--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: it occurs to me that I must not know…" description: "\"“it occurs to me that I must not know altogether what I am, either, and that others know certain things about me better than I do, though I think I oug..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/147/lydia-davis-3244_time_it-occurs-to-me-that-i-must-not-know-alt_1086340.png" --- # it occurs to me that I must not know altogether what I am… ![“it occurs to me that I must not know altogether what I am, either, and that others know certain things about me better than I do, though I think I ought to know all there is to know and I proceed as if I do. Even once I see this, however, I have no choice but to continue to proceed as if I know…” quote by Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/147/lydia-davis-3244_time_it-occurs-to-me-that-i-must-not-know-alt_1086340.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/147/lydia-davis-3244_time_it-occurs-to-me-that-i-must-not-know-alt_1086340.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/147/lydia-davis-3244_time_it-occurs-to-me-that-i-must-not-know-alt_1086340.png) > ““it occurs to me that I must not know altogether what I am, either, and that others know certain things about me better than I do, though I think I ought to know all there is to know and I proceed as if I do. Even once I see this, however, I have no choice but to continue to proceed as if I know altogether what I am, though I may also try to guess, from time to time, just what it is that others know that I do not know.”” [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage reflects on the paradox of self‑knowledge: we assume we know ourselves fully, yet others perceive aspects we miss, and we keep acting as if we are complete. **In simple terms:** We think we know ourselves, but others see what we don’t. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and seek external perspectives. Themes self‑knowledge humility perception identity learning Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical literary psychological When to use this quote - personal growth - therapy - teamwork - leadership - creative writing Key Concepts epistemology psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of yourself might others see more clearly? - How can you balance confidence with openness? A Different Perspective Our bias toward certainty can blind us to hidden insights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Altogether Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altogether-know-2784565/) [Know Altogether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-altogether-2784564/) [Know Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-certain-243085/) [Ought Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-know-632067/) [Think Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-ought-382427/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I know for certain the one you love. 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"The sun's going to come up tomorrow morning." "Why?" "It always has." "Does that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eddings/there-are-things-we-know-for-certain-oh-name-one-the-sun-s-going-to/) [David Eddings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eddings/) > [As you see, it is not that I don't know my own mind, I know it very well but only up to a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-see-it-is-not-that-i-don-t-know-my-own-mind-i-know-it-very/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know certain actors who have done very well. 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I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/there-was-no-confusion-of-our-bodies-i-knew-which-arm-was-his-and/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“So it’s not really $100 a shot because it goes on all day, from the start when you wake up and feel her body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/so-it-s-not-really-100-a-shot-because-it-goes-on-all-day-from-the/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“The people of the town, though, remained strangers: I could not realize that I must be seeing some of them over and over again,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/the-people-of-the-town-though-remained-strangers-i-could-not-realize/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“He does not trust her: she will claim to be in a bad mood when she is not, and then require him to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/he-does-not-trust-her-she-will-claim-to-be-in-a-bad-mood-when-she-is/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [I would recommend, definitely, developing a 'day job' that you like - don't expect to make money writing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-would-recommend-definitely-developing-a-day-job-that-you-like-don-t/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [the translator, a lonely sort of acrobat, becomes confused in a labyrinth of paradox, or climbs a pyramid of dependent clauses and has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/the-translator-a-lonely-sort-of-acrobat-becomes-confused-in-a/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) [Explore all 135 Lydia Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) ## More Time quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“William didn't look like he'd be difficult about anything - he was thin and sandy-haired and already wore eyeglasses like his father. 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