Chartier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-chartier/) > [An artist is a man who says a difficult thing in a simple way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/an-artist-is-a-man-who-says-a-difficult-thing-in-a-simple-way/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [The most difficult thing to adjust to, apparently, is peace and contentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-most-difficult-thing-to-adjust-to-apparently-is-peace-and/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [This is a very difficult thing to remain independent and persistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/this-is-a-very-difficult-thing-to-remain-independent-and-persistent/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [. . . the most difficult thing asked by our young is not our earnings but our ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-most-difficult-thing-asked-by-our-young-is-not-our-earnings-but/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The most difficult thing about being well known? Getting out of a hotel room at 4am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/the-most-difficult-thing-about-being-well-known-getting-out-of-a/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [The masses think that is is easy to flee from reality, when it is the most difficult thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/the-masses-think-that-is-is-easy-to-flee-from-reality-when-it-is-the/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [The DACA situation is a very, very difficult thing for me because, I love these kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-daca-situation-is-a-very-very-difficult-thing-for-me-because-i/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The most difficult thing for people to do is hear their own soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/the-most-difficult-thing-for-people-to-do-is-hear-their-own-soul/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) ## More by Gertrude Stein > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/americans-are-very-friendly-and-very-suspicious-that-is-what/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Just as everybody has the vote including women, I think children should, because as a child is conscious of itself then it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/just-as-everybody-has-the-vote-including-women-i-think-children/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“When is there some discharge when. There never is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/when-is-there-some-discharge-when-there-never-is/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [There is no such thing as repetition. Only insistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/there-is-no-such-thing-as-repetition-only-insistance/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I am I because my little dog knows me but, creatively speaking the little dog knowing that you are you and your recognising that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-am-i-because-my-little-dog-knows-me-but-creatively-speaking-the/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [How likely are definitions to be pleasurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/how-likely-are-definitions-to-be-pleasurable/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [ “What is the answer?" \[ I \[Alice B Toklas\] was silent \] In that case, what is the question?” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/what-is-the-answer-i-alice-b-toklas-was-silent-in-that-case-what-is/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [More and more I like to take a train. I understand why the French prefer it to automobiling it is so much more sociable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/more-and-more-i-like-to-take-a-train-i-understand-why-the-french/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Adventure is making the distant approach nearer but romance is having what is where it is which is not where you are stay where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/adventure-is-making-the-distant-approach-nearer-but-romance-is-having/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Forensics is eloquence and reduction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/forensics-is-eloquence-and-reduction/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Eating and sleeping are not like loving and breathing. Washing is not like eating and sleeping. Believing is like breathing and loving. Religion can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/eating-and-sleeping-are-not-like-loving-and-breathing-washing-is-not/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I write for myself and strangers. The strangers, dear Readers, are an afterthought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-write-for-myself-and-strangers-the-strangers-dear-readers-are-an/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“A bag which was left and not only taken but turned away was not found. The place was shown to be very like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/a-bag-which-was-left-and-not-only-taken-but-turned-away-was-not-found/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I don't envisage collectivism. There is no such animal, it is always individualism, sometimes the rest vote and sometimes they do not, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-don-t-envisage-collectivism-there-is-no-such-animal-it-is-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) [Explore all 418 Gertrude Stein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) ## More Being funny quotes > [Being funny is one of my greatest strengths. I can make girls smile when they're down, and when they're having a good time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/being-funny-is-one-of-my-greatest-strengths-i-can-make-girls-smile/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) > [I direct with energy. I believe in energy. I think energy is an electric thing in actors. 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But I'm a big jokester, so I make fun of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-lautner/i-like-to-have-fun-but-i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-being-funny-but-i-m/) [Taylor Lautner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-lautner/) > [If you don't follow the stock market, you are missing some amazing drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/if-you-don-t-follow-the-stock-market-you-are-missing-some-amazing/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [For my first gig, I got $75. I could make money being funny, so I pursued it as a career and have turned it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/for-my-first-gig-i-got-75-i-could-make-money-being-funny-so-i-pursued/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [You know, I love airplane food. I'm not being funny; I'm not being ironic. It reminds me of being 12 years old and putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-freese/you-know-i-love-airplane-food-i-m-not-being-funny-i-m-not-being/) [Josh Freese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-freese/) > [I was the troublemaker, always being funny - that's just who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-smalls/i-was-the-troublemaker-always-being-funny-that-s-just-who-i-am/) [Joan Smalls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-smalls/) > [Thing is, I'm a funny actor, but I'm not good at being funny. I'm going to ramble for a second: I'm an actor who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lillard/thing-is-i-m-a-funny-actor-but-i-m-not-good-at-being-funny-i-m-going/) [Matthew Lillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lillard/) > [On 'The Simpsons,' I will say that we definitely like to comment on what's going on in the world, and we try to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/on-the-simpsons-i-will-say-that-we-definitely-like-to-comment-on-what/) [Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/) > [He's never portrayed as being funny. He was a very funny, happy, lively person. Fun to be around and exciting. He was my hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-hemingway/he-s-never-portrayed-as-being-funny-he-was-a-very-funny-happy-lively/) [Jack Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-hemingway/) > [People used to make fun of alternative comedy because sometimes it would be someone being funny, and sometimes it was a crazy man with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-mirman/people-used-to-make-fun-of-alternative-comedy-because-sometimes-it/) [Eugene Mirman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-mirman/) > [One second here and there will make all the difference between something being funny and not being funny. That's why I like going, 'Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-krisel/one-second-here-and-there-will-make-all-the-difference-between/) [Jonathan Krisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-krisel/) > [I love being funny! I started in the theater when I was 9 and, believe it or not, always played the funny part!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-knepper/i-love-being-funny-i-started-in-the-theater-when-i-was-9-and-believe/) [Robert Knepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-knepper/) [Browse all 218 Being funny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-funny/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is a difficult thing to like anybody else's ideas of being funny.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gertrude Stein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody-else-s-ideas-of-being-funny/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being funny" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody-else-s-ideas-of-being-funny/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/gertrude-stein-667_being-funny_it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody_114641.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/gertrude-stein-667_being-funny_it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody_114641.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/gertrude-stein-667_being-funny_it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody_114641.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is a difficult thing to like anybody else's ideas of being funny.” — Gertrude Stein", "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": "Gertrude Stein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is a difficult thing to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody-else-s-ideas-of-being-funny/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/it-is-a-difficult-thing-to-like-anybody-else-s-ideas-of-being-funny/#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 } } ] } ```