--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is very queer, but not the less true…" description: "\"“It is very queer, but not the less true, that people are generally quite as vain, or even more so, of their deficiencies than of their available gifts..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_vanity_it-is-very-queer-but-not-the-less-true-t_1279150.jpg" --- # It is very queer, but not the less true, that people are… ![“It is very queer, but not the less true, that people are generally quite as vain, or even more so, of their deficiencies than of their available gifts.” quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_vanity_it-is-very-queer-but-not-the-less-true-t_1279150.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_vanity_it-is-very-queer-but-not-the-less-true-t_1279150.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/nathaniel-hawthorne-461_vanity_it-is-very-queer-but-not-the-less-true-t_1279150.jpg) > ““It is very queer, but not the less true, that people are generally quite as vain, or even more so, of their deficiencies than of their available gifts.”” [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often focus more on their flaws than on their talents, revealing a paradox of self‑perception. **In simple terms:** People notice their faults more than their gifts. Key Takeaway Shift attention to strengths while acknowledging weaknesses. Themes self‑esteem vanity self‑awareness psychology Mood introspective thoughtful Type psychological observational When to use this quote - personal development - education - coaching - mental health Key Concepts perception bias self‑evaluation humility Questions to Reflect On - Why do we magnify our deficiencies? - How can we cultivate balanced self‑view? A Different Perspective People may undervalue their abilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deficiencies Available](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deficiencies-available-4128329/) [Queer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/queer/) [Quite Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quite-vain-2249163/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) [Vain Deficiencies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain-deficiencies-2249164/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) ## Related quotes > [“It is very queer, but not the less true, that people are generally quite as vain, or even more so, of their deficiencies than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/it-is-very-queer-but-not-the-less-true-that-people-are-generally-2/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Actually, I'm really quite vain about the whole problem because I figure there is no competition - I am what I am, and either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/actually-i-m-really-quite-vain-about-the-whole-problem-because-i/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [I care about being formally physically attractive in my life, and I think that I am quite vain about my performance. I'm just not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/i-care-about-being-formally-physically-attractive-in-my-life-and-i/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [I thought it was quite vain to say, I want to be a model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-moss/i-thought-it-was-quite-vain-to-say-i-want-to-be-a-model/) [Kate Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-moss/) > [“She wished to appear only in the full radiance of her beauty. Oh yes, she was quite vain! And her mysterious adornment had lasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/she-wished-to-appear-only-in-the-full-radiance-of-her-beauty-oh-yes/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [I train and keep in shape. It's quite vain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-fletcher/i-train-and-keep-in-shape-it-s-quite-vain/) [Kelvin Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-fletcher/) > [Vanity is easily forgiven, for we are all vain, and even as we laugh at the weakness of others we feel that their vanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-lynch/vanity-is-easily-forgiven-for-we-are-all-vain-and-even-as-we-laugh-at/) [Arthur Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-lynch/) > [“If only we studied the stars as much as we study our own reflections.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/if-only-we-studied-the-stars-as-much-as-we-study-our-own-reflections/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [When we are conscious of the least comparative merit in ourselves, we should take as much care to conceal the value we set upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/when-we-are-conscious-of-the-least-comparative-merit-in-ourselves-we/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [As a person I'm perfectly vain, I'm just vainer as an actor about my ability. My acting vanity trumps my human vanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/as-a-person-i-m-perfectly-vain-i-m-just-vainer-as-an-actor-about-my/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) > [Fashion is so close in revealing a person's inner feelings and everybody seems to hate to lay claim to vanity so people tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-blum/fashion-is-so-close-in-revealing-a-person-s-inner-feelings-and/) [Stella Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-blum/) > [Vanity, right?" Nash reappeared in the living room with an open bag of potato chips. "I nominate my venerable brother. He likes to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/vanity-right-nash-reappeared-in-the-living-room-with-an-open-bag-of/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [Vain-glorious men are the scorn of the wise, the admiration of fools, the idols of paradise, and the slaves of their own vaunts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/vain-glorious-men-are-the-scorn-of-the-wise-the-admiration-of-fools/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [“A woman who holds her head up too high, is trying to breathe from her own pollution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/a-woman-who-holds-her-head-up-too-high-is-trying-to-breathe-from-her/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Wood burns because it has the proper stuff for that purpose in it; and a man becomes renowned because he has the necessary stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/wood-burns-because-it-has-the-proper-stuff-for-that-purpose-in-it-and/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## More by Nathaniel Hawthorne > [“there was something of the women molded into the great, stalwart frame of Hollingsworth; nor was he ashamed of it; as men often are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-was-something-of-the-women-molded-into-the-great-stalwart-frame/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [The trees reflected in the river - they are unconscious of a spiritual world so near to them. So are we.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-trees-reflected-in-the-river-they-are-unconscious-of-a-spiritual/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“The dismaying thing about the classic totalitarian mind is that any given gear, though mutilated, will have at its circumference unbroken sequences of teeth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-dismaying-thing-about-the-classic-totalitarian-mind-is-that-any/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“My heart was a habitation large enough for many guests, but lonely and chill, and without a household fire, I longed to kindle one!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/my-heart-was-a-habitation-large-enough-for-many-guests-but-lonely-and/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Wherever there is a heart and an intellect, the diseases of the physical frame are tinged with the peculiarities of these.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/wherever-there-is-a-heart-and-an-intellect-the-diseases-of-the/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognized it among their earliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-founders-of-a-new-colony-whatever-utopia-of-human-virtue-and/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Generosity is the flower of justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/generosity-is-the-flower-of-justice/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“he seemed to be in quest for mental food, not heart sustenance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/he-seemed-to-be-in-quest-for-mental-food-not-heart-sustenance/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Unfathomable to mere mortals is the lore of fiends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/unfathomable-to-mere-mortals-is-the-lore-of-fiends/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Possibly, he was in a state of second growth and recovery, and was constantly assimilating nutriment for his spirit and intellect from sights, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/possibly-he-was-in-a-state-of-second-growth-and-recovery-and-was/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“What wonder, then, should we be frightened by the aspect of a monster, which, after all,—though we can point to every feature of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/what-wonder-then-should-we-be-frightened-by-the-aspect-of-a-monster/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [As the architecture of a country always follows the earliest structures, American architecture should be a refinement of the log-house. The Egyptian is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/as-the-architecture-of-a-country-always-follows-the-earliest/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [What we call real estate - the solid ground to build a house on - is the broad foundation on which nearly all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/what-we-call-real-estate-the-solid-ground-to-build-a-house-on-is-the/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“The bookworm of great libraries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-bookworm-of-great-libraries/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [There are many things in this world that a child must not ask about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-are-many-things-in-this-world-that-a-child-must-not-ask-about/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) [Explore all 526 Nathaniel Hawthorne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) ## More Queer quotes > [Queer? Is this queer? These queer? What's up? What's up?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dirt/queer-is-this-queer-these-queer-what-s-up-what-s-up/) [Joe Dirt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dirt/) > [I do think that for a queer person to speak truthfully without shame about their own experiences is political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-bruce/i-do-think-that-for-a-queer-person-to-speak-truthfully-without-shame/) [Liv Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-bruce/) > [“It didn’t break the trance. 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I don't know; primitive, perhaps, about you, Gurgeh. You've never changed sex, have you?' He shook his head. 'Or slept with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-m-banks/there-s-something-very-i-don-t-know-primitive-perhaps-about-you/) [Iain M. Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-m-banks/) > [A lot of queer characters get painted with either a caricature brush, or they're used to teach, in a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-levy/a-lot-of-queer-characters-get-painted-with-either-a-caricature-brush/) [Dan Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-levy/) > [Karl Ove Knausgaard is one of my literary heroes. This distresses many of my female, queer, and trans friends: Torrey, you have every woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torrey-peters/karl-ove-knausgaard-is-one-of-my-literary-heroes-this-distresses-many/) [Torrey Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torrey-peters/) > [“It is very queer that the unhappiness of the world is so often brought on by small men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/it-is-very-queer-that-the-unhappiness-of-the-world-is-so-often/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [I was on MTV's 'Real World' at the time when 'Queer Eye' came out. I remember, the first time I won an award, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karamo-brown/i-was-on-mtv-s-real-world-at-the-time-when-queer-eye-came-out-i/) [Karamo Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karamo-brown/) > [As a queer woman of colour I've been asked to be more urban, as if my brand of Blackness wasn't quite Black enough. 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Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristy-c-road/) > [“All monsters are queers. Who is able to bring the dead back to life? God and the Devil. 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