--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: it is a curious fact, but one which all…" description: "\"it is a curious fact, but one which all experience owns, that people do not desire so much to appear better, as to appear different from what they real..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/letitia-elizabeth-landon-2397_curious_it-is-a-curious-fact-but-one-which-all-e_1656251.jpg" --- # it is a curious fact, but one which all experience owns… ![“it is a curious fact, but one which all experience owns, that people do not desire so much to appear better, as to appear different from what they really are.” quote by Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/letitia-elizabeth-landon-2397_curious_it-is-a-curious-fact-but-one-which-all-e_1656251.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/letitia-elizabeth-landon-2397_curious_it-is-a-curious-fact-but-one-which-all-e_1656251.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/letitia-elizabeth-landon-2397_curious_it-is-a-curious-fact-but-one-which-all-e_1656251.jpg) > “it is a curious fact, but one which all experience owns, that people do not desire so much to appear better, as to appear different from what they really are.” [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People prefer to seem distinct from their true self rather than simply looking better. **In simple terms:** People value appearing different over appearing better. Key Takeaway Embrace authenticity over false distinction. Themes authenticity self‑image social perception ego conformity Mood reflective critical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - personal relationships - career branding - online profiles - team dynamics Key Concepts psychology identity social comparison Questions to Reflect On - Do you prioritize uniqueness over genuine improvement? - How does this desire affect your self‑presentation? A Different Perspective True improvement may be ignored if it doesn't signal uniqueness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appear Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appear-better-443351/) [Appear Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appear-different-708120/) [Curious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious/) [Curious Fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious-fact-708121/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-really-422228/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-desire/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wishful thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishful-thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Substitutes are always present, but they are easy to overlook because they may appear to be very different from the industry’s product p.31”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-e-porter/substitutes-are-always-present-but-they-are-easy-to-overlook-because/) [Michael E. Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-e-porter/) > [The truths we conceal don't disappear Raheen, they appear in different forms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamila-shamsie/the-truths-we-conceal-don-t-disappear-raheen-they-appear-in-different/) [Kamila Shamsie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamila-shamsie/) > [“I may not want to appear different than every other rider on this field, but I already am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-yarros/i-may-not-want-to-appear-different-than-every-other-rider-on-this/) [Rebecca Yarros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-yarros/) > [“People only appear better than you because they maximize their time better”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/people-only-appear-better-than-you-because-they-maximize-their-time/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Enjoy your own life without comparing it with that of another for there will always be others whose lives on the face of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-de-caritat-marquis-de-condorcet/enjoy-your-own-life-without-comparing-it-with-that-of-another-for/) [Nicolas de Caritat, marquis de Condorcet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-de-caritat-marquis-de-condorcet/) > [The USGA doesn't want to recognize the fact that today's players are better than ever. They seem willing to do anything to prevent us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hale-irwin/the-usga-doesn-t-want-to-recognize-the-fact-that-today-s-players-are/) [Hale Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hale-irwin/) > [Believe that others are better than you in the debths of their soul, although outwardly you may appear better than they.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/believe-that-others-are-better-than-you-in-the-debths-of-their-soul/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [It is a curious fact that people are never so trivial as when they take themselves seriously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-a-curious-fact-that-people-are-never-so-trivial-as-when-they/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“It is a curious fact of nature that that which is in plain view is oft best hidden. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/it-is-a-curious-fact-of-nature-that-that-which-is-in-plain-view-is/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) > [“Here’s a curious fact about human beings: we have a really hard time realizing that something isn’t there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-kaufman/here-s-a-curious-fact-about-human-beings-we-have-a-really-hard-time/) [Josh Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-kaufman/) > [It is a curious fact that with every great revolutionary movement the question of 'free love' comes into the foreground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-engels/it-is-a-curious-fact-that-with-every-great-revolutionary-movement-the/) [Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-engels/) > [I have had a long, long life full of troubles, but there is one curious fact about them-nine-tenths of them never happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/i-have-had-a-long-long-life-full-of-troubles-but-there-is-one-curious/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [And it was different because I'd already lost her so many times, so many ways, in my head. And different because she was never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/and-it-was-different-because-i-d-already-lost-her-so-many-times-so/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [You almost have to force yourself to stay in a vacuum to become different - if you really want to be different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-ocasek/you-almost-have-to-force-yourself-to-stay-in-a-vacuum-to-become/) [Ric Ocasek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-ocasek/) > [Surely I'm not the only person to ask the obvious question: How different, really, is Mr. Madoff's tale from the story of the investment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/surely-i-m-not-the-only-person-to-ask-the-obvious-question-how/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) ## More by Letitia Elizabeth Landon > [The very effort to forget teaches us to remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/the-very-effort-to-forget-teaches-us-to-remember/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [Alas! we makeA ladder of our thoughts, where angels step,But sleep ourselves at the foot: our high resolvesLook down upon our slumbering acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/alas-we-makea-ladder-of-our-thoughts-where-angels-step-but-sleep/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [Imagination is to love what gas is to the balloon-that which raises it from earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/imagination-is-to-love-what-gas-is-to-the-balloon-that-which-raises/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [I think hearts are very much like glasses. If they do not break with the first ring, they usually last a considerable time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/i-think-hearts-are-very-much-like-glasses-if-they-do-not-break-with/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [the fact is, that life is too short to be occupied by aught but the present - hope and remembrance are equally a waste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/the-fact-is-that-life-is-too-short-to-be-occupied-by-aught-but-the/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [There is no existence so content as that whose present is engrossed by employment, and whose future is filled by some strong hope, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/there-is-no-existence-so-content-as-that-whose-present-is-engrossed/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [Curiosity is its own suicide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/curiosity-is-its-own-suicide/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [Curiosity and courtesy are very often at variance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/curiosity-and-courtesy-are-very-often-at-variance/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [No thoroughly occupied man was ever yet very miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/no-thoroughly-occupied-man-was-ever-yet-very-miserable/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [Toil is the portion of day, as sleep is that of night; but if there be one hour of the twenty-four which has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/toil-is-the-portion-of-day-as-sleep-is-that-of-night-but-if-there-be/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [Consistency is a human word, but it certainly expresses nothing human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/consistency-is-a-human-word-but-it-certainly-expresses-nothing-human/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [Shopping, true feminine felicity!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/shopping-true-feminine-felicity/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [We would liken music to Aladdin's lamp — worthless in itself, not so for the spirits which obey its call. We love it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/we-would-liken-music-to-aladdin-s-lamp-worthless-in-itself-not-so-for/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [There is a large stock on hand; but somehow or other, nobody's experience ever suits us but our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/there-is-a-large-stock-on-hand-but-somehow-or-other-nobody-s/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [habit is our idea of eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/habit-is-our-idea-of-eternity/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) [Explore all 168 Letitia Elizabeth Landon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) ## More Curious quotes > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/) [Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/) > [“The process of becoming curious is the movement away from simply living by what and how, and moving into the beautifully ambiguous and possibility-laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-tygrett/the-process-of-becoming-curious-is-the-movement-away-from-simply/) [Casey Tygrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-tygrett/) > [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [I don't know what successful journaling really looks like... I think it really does look so different for everyone who does it, I'm always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-abrams/i-don-t-know-what-successful-journaling-really-looks-like-i-think-it/) [Gracie Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-abrams/) > [“So curious you must be. Like little calves poking their heads through the fence with big eyes and a headful of curiosity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carew-papritz/so-curious-you-must-be-like-little-calves-poking-their-heads-through/) [Carew Papritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carew-papritz/) > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [Be curious not judge mental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/be-curious-not-judge-mental/) [Unknow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknow/) > [“It is curious how little interested we are in the sexual desires of those who do not attract us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-little-interested-we-are-in-the-sexual-desires-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) > [Easy, Curious George! Get your grubby hands off of that wheel!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/easy-curious-george-get-your-grubby-hands-off-of-that-wheel/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [We want to explore. We're curious people. Look back over history, people have put their lives at stake to go out and explore ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-collins/we-want-to-explore-we-re-curious-people-look-back-over-history-people/) [Eileen Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-collins/) > [When I think about unique insight, what I think about is here's your opportunity to tell me something that I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-seibel/when-i-think-about-unique-insight-what-i-think-about-is-here-s-your/) [Michael Seibel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-seibel/) [Browse all 2,160 Curious quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "it is a curious fact, but one which all experience owns, that people do not desire so much to appear better, as to appear different from what they really are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Letitia Elizabeth Landon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/it-is-a-curious-fact-but-one-which-all-experience-owns-that-people-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Curious" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/it-is-a-curious-fact-but-one-which-all-experience-owns-that-people-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/letitia-elizabeth-landon-2397_curious_it-is-a-curious-fact-but-one-which-all-e_1656251.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/letitia-elizabeth-landon-2397_curious_it-is-a-curious-fact-but-one-which-all-e_1656251.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/letitia-elizabeth-landon-2397_curious_it-is-a-curious-fact-but-one-which-all-e_1656251.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“it is a curious fact, but one which all experience owns, that people do not desire so much to appear better…” — Letitia Elizabeth Landon", "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": "Letitia Elizabeth Landon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "it is a curious fact, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/it-is-a-curious-fact-but-one-which-all-experience-owns-that-people-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/it-is-a-curious-fact-but-one-which-all-experience-owns-that-people-do/#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 } } ] } ```