--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From the first time someone says, Who do…" description: "\"From the first time someone says, Who do you think you are? we learn how to repress.\" — Lauryn Hill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/lauryn-hill-1933_first-time_from-the-first-time-someone-says-who-do_2804328.jpg" --- # From the first time someone says, Who do you think you… ![“From the first time someone says, Who do you think you are? we learn how to repress.” quote by Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/lauryn-hill-1933_first-time_from-the-first-time-someone-says-who-do_2804328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/lauryn-hill-1933_first-time_from-the-first-time-someone-says-who-do_2804328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/306/lauryn-hill-1933_first-time_from-the-first-time-someone-says-who-do_2804328.jpg) > “From the first time someone says, Who do you think you are? we learn how to repress.” [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When questioned about identity, people often suppress true selves to fit expectations. **In simple terms:** Identity questioning leads to self‑repression. Key Takeaway Stay true to yourself. Themes identity self‑esteem social pressure Mood reflective inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - School environments - social media - workplace Key Concepts Psychology of self‑concept cultural norms Questions to Reflect On - How do you assert your identity? - What supports authentic expression? A Different Perspective Repression can cause long‑term distress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Learn Repress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-repress-3473889/) [Repress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repress/) [Says Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says-think-427919/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-learn/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Children express what parents repress”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-wopereis/children-express-what-parents-repress/) [Ronald Wopereis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-wopereis/) > [How can you repress Rachel McAdams? She's so full of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-lelio/how-can-you-repress-rachel-mcadams-she-s-so-full-of-life/) [Sebastian Lelio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-lelio/) > [“To be alone with myself in the space of silence is horrifying, for I know with the utmost certainty that in that space I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-be-alone-with-myself-in-the-space-of-silence-is-horrifying-for-i/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [If you repress rather than unlock the potential of large groups of Americans, what's that going to do to our economy? It's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-prendergast/if-you-repress-rather-than-unlock-the-potential-of-large-groups-of/) [John Prendergast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-prendergast/) > [Notwithstanding the sight of all our miseries, which press upon us and take us by the throat, we have an instinct which we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/notwithstanding-the-sight-of-all-our-miseries-which-press-upon-us-and/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [If there is one thing I've learned in my short life, it's this: Never repress anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-gross/if-there-is-one-thing-i-ve-learned-in-my-short-life-it-s-this-never/) [Otto Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-gross/) > [We have to condemn the very idea that some people have the right to repress others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/we-have-to-condemn-the-very-idea-that-some-people-have-the-right-to/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“For in the end, alcohol is merely us, a materialization of our own nature. To repress it is to repress something that we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-osborne/for-in-the-end-alcohol-is-merely-us-a-materialization-of-our-own/) [Lawrence Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-osborne/) > [Wherever you repress people, they get hold of a crayon and a bit of scrap paper, and they chronicle their lives and their existence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horse/wherever-you-repress-people-they-get-hold-of-a-crayon-and-a-bit-of/) [Michael Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horse/) > [“Many obese people spend a significant amount of their energy on suppressing the urge to tell some of the people who are staring at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/many-obese-people-spend-a-significant-amount-of-their-energy-on/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Repress the natural and it comes back even stronger: not everyone can be a fetishist”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-lejeune/repress-the-natural-and-it-comes-back-even-stronger-not-everyone-can/) [Philippe Lejeune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-lejeune/) > [“Don't let someone keep putting out the flame God keeps re-lighting, we all have a purpose. As a wing to a bird. As wind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/don-t-let-someone-keep-putting-out-the-flame-god-keeps-re-lighting-we/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [I'm British, so obviously I repress any powerful emotions of any kind in relation to anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-m-british-so-obviously-i-repress-any-powerful-emotions-of-any-kind/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [To repress rebellion is to maintain the status quo, a condition which binds the mortal creature in a state of intellectual or physical slavery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manly-hall/to-repress-rebellion-is-to-maintain-the-status-quo-a-condition-which/) [Manly Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manly-hall/) > [Express yourself, don't repress yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/express-yourself-don-t-repress-yourself/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) ## More by Lauryn Hill > [Let me be patient, let me be kind, make me unselfish, without being blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/let-me-be-patient-let-me-be-kind-make-me-unselfish-without-being-blind/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [We call ourselves creators and we just copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-call-ourselves-creators-and-we-just-copy/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [I like a brother that cuts to the chase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/i-like-a-brother-that-cuts-to-the-chase/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [Since those who believe they need a hero/celebrity outnumber the actual heroes/celebrities, people feel safe and comfortably justified in numbers, committing egregious crimes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/since-those-who-believe-they-need-a-hero-celebrity-outnumber-the/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [When I have a creative insight, there is a high. I think back in the day, I made music as much as I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/when-i-have-a-creative-insight-there-is-a-high-i-think-back-in-the/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [Don't be a hard rock when you really are a gem!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/don-t-be-a-hard-rock-when-you-really-are-a-gem/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [I wrote these words for everyone who struggles in their youth. Who won't accept deception instead of what is truth. It seems we lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/i-wrote-these-words-for-everyone-who-struggles-in-their-youth-who-won/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [See fantasy is what people want, but reality is what they need. And I just retired from the fantasy part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/see-fantasy-is-what-people-want-but-reality-is-what-they-need-and-i/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [This life is a process of learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/this-life-is-a-process-of-learning/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [If I should fall asleep and death takes me away, Don't be surprised son, I wasn't put here to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/if-i-should-fall-asleep-and-death-takes-me-away-don-t-be-surprised/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [A friend once said, and I found to be true,That everyday people, they lie to God too,So what makes you think, that they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/a-friend-once-said-and-i-found-to-be-true-that-everyday-people-they/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [In my family, there was not an abundance of wealth, but there was an abundance of love. So there was always humor, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/in-my-family-there-was-not-an-abundance-of-wealth-but-there-was-an/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [As artists, we have an opportunity to help the public evolve, raise consciousness and awareness, teach, heal, enlighten and inspire in ways the democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/as-artists-we-have-an-opportunity-to-help-the-public-evolve-raise/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [Never underestimate those who you scar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/never-underestimate-those-who-you-scar/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [It could all be so simple, but you'd rather make it hard, loving you is like a battle, and we both end up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/it-could-all-be-so-simple-but-you-d-rather-make-it-hard-loving-you-is/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) [Explore all 197 Lauryn Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) ## More First time quotes > [A man walks down the street. 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