--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How had he acquired such confidence? His…" description: "\"“How had he acquired such confidence? His birth had given him privileges, of course, and so had his sex. But there was more to it than that. Eyes were ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee1/meredith-duran-2968_confidence_how-had-he-acquired-such-confidence-his_1077029.jpg" --- # How had he acquired such confidence? His birth had given… ![“How had he acquired such confidence? His birth had given him privileges, of course, and so had his sex. But there was more to it than that. Eyes were always on him. The newspapers dissected his smallest shenanigan. Yet he bore such attentions as though they hardly concerned him. She could not…” quote by Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee1/meredith-duran-2968_confidence_how-had-he-acquired-such-confidence-his_1077029.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee1/meredith-duran-2968_confidence_how-had-he-acquired-such-confidence-his_1077029.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee1/meredith-duran-2968_confidence_how-had-he-acquired-such-confidence-his_1077029.jpg) > ““How had he acquired such confidence? His birth had given him privileges, of course, and so had his sex. But there was more to it than that. Eyes were always on him. The newspapers dissected his smallest shenanigan. Yet he bore such attentions as though they hardly concerned him. She could not imagine him hesitating on the threshold of a room for fear he’d be judged and found wanting. If someone tried to cut him, he would only laugh. To live a life of such bold assurance, never caring what others thought . . . why, it must be another species of living, entirely. No uncertainty. Invulnerable to jibes and slanders. What could one not do, when so free”” [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Confidence derived from privilege and constant scrutiny can create an invulnerable, bold demeanor, but it may mask underlying insecurity and disconnect from others. **In simple terms:** Privilege and scrutiny can breed bold, detached confidence. Key Takeaway Recognize humility behind confidence. Themes confidence privilege social perception identity vulnerability Mood reflective critical Type psychological social When to use this quote - leadership - public speaking - social media presence Key Concepts psychology of confidence social privilege self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - How does privilege shape your confidence? - Can boldness coexist with humility? A Different Perspective Such confidence can alienate others and hinder authentic connections. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ## Related quotes > [The confidence which we have in ourselves give birth to much of that, which we have in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-confidence-which-we-have-in-ourselves-give-birth-to-much-of-that/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) Senoraroy > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) ## More by Meredith Duran > [“No, thank you. I prefer my liquor cold.' 'Right. Or in a pipe, I suppose.' Phin's brow lifted. 'What a clumsy way to drink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/no-thank-you-i-prefer-my-liquor-cold-right-or-in-a-pipe-i-suppose/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Miss Masters was not content with threatening to hire away his staff, oh no. First, she had to perfume it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/miss-masters-was-not-content-with-threatening-to-hire-away-his-staff/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Her face turned to the window, and he saw her swallow. She was not as calm as she appeared, but for some reason, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/her-face-turned-to-the-window-and-he-saw-her-swallow-she-was-not-as/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“the kiss he gave her when he pulled her head down was slow and deep, a leisurely address that reached into her like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/the-kiss-he-gave-her-when-he-pulled-her-head-down-was-slow-and-deep-a/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“She had told the truth: she did not like to dance. Men assumed that a spinster wanted for excitement. Dried-up. They made a point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/she-had-told-the-truth-she-did-not-like-to-dance-men-assumed-that-a/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Yours if you want it." - Julian to Emma.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/yours-if-you-want-it-julian-to-emma/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Here was a new lesson for her, then: it was possible to behave like an utter goose in front of a man, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/here-was-a-new-lesson-for-her-then-it-was-possible-to-behave-like-an/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“She wished he could make her somehow indelibly his; that they were still children so they could cut their fingers and mingle their blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/she-wished-he-could-make-her-somehow-indelibly-his-that-they-were/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Fear cripples our minds and breeds delusions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/fear-cripples-our-minds-and-breeds-delusions/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Surely this is what death would be like: nothingness, oblivion, as the world continued to turn, heedless of her absence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/surely-this-is-what-death-would-be-like-nothingness-oblivion-as-the/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“The cat's tail was straying into her face again; she was forced to expel air in a most unbecoming fashion to avoid a mouthful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/the-cat-s-tail-was-straying-into-her-face-again-she-was-forced-to/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Speak plainly, sir.' '\*Sir\*? I say, Lyd. Are you always so formal with men you've made love with?' The whip of her head caused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/speak-plainly-sir-sir-i-say-lyd-are-you-always-so-formal-with-men-you/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“The flesh was weak, but it was not dumb. It had its own animal intelligence. In her husband's bed her body had felt like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/the-flesh-was-weak-but-it-was-not-dumb-it-had-its-own-animal/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“After a long moment, the Countess sat back down. "So," she said. "You … do love her. I must say, you look peculiarly resigned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/after-a-long-moment-the-countess-sat-back-down-so-she-said-you-do/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“His arms banded about her so tightly that she felt nothing could break his hold. It calmed something in her that had been trembling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/his-arms-banded-about-her-so-tightly-that-she-felt-nothing-could/) [meredith duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) [Explore all 143 Meredith Duran quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) Senoraroy > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“How had he acquired such confidence? His birth had given him privileges, of course, and so had his sex. But there was more to it than that. Eyes were always on him. The newspapers dissected his smallest shenanigan. Yet he bore such attentions as though they hardly concerned him. She could not imagine him hesitating on the threshold of a room for fear he’d be judged and found wanting. If someone tried to cut him, he would only laugh. To live a life of such bold assurance, never caring what others thought . . . why, it must be another species of living, entirely. No uncertainty. Invulnerable to jibes and slanders. 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