--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How baffling it was that even the most…" description: "\"How baffling it was that even the most cunning and clever people would frequently see only what they wanted to see, and would rarely look beyond the th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/james-clavell-4422_blame_how-baffling-it-was-that-even-the-most-c_1478343.png" --- # How baffling it was that even the most cunning and clever… ![“How baffling it was that even the most cunning and clever people would frequently see only what they wanted to see, and would rarely look beyond the thinnest of facades. Or they would ignore reality, dismissing it as the facade. And then, when their whole world fell to pieces...they would tear…” quote by James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/james-clavell-4422_blame_how-baffling-it-was-that-even-the-most-c_1478343.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/james-clavell-4422_blame_how-baffling-it-was-that-even-the-most-c_1478343.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/james-clavell-4422_blame_how-baffling-it-was-that-even-the-most-c_1478343.png) > “How baffling it was that even the most cunning and clever people would frequently see only what they wanted to see, and would rarely look beyond the thinnest of facades. Or they would ignore reality, dismissing it as the facade. And then, when their whole world fell to pieces...they would tear their topknots or rend their clothes and bewail their karma, blaming gods or kami or luck or their lords or husbands or vassals-anything or anyone-but never themselves.” [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often see only what they want, ignoring reality, and blame external forces when things collapse. **In simple terms:** They ignore truth and blame others. Key Takeaway Seek truth, own responsibility. Themes perception self‑deception blame responsibility Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal relationships - leadership - crisis management Key Concepts cognitive bias ego denial Questions to Reflect On - How do you confront uncomfortable truths? - What prevents you from taking responsibility? A Different Perspective Self‑awareness can be painful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Clever People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever-people/) [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Facade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facade/) [Husband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/husband/) [Karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“He remembered the pride-filled glow that had swamped Gyoko's face and he wondered again at the bewildering gullibility of people. How baffling it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/he-remembered-the-pride-filled-glow-that-had-swamped-gyoko-s-face-and/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [Look now how mortals are blaming the gods, for they say that evils come from us, but in fact they themselves have woes beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/look-now-how-mortals-are-blaming-the-gods-for-they-say-that-evils/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“He who is capable of really reading a writer will have his every question answered by the works themselves. For example, Kafka depicts the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/he-who-is-capable-of-really-reading-a-writer-will-have-his-every/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“Easy as pie! Clever people get tripped up most easily on just such insignificant details. The cleverer a person is, the less he suspects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/easy-as-pie-clever-people-get-tripped-up-most-easily-on-just-such/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [Capable people do not understand incapacity; clever people do not understand stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/capable-people-do-not-understand-incapacity-clever-people-do-not/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [I wish I were one of those terribly clever people who, when they write their autobiographies, always say, when I was fifteen months old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-seaton/i-wish-i-were-one-of-those-terribly-clever-people-who-when-they-write/) [George Seaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-seaton/) > [Clever people are always the best conversations lexicon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/clever-people-are-always-the-best-conversations-lexicon/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“A truly intelligent person is the one who can also learn from less clever people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-de-judicibus/a-truly-intelligent-person-is-the-one-who-can-also-learn-from-less/) [Dario de Judicibus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-de-judicibus/) > [The inspiration comes from everywhere, from what I grew up with. There's so much silliness and nonsense in the world that we regard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/the-inspiration-comes-from-everywhere-from-what-i-grew-up-with-there/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [“In Paris, where raillery is so quick to throw emotion out the window, silence, in a roomful of clever people after a story, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-barbey-d-aurevilly/in-paris-where-raillery-is-so-quick-to-throw-emotion-out-the-window/) [Jules Barbey d'Aurevilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-barbey-d-aurevilly/) > [Sometimes all you need to do to win clever people over to a principle is to present it in the form of a shocking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/sometimes-all-you-need-to-do-to-win-clever-people-over-to-a-principle/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I am trying to write novels for properly clever people, but I also want them to be proper novels that also stick in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-hannah/i-am-trying-to-write-novels-for-properly-clever-people-but-i-also/) [Sophie Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-hannah/) > [“in 1936, the NKVD mood-watchers noted the opinion that Soviet foreign policy was too soft and Hitler’s boldness was to be admired. Hitler was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-fitzpatrick/in-1936-the-nkvd-mood-watchers-noted-the-opinion-that-soviet-foreign/) [Sheila Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-fitzpatrick/) > [Man is a rational animal—so at least I have been told. … Aristotle, so far as I know, was the first man to proclaim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-i-have-been-told-aristotle-so/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“I don't know." That was typical Sajaki; like all the genuinely clever people Sylveste had met he knew better than to feign understanding where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/i-don-t-know-that-was-typical-sajaki-like-all-the-genuinely-clever/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) ## More by James Clavell > [Guard yourself and your conscience no one else will and know that a bad decision at the right time can destroy you far more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/guard-yourself-and-your-conscience-no-one-else-will-and-know-that-a/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [You've commited murder just as much as Helene did. You killed a fly with a human head. She killed a human with a fly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/you-ve-commited-murder-just-as-much-as-helene-did-you-killed-a-fly/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [Why is she afraid?" he asked. "She's not Anjin-san. Just a little nervous. Please excuse her. She's never seen a foreigner close to before."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/why-is-she-afraid-he-asked-she-s-not-anjin-san-just-a-little-nervous/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [“Like dew I was born Like dew I vanish ..and all that I have ever done Is but a dream Within a dream”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/like-dew-i-was-born-like-dew-i-vanish-and-all-that-i-have-ever-done/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [“all the people have a right to vote, and no single man ever controls the destiny of any nation, either by divine right or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/all-the-people-have-a-right-to-vote-and-no-single-man-ever-controls/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [Anger is something you should only vent in front of intimates, and friends and relations. Never be angry in front of strangers because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/anger-is-something-you-should-only-vent-in-front-of-intimates-and/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [Only by living at the edge of death can you understand the indescribable joy of life - Shogun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/only-by-living-at-the-edge-of-death-can-you-understand-the/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [“The law may upset reason but reason may never upset the law, or our whole society will shred like an old tatami. The law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/the-law-may-upset-reason-but-reason-may-never-upset-the-law-or-our/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [Changi became my university instead of my prison. Among the inmates there were experts in all walks of life - the high and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/changi-became-my-university-instead-of-my-prison-among-the-inmates/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [“Only merchants have money to waste, and what are they but parasites who create nothing, grow nothing, make nothing but feed off another's labor?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/only-merchants-have-money-to-waste-and-what-are-they-but-parasites/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [“The Scots knew that the burning of a cross was a summons to the clan, and to all the kinsmen of all kindred clans:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/the-scots-knew-that-the-burning-of-a-cross-was-a-summons-to-the-clan/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [Christ, it's so good to be alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/christ-it-s-so-good-to-be-alive/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [“Tomorrow does not exist. There is only now .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/tomorrow-does-not-exist-there-is-only-now/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [“The point is we both know life and understand death—and both believe treatment in hell and everywhere else depends on money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/the-point-is-we-both-know-life-and-understand-death-and-both-believe/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) > [“Gods are like people. They believe anything if you tell them right way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/gods-are-like-people-they-believe-anything-if-you-tell-them-right-way/) [James Clavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) [Explore all 107 James Clavell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) Nurnizz95 > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am down mentally. I can't understand how it happened and who is to blame? I don't know why the ground was rolled before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeasin-khan/i-am-down-mentally-i-can-t-understand-how-it-happened-and-who-is-to/) Yeasin Khan > [A refusal to admit one's mistake & not accepting responsibility for that mistake by blaming everyone else, is d beginning of one's decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-refusal-to-admit-one-s-mistake-not-accepting-responsibility-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Listen, the guy was not created by coverage from MSNBC and CNN. If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How baffling it was that even the most cunning and clever people would frequently see only what they wanted to see, and would rarely look beyond the thinnest of facades. Or they would ignore reality, dismissing it as the facade. And then, when their whole world fell to pieces...they would tear their topknots or rend their clothes and bewail their karma, blaming gods or kami or luck or their lords or husbands or vassals-anything or anyone-but never themselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Clavell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/how-baffling-it-was-that-even-the-most-cunning-and-clever-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blame" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/how-baffling-it-was-that-even-the-most-cunning-and-clever-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/james-clavell-4422_blame_how-baffling-it-was-that-even-the-most-c_1478343.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/james-clavell-4422_blame_how-baffling-it-was-that-even-the-most-c_1478343.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d46/james-clavell-4422_blame_how-baffling-it-was-that-even-the-most-c_1478343.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How baffling it was that even the most cunning and clever people would frequently see only what they wanted…” — James Clavell", "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": "James Clavell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clavell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "How baffling it was that even...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/how-baffling-it-was-that-even-the-most-cunning-and-clever-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clavell/how-baffling-it-was-that-even-the-most-cunning-and-clever-people/#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 } } ] } ```