--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I could try to pretend that I didn't care…" description: "\"“I could try to pretend that I didn't care anymore, but it could never be true again.”\" — John Green" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-green-12_pretend_i-could-try-to-pretend-that-i-didn-t-car_102085.jpg" --- # I could try to pretend that I didn't care anymore, but it… ![“I could try to pretend that I didn't care anymore, but it could never be true again.” quote by John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-green-12_pretend_i-could-try-to-pretend-that-i-didn-t-car_102085.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-green-12_pretend_i-could-try-to-pretend-that-i-didn-t-car_102085.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-green-12_pretend_i-could-try-to-pretend-that-i-didn-t-car_102085.jpg) > ““I could try to pretend that I didn't care anymore, but it could never be true again.”” [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Denial of lingering feelings is unsustainable; emotional truth resurfaces despite attempts to feign indifference. **In simple terms:** You can't truly stop caring once you care. Key Takeaway Emotions persist beyond conscious suppression. Themes emotional honesty self-awareness psychology Mood melancholy reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - ending a friendship - post‑breakup coping - grieving a loss Key Concepts cognitive dissonance attachment theory Practical Applications - journaling to acknowledge feelings - talking with a trusted friend Questions to Reflect On - Why do we sometimes choose to hide our true feelings? - What are the costs of emotional suppression? A Different Perspective Sometimes pretending indifference can protect oneself temporarily, though it may delay necessary processing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I could try to pretend that I didn't care anymore, but it could never be true again. You can't just make yourself matter, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-could-try-to-pretend-that-i-didn-t-care-anymore-but-it-could-never-3/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Forgiveness doesn't mean we have to pretend someone didn't hurt us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-h-pearce/forgiveness-doesn-t-mean-we-have-to-pretend-someone-didn-t-hurt-us/) [Virginia H. Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-h-pearce/) > [“If I pretend … If I pretend I didn’t do those things, it means that I can’t have grown to become someone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/if-i-pretend-if-i-pretend-i-didn-t-do-those-things-it-means-that-i/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Life sucks. That's the truth. Here's what i don't get: why does everyone always try to pretend that it doesn't?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gemeinhart/life-sucks-that-s-the-truth-here-s-what-i-don-t-get-why-does-everyone/) Dan Gemeinhart > [There's only so much 'cool' you can try and pretend to be, before everyone realises you're not actually that cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/there-s-only-so-much-cool-you-can-try-and-pretend-to-be-before/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [How could I possibly try to pretend the sunlight doesn’t exist, now that it’s taken so much of me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pearce/how-could-i-possibly-try-to-pretend-the-sunlight-doesn-t-exist-now/) [Jackson Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pearce/) > [I'm too busy to try to pretend to be somebody else, I don't have that kind of bandwidth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-serhant/i-m-too-busy-to-try-to-pretend-to-be-somebody-else-i-don-t-have-that/) [Ryan Serhant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-serhant/) > [I just try not to pretend to be something I'm not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-muller/i-just-try-not-to-pretend-to-be-something-i-m-not/) [Thomas Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-muller/) > [I don't try to be something I'm not, I don't try to pretend that I'm something I'm not, I don't try to present myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuano/i-don-t-try-to-be-something-i-m-not-i-don-t-try-to-pretend-that-i-m/) [Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/) > [He didn't care about the others anymore. The chaos around him seemed to siphon away his humanity, turn him into an animal. All he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/he-didn-t-care-about-the-others-anymore-the-chaos-around-him-seemed/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [“I wanted the bitch to know I didn't care anymore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-pelzer/i-wanted-the-bitch-to-know-i-didn-t-care-anymore/) [David Pelzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-pelzer/) > [“He didn't care who I was anymore. He just wondered, when he could have me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-mani/he-didn-t-care-who-i-was-anymore-he-just-wondered-when-he-could-have/) [A. Mani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-mani/) > [It was tough attempting to be social with people who'd rather pretend you didn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-brewer/it-was-tough-attempting-to-be-social-with-people-who-d-rather-pretend/) [Heather Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-brewer/) > [sometimes the best thing to do is to pretend it didn't happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/sometimes-the-best-thing-to-do-is-to-pretend-it-didn-t-happen/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) > [Acting was something that just came along. But I made good money, so it wasn't something I was just going to put aside and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-russell/acting-was-something-that-just-came-along-but-i-made-good-money-so-it/) [Kurt Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-russell/) ## More by John Green > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I just want to stay away from people and read books and think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-just-want-to-stay-away-from-people-and-read-books-and-think/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [She smiled with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning and said, "Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die." -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-smiled-with-all-the-delight-of-a-kid-on-christmas-morning-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [A Margo for each of us--and each more mirror than window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-margo-for-each-of-us-and-each-more-mirror-than-window/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“No one ever says good-bye unless they want to see you again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-one-ever-says-good-bye-unless-they-want-to-see-you-again/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Traffic's not too bad on Sheridan, and I'm cornering the car like it's the Indy 500, and we're listening to my favorite NMH song,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/traffic-s-not-too-bad-on-sheridan-and-i-m-cornering-the-car-like-it-s/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Praise God for good nurses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/praise-god-for-good-nurses/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Nothing has ever looked like that ever in all of human history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/nothing-has-ever-looked-like-that-ever-in-all-of-human-history/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“said to him quietly, as if I couldn’t hear or something. Dad was about to respond but I interrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/said-to-him-quietly-as-if-i-couldn-t-hear-or-something-dad-was-about/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“He was hot. A nonhotboy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-was-hot-a-nonhotboy-stares-at-you-relentlessly-and-it-is-at-best/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia. (...) You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/imagining-the-future-is-a-kind-of-nostalgia-you-spend-your-whole-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) [Explore all 3,614 John Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More Pretend quotes > [I don't try to be something I'm not, I don't try to pretend that I'm something I'm not, I don't try to present myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuano/i-don-t-try-to-be-something-i-m-not-i-don-t-try-to-pretend-that-i-m/) [Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [“Why don't we have a little game? Let's pretend that we're human beings, and that we're actually alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-osborne/why-don-t-we-have-a-little-game-let-s-pretend-that-we-re-human-beings/) [John Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-osborne/) > [I pretend not to teach, but to inquire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/i-pretend-not-to-teach-but-to-inquire/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [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/) > [Why is it that anyone can pretend to be someone there not and never be someone they are?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akeem/why-is-it-that-anyone-can-pretend-to-be-someone-there-not-and-never/) Akeem > [Act your age dont pretend to be older than you are, give yourself time to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/act-your-age-dont-pretend-to-be-older-than-you-are-give-yourself-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's hard to pretend you don't care about someone when really there all you think about](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-hard-to-pretend-you-don-t-care-about-someone-when-really-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Yeah, okay, Brenna. You wanna pretend like you and me aren’t what we are, that’s fine. I’m not gonna pretend. I’m not takin’ your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-jacquelyn/yeah-okay-brenna-you-wanna-pretend-like-you-and-me-aren-t-what-we-are/) [Nicole Jacquelyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-jacquelyn/) > [Wear flats. You're short. It's much cooler not to pretend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alber-elbaz/wear-flats-you-re-short-it-s-much-cooler-not-to-pretend/) [Alber Elbaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alber-elbaz/) > [“I didn't normally talk this way: but sometimes you have to pretend to be an innocent child to learn something about the complicated world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brock-clarke/i-didn-t-normally-talk-this-way-but-sometimes-you-have-to-pretend-to/) [Brock Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brock-clarke/) > [Let's not pretend we have too much of a democracy here, because we don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-van-zandt/let-s-not-pretend-we-have-too-much-of-a-democracy-here-because-we-don/) [Steven Van Zandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-van-zandt/) > [Don't be ashamed if you don't like what others pretend to love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/don-t-be-ashamed-if-you-don-t-like-what-others-pretend-to-love/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [We must be careful about what we pretend to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/we-must-be-careful-about-what-we-pretend-to-be/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“the best way to avoid having your heart broken was to pretend you don’t have one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/the-best-way-to-avoid-having-your-heart-broken-was-to-pretend-you-don/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) Browse all 1,466 Pretend quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I could try to pretend that I didn't care anymore, but it could never be true again.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Green" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-could-try-to-pretend-that-i-didn-t-care-anymore-but-it-could-never/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Pretend" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-could-try-to-pretend-that-i-didn-t-care-anymore-but-it-could-never/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-green-12_pretend_i-could-try-to-pretend-that-i-didn-t-car_102085.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-green-12_pretend_i-could-try-to-pretend-that-i-didn-t-car_102085.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/john-green-12_pretend_i-could-try-to-pretend-that-i-didn-t-car_102085.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I could try to pretend that I didn't care anymore, but it could never be true again.” — John Green", "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": "John Green", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I could try to pretend that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-could-try-to-pretend-that-i-didn-t-care-anymore-but-it-could-never/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-could-try-to-pretend-that-i-didn-t-care-anymore-but-it-could-never/#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 } } ] } ```