--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I find it awfully difficult to determine…" description: "\"I find it awfully difficult to determine if the habit of talking about oneself at length runs contrary to the basic rules of propriety, or if instead t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/giacomo-leopardi-9404_contrary_i-find-it-awfully-difficult-to-determine_1744258.jpg" --- # I find it awfully difficult to determine if the habit of… ![“I find it awfully difficult to determine if the habit of talking about oneself at length runs contrary to the basic rules of propriety, or if instead the man exempt from this vice is rare.” quote by Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/giacomo-leopardi-9404_contrary_i-find-it-awfully-difficult-to-determine_1744258.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/giacomo-leopardi-9404_contrary_i-find-it-awfully-difficult-to-determine_1744258.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/giacomo-leopardi-9404_contrary_i-find-it-awfully-difficult-to-determine_1744258.jpg) > “I find it awfully difficult to determine if the habit of talking about oneself at length runs contrary to the basic rules of propriety, or if instead the man exempt from this vice is rare.” [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) ## 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 doubts whether self‑indulgent talk is socially improper or simply rare among those who avoid it. **In simple terms:** Talking about oneself may be rude or uncommon. Key Takeaway Consider humility versus self‑expression. Themes humility self‑expression social norms propriety rarity ego Mood contemplative analytical curious Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - networking events - interviews - social gatherings - leadership meetings - personal reflection Key Concepts social etiquette self‑awareness psychology of self‑presentation Questions to Reflect On - Is self‑talk ever appropriate? - How does culture affect propriety? A Different Perspective Cultural context may shift what is considered proper. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Propriety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/propriety/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) ## Related quotes > [God knows His own. It is well that He does, for sometimes it would be difficult for us to determine who are His!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vance-havner/god-knows-his-own-it-is-well-that-he-does-for-sometimes-it-would-be/) [Vance Havner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vance-havner/) > [If you don't know where you come from, it's difficult to determine where you are.- It's even more difficult to plan where you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-lowery/if-you-don-t-know-where-you-come-from-it-s-difficult-to-determine/) [Joseph Lowery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-lowery/) > [Its very difficult to determine whether this is the fault of the world that has abandoned the Church, or the Church that does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelo-scola/its-very-difficult-to-determine-whether-this-is-the-fault-of-the/) [Angelo Scola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelo-scola/) > [The trouble with quotes on the internet is that it's difficult to determine whether or not they are genuine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-trouble-with-quotes-on-the-internet-is-that-it-s-difficult-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“A true friend has a habit of talking behind your back good things about you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tareq-ragheb/a-true-friend-has-a-habit-of-talking-behind-your-back-good-things/) Tareq ragheb > [I come from a small town, so there we have this habit of talking to rickshawallahs while you are making a trip. So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anubhav-sinha/i-come-from-a-small-town-so-there-we-have-this-habit-of-talking-to/) [Anubhav Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anubhav-sinha/) > [“Our young people, raised under the old rules of courtesy, never indulged in the present habit of talking incessantly and all at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-nerburn/our-young-people-raised-under-the-old-rules-of-courtesy-never/) [Kent Nerburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-nerburn/) > [“In my ten years of teaching I’ve noticed that teachers tend to have a bad habit of talking to themselves. I hypothesize that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-c-cast/in-my-ten-years-of-teaching-i-ve-noticed-that-teachers-tend-to-have-a/) [P.C. Cast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-c-cast/) > [“You make a habit of talking to statues?” “Yes. And pigeons. Now, are you going to ask?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/you-make-a-habit-of-talking-to-statues-yes-and-pigeons-now-are-you/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“You can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next, by the fact that their habit is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-buckle/you-can-tell-the-lowest-class-by-their-habit-of-always-talking-about/) [Henry Thomas Buckle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-buckle/) > [I don't have a problem talking about my work, but I don't make a habit of talking about myself. There are people who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/i-don-t-have-a-problem-talking-about-my-work-but-i-don-t-make-a-habit/) [Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/) > [Once you break someone of the habit of up-talking, they can start to see immediate improvement in their careers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/once-you-break-someone-of-the-habit-of-up-talking-they-can-start-to/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) > [I don't watch television, I think it destroys the art of talking about oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-don-t-watch-television-i-think-it-destroys-the-art-of-talking-about/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [Writing poetry is talking to oneself; yet it is a mode of talking to oneself in which the self disappears; and the product's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wilbur/writing-poetry-is-talking-to-oneself-yet-it-is-a-mode-of-talking-to/) [Richard Wilbur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wilbur/) > [Talking to oneself, I have often thought, is the best way to be sure of intelligent and witty conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/talking-to-oneself-i-have-often-thought-is-the-best-way-to-be-sure-of/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) ## More by Giacomo Leopardi > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [If content with himself and mankind, a man is never harsh or curt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/if-content-with-himself-and-mankind-a-man-is-never-harsh-or-curt/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [I may be wrong, but it seems rare in our age to find a widely praised person whose own mouth is not the source…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/i-may-be-wrong-but-it-seems-rare-in-our-age-to-find-a-widely-praised/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [“Everything that is ended, everything that is last, naturally awakens in man a feeling of sorrow and melancholy. At the same time, it excites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/everything-that-is-ended-everything-that-is-last-naturally-awakens-in/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [Everything since Homer has improved, except poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/everything-since-homer-has-improved-except-poetry/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [If the best company is that which we leave feeling most satisfied with ourselves, it follows that it is the company we leave most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/if-the-best-company-is-that-which-we-leave-feeling-most-satisfied/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [“ The Infinite It was always dear to me, this solitary hill, and this hedgerow here, that closes out my view, from so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/the-infinite-it-was-always-dear-to-me-this-solitary-hill-and-this/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [The commonplace expression that life is nothing but a play is verified above all in this: the world speaks absolutely consistently in one way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/the-commonplace-expression-that-life-is-nothing-but-a-play-is/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [The thought that really crushes us is the thought of the futility of life of which death is the visible manifestation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/the-thought-that-really-crushes-us-is-the-thought-of-the-futility-of/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [The artisan or scientist or the follower of whatever discipline who has the habit of comparing himself not with other followers but with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/the-artisan-or-scientist-or-the-follower-of-whatever-discipline-who/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [It's interesting to observe that almost all truly worthy men have simple manners, and that simple manners are almost always taken as a sign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/it-s-interesting-to-observe-that-almost-all-truly-worthy-men-have/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [No one is so completely disenchanted with the world, or knows it so thoroughly, or is so utterly disgusted with it, that when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/no-one-is-so-completely-disenchanted-with-the-world-or-knows-it-so/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [The old man, especially if he is in society in the privacy of his thoughts, though he may protest the opposite, never stops believing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/the-old-man-especially-if-he-is-in-society-in-the-privacy-of-his/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [You can be happy indeed if you have breathing space from pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/you-can-be-happy-indeed-if-you-have-breathing-space-from-pain/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [“If you start reading some book, even a very easy one, or listen to the clearest lecture in the world, with excessive attention, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/if-you-start-reading-some-book-even-a-very-easy-one-or-listen-to-the/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) [Explore all 59 Giacomo Leopardi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) ## More Contrary quotes > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. 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On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/alcohol-doesn-t-console-it-doesn-t-fill-up-anyone-s-psychological/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [No truly conscious human being sabotages himself - it's impossible, because it's contrary to Nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-finley/no-truly-conscious-human-being-sabotages-himself-it-s-impossible/) [Guy Finley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-finley/) > [If you abide in the love of Christ, rooted in the faith, you will encounter, even amid setbacks and suffering, the source of true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-you-abide-in-the-love-of-christ-rooted-in-the-faith-you-will/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [With a full century of contrary proof in our possession and despite our demonstrated capacity for cooperative teamwork, some among us seem to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/with-a-full-century-of-contrary-proof-in-our-possession-and-despite/) [Dwight D. 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