--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With characteristic lack of false…" description: "\"“With characteristic lack of false modesty, John once said to me, \"My looks are a rough test of people. If they don't begin to see me beautiful when th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb1/olaf-stapledon-9950_beauty_with-characteristic-lack-of-false-modest_480766.jpg" --- # With characteristic lack of false modesty, John once said… ![“With characteristic lack of false modesty, John once said to me, "My looks are a rough test of people. If they don't begin to see me beautiful when they have had a chance to learn, I know they're dead inside, and dangerous.” quote by Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb1/olaf-stapledon-9950_beauty_with-characteristic-lack-of-false-modest_480766.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb1/olaf-stapledon-9950_beauty_with-characteristic-lack-of-false-modest_480766.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb1/olaf-stapledon-9950_beauty_with-characteristic-lack-of-false-modest_480766.jpg) > ““With characteristic lack of false modesty, John once said to me, "My looks are a rough test of people. If they don't begin to see me beautiful when they have had a chance to learn, I know they're dead inside, and dangerous.”” [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physical appearance reveals inner character; if beauty isn’t seen after knowing someone, they lack humanity and pose danger. **In simple terms:** Looks show inner worth; lack of beauty after knowing means danger. Key Takeaway Judge character beyond looks. Themes appearance character danger Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - dating - friendship - leadership - team building Key Concepts humanity psychology beauty Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess inner character beyond appearance? - When have you misjudged someone by looks? A Different Perspective People can be kind despite outward flaws; not all who seem dangerous are. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Dead inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-inside/) [False modesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-modesty/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Modesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modesty/) ## Related quotes > [On paper, it looks rough, but I had a great childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/on-paper-it-looks-rough-but-i-had-a-great-childhood/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [“Damn! Baby Girl looks rough!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-benson/damn-baby-girl-looks-rough/) [Kate Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-benson/) > [There is a false modesty, which is vanity; a false glory, which is levity; a false grandeur, which is meanness; a false virtue, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/there-is-a-false-modesty-which-is-vanity-a-false-glory-which-is/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [I have huge legs, and I never show them - not because of false modesty, I'm just not comfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheyenne-jackson/i-have-huge-legs-and-i-never-show-them-not-because-of-false-modesty-i/) [Cheyenne Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheyenne-jackson/) > [True modesty avoids everything that is criminal; false modesty everything that is unfashionable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/true-modesty-avoids-everything-that-is-criminal-false-modesty/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [We must not confuse humility with false modesty or servility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-must-not-confuse-humility-with-false-modesty-or-servility/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There are twenty-four characters in this book named Max. 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It can be only a false modesty which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-martineau/fidelity-to-conscience-is-inconsistent-with-retiring-modesty-if-it-be/) [Harriet Martineau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-martineau/) > [“Besides, I'm not going to let you go anywhere alone- you'll have every male in the vicinity pouncing on you." "Don't be silly," Annabelle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/besides-i-m-not-going-to-let-you-go-anywhere-alone-you-ll-have-every/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“There is no conceit equal to false modesty, and there is no politics like antipolitics”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-is-no-conceit-equal-to-false-modesty-and-there-is-no-politics/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I think in the world of indie music there's this sort of false modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kapranos/i-think-in-the-world-of-indie-music-there-s-this-sort-of-false-modesty/) [Alex Kapranos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kapranos/) > [Diffidence is a sort of false modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/diffidence-is-a-sort-of-false-modesty/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [I don't like false modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-holland/i-don-t-like-false-modesty/) [Dominic Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-holland/) ## More by Olaf Stapledon > [ No visiting angel, or explorer from another planet, could have guessed that this bland orb \[Earth\] teemed with vermin, with world-mastering, self-torturing, incipiently angelic… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/no-visiting-angel-or-explorer-from-another-planet-could-have-guessed/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [In fact man's career has been less like a mountain torrent hurtling from rock to rock, than a great sluggish river, broken very seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/in-fact-man-s-career-has-been-less-like-a-mountain-torrent-hurtling/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [I loathe the urchin's cruelty to the cat, but I will not loathe the urchin. I loathe Hitler's mass-torturing, but not Hitler; and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/i-loathe-the-urchin-s-cruelty-to-the-cat-but-i-will-not-loathe-the/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [“We are bound to hurt one another so much, again and again. we are so terribly different.''Yes,' he said, 'But the more different, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/we-are-bound-to-hurt-one-another-so-much-again-and-again-we-are-so/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [Great are the stars, and man is of no account to them. 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In all of them the will for darkness was a perversion of the will… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/s-ervants-of-darkness-had-no-lasting-joy-in-their-service-in-all-of/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [“The truth of the matter was something much more subtle and tremendous than any plain physical miracle could ever be. But never mind that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/the-truth-of-the-matter-was-something-much-more-subtle-and-tremendous/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [Even when all the worlds have frozen or exploded, and all the suns gone dead and cold, there'll still be time. Oh, God, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/even-when-all-the-worlds-have-frozen-or-exploded-and-all-the-suns/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [The Tibetan missionaries in their mood of bright confidence disconcerted the imperial governments by laughing the new movement into frustration. For a sham faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/the-tibetan-missionaries-in-their-mood-of-bright-confidence/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [“For the former, activity, any kind of activity, was an end in itself; for the latter, activity was but a progress toward the true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/for-the-former-activity-any-kind-of-activity-was-an-end-in-itself-for/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [We have no government and no laws, if by law is meant a stereotyped convention supported by force, and not to be altered without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/we-have-no-government-and-no-laws-if-by-law-is-meant-a-stereotyped/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [“In the tide of these wild thoughts we checked our fancy, remembering that only on the rare grains called planets can life gain foothold,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/in-the-tide-of-these-wild-thoughts-we-checked-our-fancy-remembering/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [A nation . . . is just a society for hating foreigners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/a-nation-is-just-a-society-for-hating-foreigners/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) [Explore all 69 Olaf Stapledon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) ## More Beauty quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. 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When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Call her beautiful a million times and she won't believe you. Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) Tumblr > [Time can but make her beauty over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/time-can-but-make-her-beauty-over-again/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. 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