---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Superficial people are those who simply…"
description: "\"Superficial people are those who simply go along without a question in the world-asking nothing, troubled by nothing, examining nothing. Whatever peopl..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/joan-d-chittister-2635_asking_superficial-people-are-those-who-simply_2215936.png"
---

#  Superficial people are those who simply go along without a…

![“Superficial people are those who simply go along without a question in the world-asking nothing, troubled by nothing, examining nothing. Whatever people around them do, they do, too. That's a sad and plastic life-routine and comfortable, maybe, but still sad.” quote by Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/joan-d-chittister-2635_asking_superficial-people-are-those-who-simply_2215936.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/joan-d-chittister-2635_asking_superficial-people-are-those-who-simply_2215936.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/joan-d-chittister-2635_asking_superficial-people-are-those-who-simply_2215936.png)

> “Superficial people are those who simply go along without a question in the world-asking nothing, troubled by nothing, examining nothing. Whatever people around them do, they do, too. That's a sad and plastic life-routine and comfortable, maybe, but still sad.”

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People who never question or examine their lives live superficially, copying others and missing deeper meaning.

**In simple terms:** Unquestioning copying leads to a shallow, sad existence.

Key Takeaway

Challenge assumptions and seek depth.

Themes

self‑awareness conformity meaning authenticity

Mood

reflective melancholy

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- personal growth
- education
- career decisions
- relationships

Key Concepts

existentialism psychology social influence

Questions to Reflect On

- What beliefs have you accepted without questioning?
- How could deeper reflection change your daily routine?

A Different Perspective

Blind conformity can protect comfort but limits personal development.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking/) [Comfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfortable/) [Conformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformity/) [Examining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/examining/) [Examining People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/examining-people-4925094/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-sad-319155/) [People Simply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-simply-440900/) [Plastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plastic/) [Routine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/routine/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Superficial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superficial/) [Superficial People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superficial-people-1890631/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [Examining other people's motivations, other people's language and other people's way of interacting is much more fascinating to me than spending a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-broderick/examining-other-people-s-motivations-other-people-s-language-and/)

[Beth Broderick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-broderick/)

> [The reproach that superficial people formulate against Manet, that whereas once he painted ugliness, now he paints vulgarity, falls harmlessly to the ground, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-phane-mallarm/the-reproach-that-superficial-people-formulate-against-manet-that/)

[Stephane Mallarme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-phane-mallarm/)

> [Ahenny (adj.) - The way people stand when examining other people's bookshelves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/ahenny-adj-the-way-people-stand-when-examining-other-people-s/)

[Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/)

> [Superficial people find the extraordinary fascinating, and profound people find the ordinary riveting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barbour/superficial-people-find-the-extraordinary-fascinating-and-profound/)

[Julian Barbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barbour/)

> [I've had some marvelous parts, but I'm also asked to play characters who are kind of superficial people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holland-taylor/i-ve-had-some-marvelous-parts-but-i-m-also-asked-to-play-characters/)

[Holland Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holland-taylor/)

> [It's superficial that people think I'm cool because I wear certain clothes and I have tattoos. The funniest part is, when they get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kravitz/it-s-superficial-that-people-think-i-m-cool-because-i-wear-certain/)

[Zoe Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kravitz/)

> [“Superficial people consider themselves capable of doing everything. The question, however, is who is willing to hire them?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eraldo-banovac/superficial-people-consider-themselves-capable-of-doing-everything/)

[Eraldo Banovac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eraldo-banovac/)

> [There is no human problem which could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-no-human-problem-which-could-not-be-solved-if-people-would/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [It seems there's always another rumor about my life; some people are simply talked about more than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-klein/it-seems-there-s-always-another-rumor-about-my-life-some-people-are/)

[Calvin Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-klein/)

> [People are simply not willing to look at their problems honestly and admit that they have problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-are-simply-not-willing-to-look-at-their-problems-honestly-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“We owe it to each other to tell stories, as people simply...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/we-owe-it-to-each-other-to-tell-stories-as-people-simply/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“SOME PEOPLE SIMPLY DO NOT EXIST ANYMORE. GET USED TO IT. QUESTION MARK.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-king/some-people-simply-do-not-exist-anymore-get-used-to-it-question-mark/)

[Amy King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-king/)

> [Not everyone has a Life's Work. Some people simply have a Life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/not-everyone-has-a-life-s-work-some-people-simply-have-a-life/)

[Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/)

> [Some people simply need to... GET A LIFE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhiess-krieg/some-people-simply-need-to-get-a-life/)

[Jhiess Krieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhiess-krieg/)

> [Ordinary people simply don't know what books mean to us, shut up here. Reading, learning, and the radio are our amusements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/ordinary-people-simply-don-t-know-what-books-mean-to-us-shut-up-here/)

[Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/)

## More by Joan D. Chittister

> [A hard heart makes for hard judgments; a compassionate heart understands the humanity of the one we presume to judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/a-hard-heart-makes-for-hard-judgments-a-compassionate-heart/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [To be enlightened is to know that heaven is not "coming." Heaven is here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/to-be-enlightened-is-to-know-that-heaven-is-not-coming-heaven-is-here/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [We don't change as we get older - we just get to be more of what we've always been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/we-don-t-change-as-we-get-older-we-just-get-to-be-more-of-what-we-ve/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [We may well be the ones Proverbs warns when it reminds us: "Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value the one who speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/we-may-well-be-the-ones-proverbs-warns-when-it-reminds-us-kings-take/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [Today we live in a world that judges its achievements by speed and busyness. Â… We are so busy making things happen that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/today-we-live-in-a-world-that-judges-its-achievements-by-speed-and/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [My limitations make space for the gifts of other people. Without the grace of our limitations we would be isolated, dry, and insufferable creatures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/my-limitations-make-space-for-the-gifts-of-other-people-without-the/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [Humility is authenticity. It comes from the Latin word humus, meaning "earth." As the church has taught, we're made of dust, and unto dust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/humility-is-authenticity-it-comes-from-the-latin-word-humus-meaning/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [Compassion makes no distinction between friends and enemies, neighbors and outsiders, compatriots and foreigners. Compassion is the gate to human community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/compassion-makes-no-distinction-between-friends-and-enemies-neighbors/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [Prophets are so dangerous because they cry in season and out of season, politely and impolitely, loud and long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/prophets-are-so-dangerous-because-they-cry-in-season-and-out-of/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [“We don't change as we get older - we just get to be ore of what we've always been.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/we-don-t-change-as-we-get-older-we-just-get-to-be-ore-of-what-we-ve/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [“What happens to the spiritual life of a young girl who is made to understand, consciously or subconsciously, that she has no place in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/what-happens-to-the-spiritual-life-of-a-young-girl-who-is-made-to/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [Old age tells us that we ourselves have failed often, have never really done anything completely right, have never truly been perfect - anad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/old-age-tells-us-that-we-ourselves-have-failed-often-have-never/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [But we are here to depart from this world as finished as we can possibly become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/but-we-are-here-to-depart-from-this-world-as-finished-as-we-can/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [“Whatever happens to the body, what toll age takes on the physical, the spirit does not grow old. In our dreams, in the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/whatever-happens-to-the-body-what-toll-age-takes-on-the-physical-the/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

> [Two ideas militate against our consciously contributing to a better world. The idea that we can do everything or the conclusion that we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/two-ideas-militate-against-our-consciously-contributing-to-a-better/)

[Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

[Explore all 156 Joan D. Chittister quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/)

## More Asking quotes

> [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/)

[Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/)

> [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [“Stop asking yourself how or why and tell yourself you can." - Charmainism”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-smith-ladd/stop-asking-yourself-how-or-why-and-tell-yourself-you-can-charmainism/)

[Charmaine Smith Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-smith-ladd/)

> [Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening, asking please, for God's sake, stop sending him signals that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/closing-his-eyes-he-sent-up-a-prayer-to-anyone-who-was-listening/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [People will identify with a persecuted minority without asking themselves what they are identifying with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/people-will-identify-with-a-persecuted-minority-without-asking/)

[Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/)

> [If you're having a bad day already and everybody is just asking you petty questions, it drives people to the edge, or something really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-weixler/if-you-re-having-a-bad-day-already-and-everybody-is-just-asking-you/)

[Jess Weixler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-weixler/)

> [You never give away your heart; you lend it from time to time. If it were not so, how could we take it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-never-give-away-your-heart-you-lend-it-from-time-to-time-if-it/)

[Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/)

> [I'm not asking people to feel sorry for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/i-m-not-asking-people-to-feel-sorry-for-me/)

[Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/)

> [The boldness of asking deep questions may require unforeseen flexibility if we are to accept the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-boldness-of-asking-deep-questions-may-require-unforeseen/)

[Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/)

> [Use Google Before Asking A Stupid Question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muskaan/use-google-before-asking-a-stupid-question/)

[Muskaan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muskaan/)

> [There were people asking 'Can women be funny?' People still ask that. It's like asking: 'Can women breathe in and out?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-walters/there-were-people-asking-can-women-be-funny-people-still-ask-that-it/)

[Julie Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-walters/)

> [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/)

[Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/)

> [Love cannot be had for the asking; it comes only as a gift from the heart of another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/love-cannot-be-had-for-the-asking-it-comes-only-as-a-gift-from-the/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/)

[Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/)

> [“In such a regime, I say you died a good death if your life had inspired someone to come forward and shoot your murdered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-such-a-regime-i-say-you-died-a-good-death-if-your-life-had/)

[Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/)

[Browse all 3,313 Asking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Superficial people are those who simply go along without a question in the world-asking nothing, troubled by nothing, examining nothing. Whatever people around them do, they do, too. That's a sad and plastic life-routine and comfortable, maybe, but still sad.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Joan D. Chittister"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/superficial-people-are-those-who-simply-go-along-without-a-question/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Asking"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/superficial-people-are-those-who-simply-go-along-without-a-question/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/joan-d-chittister-2635_asking_superficial-people-are-those-who-simply_2215936.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/joan-d-chittister-2635_asking_superficial-people-are-those-who-simply_2215936.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/joan-d-chittister-2635_asking_superficial-people-are-those-who-simply_2215936.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Superficial people are those who simply go along without a question in the world-asking nothing, troubled by…” — Joan D. Chittister",
                "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": "Joan D. Chittister",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Superficial people are those who simply...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/superficial-people-are-those-who-simply-go-along-without-a-question/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/superficial-people-are-those-who-simply-go-along-without-a-question/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
