--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I cared for human approval, I would…" description: "\"If I cared for human approval, I would have been dead long ago.\" — Paolo Bacigalupi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efd/paolo-bacigalupi-3095_approval_if-i-cared-for-human-approval-i-would-ha_904779.jpg" --- # If I cared for human approval, I would have been dead long… ![“If I cared for human approval, I would have been dead long ago.” quote by Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efd/paolo-bacigalupi-3095_approval_if-i-cared-for-human-approval-i-would-ha_904779.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efd/paolo-bacigalupi-3095_approval_if-i-cared-for-human-approval-i-would-ha_904779.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efd/paolo-bacigalupi-3095_approval_if-i-cared-for-human-approval-i-would-ha_904779.jpg) > “If I cared for human approval, I would have been dead long ago.” [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeking human approval is a trap that can destroy one’s authenticity and vitality. **In simple terms:** Avoid chasing approval; stay authentic. Key Takeaway Live authentically. Themes self‑esteem authenticity social pressure Mood introspective defiant Type literary motivational When to use this quote - career choices - social media - personal relationships - creative work Key Concepts psychology philosophy literature Questions to Reflect On - What would you do if you stopped caring about others’ opinions? - How does authenticity affect your success? A Different Perspective Approval seeking can be socially reinforced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) ## Related quotes > [“There was a problem: No one cared about human rights anymore, not at home or abroad. They cared about growth--hoped for and celebrated in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-alarcon/there-was-a-problem-no-one-cared-about-human-rights-anymore-not-at/) [Daniel Alarcón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-alarcon/) > [“The need of one human being for the approval of his fellow humans, the need for a certain cult of fellowship - a psychological,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-d-simak/the-need-of-one-human-being-for-the-approval-of-his-fellow-humans-the/) [Clifford D. Simak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-d-simak/) > [There is a hunger in every human being for approval.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-giblin/there-is-a-hunger-in-every-human-being-for-approval/) [Les Giblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-giblin/) > [If the Pluto mission was a cat, then it would've been dead long ago because they only get nine lives, and we've had significantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/if-the-pluto-mission-was-a-cat-then-it-would-ve-been-dead-long-ago/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [“I'm going to be dead for a long time. Let me be awake as much as I can for now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/i-m-going-to-be-dead-for-a-long-time-let-me-be-awake-as-much-as-i-can/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [...the reason for living was to get ready to stay dead a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/the-reason-for-living-was-to-get-ready-to-stay-dead-a-long-time/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“Yes,' he answered; 'and you will be dead, so long as you refuse to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/yes-he-answered-and-you-will-be-dead-so-long-as-you-refuse-to-die/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Be happy while ye yet live, for yer time to be dead is long—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-stain/be-happy-while-ye-yet-live-for-yer-time-to-be-dead-is-long/) Jane Stain > [“No one is dead as long as someone is still alive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-one-is-dead-as-long-as-someone-is-still-alive/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Wisdom is dead. Long live information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/wisdom-is-dead-long-live-information/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The novel is dead. Long live the antinovel, built from scraps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shields/the-novel-is-dead-long-live-the-antinovel-built-from-scraps/) [David Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shields/) > [You only die once, but you will be dead for a very long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/you-only-die-once-but-you-will-be-dead-for-a-very-long-time/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [“I have a box at school, Storm, filled with photos of friends and famiy. They have one thing in common. They're all dead. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-claremont/i-have-a-box-at-school-storm-filled-with-photos-of-friends-and-famiy/) [Chris Claremont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-claremont/) > [You will be dead so long as you refuse to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-will-be-dead-so-long-as-you-refuse-to-die/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coldplay/now-the-old-king-is-dead-long-live-the-king/) [Coldplay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coldplay/) ## More by Paolo Bacigalupi > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [“How did you find truth when everyone was talking about sides?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/how-did-you-find-truth-when-everyone-was-talking-about-sides/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [“At the time, he told his children to watch themselves, to understand that the tides of conservatism came and went and if they could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/at-the-time-he-told-his-children-to-watch-themselves-to-understand/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [The future looks a bit bleak to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/the-future-looks-a-bit-bleak-to-me/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [“Doctor Mahfouz was always yammering on about how everyone had humanity in them. From Mahlia’s experience, the doctor was sliding high, but now, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/doctor-mahfouz-was-always-yammering-on-about-how-everyone-had/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Politics is ugly. Never doubt what small men will do for great power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/politics-is-ugly-never-doubt-what-small-men-will-do-for-great-power/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [“Believing is for Santa Claus, right? It's for Tooth Fairies. It's for your boyfriend when he says he's never met anyone like you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/believing-is-for-santa-claus-right-it-s-for-tooth-fairies-it-s-for/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Never beg for mercy. Accept that you have failed. Begging is for dogs and humans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/never-beg-for-mercy-accept-that-you-have-failed-begging-is-for-dogs/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [“Half-men don’t fight like people. More like hurricanes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/half-men-don-t-fight-like-people-more-like-hurricanes/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [“Maybe it will die on its own, a hopeful voice whispered, but the general suppressed the thought. Wishes were for victims.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/maybe-it-will-die-on-its-own-a-hopeful-voice-whispered-but-the/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [I used to love reading, but since I've started writing, it's harder for me to immerse, because I spend so much time looking at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/i-used-to-love-reading-but-since-i-ve-started-writing-it-s-harder-for/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Sex and hypocrisy. They go together like coffee and cream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/sex-and-hypocrisy-they-go-together-like-coffee-and-cream/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [“Crew up, Nailer!" Lucky Girl shouted. "You think I'm going to pull your ass up here like a damn swank?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/crew-up-nailer-lucky-girl-shouted-you-think-i-m-going-to-pull-your/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [“There were times when he'd told her that every star was a bit of gold that was hers for the taking, because she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/there-were-times-when-he-d-told-her-that-every-star-was-a-bit-of-gold/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [“The theater of operation built itself in Tool’s mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/the-theater-of-operation-built-itself-in-tool-s-mind/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) [Explore all 140 Paolo Bacigalupi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) ## More Approval quotes > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [we need not avoid our active lives, but simply bring to them a new vision and shift of gravity. for in the center we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/we-need-not-avoid-our-active-lives-but-simply-bring-to-them-a-new/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Lean too much on the approval of people, and it becomes a bed of thorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tehyi-hsieh/lean-too-much-on-the-approval-of-people-and-it-becomes-a-bed-of-thorns/) [Tehyi Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tehyi-hsieh/) > [But I always reassure them that as far as my contractual rights can go, I will protect them and make sure that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/but-i-always-reassure-them-that-as-far-as-my-contractual-rights-can/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [Growing up in that fashion is a breeding ground for insecurity and doubt; it also leaves you questioning motives. It took me a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-runyon/growing-up-in-that-fashion-is-a-breeding-ground-for-insecurity-and/) [Damon Runyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-runyon/) > [A year ago, my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the supreme court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/a-year-ago-my-approval-rating-was-in-the-30s-my-nominee-for-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. It’s necessary. I make corrections only after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/approval-is-a-greater-motivator-than-disapproval-but-we-have-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [These days people are mean to people just because they don't like the way they look. No-one should be hated because of their flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/these-days-people-are-mean-to-people-just-because-they-don-t-like-the/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I got this emptiness inside that got me fighting for approval because I missed out on my daddy saying, Way to Go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/i-got-this-emptiness-inside-that-got-me-fighting-for-approval-because/) [Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [My dad taught me swears when I was a toddler, and I saw, at a really early age, that if I shocked people, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/my-dad-taught-me-swears-when-i-was-a-toddler-and-i-saw-at-a-really/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [If torture is going to be administered as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-torture-is-going-to-be-administered-as-a-last-resort-in-the/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [Comedy is a very approval-oriented field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/comedy-is-a-very-approval-oriented-field/) [Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/) > [Whenever you are too worried about someone else's approval, that person loses respect for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-argov/whenever-you-are-too-worried-about-someone-else-s-approval-that/) [Sherry Argov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-argov/) > [Pleasure is Nature's test, her sign of approval.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/pleasure-is-nature-s-test-her-sign-of-approval/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Do you really mean the only reason you try to be good is to gain God's approval and reward? That's not morality, that's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/do-you-really-mean-the-only-reason-you-try-to-be-good-is-to-gain-god/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) [Browse all 904 Approval quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I cared for human approval, I would have been dead long ago.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paolo Bacigalupi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/if-i-cared-for-human-approval-i-would-have-been-dead-long-ago/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Approval" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/if-i-cared-for-human-approval-i-would-have-been-dead-long-ago/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efd/paolo-bacigalupi-3095_approval_if-i-cared-for-human-approval-i-would-ha_904779.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efd/paolo-bacigalupi-3095_approval_if-i-cared-for-human-approval-i-would-ha_904779.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efd/paolo-bacigalupi-3095_approval_if-i-cared-for-human-approval-i-would-ha_904779.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I cared for human approval, I would have been dead long ago.” — Paolo Bacigalupi", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paolo Bacigalupi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I cared for human approval,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/if-i-cared-for-human-approval-i-would-have-been-dead-long-ago/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/if-i-cared-for-human-approval-i-would-have-been-dead-long-ago/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```