--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The conventional accept and are…" description: "\"“The conventional accept and are frequently charmed by a certain unconventionality.”\" — Julian Barnes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/julian-barnes-522_conventional_the-conventional-accept-and-are-frequent_112216.png" --- # The conventional accept and are frequently charmed by a… ![“The conventional accept and are frequently charmed by a certain unconventionality.” quote by Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/julian-barnes-522_conventional_the-conventional-accept-and-are-frequent_112216.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/julian-barnes-522_conventional_the-conventional-accept-and-are-frequent_112216.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/julian-barnes-522_conventional_the-conventional-accept-and-are-frequent_112216.png) > ““The conventional accept and are frequently charmed by a certain unconventionality.”” [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People are drawn to the allure of the unconventional, yet they often accept it only when it aligns with familiar expectations. **In simple terms:** We like the odd, but only when it feels safe. Key Takeaway Unconventional appeal depends on comfort. Themes conformity unconventionality psychology culture Mood wry observational Type analytical cultural When to use this quote - marketing a niche product - introducing avant‑garde art to mainstream audiences - political messaging that mixes novelty with tradition Key Concepts cognitive dissonance social acceptance Practical Applications - frame new ideas using familiar analogies - gradually introduce unconventional elements Questions to Reflect On - When does novelty become genuine change? - How can we recognize authentic unconventionality? A Different Perspective True innovation may require rejecting comfort altogether, not just tweaking it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certain Unconventionality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain-unconventionality-1329393/) [Conventional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conventional/) [Conventional Accept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conventional-accept-1329395/) [Frequently Charmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frequently-charmed-1329394/) [Unconventionality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unconventionality/) ## Related quotes > [“A person willing to fly in the face of reason, authority, and common sense must be a person of considerable self-assurance. Since he occurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/a-person-willing-to-fly-in-the-face-of-reason-authority-and-common/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Unconventionality is no longer a taboo. It is being applauded and celebrated by both the classes and the masses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherlyn-chopra/unconventionality-is-no-longer-a-taboo-it-is-being-applauded-and/) [Sherlyn Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherlyn-chopra/) > [If it weren't for the unconventionality of my desires, my mind might never have been forced to reckon with my body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/if-it-weren-t-for-the-unconventionality-of-my-desires-my-mind-might/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [“When people say they do not care what others think of them, for the most part they deceive themselves. Generally they mean only that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-think-of-them-for-the-3/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [When people say they do not care what others think of them, for the most part they deceive themselves. Generally they mean only that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-think-of-them-for-the-2/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“When people say they do not care what others think of them, for the most part they deceive themselves. Generally they mean only that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-think-of-them-for-the/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [“It is not difficult to stand above the conventions when we leave no hostages among them; men can always be more unconventional than women,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/it-is-not-difficult-to-stand-above-the-conventions-when-we-leave-no/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [The truth is, I often like women. I like their unconventionality. I like their completeness. I like their anonymity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-truth-is-i-often-like-women-i-like-their-unconventionality-i-like/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [It is not difficult to be unconventional in the eyes of the world when your unconventionality is but the convention of your set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/it-is-not-difficult-to-be-unconventional-in-the-eyes-of-the-world/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [My father was in real estate, banking, and land management. As family life, it was very conventional, happy, and comfortable. We weren't wealthy, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/my-father-was-in-real-estate-banking-and-land-management-as-family/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [Because investors are not usually penalized for adhering to conventional practices, doing so is the less professionally risky strategy, even though it virtually guarantees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/because-investors-are-not-usually-penalized-for-adhering-to/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [Contrarian thinking at its best simply asks, Is this really true? It speaks up when the politically correct answer or the conventional wisdom doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-osborne/contrarian-thinking-at-its-best-simply-asks-is-this-really-true-it/) [Larry Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-osborne/) > [Conventional agriculture has never succeeded in feeding the world, and it's never produced anything good to eat. For the future, we need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/conventional-agriculture-has-never-succeeded-in-feeding-the-world-and/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) > [A language possesses utility only insofar as it can construct conventional boundaries. A language of no boundaries is no language at all, and thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/a-language-possesses-utility-only-insofar-as-it-can-construct/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) ## More by Julian Barnes > [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-things-that-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“I settled into a contented routine of working, spending my free time with Veronica and, back in my student room, wanking explosively to fantasies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-settled-into-a-contented-routine-of-working-spending-my-free-time/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonorably, foolishly, viciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/the-greatest-patriotism-is-to-tell-your-country-when-it-is-behaving/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“There is only good vodka and very good vodka—there is no such thing as bad vodka.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/there-is-only-good-vodka-and-very-good-vodka-there-is-no-such-thing/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [Alice Munro can move characters through time in a way that no other writer can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/alice-munro-can-move-characters-through-time-in-a-way-that-no-other/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [How rarely do our emotions meet the object they seem to deserve? How hopelessly we signal; how dark the sky; how big the waves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/how-rarely-do-our-emotions-meet-the-object-they-seem-to-deserve-how/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [You put together two people who have not been put together before. Sometimes it is like that first attempt to harness a hydrogen balloon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-people-who-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Also, when you are young, you think you can predict the likely pains and bleaknesses that age might bring. You imagine yourself being lonely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/also-when-you-are-young-you-think-you-can-predict-the-likely-pains/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Why slum it where people were burdened by yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that? By history? Here, on the Island,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/why-slum-it-where-people-were-burdened-by-yesterday-and-the-day/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“In those years before mobile phones, email and Skype, travelers depended on the rudimentary communications system known as the postcard. Other methods--the long-distance phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-those-years-before-mobile-phones-email-and-skype-travelers/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“My train was late, slowed by the usual Sunday engineering work. I got home in the early evening. I remember that I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/my-train-was-late-slowed-by-the-usual-sunday-engineering-work-i-got/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [In life, every ending is just the start of another story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-life-every-ending-is-just-the-start-of-another-story/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Indeed, isn’t the whole business of ascribing responsibility kind of a cop-out? We want to blame an individual so that everyone else is exculpated.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/indeed-isn-t-the-whole-business-of-ascribing-responsibility-kind-of-a/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [Some of the freckles I once loved are now closer to liver spots. But it’s still the eyes we look at, isn’t it? That’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/some-of-the-freckles-i-once-loved-are-now-closer-to-liver-spots-but/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“And what percentage of people take up the option to die off?’ She looked at me, her glance telling me to be calm. ‘Oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/and-what-percentage-of-people-take-up-the-option-to-die-off-she/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Explore all 454 Julian Barnes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) ## More Conventional quotes > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [A language possesses utility only insofar as it can construct conventional boundaries. A language of no boundaries is no language at all, and thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/a-language-possesses-utility-only-insofar-as-it-can-construct/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [Conventional agriculture has never succeeded in feeding the world, and it's never produced anything good to eat. For the future, we need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/conventional-agriculture-has-never-succeeded-in-feeding-the-world-and/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) > [Contrarian thinking at its best simply asks, Is this really true? It speaks up when the politically correct answer or the conventional wisdom doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-osborne/contrarian-thinking-at-its-best-simply-asks-is-this-really-true-it/) [Larry Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-osborne/) > [Because investors are not usually penalized for adhering to conventional practices, doing so is the less professionally risky strategy, even though it virtually guarantees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/because-investors-are-not-usually-penalized-for-adhering-to/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [My father was in real estate, banking, and land management. As family life, it was very conventional, happy, and comfortable. We weren't wealthy, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/my-father-was-in-real-estate-banking-and-land-management-as-family/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [Our Christian faith is actually very subversive of the conventional notion of success - the notion that what invests a person with worth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/our-christian-faith-is-actually-very-subversive-of-the-conventional/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [I think you will learn to be natural with me, as I find it impossible to be conventional with you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/i-think-you-will-learn-to-be-natural-with-me-as-i-find-it-impossible/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [What's different now is that while political leaders used to give talking points to talk radio, now talk-radio hosts are giving talking points to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/what-s-different-now-is-that-while-political-leaders-used-to-give/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [Some days, I think maybe we should try and be a little more conventional, but every time I try, I fail, so I'm learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/some-days-i-think-maybe-we-should-try-and-be-a-little-more/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [The vision of extraordinary achievement is,by definition, a few steps beyond consensus and conventional logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/the-vision-of-extraordinary-achievement-is-by-definition-a-few-steps/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [“Can you make me remember the conventional way?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-ellen-malpas/can-you-make-me-remember-the-conventional-way/) [Jodi Ellen Malpas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-ellen-malpas/) > [Nobody can live in society without conventions. The reason why sensible people are as conventional as they can bear to be is that conventionality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/nobody-can-live-in-society-without-conventions-the-reason-why/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Currency speculation-over a trillion dollars a day-is a tax-free activity. The notion of a tax on "day trades" or other speculative swaps was revived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kierans/currency-speculation-over-a-trillion-dollars-a-day-is-a-tax-free/) [Eric Kierans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kierans/) > [Fear is a problem with film music and films; people want to be conventional, and there's more commercialism today. If you are not daring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-north/fear-is-a-problem-with-film-music-and-films-people-want-to-be/) [Alex North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-north/) [Browse all 742 Conventional quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conventional/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The conventional accept and are frequently charmed by a certain unconventionality.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julian Barnes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/the-conventional-accept-and-are-frequently-charmed-by-a-certain/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conventional" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/the-conventional-accept-and-are-frequently-charmed-by-a-certain/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/julian-barnes-522_conventional_the-conventional-accept-and-are-frequent_112216.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/julian-barnes-522_conventional_the-conventional-accept-and-are-frequent_112216.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/048/julian-barnes-522_conventional_the-conventional-accept-and-are-frequent_112216.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The conventional accept and are frequently charmed by a certain unconventionality.” — Julian Barnes", "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": "Julian Barnes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The conventional accept and are frequently...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/the-conventional-accept-and-are-frequently-charmed-by-a-certain/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/the-conventional-accept-and-are-frequently-charmed-by-a-certain/#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 } } ] } ```