--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's no such thing as intelligent…" description: "\"There's no such thing as intelligent vanity. It's an instinct. And you'll never find a man who is not first and foremost vain.\" — Louis-Ferdinand Celine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_doormat_there-s-no-such-thing-as-intelligent-van_606220.jpg" --- # There's no such thing as intelligent vanity. It's an… ![“There's no such thing as intelligent vanity. It's an instinct. And you'll never find a man who is not first and foremost vain.” quote by Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_doormat_there-s-no-such-thing-as-intelligent-van_606220.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_doormat_there-s-no-such-thing-as-intelligent-van_606220.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_doormat_there-s-no-such-thing-as-intelligent-van_606220.jpg) > “There's no such thing as intelligent vanity. It's an instinct. And you'll never find a man who is not first and foremost vain.” [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Vanity is an innate human instinct, making true humility rare. **In simple terms:** Vanity is natural, humility rare. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility despite instinctual vanity. Themes vanity human nature humility psychology existentialism Mood cynical introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - leadership - creative work Key Concepts Freudian drives self-awareness social critique Questions to Reflect On - How does vanity affect your decisions? - Can humility be taught? A Different Perspective Vanity can blind self‑assessment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doormat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doormat/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Foremost Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foremost-vain-4932227/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Intelligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent/) [Intelligent Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent-vanity-3124182/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Self glorification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-glorification/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) [Vanity Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity-instinct-4932226/) ## Related quotes > [The best way to make a sort of peace, a fragile armistice to be sure, but precious all the same, with men, officers or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-best-way-to-make-a-sort-of-peace-a-fragile-armistice-to-be-sure/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Never underestimate the Pricey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-price/never-underestimate-the-pricey/) [Katie Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-price/) > [Wherever I am, there is joy and laughter!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/wherever-i-am-there-is-joy-and-laughter/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [Ultimate peace begins within; when we find peace within there will be no more conflict, nor more occasion for war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/ultimate-peace-begins-within-when-we-find-peace-within-there-will-be-2/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [“Pride takes innumerable forms but has only one end: self-glorification. 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Glorifying God (giving back all glory to God) fulfills it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indonesia123/self-glorification-makes-life-hungry-empty-glorifying-god-giving-back/) [indonesia123](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indonesia123/) > [I may be wrong, but it seems rare in our age to find a widely praised person whose own mouth is not the source…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/i-may-be-wrong-but-it-seems-rare-in-our-age-to-find-a-widely-praised/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) ## More by Louis-Ferdinand Celine > [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“All our misery comes from wanting at all costs to go on being Tom, Dick, or Harry, year in, year out. 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It finds the body really too unbearable. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/there-s-a-point-of-poverty-at-which-the-spirit-isn-t-with-the-body/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“You can be a virgin in horror the same as in sex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/you-can-be-a-virgin-in-horror-the-same-as-in-sex/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [You can lose your way groping among the shadows of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/you-can-lose-your-way-groping-among-the-shadows-of-the-past/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“People cling to their rotten memories, to all their misfortunes, and you can't pry them loose. These things keep them busy. 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I will never allow anyone to push me around. I am my own mistress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manisha-koirala/i-refuse-to-be-a-doormat-to-any-man-i-will-never-allow-anyone-to-push/) [Manisha Koirala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manisha-koirala/) > [The Heartbreak Kid is a doormat for absolutely nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-michaels/the-heartbreak-kid-is-a-doormat-for-absolutely-nobody/) [Shawn Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-michaels/) > [“I think we each have a certain number of unnecessary apologies, which we willingly dish out before we realize it's time to stand and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-rachelle/i-think-we-each-have-a-certain-number-of-unnecessary-apologies-which/) [Joyce Rachelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-rachelle/) > [Women are not a doormat. We are equivalent to men. It is just that we have different bodies and different biological needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalki-koechlin/women-are-not-a-doormat-we-are-equivalent-to-men-it-is-just-that-we/) [Kalki Koechlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalki-koechlin/) > [ The \[Carter\] administration doesn't know the difference between a diplomat and a doormat. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-carter-administration-doesn-t-know-the-difference-between-a/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [They are so filthy and bestial that no honest man would admit one into his house for a water-closet doormat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/they-are-so-filthy-and-bestial-that-no-honest-man-would-admit-one/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I'm not just a doormat. I'm not just being stepped on all over the place. 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You can hide Truth under a doormat, but eventually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/truth-is-as-straight-as-an-arrow-while-a-lie-swivels-all-over-the/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [I'm a bit of a tomboy, but when it comes to love I am a doormat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabetta-canalis/i-m-a-bit-of-a-tomboy-but-when-it-comes-to-love-i-am-a-doormat/) [Elisabetta Canalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabetta-canalis/) > [I'd rather be a door than a doormat...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-peterson/i-d-rather-be-a-door-than-a-doormat/) [Elizabeth Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-peterson/) > [Paul Ryan has become a doormat...And he's become this little person who is following Romney around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/paul-ryan-has-become-a-doormat-and-he-s-become-this-little-person-who/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) [Browse all 63 Doormat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doormat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's no such thing as intelligent vanity. 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