--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In high school, I could recognize…" description: "\"“In high school, I could recognize extremes of emotion. I knew enough to run if a guy came yelling and screaming at me with a baseball bat. But a girl ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b05/john-elder-robison-15225_emotion_in-high-school-i-could-recognize-extreme_2780742.jpg" --- # In high school, I could recognize extremes of emotion. I… ![“In high school, I could recognize extremes of emotion. I knew enough to run if a guy came yelling and screaming at me with a baseball bat. But a girl with a subtle expression on her face … was she smiling at me? Laughing? Quizzical and curious? I had no idea. That led to a lot of awkward…” quote by John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b05/john-elder-robison-15225_emotion_in-high-school-i-could-recognize-extreme_2780742.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b05/john-elder-robison-15225_emotion_in-high-school-i-could-recognize-extreme_2780742.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b05/john-elder-robison-15225_emotion_in-high-school-i-could-recognize-extreme_2780742.jpg) > ““In high school, I could recognize extremes of emotion. I knew enough to run if a guy came yelling and screaming at me with a baseball bat. But a girl with a subtle expression on her face … was she smiling at me? Laughing? Quizzical and curious? I had no idea. That led to a lot of awkward interactions and years of loneliness.”” [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He struggled to interpret subtle female cues, leading to social isolation. **In simple terms:** He missed subtle signals, causing loneliness. Key Takeaway Learn to read nuanced social cues. Themes social anxiety communication gender differences loneliness Mood reflective empathetic Type self-help inspirational When to use this quote - school interactions - dating - workplace - friendship Key Concepts nonverbal communication emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - What strategies can improve cue recognition? - How does gender affect communication styles? A Different Perspective Misinterpretation can damage relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Emotion Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion-knew-2364782/) [Expression Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression-face-400860/) [Extremes Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremes-emotion-1060647/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Subtle Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subtle-expression-3308005/) ## Related quotes > [Just as outright euphoria is often a sign of a market top, fear is for sure a sign of a market bottom. Time and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steinhardt/just-as-outright-euphoria-is-often-a-sign-of-a-market-top-fear-is-for/) [Michael Steinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steinhardt/) > [“I'm not very romantic in real life. I guess love is the thing that makes us do the most extraordinary things—the emotion that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-moyes/i-m-not-very-romantic-in-real-life-i-guess-love-is-the-thing-that/) [Jojo Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-moyes/) > [I have tried a million times to put into words how I feel for you. It's so hard to describe such an intense emotion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemis-khan/i-have-tried-a-million-times-to-put-into-words-how-i-feel-for-you-it/) [Kemis Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemis-khan/) > [Time and again, in every market cycle I have witnessed, the extremes of emotion always appear, even among experienced investors. When the world wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steinhardt/time-and-again-in-every-market-cycle-i-have-witnessed-the-extremes-of/) [Michael Steinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steinhardt/) > [“Her journal, the only thing in the world that she owned, held the events of her life. Things she wanted to forget and things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-alistar/her-journal-the-only-thing-in-the-world-that-she-owned-held-the/) [Luke Alistar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-alistar/) > [“Nathan had never liked anger. It seemed a barbaric and undignified emotion. He knew it always masked fear or hurt, and had often wished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/nathan-had-never-liked-anger-it-seemed-a-barbaric-and-undignified/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [That day is going to be the happiest days of your life. The expression on your face is going to express your emotions. -mehak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehak-sethi/that-day-is-going-to-be-the-happiest-days-of-your-life-the-expression/) [Mehak Sethi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehak-sethi/) > [Expression Of The Face Could Be Seen By Everyone. But The Depression Of Heart Could Be Understood Only By The Best One..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/expression-of-the-face-could-be-seen-by-everyone-but-the-depression/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [Oswald The most important thing you wear is the expression on your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-nabonky/oswald-the-most-important-thing-you-wear-is-the-expression-on-your/) [Prince Nabonky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-nabonky/) > [“It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen. The smallest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/it-was-terribly-dangerous-to-let-your-thoughts-wander-when-you-were/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [If the face appears, the picture is inevitably a portrait and the expression of the face will dictate the viewer's response to the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charis-wilson/if-the-face-appears-the-picture-is-inevitably-a-portrait-and-the/) [Charis Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charis-wilson/) > [The expression on my face - who on earth would be interested in that? All that I have to say is to be found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bonnard/the-expression-on-my-face-who-on-earth-would-be-interested-in-that/) [Pierre Bonnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bonnard/) > [“Any strongly marked expression of face on the part of a chief actor in a scene of great interest to whom many eyes are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/any-strongly-marked-expression-of-face-on-the-part-of-a-chief-actor/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [He has the strangest expression on his face- the emotional equivalent of 404 PAGE NOT FOUND.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sloan/he-has-the-strangest-expression-on-his-face-the-emotional-equivalent/) [Robin Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sloan/) > [“Sometimes, there's this expression on his face, as if he cannot quite believe he got so lucky. I'm not sure what he's seeing when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/sometimes-there-s-this-expression-on-his-face-as-if-he-cannot-quite/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More by John Elder Robison > [“There are plenty of people in the world whose lives are governed by rote and routine. Such people will never be happy dealing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/there-are-plenty-of-people-in-the-world-whose-lives-are-governed-by/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [“I tried to show him things, but he didn't seem to study what I showed him. Usually, he just put whatever I handed him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/i-tried-to-show-him-things-but-he-didn-t-seem-to-study-what-i-showed/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [“(The only time making a fist around the fork helps is when you want to stab someone because he’s stealing your food. Now I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/the-only-time-making-a-fist-around-the-fork-helps-is-when-you-want-to/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [“We began reading books together. He loved Dr. Seuss. I read those books so often I could turn the pages and say the words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/we-began-reading-books-together-he-loved-dr-seuss-i-read-those-books/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [“Asperger’s is not a disease. It’s a way of being. There is no cure, nor is there a need for one. There is, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/asperger-s-is-not-a-disease-it-s-a-way-of-being-there-is-no-cure-nor/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [I don't really understsand why it's considered normal to stare at someone's eyeballs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/i-don-t-really-understsand-why-it-s-considered-normal-to-stare-at/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [“Individuals are labeled “different,” “geeky,” “abnormal,” or even “Aspergian” or “autistic” at a young age. Among other things, these labels suggest that the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/individuals-are-labeled-different-geeky-abnormal-or-even-aspergian-or/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [Building up a weakness just makes you less disabled. Building a strength can take you to the top of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/building-up-a-weakness-just-makes-you-less-disabled-building-a/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [“Sociopath” and “psycho” were two of the most common field diagnoses for my look and expression. I heard it all the time: “I’ve read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/sociopath-and-psycho-were-two-of-the-most-common-field-diagnoses-for/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [“Nice people like them by children like him and raise them as pets. But he didn't want to be a pet today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/nice-people-like-them-by-children-like-him-and-raise-them-as-pets-but/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [“Girls are the trickiest and most unpredictable creatures a fellow like me will ever talk to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/girls-are-the-trickiest-and-most-unpredictable-creatures-a-fellow/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [“Find Your Strengths and Interests”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/find-your-strengths-and-interests/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [This is a f\*\*\*ing mess," I said tactfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/this-is-a-f-ing-mess-i-said-tactfully/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [“I used to fear barking dogs. I would cringe and say to myself, 'Nice doggie please don't bite me I'll just go away,' but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/i-used-to-fear-barking-dogs-i-would-cringe-and-say-to-myself-nice/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) > [“Soon I was spending all my time in the basement, and I had moved from taking things apart to putting new things together. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elder-robison/soon-i-was-spending-all-my-time-in-the-basement-and-i-had-moved-from/) [John Elder Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) [Explore all 43 John Elder Robison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elder-robison/) ## More Emotion quotes > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Of course I like you. It's because I like you I don't wanna be with you. It's a complicated emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlin/of-course-i-like-you-it-s-because-i-like-you-i-don-t-wanna-be-with/) [Marlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlin/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [“Emotion as well as reason belongs to the very stuff of history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-smalley/emotion-as-well-as-reason-belongs-to-the-very-stuff-of-history/) [Beryl Smalley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-smalley/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [It is not my intention to explain Turkey, its culture and its problems. My literature has a universal concern: I want to bring people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/it-is-not-my-intention-to-explain-turkey-its-culture-and-its-problems/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [There cannot be any communication except through form. If there is no form, you cannot create emotion in the spectator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-resnais/there-cannot-be-any-communication-except-through-form-if-there-is-no/) [Alain Resnais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-resnais/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [ Music \[is\] the third rail of life. You grabbed it to shock yourself out of the dull drag of hours. To feel something. To… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/music-is-the-third-rail-of-life-you-grabbed-it-to-shock-yourself-out/) [Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/) > [“What if each time you experienced an emotion, you acknowledged it, accepted it, and became curious about its message for you (instead of trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/what-if-each-time-you-experienced-an-emotion-you-acknowledged-it/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) [Browse all 7,204 Emotion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In high school, I could recognize extremes of emotion. I knew enough to run if a guy came yelling and screaming at me with a baseball bat. But a girl with a subtle expression on her face … was she smiling at me? Laughing? Quizzical and curious? I had no idea. 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