--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What stops me from taking myself…" description: "\"What stops me from taking myself seriously, even though I am essentially a serious person, is that I find myself extremely ridiculous, not in the sense..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/251/gustave-flaubert-354_action_what-stops-me-from-taking-myself-serious_1869142.jpg" --- # What stops me from taking myself seriously, even though I… ![“What stops me from taking myself seriously, even though I am essentially a serious person, is that I find myself extremely ridiculous, not in the sense of the small-scale ridiculousness of slap-stick comedy, but rather in the sense of ridiculousness that seems intrinsic to human life and that…” quote by Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/251/gustave-flaubert-354_action_what-stops-me-from-taking-myself-serious_1869142.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/251/gustave-flaubert-354_action_what-stops-me-from-taking-myself-serious_1869142.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/251/gustave-flaubert-354_action_what-stops-me-from-taking-myself-serious_1869142.jpg) > “What stops me from taking myself seriously, even though I am essentially a serious person, is that I find myself extremely ridiculous, not in the sense of the small-scale ridiculousness of slap-stick comedy, but rather in the sense of ridiculousness that seems intrinsic to human life and that manifests itself in the simplest actions and the most extraordinary gestures.” [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author sees a tension between seriousness and the absurdity inherent in human existence, making it hard to take oneself fully seriously. **In simple terms:** Human life mixes seriousness with absurdity, causing self‑doubt. Key Takeaway Accept the absurd as part of seriousness. Themes self‑reflection existentialism humor Mood reflective wry Type philosophical humorous When to use this quote - daily interactions - public speaking - creative work - personal relationships Key Concepts absurdity identity human condition Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing absurdity change your self‑esteem? - Can humor coexist with seriousness? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize personal experience as universal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary/) [Gestures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Ridiculous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ridiculous/) [Ridiculousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ridiculousness/) [Ridiculousness Intrinsic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ridiculousness-intrinsic-2566677/) [Ridiculousness Slap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ridiculousness-slap-2566679/) [Scales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scales/) [Sense Ridiculousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-ridiculousness-2566678/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Serious person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious-person/) [Simplest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simplest/) [Slap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slap/) [Sticks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks/) [Taking Seriously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-seriously-324607/) ## Related quotes > [You can only begin to be great when you embrace a sense of your own ridiculousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kapranos/you-can-only-begin-to-be-great-when-you-embrace-a-sense-of-your-own/) [Alex Kapranos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kapranos/) > [What are you going to do on valentines day? 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You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/travel-makes-one-modest-you-see-what-a-tiny-place-you-occupy-in-the/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [“We must not touch our idols; the gilt sticks to our fingers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/we-must-not-touch-our-idols-the-gilt-sticks-to-our-fingers/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [A superhuman will is needed in order to write, and I am only a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/a-superhuman-will-is-needed-in-order-to-write-and-i-am-only-a-man/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [The writer must wade into life as into the sea, but only up to the navel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/the-writer-must-wade-into-life-as-into-the-sea-but-only-up-to-the/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [COLD. Healthier than heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/cold-healthier-than-heat/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [And indeed, what is better than to sit by one's fireside in the evening with a book, while the wind beats against the window…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/and-indeed-what-is-better-than-to-sit-by-one-s-fireside-in-the/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [One's existence should be in two parts: one should live like a bourgeois and think like a demigod.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/one-s-existence-should-be-in-two-parts-one-should-live-like-a/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [Emma was no asleep, she was pretending to be asleep; and, while he was dozing off at her side, she lay awake, dreaming other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/emma-was-no-asleep-she-was-pretending-to-be-asleep-and-while-he-was/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) [Explore all 526 Gustave Flaubert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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