--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man looking at a hippopotamus may…" description: "\"A man looking at a hippopotamus may sometimes be tempted to regard a hippopotamus as an enormous mistake; but he is also bound to confess that a fortun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_bounds_a-man-looking-at-a-hippopotamus-may-some_2195288.png" --- # A man looking at a hippopotamus may sometimes be tempted… ![“A man looking at a hippopotamus may sometimes be tempted to regard a hippopotamus as an enormous mistake; but he is also bound to confess that a fortunate inferiority prevents him personally from making such mistakes.” quote by Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_bounds_a-man-looking-at-a-hippopotamus-may-some_2195288.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_bounds_a-man-looking-at-a-hippopotamus-may-some_2195288.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_bounds_a-man-looking-at-a-hippopotamus-may-some_2195288.png) > “A man looking at a hippopotamus may sometimes be tempted to regard a hippopotamus as an enormous mistake; but he is also bound to confess that a fortunate inferiority prevents him personally from making such mistakes.” [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We often misjudge others, labeling them as mistakes, yet our own humility prevents such errors. **In simple terms:** We misjudge others, but humility protects us. Key Takeaway Practice humility, avoid harsh judgments. Themes humility judgment perception Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does humility affect your view of others? - Can you see value in mistakes? A Different Perspective Humility may not stop all misjudgments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounds/) [Enormous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enormous/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fortunate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortunate/) [Hippopotamus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hippopotamus/) [Hippopotamus Enormous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hippopotamus-enormous-4798712/) [Hippopotamus Tempted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hippopotamus-tempted-4798708/) [Inferiority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferiority/) [Inferiority Prevents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferiority-prevents-4798711/) [Looking Hippopotamus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-hippopotamus-4798710/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Regard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regard/) [Regard Hippopotamus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regard-hippopotamus-4798709/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Tempted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tempted/) ## Related quotes > [He said he would come in,' the White Queen went on, 'because he was looking for a hippopotamus. Now, as it happened, there wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/he-said-he-would-come-in-the-white-queen-went-on-because-he-was/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“they knew what we’re doing for them, they’d kiss our feet. But mentally they are closer to the crocodile and the hippopotamus than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/they-knew-what-we-re-doing-for-them-they-d-kiss-our-feet-but-mentally/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [“Frankly, I couldn't be more astonished that this guy was involved in something like this than if you came riding through my apartment on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/frankly-i-couldn-t-be-more-astonished-that-this-guy-was-involved-in/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [The hippopotamus is a vegetarian and looks like a wall. Lions who eat only red meat are sleek and slim. Are nutritionists on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-hippopotamus-is-a-vegetarian-and-looks-like-a-wall-lions-who-eat/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [I found in one of the tombs an inscription saying, 'If you touch my tomb, you will be eaten by a crocodile and hippopotamus.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zahi-hawass/i-found-in-one-of-the-tombs-an-inscription-saying-if-you-touch-my/) [Zahi Hawass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zahi-hawass/) > [There is no need to worry about mere size. We do not necessarily respect a fat man more than a thin man. Sir Isaac…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-need-to-worry-about-mere-size-we-do-not-necessarily/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [ \[his healing skills\] ..lay in the ability to comfort, to comfort in the proper sense, to make strong, to fortify from The Hippopotamus ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/his-healing-skills-lay-in-the-ability-to-comfort-to-comfort-in-the-2/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [A hippo sandwich is easy to make. All you do is simply take one slice of bread, one slice of cake, some mayonnaise, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/a-hippo-sandwich-is-easy-to-make-all-you-do-is-simply-take-one-slice/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [A man is born an artist as a hippopotamus is born a hippopotamus; and you can no more make yourself one than you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-is-born-an-artist-as-a-hippopotamus-is-born-a-hippopotamus-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have figured for you the distance between the horns of a dilemma, night and day, and A and Z. I have computed how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-have-figured-for-you-the-distance-between-the-horns-of-a-dilemma/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Is a hippopotamus a hippopotamus, or just a really cool Opotamus?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/is-a-hippopotamus-a-hippopotamus-or-just-a-really-cool-opotamus/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [“Dressing, I chose the second shirt, the one softened in the mouth of a trained and perfumed albino hippopotamus and made entirely of pigeon's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/dressing-i-chose-the-second-shirt-the-one-softened-in-the-mouth-of-a/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [Molecular genetics can show off some surprising relationships like, for example, the close relationship of whales to hippopotamuses, which I think nobody ever guessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/molecular-genetics-can-show-off-some-surprising-relationships-like/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Marriage! ... Why, it is like living in a thimble with a hippopotamus!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-bottome/marriage-why-it-is-like-living-in-a-thimble-with-a-hippopotamus/) [Phyllis Bottome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-bottome/) > [I have never been able to entertain a God-idea which was not integrally related to the fact of chipmunks, squirrels, hippopotamuses, galaxies, and light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sittler/i-have-never-been-able-to-entertain-a-god-idea-which-was-not/) [Joseph Sittler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sittler/) ## More by Gilbert K. Chesterton > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [For Scotland has a double dose of the poison called heredity; the sense of blood in the aristocrat, the sense of doom in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/for-scotland-has-a-double-dose-of-the-poison-called-heredity-the/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Faith is always at a disadvantage; it is a perpetually defeated thing which survives all conquerors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/faith-is-always-at-a-disadvantage-it-is-a-perpetually-defeated-thing/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [A building is akin to dogma; it is insolent, like dogma. Whether or no it is permanent, it claims permanence, like a dogma. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/a-building-is-akin-to-dogma-it-is-insolent-like-dogma-whether-or-no/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [The triangle of truisms, of father, mother and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-triangle-of-truisms-of-father-mother-and-child-cannot-be/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Criticism is only words about words, and of what use are words about such words as these?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/criticism-is-only-words-about-words-and-of-what-use-are-words-about/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [What we suffer from today is humility in the wrong place...The old humility was a spur that prevented a man from stopping; not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/what-we-suffer-from-today-is-humility-in-the-wrong-place-the-old/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Plato was only a Bernard Shaw who unfortunately made his jokes in Greek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/plato-was-only-a-bernard-shaw-who-unfortunately-made-his-jokes-in/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [The word good has many meanings...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-word-good-has-many-meanings/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Music with dinner is an insult both to the cook and the violinist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/music-with-dinner-is-an-insult-both-to-the-cook-and-the-violinist/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Eugenics asserts that all men must be so stupid that they cannot manage their own affairs; and also so clever that they can manage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/eugenics-asserts-that-all-men-must-be-so-stupid-that-they-cannot/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) [Explore all 868 Gilbert K. Chesterton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) ## More Bounds quotes > [Man will not always stay on Earth; the pursuit of light and space will lead him to penetrate the bounds of the atmosphere, timidly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konstantin-tsiolkovsky/man-will-not-always-stay-on-earth-the-pursuit-of-light-and-space-will/) [Konstantin Tsiolkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konstantin-tsiolkovsky/) > [Importunity is a condition of prayer. We are to press the matter, not with vain repetitions, but with urgent repetitions. We repeat, not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/importunity-is-a-condition-of-prayer-we-are-to-press-the-matter-not/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [If the civil magistrate be a Christian, a disciple or follower of the meek Lamb of God, he is bound to be far from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/if-the-civil-magistrate-be-a-christian-a-disciple-or-follower-of-the/) [Roger Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-williams/) > [We have committed ourselves to pursue joint policies, but then national governments say, "We aren't bound by that." That is a dramatic situation, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/we-have-committed-ourselves-to-pursue-joint-policies-but-then/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [The World's a Printing-House, our words, our thoughts, Our deeds, are characters of several sizes. Each soul is a Compos'tor, of whose faults The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-world-s-a-printing-house-our-words-our-thoughts-our-deeds-are/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [Christian obligation cannot be made to accord with a law of expediency. The Christian's maxims are, Do right because you are bound to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-landey-patton/christian-obligation-cannot-be-made-to-accord-with-a-law-of/) [Francis Landey Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-landey-patton/) > [Such as the chain of causes we call Fate, such is the chain of wishes: one links on to another; the whole man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/such-as-the-chain-of-causes-we-call-fate-such-is-the-chain-of-wishes/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > ['You spin in the sky, the world spins under you, and you step from land to land, while we . . .' 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Experience teaches us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/once-we-are-bound-together-to-our-brothers-by-a-common-good-that-is/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [I am quite conscious that my speculations run beyond the bounds of true science…It is a mere rag of an hypothesis with as many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/i-am-quite-conscious-that-my-speculations-run-beyond-the-bounds-of/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 1,649 Bounds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A man looking at a hippopotamus may sometimes be tempted to regard a hippopotamus as an enormous mistake; but he is also bound to confess that a fortunate inferiority prevents him personally from making such mistakes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gilbert K. 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