--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can call it innocence, or you can…" description: "\"You can call it innocence, or you can call it gullibility, but Celia made the most common mistake of the good-hearted: she assumed that everyone else w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/lionel-shriver-744_celia_you-can-call-it-innocence-or-you-can-cal_2817977.jpg" --- # You can call it innocence, or you can call it gullibility… ![“You can call it innocence, or you can call it gullibility, but Celia made the most common mistake of the good-hearted: she assumed that everyone else was just like her.” quote by Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/lionel-shriver-744_celia_you-can-call-it-innocence-or-you-can-cal_2817977.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/lionel-shriver-744_celia_you-can-call-it-innocence-or-you-can-cal_2817977.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/lionel-shriver-744_celia_you-can-call-it-innocence-or-you-can-cal_2817977.jpg) > “You can call it innocence, or you can call it gullibility, but Celia made the most common mistake of the good-hearted: she assumed that everyone else was just like her.” [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Assuming others share our perspective can lead to disappointment and vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Expecting everyone to be like you can cause hurt. Key Takeaway Seek diverse viewpoints before trusting. Themes empathy communication expectations Mood thoughtful cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - teamwork - family dynamics - leadership decisions Key Concepts bias social perception trust Questions to Reflect On - How do you check your assumptions about others? - When is it safe to trust instinct? A Different Perspective Overgeneralizing can damage relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Celia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celia/) [Good hearted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-hearted/) [Gullibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gullibility/) [Innocence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) ## Related quotes > [Which tent is your favourite?" he asks. "The Ice Garden," Celia answers, without even pausing to consider. "Why is that?" Marco asks. "Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/which-tent-is-your-favourite-he-asks-the-ice-garden-celia-answers/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [ Everything was just so spot on and character-building for me in terms of creating Celia \[Bryant\]. The ability to get to wear all these… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-collins/everything-was-just-so-spot-on-and-character-building-for-me-in-terms/) [Lily Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-collins/) > [Why did Mama say that? Had Papa made her angry again? He made her angry a lot. Gran said it was on account of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/why-did-mama-say-that-had-papa-made-her-angry-again-he-made-her-angry/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [Do you remember all of your audiences?" Marco asks. "Not all of them," Celia says. "But I remember the people who look at me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/do-you-remember-all-of-your-audiences-marco-asks-not-all-of-them/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [So proper for a circus girl," Mme. Padva says with with a gleam in her eye. "We shall have to loosen those corset laces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/so-proper-for-a-circus-girl-mme-padva-says-with-with-a-gleam-in-her/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [How are you managing to keep everyone from aging?” Celia asks after a while. “Very carefully,” Marco answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/how-are-you-managing-to-keep-everyone-from-aging-celia-asks-after-a/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [Esse quam videri," Celia says. "To be, rather than to seem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/esse-quam-videri-celia-says-to-be-rather-than-to-seem/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [Celia." he says without looking up at her, "why do we wind our watch?" "Because everything requires energy," she recites obediently, eyes still focused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/celia-he-says-without-looking-up-at-her-why-do-we-wind-our-watch/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [ Celia \[Brady\] is a young woman who, you know, she's still got that fresh young vibe about her but at the same time she's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-collins/celia-brady-is-a-young-woman-who-you-know-she-s-still-got-that-fresh/) [Lily Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-collins/) > [Here comes Monseiur Le Beau. Rosalind: With his mouth full of news. Celia: Which he will put on us, as pigeons feed their young.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/here-comes-monseiur-le-beau-rosalind-with-his-mouth-full-of-news/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Celia laughs and a curl of her hair falls across her cheek. Marco tentatively moves to brush it off her face, but before his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/celia-laughs-and-a-curl-of-her-hair-falls-across-her-cheek-marco/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [I'm so moved to hear Celia Johnson again, so lovely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/i-m-so-moved-to-hear-celia-johnson-again-so-lovely/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [A little extra forgiveness never hurts," said Matt, quoting one of Celia's favorite sayings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/a-little-extra-forgiveness-never-hurts-said-matt-quoting-one-of-celia/) [Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/) > [At one O'Clock, Miss Celia comes in the kitchen and says she's ready for her first cooking lesson. She settles on a stool. She's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-stockett/at-one-o-clock-miss-celia-comes-in-the-kitchen-and-says-she-s-ready/) [Kathryn Stockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-stockett/) > [Come, my Celia, let us prove, While we can, the sports of love, Time will not be ours for ever, He, at length, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/come-my-celia-let-us-prove-while-we-can-the-sports-of-love-time-will/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) ## More by Lionel Shriver > [The discovery that heartbreak is indeed heartbreaking consoles us about our humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/the-discovery-that-heartbreak-is-indeed-heartbreaking-consoles-us/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“I’m a journalist, and journalists need news. Deprive them of it, and they go a bit barking. Deprive them of news long enough, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-m-a-journalist-and-journalists-need-news-deprive-them-of-it-and/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“One of the things I learned with Charles," said Gray carefully, "was that finding someone like you does not necessarily mean that either of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/one-of-the-things-i-learned-with-charles-said-gray-carefully-was-that/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [In the particular dwells the tawdry. In the conceptual dwells the grand, the transcendent, the everlasting. Earthly countries and single malignant boys can go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/in-the-particular-dwells-the-tawdry-in-the-conceptual-dwells-the/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“The idea is that you don't only have one destiny. Younger and younger, kids are pressed to decide what they want to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/the-idea-is-that-you-don-t-only-have-one-destiny-younger-and-younger/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [Oddly, for a book to do well merely because people like it is surprisingly rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/oddly-for-a-book-to-do-well-merely-because-people-like-it-is/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“And there's a freedom in apathy, a wild, dizzying liberation on which you can almost get drunk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/and-there-s-a-freedom-in-apathy-a-wild-dizzying-liberation-on-which/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [The sign that I don't like the book I'm reading is finding myself watching reruns of 'Come Dine With Me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/the-sign-that-i-don-t-like-the-book-i-m-reading-is-finding-myself/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [We speak often of 'destroying the planet' when what we mean is destroying its habitability for humans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/we-speak-often-of-destroying-the-planet-when-what-we-mean-is/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [My agent had warned that, while a fine film would do my profile a world of good, a bad one wouldn't help me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/my-agent-had-warned-that-while-a-fine-film-would-do-my-profile-a/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“I think that's the biggest favor you can grant anyone, don't you? Permission to be dull. I know Henry will sometimes say something so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-think-that-s-the-biggest-favor-you-can-grant-anyone-don-t-you/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“They were determined to find something mechanically wrong with him - because broken machines are easier to fix. p303”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/they-were-determined-to-find-something-mechanically-wrong-with-him/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“Bur Armenians have a talent for sorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/bur-armenians-have-a-talent-for-sorrow/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“What is cool changes; that there is such a thing as cool is immutable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/what-is-cool-changes-that-there-is-such-a-thing-as-cool-is-immutable/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“I have theorized that you can locate most people on a spectrum of the crudest sort and that it may be their position on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-have-theorized-that-you-can-locate-most-people-on-a-spectrum-of-the/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) [Explore all 375 Lionel Shriver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) ## More Celia quotes > [Which tent is your favourite?" he asks. "The Ice Garden," Celia answers, without even pausing to consider. "Why is that?" Marco asks. "Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/which-tent-is-your-favourite-he-asks-the-ice-garden-celia-answers/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [At one O'Clock, Miss Celia comes in the kitchen and says she's ready for her first cooking lesson. She settles on a stool. She's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-stockett/at-one-o-clock-miss-celia-comes-in-the-kitchen-and-says-she-s-ready/) [Kathryn Stockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-stockett/) > [A little extra forgiveness never hurts," said Matt, quoting one of Celia's favorite sayings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/a-little-extra-forgiveness-never-hurts-said-matt-quoting-one-of-celia/) [Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/) > [I'm so moved to hear Celia Johnson again, so lovely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/i-m-so-moved-to-hear-celia-johnson-again-so-lovely/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [Celia laughs and a curl of her hair falls across her cheek. Marco tentatively moves to brush it off her face, but before his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/celia-laughs-and-a-curl-of-her-hair-falls-across-her-cheek-marco/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [Here comes Monseiur Le Beau. Rosalind: With his mouth full of news. Celia: Which he will put on us, as pigeons feed their young.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/here-comes-monseiur-le-beau-rosalind-with-his-mouth-full-of-news/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [ Celia \[Brady\] is a young woman who, you know, she's still got that fresh young vibe about her but at the same time she's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-collins/celia-brady-is-a-young-woman-who-you-know-she-s-still-got-that-fresh/) [Lily Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-collins/) > [Celia." he says without looking up at her, "why do we wind our watch?" "Because everything requires energy," she recites obediently, eyes still focused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/celia-he-says-without-looking-up-at-her-why-do-we-wind-our-watch/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [Esse quam videri," Celia says. "To be, rather than to seem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/esse-quam-videri-celia-says-to-be-rather-than-to-seem/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [How are you managing to keep everyone from aging?” Celia asks after a while. “Very carefully,” Marco answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/how-are-you-managing-to-keep-everyone-from-aging-celia-asks-after-a/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [So proper for a circus girl," Mme. Padva says with with a gleam in her eye. "We shall have to loosen those corset laces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/so-proper-for-a-circus-girl-mme-padva-says-with-with-a-gleam-in-her/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [Do you remember all of your audiences?" Marco asks. "Not all of them," Celia says. "But I remember the people who look at me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/do-you-remember-all-of-your-audiences-marco-asks-not-all-of-them/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [Why did Mama say that? Had Papa made her angry again? He made her angry a lot. Gran said it was on account of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/why-did-mama-say-that-had-papa-made-her-angry-again-he-made-her-angry/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [ Everything was just so spot on and character-building for me in terms of creating Celia \[Bryant\]. The ability to get to wear all these… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-collins/everything-was-just-so-spot-on-and-character-building-for-me-in-terms/) [Lily Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-collins/) > [Come, my Celia, let us prove, While we can, the sports of love, Time will not be ours for ever, He, at length, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/come-my-celia-let-us-prove-while-we-can-the-sports-of-love-time-will/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) [Browse all 22 Celia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celia/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can call it innocence, or you can call it gullibility, but Celia made the most common mistake of the good-hearted: she assumed that everyone else was just like her.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lionel Shriver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/you-can-call-it-innocence-or-you-can-call-it-gullibility-but-celia/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Celia" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/you-can-call-it-innocence-or-you-can-call-it-gullibility-but-celia/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/lionel-shriver-744_celia_you-can-call-it-innocence-or-you-can-cal_2817977.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/lionel-shriver-744_celia_you-can-call-it-innocence-or-you-can-cal_2817977.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/lionel-shriver-744_celia_you-can-call-it-innocence-or-you-can-cal_2817977.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can call it innocence, or you can call it gullibility, but Celia made the most common mistake of the…” — Lionel Shriver", "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": "Lionel Shriver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can call it innocence, or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/you-can-call-it-innocence-or-you-can-call-it-gullibility-but-celia/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/you-can-call-it-innocence-or-you-can-call-it-gullibility-but-celia/#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 } } ] } ```