--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You see, humans shrunk themselves when…" description: "\"“You see, humans shrunk themselves when talking. Traditionally, one must succumb to the correspondence of politeness and must be careful not to step ov..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b9/karl-kristian-flores-16016_awkwardness_you-see-humans-shrunk-themselves-when-ta_2114790.jpg" --- # You see, humans shrunk themselves when talking… ![“You see, humans shrunk themselves when talking. Traditionally, one must succumb to the correspondence of politeness and must be careful not to step over anyone’s toes. This meant nodding your head at rather unthoughtful, sporadic moments, raising your voice an octave, and repeating the last few…” quote by Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b9/karl-kristian-flores-16016_awkwardness_you-see-humans-shrunk-themselves-when-ta_2114790.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b9/karl-kristian-flores-16016_awkwardness_you-see-humans-shrunk-themselves-when-ta_2114790.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b9/karl-kristian-flores-16016_awkwardness_you-see-humans-shrunk-themselves-when-ta_2114790.jpg) > ““You see, humans shrunk themselves when talking. Traditionally, one must succumb to the correspondence of politeness and must be careful not to step over anyone’s toes. This meant nodding your head at rather unthoughtful, sporadic moments, raising your voice an octave, and repeating the last few words a person said to assure them that you were respectfully listening. Everyone shrunk, but she kept. If she did not want to listen, Soriah would tell you. If she didn’t know what you were saying, she’d stop you and ask you to repeat yourself. Many people didn’t like that. It was a difficult, naked territory to be in—to be told by someone they weren’t listening to you, but she was a conversational nudist. Soriah withstood the awkwardness of confrontation, the nervousness of acknowledgment, and lived in it, and almost enjoyed it. Even if you tried, no preparation could ever prepare you in a conversation with her. She was point-blank. Her beauty was that of a certain wildness and her choice of conversation was just as predictable as the heartbeat in your chest in which she too controlled.”” [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage describes a person who refuses to feign politeness, instead demanding genuine listening and confronting awkwardness directly. **In simple terms:** A woman forces honest conversation, rejecting superficial politeness. Key Takeaway Embrace directness and demand clarity in dialogue. Themes communication authenticity confrontation social norms listening Mood reflective challenging introspective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - team meetings - customer service - personal relationships - conflict resolution - public speaking Key Concepts social dynamics power of psychology assertiveness interpersonal honesty Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance honesty with empathy? - When is it appropriate to challenge superficial politeness? A Different Perspective Some may find bluntness rude or damaging to relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awkwardness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awkwardness/) [Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blunt/) [Bluntness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bluntness/) [Charisma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charisma/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Confrontation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confrontation/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Conversations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversations/) [Listening Conversational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening-conversational-4286665/) [Listening Shrunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening-shrunk-4286664/) [Nervousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervousness/) [Prepare Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prepare-conversation-4286666/) [Shrunk Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shrunk-talking-4286663/) [Shyness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shyness/) [The-goodbye-song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-goodbye-song/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“We tend to chew life into pieces to make it easier for us to swallow, but the challenge is to know that life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/we-tend-to-chew-life-into-pieces-to-make-it-easier-for-us-to-swallow/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“Death is the ultimate vacation: you’re with the stars, you don’t have to pay rent, everyone loves you, and nothing hurts. 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If you still want us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/come-with-me-don-t-look-at-me-like-that-i-know-it-s-ridiculous-and/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“Beneath the nice book cover, camera angles, format of the page, size of the canvas, sound of the song – was someone with something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/beneath-the-nice-book-cover-camera-angles-format-of-the-page-size-of/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“We only knew each other for a day or so, but how many good days do we really have, you know?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/we-only-knew-each-other-for-a-day-or-so-but-how-many-good-days-do-we/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“We are our own art. If everything else fails, it’s all we have. And that’s pretty great.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/we-are-our-own-art-if-everything-else-fails-it-s-all-we-have-and-that/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“Some people’s routines are so consistent, their shits are the same. Dammit, if you’ve been pooping the same smooth shits for a month, you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/some-people-s-routines-are-so-consistent-their-shits-are-the-same/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“Society: Beware of missing persons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/society-beware-of-missing-persons/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“Phoebe makes her way and leaves. Grant is frozen. A whole minute goes by. Then, he reaches forward, clutching the air that used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/phoebe-makes-her-way-and-leaves-grant-is-frozen-a-whole-minute-goes/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“How are you? Did you ever go to Brazil? What do you eat in a day? Are you off the pills? Did you find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/how-are-you-did-you-ever-go-to-brazil-what-do-you-eat-in-a-day-are/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“Do you have an opinion or did you just become everyone else?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/do-you-have-an-opinion-or-did-you-just-become-everyone-else/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“It seems like a long time, but what are nine years except for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and thinking about the past?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/it-seems-like-a-long-time-but-what-are-nine-years-except-for/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“And when we go to sleep, we ought to greet the bed completely out of breath from the day. We must have tree sap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/and-when-we-go-to-sleep-we-ought-to-greet-the-bed-completely-out-of/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“We discard the elderly, but the elderly used to discard the elderly. Those old people we tease are just listening to our insults and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/we-discard-the-elderly-but-the-elderly-used-to-discard-the-elderly/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) ## More by Karl Kristian Flores > [“We tend to chew life into pieces to make it easier for us to swallow, but the challenge is to know that life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/we-tend-to-chew-life-into-pieces-to-make-it-easier-for-us-to-swallow/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“And when we go to sleep, we ought to greet the bed completely out of breath from the day. We must have tree sap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/and-when-we-go-to-sleep-we-ought-to-greet-the-bed-completely-out-of/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“It seems like a long time, but what are nine years except for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and thinking about the past?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/it-seems-like-a-long-time-but-what-are-nine-years-except-for/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“Do you have an opinion or did you just become everyone else?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/do-you-have-an-opinion-or-did-you-just-become-everyone-else/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“But imagine,” said Mars, “being a comet. I want you to imagine a divine force in someone that pushes them through the world, infinitely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/but-imagine-said-mars-being-a-comet-i-want-you-to-imagine-a-divine/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“Just because they write something In this font And break apart their lines To rhyme To dramatize To imitate Doesn’t make what they say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/just-because-they-write-something-in-this-font-and-break-apart-their/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“How are you? Did you ever go to Brazil? What do you eat in a day? Are you off the pills? Did you find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/how-are-you-did-you-ever-go-to-brazil-what-do-you-eat-in-a-day-are/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“Phoebe makes her way and leaves. Grant is frozen. A whole minute goes by. Then, he reaches forward, clutching the air that used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/phoebe-makes-her-way-and-leaves-grant-is-frozen-a-whole-minute-goes/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“Society: Beware of missing persons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/society-beware-of-missing-persons/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“Come on, dream...' he dreamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/come-on-dream-he-dreamed/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“Some people’s routines are so consistent, their shits are the same. Dammit, if you’ve been pooping the same smooth shits for a month, you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/some-people-s-routines-are-so-consistent-their-shits-are-the-same/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“We are our own art. If everything else fails, it’s all we have. And that’s pretty great.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/we-are-our-own-art-if-everything-else-fails-it-s-all-we-have-and-that/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“We only knew each other for a day or so, but how many good days do we really have, you know?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/we-only-knew-each-other-for-a-day-or-so-but-how-many-good-days-do-we/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“I wish I hadn't met you in the rain: it comes every winter. I wish you hadn't told me your favorite wine: I've become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/i-wish-i-hadn-t-met-you-in-the-rain-it-comes-every-winter-i-wish-you/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) > [“Beneath the nice book cover, camera angles, format of the page, size of the canvas, sound of the song – was someone with something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kristian-flores/beneath-the-nice-book-cover-camera-angles-format-of-the-page-size-of/) [Karl Kristian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) [Explore all 41 Karl Kristian Flores quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kristian-flores/) ## More Awkwardness quotes > [Well, my intention is to make work about being uncomfortable. About being in a world that isn't always the world you want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/well-my-intention-is-to-make-work-about-being-uncomfortable-about/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [It's awkward doing it with anybody, but it's like Twister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/it-s-awkward-doing-it-with-anybody-but-it-s-like-twister/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [To combat social awkwardness, I would just act like I couldn't be bothered - that kind of aloof persona or aloof demeanor. It's so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/to-combat-social-awkwardness-i-would-just-act-like-i-couldn-t-be/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [“Awkwardness, thy name is vampire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/awkwardness-thy-name-is-vampire/) [Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/) > [“What can one do with one's hands when the camera is interested in other things?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/what-can-one-do-with-one-s-hands-when-the-camera-is-interested-in/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [I work from awkwardness. By that I mean I don't like to arrange things. If I stand in front of something, instead of arranging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/i-work-from-awkwardness-by-that-i-mean-i-don-t-like-to-arrange-things/) [Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/) > [I never wish to offend, but I am so foolishly shy, that I often seem negligent, when I am only kept back by my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/i-never-wish-to-offend-but-i-am-so-foolishly-shy-that-i-often-seem/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [God may forgive sins, he said, but awkwardness has no forgiveness in heaven or earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/god-may-forgive-sins-he-said-but-awkwardness-has-no-forgiveness-in/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I can't flirt, so I'll just seduce you with my awkwardness: xDDD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel/i-can-t-flirt-so-i-ll-just-seduce-you-with-my-awkwardness-xddd/) [Rachel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel/) > [They meet in the girls' bathroom. The last time they were forced to meet in a place like this, they took separate, isolated stalls.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/they-meet-in-the-girls-bathroom-the-last-time-they-were-forced-to/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [My position in life has always been to be that person in the room who can make the conversation and break down any awkwardness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-narstie/my-position-in-life-has-always-been-to-be-that-person-in-the-room-who/) [Big Narstie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-narstie/) > [“Perhaps anything that he did would have pleased Lucy, but his awkwardness went straight to her heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/perhaps-anything-that-he-did-would-have-pleased-lucy-but-his/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“Grace and chocolate cake can cover a world of awkwardness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jo-baker/grace-and-chocolate-cake-can-cover-a-world-of-awkwardness/) [Lisa-Jo Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jo-baker/) > [The finest manners in the world are awkwardness and fatuity when contrasted with a finer intelligence. They appear but as the fashions of past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-finest-manners-in-the-world-are-awkwardness-and-fatuity-when/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There's an attraction to emotional clusters or hypocrisies or awkwardness. A desire to expose something or point at something that's already poking out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-chang/there-s-an-attraction-to-emotional-clusters-or-hypocrisies-or/) [Victoria Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-chang/) [Browse all 278 Awkwardness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awkwardness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You see, humans shrunk themselves when talking. Traditionally, one must succumb to the correspondence of politeness and must be careful not to step over anyone’s toes. This meant nodding your head at rather unthoughtful, sporadic moments, raising your voice an octave, and repeating the last few words a person said to assure them that you were respectfully listening. Everyone shrunk, but she kept. If she did not want to listen, Soriah would tell you. If she didn’t know what you were saying, she’d stop you and ask you to repeat yourself. Many people didn’t like that. It was a difficult, naked territory to be in—to be told by someone they weren’t listening to you, but she was a conversational nudist. Soriah withstood the awkwardness of confrontation, the nervousness of acknowledgment, and lived in it, and almost enjoyed it. Even if you tried, no preparation could ever prepare you in a conversation with her. She was point-blank. 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