--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People aren't looking at how they're…" description: "\"People aren't looking at how they're doing, but rather at how their neighbors are doing and at their own place in society.\" — Kenneth Rogoff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/kenneth-rogoff-21604_community_people-aren-t-looking-at-how-they-re-doi_929831.jpg" --- # People aren't looking at how they're doing, but rather at… ![“People aren't looking at how they're doing, but rather at how their neighbors are doing and at their own place in society.” quote by Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/kenneth-rogoff-21604_community_people-aren-t-looking-at-how-they-re-doi_929831.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/kenneth-rogoff-21604_community_people-aren-t-looking-at-how-they-re-doi_929831.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/kenneth-rogoff-21604_community_people-aren-t-looking-at-how-they-re-doi_929831.jpg) > “People aren't looking at how they're doing, but rather at how their neighbors are doing and at their own place in society.” [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People judge themselves by comparing to others rather than personal progress, leading to misplaced social status concerns. **In simple terms:** Comparison distorts self‑assessment. Key Takeaway Focus on personal growth. Themes comparison self‑esteem social status achievement Mood contemplative balanced Type sociological philosophical When to use this quote - social media use - career planning - education - community building Key Concepts economics psychology sociology Questions to Reflect On - What metrics truly matter to you? - How can you reduce unhealthy comparison? A Different Perspective Comparison can motivate but also cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aren Looking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aren-looking-1506359/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Doing Neighbors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-neighbors-1506358/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) [Neighbors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbors/) [Neighbors Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbors-doing-1506357/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Aren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-aren/) ## Related quotes > [If we are to love our neighbors, before doing anything else we must see our neighbors. With our imagination as well as our eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/if-we-are-to-love-our-neighbors-before-doing-anything-else-we-must/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“What people aren't looking for, they rarely see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-brown/what-people-aren-t-looking-for-they-rarely-see/) [Sandra Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-brown/) > [Life is too short to surround yourself with people who aren't looking out for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-van-etten/life-is-too-short-to-surround-yourself-with-people-who-aren-t-looking/) [Sharon Van Etten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-van-etten/) > [Friends aren't about looking or acting the same. They're about being there for each other; even being total opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friends-aren-t-about-looking-or-acting-the-same-they-re-about-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [...some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/some-men-aren-t-looking-for-anything-logical-like-money-they-can-t-be/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [Millennials aren't looking for a hipper Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/millennials-aren-t-looking-for-a-hipper-christianity/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [Most of the bad guys in the real world don't know that they are bad guys. You don't get a flashing warning sign that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/most-of-the-bad-guys-in-the-real-world-don-t-know-that-they-are-bad/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [There's a lot of things you can't see if you aren't' looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/there-s-a-lot-of-things-you-can-t-see-if-you-aren-t-looking/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Most girls want the right guy. They aren't looking for a one-time thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/most-girls-want-the-right-guy-they-aren-t-looking-for-a-one-time-thing/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [Maybe you don't see people looking at you because you aren't looking at them. Maybe you don't hear all the good things people say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/maybe-you-don-t-see-people-looking-at-you-because-you-aren-t-looking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The truth is, we can’t see what we aren’t looking at.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sturt/the-truth-is-we-can-t-see-what-we-aren-t-looking-at/) [David Sturt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sturt/) > [Sinners cannot find God for the same reason that criminals cannot find a policeman: They aren't looking!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/sinners-cannot-find-god-for-the-same-reason-that-criminals-cannot/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [“In fact, there’s likely more insight to be gleaned where others aren’t looking—it just won’t seem as relevant to the current conversation.42”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-simler/in-fact-there-s-likely-more-insight-to-be-gleaned-where-others-aren-t/) [Kevin Simler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-simler/) > [I am actually working on The Neighbors sitcom. We are starting from scratch. I am also working on a comedy movie and a vampire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-wiseau/i-am-actually-working-on-the-neighbors-sitcom-we-are-starting-from/) [Tommy Wiseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-wiseau/) > [All will concede that in order to have good neighbors, we must also be good neighbors. That applies in every field of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/all-will-concede-that-in-order-to-have-good-neighbors-we-must-also-be/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) ## More by Kenneth Rogoff > [It's quite astonishing how much money people make in the hedge fund business and in the private equity field, and how well-off affluent families…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/it-s-quite-astonishing-how-much-money-people-make-in-the-hedge-fund/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [I tell my children that a man like Bill Gates has a personal fortune of $100 billion. They can't even comprehend that. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/i-tell-my-children-that-a-man-like-bill-gates-has-a-personal-fortune/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [... far more people make a living as professional chess players today than ever before. Thanks partly to the availability of computer programs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/far-more-people-make-a-living-as-professional-chess-players-today/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [Worrying about inflation now is like worrying about the measles when you might get the plague.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/worrying-about-inflation-now-is-like-worrying-about-the-measles-when/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [Unbridled capitalism in the United States can't be sustained socially. It leads to tensions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/unbridled-capitalism-in-the-united-states-can-t-be-sustained-socially/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [There has been a noticeable decline in the labor factor in all wealthy countries in the past 20 years. The rich are getting richer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/there-has-been-a-noticeable-decline-in-the-labor-factor-in-all/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [The problem - at least in the United States - is not that people can't find jobs. The problem is that they're no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/the-problem-at-least-in-the-united-states-is-not-that-people-can-t/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [Unbridled capitalism will lead to some very real problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/unbridled-capitalism-will-lead-to-some-very-real-problems/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [Global markets have a much bigger effect on prices and wages in the U.S. and elsewhere than they did before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/global-markets-have-a-much-bigger-effect-on-prices-and-wages-in-the-u/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [Russia depends on natural resources way too much. Russian economy is not diversified enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/russia-depends-on-natural-resources-way-too-much-russian-economy-is/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [If you didn't have employers able to pay off the books and off the record safely in cash, you wouldn't have illegal immigration on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/if-you-didn-t-have-employers-able-to-pay-off-the-books-and-off-the/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [Cash is very easy to hide. It's easy to hoard. It's easy to move, especially these large bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/cash-is-very-easy-to-hide-it-s-easy-to-hoard-it-s-easy-to-move/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [We all use cash in our everyday life, but we don't use hundred-dollar bills. We're not using 500-euro notes. And yet these account for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/we-all-use-cash-in-our-everyday-life-but-we-don-t-use-hundred-dollar/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [Today, chess programs have become so good that even grandmasters sometimes struggle to understand the logic behind some of their moves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/today-chess-programs-have-become-so-good-that-even-grandmasters/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) > [The Indians and Chinese have become brilliant chess professionals. They get on a plane and play all over the world. This has led to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/the-indians-and-chinese-have-become-brilliant-chess-professionals/) [Kenneth Rogoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) [Explore all 29 Kenneth Rogoff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/) ## More Community quotes > [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [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/) > [The strains and stresses suffered by the individual in society are grounded in the normal functioning of that society (and of the individual!) rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-strains-and-stresses-suffered-by-the-individual-in-society-are/) [Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/) > [Hackney gets a bit of a bad rap, but it's the only place I've ever lived that felt like a community. I know my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-horgan/hackney-gets-a-bit-of-a-bad-rap-but-it-s-the-only-place-i-ve-ever/) [Sharon Horgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-horgan/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [It rolls off my back. Ridicule doesn't mean anything - even from people you're supposed to wear knee pads around, like the scientific community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-schultz/it-rolls-off-my-back-ridicule-doesn-t-mean-anything-even-from-people/) [Dwight Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-schultz/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [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/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) [Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Perhaps the greatest and least visible form of impoverishment caused by the Corporate State is the destruction of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/perhaps-the-greatest-and-least-visible-form-of-impoverishment-caused/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) [Browse all 13,840 Community quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People aren't looking at how they're doing, but rather at how their neighbors are doing and at their own place in society.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kenneth Rogoff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/people-aren-t-looking-at-how-they-re-doing-but-rather-at-how-their/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Community" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/people-aren-t-looking-at-how-they-re-doing-but-rather-at-how-their/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/kenneth-rogoff-21604_community_people-aren-t-looking-at-how-they-re-doi_929831.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/kenneth-rogoff-21604_community_people-aren-t-looking-at-how-they-re-doi_929831.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/kenneth-rogoff-21604_community_people-aren-t-looking-at-how-they-re-doi_929831.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People aren't looking at how they're doing, but rather at how their neighbors are doing and at their own…” — Kenneth Rogoff", "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": "Kenneth Rogoff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rogoff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People aren't looking at how they're...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/people-aren-t-looking-at-how-they-re-doing-but-rather-at-how-their/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rogoff/people-aren-t-looking-at-how-they-re-doing-but-rather-at-how-their/#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 } } ] } ```