--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People are not two-thirds one thing and…" description: "\"“People are not two-thirds one thing and the remainder something else. Temperament, personality, or outlook don’t divide quite like that. The bits don’..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e3/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_identity_people-are-not-two-thirds-one-thing-and_684145.jpg" --- # People are not two-thirds one thing and the remainder… ![“People are not two-thirds one thing and the remainder something else. Temperament, personality, or outlook don’t divide quite like that. The bits don’t separate clearly. You end up a funny homogeneous mixture. This is something that will become more common in the latter part of the century—people…” quote by Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e3/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_identity_people-are-not-two-thirds-one-thing-and_684145.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e3/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_identity_people-are-not-two-thirds-one-thing-and_684145.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e3/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_identity_people-are-not-two-thirds-one-thing-and_684145.jpg) > ““People are not two-thirds one thing and the remainder something else. Temperament, personality, or outlook don’t divide quite like that. The bits don’t separate clearly. You end up a funny homogeneous mixture. This is something that will become more common in the latter part of the century—people with mixed cultural backgrounds, and mixed racial backgrounds. That’s the way the world is going.”” [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human identity is a blend of many traits and cultures, not neatly divided parts. **In simple terms:** People are mixed, not split. Key Takeaway Embrace complexity and diversity. Themes identity diversity culture psychology future trends Mood reflective thoughtful optimistic Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - multicultural workplaces - global education - community building - personal relationships - policy making Key Concepts intersectionality cultural hybridity social integration Questions to Reflect On - How does mixed heritage shape personal worldview? - What challenges arise when societies emphasize pure categories? A Different Perspective Complex identities can cause social friction and identity confusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cultural Backgrounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultural-backgrounds-3663961/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Mixed Cultural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mixed-cultural-5408185/) [Mixed Racial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mixed-racial-4443073/) [Mixture Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mixture-common-3345523/) [People Mixed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-mixed-320510/) ## Related quotes > [I'm thankful to be a mixed racial person in skateboarding. I'm part Japanese too, so when I go over to Japan everyone loves me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nyjah-huston/i-m-thankful-to-be-a-mixed-racial-person-in-skateboarding-i-m-part/) [Nyjah Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nyjah-huston/) > [We want to make tennis look like America when it comes to cultural backgrounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-adams/we-want-to-make-tennis-look-like-america-when-it-comes-to-cultural/) [Katrina Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-adams/) > [Poetry is a mixture of common sense, which not all have, with an uncommon sense, which very few have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-masefield/poetry-is-a-mixture-of-common-sense-which-not-all-have-with-an/) [John Masefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-masefield/) > [I really am one of those people who are mixed on many issues and can see many legitimate sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyl-attkisson/i-really-am-one-of-those-people-who-are-mixed-on-many-issues-and-can/) [Sharyl Attkisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharyl-attkisson/) > [ Those were the places where many people mixed if they wanted to mix, which was against the law \[Immorality Act of 1927\]. My mother… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/those-were-the-places-where-many-people-mixed-if-they-wanted-to-mix/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [It's not even about black and white anymore, because so many people are from mixed backgrounds and mixed ethnicities, and it's just a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/it-s-not-even-about-black-and-white-anymore-because-so-many-people/) [George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/) > [I see it happen in uniracial congregations all the time. But people - when they're in mixed company, we speak differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/i-see-it-happen-in-uniracial-congregations-all-the-time-but-people/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [I feel like I come from a smaller off shoot of black people because I am mixed. People say I'm African American but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-rudolph/i-feel-like-i-come-from-a-smaller-off-shoot-of-black-people-because-i/) [Maya Rudolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-rudolph/) > [“...living here, you don't know anything about white people. Where I'm from, everything is mixed. In Atlanta, at least out here where we stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tayari-jones/living-here-you-don-t-know-anything-about-white-people-where-i-m-from/) [Tayari Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tayari-jones/) > [The people I mixed with in Monaco didn't relate to my South African mentality or humor... Although I have met some wonderful people since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlene-princess-of-monaco/the-people-i-mixed-with-in-monaco-didn-t-relate-to-my-south-african/) [Charlene, Princess of Monaco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlene-princess-of-monaco/) > [It's funny, but people still get us mixed up. They come up to me and say, 'Gee, we still remember how great you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-coogan/it-s-funny-but-people-still-get-us-mixed-up-they-come-up-to-me-and/) [Jackie Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-coogan/) > [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) ## More by Kazuo Ishiguro > [The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/the-evening-s-the-best-part-of-the-day-you-ve-done-your-day-s-work/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [As a writer, I'm more interested in what people tell themselves happened rather than what actually happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/as-a-writer-i-m-more-interested-in-what-people-tell-themselves/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“About him and his wife voting for different parties. A few years ago that would have been unthinkable.” “No doubt.” “Quite extraordinary the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/about-him-and-his-wife-voting-for-different-parties-a-few-years-ago/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“But what is the sense in forever speculating what might have happened had such and such a moment turned out differently? One could presumably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/but-what-is-the-sense-in-forever-speculating-what-might-have-happened/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“Silence is just as likely to indicate the most profound ideas forming, the deepest energies being summoned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/silence-is-just-as-likely-to-indicate-the-most-profound-ideas-forming/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“I don't know why, but it didn't seem an option for more than one of us to storm off, and I wanted to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-don-t-know-why-but-it-didn-t-seem-an-option-for-more-than-one-of-us/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [Our family arrived in England in 1960. At that time I thought the war was ancient history. But if I think of 15 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/our-family-arrived-in-england-in-1960-at-that-time-i-thought-the-war/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [He chose a certain path in life, it proved to be a misguided one, but there, he chose it, he can say that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/he-chose-a-certain-path-in-life-it-proved-to-be-a-misguided-one-but/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“For however one may come in later years to reassess one’s achievements, it is always a consolation to know that one’s life has contained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/for-however-one-may-come-in-later-years-to-reassess-one-s/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [You're always in a rush, or else you're too exhausted to have a proper conversation. Soon enough, the long hours, the traveling, the broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/you-re-always-in-a-rush-or-else-you-re-too-exhausted-to-have-a-proper/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [I don't think it's any fun, even if you are one of the most respected authors in the world like Margaret Atwood, to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-don-t-think-it-s-any-fun-even-if-you-are-one-of-the-most-respected/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [I think it's quite difficult to understand what kind of life a writer leads. They might be millionaires, or they might be starving people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-think-it-s-quite-difficult-to-understand-what-kind-of-life-a-writer/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“But this small episode is as good an illustration as any of the hazards of uttering witticisms. By the very nature of a witticism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/but-this-small-episode-is-as-good-an-illustration-as-any-of-the/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [There comes a point when you can more or less count the number of books you're going to write before you die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/there-comes-a-point-when-you-can-more-or-less-count-the-number-of/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [My wife is the most savage critic. She doesn't feel intimidated by my reputation. As far as she's concerned, she's just criticising a boyfriend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/my-wife-is-the-most-savage-critic-she-doesn-t-feel-intimidated-by-my/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) [Explore all 292 Kazuo Ishiguro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) ## More Identity quotes > [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think everybody, or the great majority of human beings, have this aspiration to become other: to live a different identity, at least for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-think-everybody-or-the-great-majority-of-human-beings-have-this/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/the-language-we-share-is-at-the-core-of-our-identity-as-citizens-and/) [S. I. Hayakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-i-hayakawa/) > [Tell me how much a nation knows about its own language, and I will tell you how much that nation knows about its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ciardi/tell-me-how-much-a-nation-knows-about-its-own-language-and-i-will/) [John Ciardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ciardi/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-intoxication-of-the-ego-of-i-am/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [“Self-realization or self-knowing or awakening is about knowing/ becoming conscious of our true nature and living in harmony with the universe in an ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-vazhakunnathu/self-realization-or-self-knowing-or-awakening-is-about-knowing/) [Thomas Vazhakunnathu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-vazhakunnathu/) > [“There are some things that one individual can do for another, and there are some things that one race can do for another. But,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/there-are-some-things-that-one-individual-can-do-for-another-and/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [“Why were there no words that spoke positively about being concerned about the self? Why was there only negative connotation in terms like "selfish",…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-dalton/why-were-there-no-words-that-spoke-positively-about-being-concerned/) [A.J. Dalton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-dalton/) [Browse all 11,949 Identity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People are not two-thirds one thing and the remainder something else. Temperament, personality, or outlook don’t divide quite like that. The bits don’t separate clearly. You end up a funny homogeneous mixture. This is something that will become more common in the latter part of the century—people with mixed cultural backgrounds, and mixed racial backgrounds. 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