--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For the most part people are not curious…" description: "\"For the most part people are not curious except about themselves.\" — John Steinbeck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/john-steinbeck-71_curiosity_for-the-most-part-people-are-not-curious_1179159.jpg" --- # For the most part people are not curious except about… ![“For the most part people are not curious except about themselves.” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/john-steinbeck-71_curiosity_for-the-most-part-people-are-not-curious_1179159.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/john-steinbeck-71_curiosity_for-the-most-part-people-are-not-curious_1179159.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/john-steinbeck-71_curiosity_for-the-most-part-people-are-not-curious_1179159.jpg) > “For the most part people are not curious except about themselves.” [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People tend to focus their curiosity inward, neglecting the world beyond their own experiences. **In simple terms:** People are mostly self‑focused. Key Takeaway Broaden your interest in others. Themes self‑awareness empathy human nature Mood reflective thoughtful Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - community work - education - media consumption Key Concepts psychology social behavior Questions to Reflect On - How can you shift curiosity from self to others? - What benefits arise from understanding others? A Different Perspective Self‑interest can motivate positive change when directed outward. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Curiosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiosity/) [Narcissism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narcissism/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [We're all naturally curious when we're eight years old. But as most people get older, they become less and less curious, so they ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-miriello/we-re-all-naturally-curious-when-we-re-eight-years-old-but-as-most/) Ron Miriello > [When you're changing centuries, people get curious about the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-sawyer/when-you-re-changing-centuries-people-get-curious-about-the-future/) [Robert J. Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-sawyer/) > [I think people will be curious to see what I can do as a dramatic actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/i-think-people-will-be-curious-to-see-what-i-can-do-as-a-dramatic/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [I'm interested in people. I'm curious about people, and of course we're curious about people whose work we respond to. So I'm not saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/i-m-interested-in-people-i-m-curious-about-people-and-of-course-we-re/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [I am not a sexy woman, I'm not beautiful, I'm not a sex kitten, I don't flirt with people, yet I've been tagged more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-manson/i-am-not-a-sexy-woman-i-m-not-beautiful-i-m-not-a-sex-kitten-i-don-t/) [Shirley Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-manson/) > [Naturally, people are curious about how my real mom feels about me having a TV mom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rico-rodriguez/naturally-people-are-curious-about-how-my-real-mom-feels-about-me/) [Rico Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rico-rodriguez/) > [People who build their own home tend to be very courageous. These people are curious about life. They're thinking about what it means to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-kundig/people-who-build-their-own-home-tend-to-be-very-courageous-these/) Tom Kundig > [“I remember clearly the deaths of three men. One was the richest man of the century, who, having clawed his way to wealth through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-remember-clearly-the-deaths-of-three-men-one-was-the-richest-man-of/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I think most people are curious about what it would be like to be able to meet yourself - -it's eerie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-turlington/i-think-most-people-are-curious-about-what-it-would-be-like-to-be/) [Christy Turlington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-turlington/) > [I think a lot of people are curious about what makes people do what they do, and I guess my curiosity isn't hidden in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-think-a-lot-of-people-are-curious-about-what-makes-people-do-what/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [People are curious and want to know about stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/people-are-curious-and-want-to-know-about-stuff/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) > [It's human nature to be curious about people, and to be more curious about young people than old people. We want to cheer something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-grant/it-s-human-nature-to-be-curious-about-people-and-to-be-more-curious/) [Amy Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-grant/) > [People are curious. A few people are. ... They will put things together, knowing all along that they may be mistaken. You see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/people-are-curious-a-few-people-are-they-will-put-things-together/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I like to talk about very different topics. I like to jump around a lot because I don't want people to come see me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-williams/i-like-to-talk-about-very-different-topics-i-like-to-jump-around-a/) [Brad Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-williams/) > [In the end, it's the people who are curious who change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-end-it-s-the-people-who-are-curious-who-change-the-world/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## More by John Steinbeck > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Prayer never brought in no side-meat. Takes a shoat to bring in pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/prayer-never-brought-in-no-side-meat-takes-a-shoat-to-bring-in-pork/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-submarines-are-armed-with-mass-murder-our-silly-only-way-of/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“He was forever inventing a new way of doing an old thing and doing it better and quicker, but he never in his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-was-forever-inventing-a-new-way-of-doing-an-old-thing-and-doing-it/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“You come back a changed man. Samuel, you don’t change him. He changes you. I can see the look of him in your face.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/you-come-back-a-changed-man-samuel-you-don-t-change-him-he-changes/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-find-out-of-long-experience-that-i-admire-all-nations-and-hate-all/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Who in his mind has not probe the dark water?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/who-in-his-mind-has-not-probe-the-dark-water/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [People like you to be something, preferably what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/people-like-you-to-be-something-preferably-what-they-are/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Suddenly he knew joy and sorrow felted into one fabric. Courage and fear were one thing too. He found that he had started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/suddenly-he-knew-joy-and-sorrow-felted-into-one-fabric-courage-and/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I am writing this from what we Americans call Yurrp. In Yurrp writers are taken as seriously as Lana Turner's legs are in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-am-writing-this-from-what-we-americans-call-yurrp-in-yurrp-writers/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I write because I like to write. I find joy in the texture and tone and rhythm of words. It is a satisfaction like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-write-because-i-like-to-write-i-find-joy-in-the-texture-and-tone/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Explore all 1,589 John Steinbeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More Curiosity quotes > [I'm a strange mixture of my mother's curiosity; my father, who grew up the son of the manse in a Presbyterian family, who had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/i-m-a-strange-mixture-of-my-mother-s-curiosity-my-father-who-grew-up/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [“Metal makes everything magical. Just ask a unicorn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybrina-durant/metal-makes-everything-magical-just-ask-a-unicorn/) [Sybrina Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybrina-durant/) > [ We have no clear ideas of the agency of \[demonic\] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of-demonic-spirits-nor-is-it/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Curiosity Can Kill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anison/curiosity-can-kill/) [Anison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anison/) > [“So curious you must be. Like little calves poking their heads through the fence with big eyes and a headful of curiosity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carew-papritz/so-curious-you-must-be-like-little-calves-poking-their-heads-through/) [Carew Papritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carew-papritz/) > [ “\[T\]he question "What is everything?" has no meaning, even though it seems to be profound. \[...\] The point is, perhaps, that I am not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/t-he-question-what-is-everything-has-no-meaning-even-though-it-seems/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [ By profession a biologist, \[Thomas Henry Huxley\] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-huxley-covered-in-fact-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [How do we know that we have a right to kill creatures that we are so little above, as dogs, for our curiosity or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/how-do-we-know-that-we-have-a-right-to-kill-creatures-that-we-are-so/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Be curious not judge mental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/be-curious-not-judge-mental/) Unknow > [There is nothing so carking as the pangs of unsatisfied curiosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/there-is-nothing-so-carking-as-the-pangs-of-unsatisfied-curiosity/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [Curiosity is the essence of human existence. 'Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?'... I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/curiosity-is-the-essence-of-human-existence-who-are-we-where-are-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes curiosity is a poison, not only for those who drink it but for everyone around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-norman-lippert/sometimes-curiosity-is-a-poison-not-only-for-those-who-drink-it-but/) [G. Norman Lippert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-norman-lippert/) > [As long as your curiosity is greater than your fear, you will move forward!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/as-long-as-your-curiosity-is-greater-than-your-fear-you-will-move/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it sure has earned a lot of people graduate degrees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-irving/curiosity-may-have-killed-the-cat-but-it-sure-has-earned-a-lot-of/) Robyn Irving [Browse all 2,721 Curiosity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiosity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For the most part people are not curious except about themselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Steinbeck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/for-the-most-part-people-are-not-curious-except-about-themselves/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Curiosity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/for-the-most-part-people-are-not-curious-except-about-themselves/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/john-steinbeck-71_curiosity_for-the-most-part-people-are-not-curious_1179159.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/john-steinbeck-71_curiosity_for-the-most-part-people-are-not-curious_1179159.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/john-steinbeck-71_curiosity_for-the-most-part-people-are-not-curious_1179159.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For the most part people are not curious except about themselves.” — John Steinbeck", "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 Steinbeck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For the most part people are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/for-the-most-part-people-are-not-curious-except-about-themselves/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/for-the-most-part-people-are-not-curious-except-about-themselves/#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 } } ] } ```