---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This, really, is the bottom line, the…"
description: "\"“This, really, is the bottom line, the chief attraction of the opposite sex for all of us, old and young, men and women: we need someone to save us fro..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/nick-hornby-325_attract_this-really-is-the-bottom-line-the-chief_1537000.png"
---

#  This, really, is the bottom line, the chief attraction of…

![“This, really, is the bottom line, the chief attraction of the opposite sex for all of us, old and young, men and women: we need someone to save us from the sympathetic smiles in the Sunday-night cinema queue, someone who can stop us from falling down into the pit where the permanently single live…” quote by Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/nick-hornby-325_attract_this-really-is-the-bottom-line-the-chief_1537000.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/nick-hornby-325_attract_this-really-is-the-bottom-line-the-chief_1537000.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/nick-hornby-325_attract_this-really-is-the-bottom-line-the-chief_1537000.png)

> ““This, really, is the bottom line, the chief attraction of the opposite sex for all of us, old and young, men and women: we need someone to save us from the sympathetic smiles in the Sunday-night cinema queue, someone who can stop us from falling down into the pit where the permanently single live with their mums and dads. I’m not going back there again; I’d rather stay in for the rest of my life than attract that kind of attention.””

[Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People seek romantic partners to avoid loneliness and the fear of being single, especially as they age.

**In simple terms:** We look for love to escape being alone.

Key Takeaway

Embrace self‑contentment over external validation.

Themes

relationships loneliness aging

Mood

reflective melancholic

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- dating apps
- friendship building
- personal growth

Key Concepts

psychology of attachment social expectations

Questions to Reflect On

- What does being single mean to you?
- How can you find fulfillment without a partner?

A Different Perspective

Relying on a partner can hinder personal development.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Attraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attraction/) [Bottom line](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom-line/) [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Young men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-men/)

## Related quotes

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> [“In life we do not attract what we want, we attract who we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moffat-machingura/in-life-we-do-not-attract-what-we-want-we-attract-who-we-are/)

[Moffat Machingura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moffat-machingura/)

> [I like being permanently single. It suits me perfectly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-thatcher/i-like-being-permanently-single-it-suits-me-perfectly/)

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> [When you say yes to life, you attract divine guidance. When you're inspired, you're collaborating with fate. Everything starts working for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/when-you-say-yes-to-life-you-attract-divine-guidance-when-you-re/)

[Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/)

> [The laws of science say that positives repel each other. Yet, in life, to attract positives things, you need to start by letting off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savannah-yates/the-laws-of-science-say-that-positives-repel-each-other-yet-in-life/)

Savannah Yates

> [If you want to attract people, you need to be like people you enjoy being with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/if-you-want-to-attract-people-you-need-to-be-like-people-you-enjoy/)

[John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/)

> [It's no surprise companies that quickly grow in value attract those who may want to also profit from the hard work of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-spiegel/it-s-no-surprise-companies-that-quickly-grow-in-value-attract-those/)

[Evan Spiegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-spiegel/)

> [“Of Course you can attract someone by Beautiful body ,but if you don't have beautiful soul than they will be with you only until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/of-course-you-can-attract-someone-by-beautiful-body-but-if-you-don-t/)

[Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/)

> [Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/men-do-not-attract-that-which-they-want-but-that-which-they-are/)

[James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/)

> [See yourself in abundance and you will attract it. It works every time, with every person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/see-yourself-in-abundance-and-you-will-attract-it-it-works-every-time/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

> [You will attract everything that you require. If it's money you need... you'll attract it. If it's people you need... you'll attract it. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/you-will-attract-everything-that-you-require-if-it-s-money-you-need/)

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> [The actions of the University in my case make it abundantly clear that the Administration's rhetoric about Harvard's desire to attract and retain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-geller/the-actions-of-the-university-in-my-case-make-it-abundantly-clear/)

[Margaret Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-geller/)

> [“A session of boasting won't attract any real friends.  It will set you up on a pedestal, however, making you a clearer target.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/a-session-of-boasting-won-t-attract-any-real-friends-it-will-set-you/)

[Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/)

> [The resources of our continent attract, more than ever, the interests of rich countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-bongo/the-resources-of-our-continent-attract-more-than-ever-the-interests/)

[Omar Bongo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-bongo/)

## More by Nick Hornby

> [You can wait forever for the muse to sit on your shoulder, but most of the time you know what has to be done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/you-can-wait-forever-for-the-muse-to-sit-on-your-shoulder-but-most-of/)

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> […I've had a bad week." What's happened?" Nothing's happened. I've had a bad week in my head, is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-ve-had-a-bad-week-what-s-happened-nothing-s-happened-i-ve-had-a-bad/)

[Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/)

> [“When they – I cannot bring myself to use the first-person plural in this instance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/when-they-i-cannot-bring-myself-to-use-the-first-person-plural-in/)

[Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/)

> [“What you don't ever catch a glimpse of on your wedding day - because how could you? - is that some days you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/what-you-don-t-ever-catch-a-glimpse-of-on-your-wedding-day-because/)

[Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/)

> [A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. You've got to kick off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/a-good-compilation-tape-like-breaking-up-is-hard-to-do-and-takes-ages/)

[Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/)

> [I'm still not a very good white wine, but I'm drinkable - you could put me in a punch, anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-m-still-not-a-very-good-white-wine-but-i-m-drinkable-you-could-put/)

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[Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/)

> [I wasted the 1980s. I wasted every minute at Cambridge talking to people who knew more about music than I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-wasted-the-1980s-i-wasted-every-minute-at-cambridge-talking-to/)

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> [“I'm OK. Really. I can find people. I'll be all right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-m-ok-really-i-can-find-people-i-ll-be-all-right/)

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> [“Defansçılar her zaman forvetçilerden daha iyi analizcilerdir.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/defans-lar-her-zaman-forvet-ilerden-daha-iyi-analizcilerdir/)

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[Explore all 645 Nick Hornby quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/)

## More Attract quotes

> [The resources of our continent attract, more than ever, the interests of rich countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-bongo/the-resources-of-our-continent-attract-more-than-ever-the-interests/)

[Omar Bongo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-bongo/)

> [“A session of boasting won't attract any real friends.  It will set you up on a pedestal, however, making you a clearer target.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/a-session-of-boasting-won-t-attract-any-real-friends-it-will-set-you/)

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> [The actions of the University in my case make it abundantly clear that the Administration's rhetoric about Harvard's desire to attract and retain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-geller/the-actions-of-the-university-in-my-case-make-it-abundantly-clear/)

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[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

> [See yourself in abundance and you will attract it. It works every time, with every person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/see-yourself-in-abundance-and-you-will-attract-it-it-works-every-time/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

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[James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/)

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[Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/)

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[John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/)

> [If you're thinking of debt, that's what you're going to attract.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/if-you-re-thinking-of-debt-that-s-what-you-re-going-to-attract/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

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[Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/)

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> [Maybe the level of people you attract is what you supposed to attract. Maybe the few people I attract are the ones who know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redman/maybe-the-level-of-people-you-attract-is-what-you-supposed-to-attract/)

[Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redman/)

Browse all 496 Attract quotes

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