--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In community, people let down barriers…" description: "\"“In community, people let down barriers; appearances and masks disappear. But this is not easy. Many people have built up their personalities precisely..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/jean-vanier-3367_community_in-community-people-let-down-barriers-ap_534778.jpg" --- # In community, people let down barriers; appearances and… ![“In community, people let down barriers; appearances and masks disappear. But this is not easy. Many people have built up their personalities precisely by hiding their wounded hearts behind the barriers of independence and of the attitude, "I know, you don't". They are highly active and their…” quote by Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/jean-vanier-3367_community_in-community-people-let-down-barriers-ap_534778.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/jean-vanier-3367_community_in-community-people-let-down-barriers-ap_534778.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/jean-vanier-3367_community_in-community-people-let-down-barriers-ap_534778.jpg) > ““In community, people let down barriers; appearances and masks disappear. But this is not easy. Many people have built up their personalities precisely by hiding their wounded hearts behind the barriers of independence and of the attitude, "I know, you don't". They are highly active and their activity is based on the need to assert, to succeed, to control, to do projects and to be recognized . . . A community comes about when people are no longer hiding from one another, no longer pretending or proving their value to another.”” [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True connection requires shedding defenses and revealing vulnerability, which is difficult for those accustomed to self‑reliance and status‑seeking. **In simple terms:** Opening up builds real community. Key Takeaway Allow yourself to be seen. Themes vulnerability community authenticity Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - team building - therapy groups - friendship circles - workplace collaboration Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What defenses do you keep up? - How could openness improve your relationships? A Different Perspective People may fear loss of control or judgment when exposing their wounds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) ## Related quotes > [Securing for gays and lesbians the basic right to have their relationships and families recognized as part of a community makes all of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/securing-for-gays-and-lesbians-the-basic-right-to-have-their/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) > [A writer is in the broadest sense a spokesman of his community. Through him that community comes to know its heart. Without such knowledge,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/a-writer-is-in-the-broadest-sense-a-spokesman-of-his-community/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [There's so much energy and life when the Black community comes together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doechii/there-s-so-much-energy-and-life-when-the-black-community-comes/) [Doechii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doechii/) > [They are the kinds of things that make us a community: attachment to place, attachment to local arts traditions, the ability to read literature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/they-are-the-kinds-of-things-that-make-us-a-community-attachment-to/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [What the whole community comes to believe in grasps the individual as in a vise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/what-the-whole-community-comes-to-believe-in-grasps-the-individual-as/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“Community as caring . . . So many people enter groups in order to develop a certain form of spirituality or to acquire knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/community-as-caring-so-many-people-enter-groups-in-order-to-develop-a/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The Sherry Theater, which I named after my mom, is a place I can go. I do want to give back to the community.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/the-sherry-theater-which-i-named-after-my-mom-is-a-place-i-can-go-i/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [That's how we do it in the black community; we give back to the people who made us who we are. We never forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/that-s-how-we-do-it-in-the-black-community-we-give-back-to-the-people/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [“If you want to have a community of people who have both high-quality, long-term relationships and a high sense of personal responsibility, you can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/if-you-want-to-have-a-community-of-people-who-have-both-high-quality/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [There is power in organization. There is power in a community. People have always wanted to destroy communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/there-is-power-in-organization-there-is-power-in-a-community-people/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [ What I miss \[about church\] is being forced to be in community with people that aren't the same as me. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/win-butler/what-i-miss-about-church-is-being-forced-to-be-in-community-with/) [Win Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/win-butler/) > [These events are swirling around them. In the white community, people felt like they had no control over their neighborhoods, their destiny. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/these-events-are-swirling-around-them-in-the-white-community-people/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [I think the sweet thing about my job, more than the music I sing, is that I come into some town and a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-brown/i-think-the-sweet-thing-about-my-job-more-than-the-music-i-sing-is/) [Greg Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-brown/) > [“The Market Square was the center of The City's community, and for most of the people, the highlight of their lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-whitfield/the-market-square-was-the-center-of-the-city-s-community-and-for-most/) Stephen Whitfield > [Our character is mainly shaped by our primary social community - the people with whom we eat, play, converse, and study.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/our-character-is-mainly-shaped-by-our-primary-social-community-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More by Jean Vanier > [When we start helping the weak and the poor to rise everyone will begin to change. Those who have power and riches will start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/when-we-start-helping-the-weak-and-the-poor-to-rise-everyone-will/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [...Individualistic material progress and the desire to gain prestige by coming out on top have taken over from the sense of fellowship, compassion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/individualistic-material-progress-and-the-desire-to-gain-prestige-by/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [To invite others to live with us is a sign that we aren't afraid, that we have a treasure of truth and of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/to-invite-others-to-live-with-us-is-a-sign-that-we-aren-t-afraid-that/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [People are longing to rediscover true community. We have had enough of loneliness, independence and competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/people-are-longing-to-rediscover-true-community-we-have-had-enough-of/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The person in misery does not need a look that judges and criticizes but a comforting presence that brings peace and hope and life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/the-person-in-misery-does-not-need-a-look-that-judges-and-criticizes/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [All of us have a secret desire to be seen as saints, heroes, martyrs. We are afraid to be children, to be ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/all-of-us-have-a-secret-desire-to-be-seen-as-saints-heroes-martyrs-we/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [To be free is to put justice, truth and service to others over and above our personal gain or our need for recognition, power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/to-be-free-is-to-put-justice-truth-and-service-to-others-over-and/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [If we love (the poor) people, we want to identify with them and share with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/if-we-love-the-poor-people-we-want-to-identify-with-them-and-share/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [“Sympathies and antipathies . . . Human friendships can very quickly become a club of mediocrities, enclosed in mutual flattery and approval, preventing people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/sympathies-and-antipathies-human-friendships-can-very-quickly-become/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [A community is only a community when the majority of its members are making the transition from 'the community for myself' to 'myself for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the-majority-of-its-members-are/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [Each person is sacred, no matter what his or her culture, religion, handicap, or fragility. Each person is created in God’s image; each one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/each-person-is-sacred-no-matter-what-his-or-her-culture-religion/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [But let us not put our sights too high. We do not have to be saviours of the world! We are simply human beings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/but-let-us-not-put-our-sights-too-high-we-do-not-have-to-be-saviours/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [Each human being, however small or weak, has something to bring to humanity. As we start to really get to know others, as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/each-human-being-however-small-or-weak-has-something-to-bring-to/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [“Have patience . . . We are not the masters of our own feelings of attraction or revulsion; these come from places in ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/have-patience-we-are-not-the-masters-of-our-own-feelings-of/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The people with the best sense of what is essential to a community, of what gives and maintains its spirit, are often doing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/the-people-with-the-best-sense-of-what-is-essential-to-a-community-of/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) [Explore all 132 Jean Vanier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) ## More Community quotes > [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [The strains and stresses suffered by the individual in society are grounded in the normal functioning of that society (and of the individual!) rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-strains-and-stresses-suffered-by-the-individual-in-society-are/) [Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/) > [Hackney gets a bit of a bad rap, but it's the only place I've ever lived that felt like a community. I know my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-horgan/hackney-gets-a-bit-of-a-bad-rap-but-it-s-the-only-place-i-ve-ever/) [Sharon Horgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-horgan/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [It rolls off my back. Ridicule doesn't mean anything - even from people you're supposed to wear knee pads around, like the scientific community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-schultz/it-rolls-off-my-back-ridicule-doesn-t-mean-anything-even-from-people/) [Dwight Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-schultz/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) Sheila Kamerman > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Perhaps the greatest and least visible form of impoverishment caused by the Corporate State is the destruction of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/perhaps-the-greatest-and-least-visible-form-of-impoverishment-caused/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) [Browse all 13,840 Community quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In community, people let down barriers; appearances and masks disappear. But this is not easy. Many people have built up their personalities precisely by hiding their wounded hearts behind the barriers of independence and of the attitude, \"I know, you don't\". They are highly active and their activity is based on the need to assert, to succeed, to control, to do projects and to be recognized . . . 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