--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Honestly, I don’t think people ever get…" description: "\"“Honestly, I don’t think people ever get un-screwed-up. I think it’s just, how well can you pretend to be someone else, and how long.”\" — J.C. Lillis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/j-c-lillis-21890_honestly_honestly-i-don-t-think-people-ever-get-u_654714.jpg" --- # Honestly, I don’t think people ever get un-screwed-up. I… ![“Honestly, I don’t think people ever get un-screwed-up. I think it’s just, how well can you pretend to be someone else, and how long.” quote by J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/j-c-lillis-21890_honestly_honestly-i-don-t-think-people-ever-get-u_654714.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/j-c-lillis-21890_honestly_honestly-i-don-t-think-people-ever-get-u_654714.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/j-c-lillis-21890_honestly_honestly-i-don-t-think-people-ever-get-u_654714.jpg) > ““Honestly, I don’t think people ever get un-screwed-up. I think it’s just, how well can you pretend to be someone else, and how long.”” [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identity can become a performance, making authentic self‑discovery difficult over time. **In simple terms:** People may lose their true selves pretending. Key Takeaway Seek authenticity, not just roles. Themes identity authenticity psychology Mood introspective thoughtful Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - career changes - social media personas - therapy sessions Key Concepts self-concept role-playing Questions to Reflect On - What masks your true identity? - How long can you sustain a façade? A Different Perspective People can evolve without losing core self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [You can only pretend for so long before reality hits and you realize he/she is not who you thought or what you truly want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/you-can-only-pretend-for-so-long-before-reality-hits-and-you-realize/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [Your mind can't always tell the difference between pretend and reality if you pretend too long; or if you go too deep and really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabella-sciorra/your-mind-can-t-always-tell-the-difference-between-pretend-and/) [Annabella Sciorra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabella-sciorra/) > [I'll just pretend until you get here ^\_^](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-copeland/i-ll-just-pretend-until-you-get-here/) [Rachel Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-copeland/) > [I used to literally come home from school and write three songs a day at my desk, about nothing that was going on in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-peters/i-used-to-literally-come-home-from-school-and-write-three-songs-a-day/) [Maisie Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-peters/) > [“Just pretend,” Kronos insisted. “Once he’s in human form and sitting next to you, I’ll jump out”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/just-pretend-kronos-insisted-once-he-s-in-human-form-and-sitting-next/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I'm not confident at all. You just pretend you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-whitmore/i-m-not-confident-at-all-you-just-pretend-you-are/) [Laura Whitmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-whitmore/) > [NO, its okay, just pretend you dont even know me. Its not like were dating or anything. Oh WAIT... We are...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/broken-soul/no-its-okay-just-pretend-you-dont-even-know-me-its-not-like-were/) [Broken Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/broken-soul/) > [It's hard to believe that you're really here, so I just pretend that you're not here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-brickell/it-s-hard-to-believe-that-you-re-really-here-so-i-just-pretend-that/) [Edie Brickell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-brickell/) > [Just go on to what you pretend is your life but please don't die on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rise-against/just-go-on-to-what-you-pretend-is-your-life-but-please-don-t-die-on-me/) [Rise Against](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rise-against/) > [“Never give up on who you love, just pretend that you did!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-gabryelle-dos-santos/never-give-up-on-who-you-love-just-pretend-that-you-did/) Amanda gabryelle dos santos > [Pretend long enough that you belong, and eventually even you will believe it." - Gallen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/pretend-long-enough-that-you-belong-and-eventually-even-you-will/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [It's possible to pretend I'm someone other than who I am, and if I pretend long enough, I can believe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/it-s-possible-to-pretend-i-m-someone-other-than-who-i-am-and-if-i/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [You can pretend for a long time, but one day it all falls away and you are alone. We are alone in the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/you-can-pretend-for-a-long-time-but-one-day-it-all-falls-away-and-you/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [Sometimes you just have to pretend that you are happy just to stop everyone from asking what happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-just-have-to-pretend-that-you-are-happy-just-to-stop/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't look at people being crucified. Even if you know it is just pretend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-wilton/you-can-t-look-at-people-being-crucified-even-if-you-know-it-is-just/) [Penelope Wilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-wilton/) ## More by J.C. Lillis > [“I want to make a sweater out of this week and wrap myself up in it until it falls apart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/i-want-to-make-a-sweater-out-of-this-week-and-wrap-myself-up-in-it/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“There’s something about his face when he smiles, like he’s a stained-glass window with sun beaming through.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/there-s-something-about-his-face-when-he-smiles-like-he-s-a-stained/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“It’s fandom, Bran. Getting butthurt over nothing is practically a sacrament.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/it-s-fandom-bran-getting-butthurt-over-nothing-is-practically-a/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“Pretentious." "So? I love pretentious people!" "Why?" "They try so hard to be interesting, you don't have to do any work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/pretentious-so-i-love-pretentious-people-why-they-try-so-hard-to-be/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“Because here’s the thing. We can do a lot in thirty-five days.” He sat on the bed and pulled her down next to him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/because-here-s-the-thing-we-can-do-a-lot-in-thirty-five-days-he-sat/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“... Brandon's going to talk to a B-O-Y, and -" "What?" "That's your assignment tonight. You converse in public with a boy. You've heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/brandon-s-going-to-talk-to-a-b-o-y-and-what-that-s-your-assignment/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“You can stop waiting, you know,' she says. 'For what?' 'For God to strike you down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/you-can-stop-waiting-you-know-she-says-for-what-for-god-to-strike-you/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“I step up on the little wooden bridge that arches over the huge clear koi pond in the lobby. The blue and gray tiles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/i-step-up-on-the-little-wooden-bridge-that-arches-over-the-huge-clear/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“I mean, if no one knows for sure what God's like, then why don't you just believe the people who think he's all rainbows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/i-mean-if-no-one-knows-for-sure-what-god-s-like-then-why-don-t-you/) [j.c. lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“Dude, can I have your pickle?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/dude-can-i-have-your-pickle/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“ Status: Naked. On bed. With boy. Systems overheating. Sudden doubts multiplying. Meltdown imminent. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/status-naked-on-bed-with-boy-systems-overheating-sudden-doubts/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“I am one man with a laptop. When I give the world my characters, it's because I don't want to keep them for myself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/i-am-one-man-with-a-laptop-when-i-give-the-world-my-characters-it-s/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“I've never seen a naked torso that wasn't on a cross, at least not so close up. I don't know where to look. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/i-ve-never-seen-a-naked-torso-that-wasn-t-on-a-cross-at-least-not-so/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“God is like junior high, Brandon. Graduate already.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/god-is-like-junior-high-brandon-graduate-already/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) > [“Him,” he points. “With the blue Chucks.” “Unacceptable.” “Pourquoi?” “He’s barn owl-y.” “Fine. Inkblot T-Shirt?” “Pretentious.” “So? I love pretentious people!” “Why?” “They try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-lillis/him-he-points-with-the-blue-chucks-unacceptable-pourquoi-he-s-barn/) [J.C. Lillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) [Explore all 28 J.C. Lillis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-lillis/) ## More Honestly quotes > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I honestly would like to get that Frankie fight back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/i-honestly-would-like-to-get-that-frankie-fight-back/) [Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [Honestly, I love Ruth's Chris.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-butler/honestly-i-love-ruth-s-chris/) [Ross Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-butler/) > [I really can't live without my In-N-Out burgers. Honestly, I can't. Even when I'm doing the whole no-carb thing occasionally, I make an exception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-really-can-t-live-without-my-in-n-out-burgers-honestly-i-can-t-even/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [My life honestly didn't start until I got married and had kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-matheson/my-life-honestly-didn-t-start-until-i-got-married-and-had-kids/) [Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) > [I honestly don't like Photoshop. I think when people Photoshop things, all of a sudden you're like, 'That's not even me anymore.' It takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-aldridge/i-honestly-don-t-like-photoshop-i-think-when-people-photoshop-things/) [Lily Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-aldridge/) > [Honestly, we’ll compete with everybody. I love competition. As long as people invent their own stuff, I love competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/honestly-we-ll-compete-with-everybody-i-love-competition-as-long-as/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I'd like to say that I'm a rock star, but I'm not - I'm honestly more of a relationship kind of guy. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/i-d-like-to-say-that-i-m-a-rock-star-but-i-m-not-i-m-honestly-more-of/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [I honestly really like Ryan Hall. There's nothing bad I could say about this guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artem-lobov/i-honestly-really-like-ryan-hall-there-s-nothing-bad-i-could-say/) [Artem Lobov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artem-lobov/) > [We have reached the point where we can lose a game or two and not drop out of sight in the rankings. I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/we-have-reached-the-point-where-we-can-lose-a-game-or-two-and-not/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [I always wanted to make big action movies as a kid, and that was my dream. In a way, 'Swingers' was the thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-big-action-movies-as-a-kid-and-that-was-my/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [I honestly didn't know that I wanted to act until I was probably 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-rae-mayo/i-honestly-didn-t-know-that-i-wanted-to-act-until-i-was-probably-12/) [Miranda Rae Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-rae-mayo/) > [Honestly, I'm living my fantasy. It's being with my family, preferably on a snowy afternoon with a fire going, cuddled up in blankets, playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-vieira/honestly-i-m-living-my-fantasy-it-s-being-with-my-family-preferably/) [Meredith Vieira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-vieira/) > [When we look at the situation in the EU, we need to honestly admit that it desperately needs to develop further, that we need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-kurz/when-we-look-at-the-situation-in-the-eu-we-need-to-honestly-admit/) [Sebastian Kurz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-kurz/) Browse all 2,519 Honestly quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Honestly, I don’t think people ever get un-screwed-up. I think it’s just, how well can you pretend to be someone else, and how long.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.C. 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