---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone knows people like that: You're…"
description: "\"Everyone knows people like that: You're looking at their milky, glazed-over eyes, and you know they're not listening.\" — Paula Pell"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/paula-pell-15288_eyes_everyone-knows-people-like-that-you-re-l_1820565.jpg"
---

#  Everyone knows people like that: You're looking at their…

![“Everyone knows people like that: You're looking at their milky, glazed-over eyes, and you know they're not listening.” quote by Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/paula-pell-15288_eyes_everyone-knows-people-like-that-you-re-l_1820565.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/paula-pell-15288_eyes_everyone-knows-people-like-that-you-re-l_1820565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/paula-pell-15288_eyes_everyone-knows-people-like-that-you-re-l_1820565.jpg)

> “Everyone knows people like that: You're looking at their milky, glazed-over eyes, and you know they're not listening.”

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

## About This Quote

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

People who appear disengaged often have vacant eyes, signaling they are not truly hearing you.

**In simple terms:** Blank eyes show lack of attention.

Key Takeaway

Notice disengagement and adjust communication.

Themes

communication attention empathy

Mood

frustrated observant

Type

observational analytical

When to use this quote

- meetings
- classrooms
- customer service
- personal conversations

Key Concepts

psychology nonverbal cues

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do they seem distant?
- How can you re-engage them?

A Different Perspective

They may be distracted for reasons unrelated to you.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [“I leaned back on my palms, looking at the Milky Way spilling in modest grandeur across the sky. A fountain of stars frothing over,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-raeder/i-leaned-back-on-my-palms-looking-at-the-milky-way-spilling-in-modest/)

[Leah Raeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-raeder/)

> [“Lying spread-eagled in the silky water, gazing into the sky, only moving my hands and feet slightly to keep afloat, I was looking at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/lying-spread-eagled-in-the-silky-water-gazing-into-the-sky-only/)

[Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/)

> [I wish You could see you in my eyes then you would know why I freak soo much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinzz/i-wish-you-could-see-you-in-my-eyes-then-you-would-know-why-i-freak/)

Kinzz

> [“Okay, here’s a cheat I learned in a leadership seminar. It’s called active listening. Someone says something, a complaint, or a criticism, or they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wildbow/okay-here-s-a-cheat-i-learned-in-a-leadership-seminar-it-s-called/)

wildbow

> [People unconsciously know when you are not listening to them. Then they say 'No' to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/people-unconsciously-know-when-you-are-not-listening-to-them-then/)

[James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/)

> [If you think you know it all, you are not listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-johnson-evans/if-you-think-you-know-it-all-you-are-not-listening/)

Marsha Johnson Evans

> [“People are most honest when they don't know you are listening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thalia-chaltas/people-are-most-honest-when-they-don-t-know-you-are-listening/)

[Thalia Chaltas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thalia-chaltas/)

> [ We should all know this: that listening is not talking; \[it\] is the gifted and great role and the imaginative role. And the true… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-ueland/we-should-all-know-this-that-listening-is-not-talking-it-is-the/)

[Brenda Ueland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-ueland/)

> [You're addicting, the hard love, I'm use to it so when your yelling, know that I'm listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-addicting-the-hard-love-i-m-use-to-it-so-when-your-yelling/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I'm tired of having to consult a group of old white guys about my black girl craft. They don't even know what they're listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azealia-banks/i-m-tired-of-having-to-consult-a-group-of-old-white-guys-about-my/)

[Azealia Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azealia-banks/)

> [Likewise, I would never be so rude as to not interrupt a friend. How else would she know I was listening?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-scottoline/likewise-i-would-never-be-so-rude-as-to-not-interrupt-a-friend-how/)

[Lisa Scottoline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-scottoline/)

> [“The fact that you have access to the microphone doesn't mean you know everything. There are others listening to you, who know more things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-fact-that-you-have-access-to-the-microphone-doesn-t-mean-you-know/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [Be careful what you wish for. You never know who will be listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/be-careful-what-you-wish-for-you-never-know-who-will-be-listening/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Guess when you know no one's listening, you just stop talking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-stewart/guess-when-you-know-no-one-s-listening-you-just-stop-talking/)

[Mariah Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-stewart/)

> [How we absorb music is unique. I know what I do. When I'm listening to music, I tend to find myself in a song.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-grant/how-we-absorb-music-is-unique-i-know-what-i-do-when-i-m-listening-to/)

[Amy Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-grant/)

## More by Paula Pell

> [I was half Catskills comedian, half 1800s matron.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/i-was-half-catskills-comedian-half-1800s-matron/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [I think, as a woman, you have to really make sure that you're taking care of yourself and make sure that you're covered and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/i-think-as-a-woman-you-have-to-really-make-sure-that-you-re-taking/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [I went to college at University of Tennessee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/i-went-to-college-at-university-of-tennessee/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [I grew up where the repercussion of you having an opinion was being 'cocky,' or people would be mad at you. And I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/i-grew-up-where-the-repercussion-of-you-having-an-opinion-was-being/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [I have written before, but I was primarily an actor and improvisational performer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/i-have-written-before-but-i-was-primarily-an-actor-and/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [It takes a special kind of family to bathe together in their 40s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/it-takes-a-special-kind-of-family-to-bathe-together-in-their-40s/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [I'd always be loaning my sister money, knowing full well I wasn't going to get it back. But she had the kids, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/i-d-always-be-loaning-my-sister-money-knowing-full-well-i-wasn-t/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [I was born in Joliet, Illinois. It was totally Midwestern - small, little house, two great parents, and a sister and a beagle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/i-was-born-in-joliet-illinois-it-was-totally-midwestern-small-little/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [I'm a late bloomer, so I'm going to embrace it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/i-m-a-late-bloomer-so-i-m-going-to-embrace-it-all/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [If you're hired to be a funny person, you have to trust your judgment but also be open because sometimes you think something's funny,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/if-you-re-hired-to-be-a-funny-person-you-have-to-trust-your-judgment/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [I've got my foot in 'Saturday Night Live,' and my heart is there in a lot of ways, but I'm really pushing myself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/i-ve-got-my-foot-in-saturday-night-live-and-my-heart-is-there-in-a/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [You're under the gun at all times because it's live TV. A lot of time, between dress and air, you're having to come with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/you-re-under-the-gun-at-all-times-because-it-s-live-tv-a-lot-of-time/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [Young, handsome men never flirt with me. I get heat from old dudes that run the parking garages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/young-handsome-men-never-flirt-with-me-i-get-heat-from-old-dudes-that/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [It was really fun to start writing movies because you could actually take characters whose voice you enjoy writing in and have actual things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/it-was-really-fun-to-start-writing-movies-because-you-could-actually/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

> [All the women I've grown up with at 'SNL' and other areas, and even the women that work with Judd Apatow, all those women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/all-the-women-i-ve-grown-up-with-at-snl-and-other-areas-and-even-the/)

[Paula Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

[Explore all 43 Paula Pell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/)

## More Eyes quotes

> [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/)

[Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/)

> [When I was a teen, I would draw a really, really long line around my eyes with eyeliner, like Lola Flores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalia/when-i-was-a-teen-i-would-draw-a-really-really-long-line-around-my/)

[Rosalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalia/)

> [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/)

[Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/)

> [Human beings should stick together. Honestly, if I see a red-haired person with blue eyes now, I say, 'Is your granny black?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/human-beings-should-stick-together-honestly-if-i-see-a-red-haired/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/)

[Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/)

> [When I see things through my eyes, I don't want to ever just be really negative towards someone's performance. There are many ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/when-i-see-things-through-my-eyes-i-don-t-want-to-ever-just-be-really/)

[Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/)

> [My only trick to having wing liner sharp enough to cut is be careful and take your time! I have hooded eyes, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-charles/my-only-trick-to-having-wing-liner-sharp-enough-to-cut-is-be-careful/)

[James Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-charles/)

> [“I fell in love with your eyes first because I looked into their depths and saw the other half of my soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-lilley/i-fell-in-love-with-your-eyes-first-because-i-looked-into-their/)

[R.K. Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-lilley/)

> [I think, reading about yourself through somebody else's eyes, you're always going to have your own story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-sestero/i-think-reading-about-yourself-through-somebody-else-s-eyes-you-re/)

[Greg Sestero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-sestero/)

> [For the Russian masses, the proletarians, knew for certain, and already saw during the war, and in part before their very eyes, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-gorter/for-the-russian-masses-the-proletarians-knew-for-certain-and-already/)

[Herman Gorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-gorter/)

> [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/)

[William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/)

> [Evertime I close my eyes it doesnt matter where, I always see you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/evertime-i-close-my-eyes-it-doesnt-matter-where-i-always-see-you/)

Patience

> [Look with all your eyes, look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/look-with-all-your-eyes-look/)

[Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/)

> [It's not your mistake if you cant read the eyes which cheats you. But it's really your mistake if you cant read the eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-mbululo/it-s-not-your-mistake-if-you-cant-read-the-eyes-which-cheats-you-but/)

[Ally Mbululo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-mbululo/)

> [Kiss me with your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/kiss-me-with-your-eyes/)

[Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/)

[Browse all 3,942 Eyes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Everyone knows people like that: You're looking at their milky, glazed-over eyes, and you know they're not listening.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Paula Pell"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/everyone-knows-people-like-that-you-re-looking-at-their-milky-glazed/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Eyes"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/everyone-knows-people-like-that-you-re-looking-at-their-milky-glazed/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/paula-pell-15288_eyes_everyone-knows-people-like-that-you-re-l_1820565.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/paula-pell-15288_eyes_everyone-knows-people-like-that-you-re-l_1820565.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/paula-pell-15288_eyes_everyone-knows-people-like-that-you-re-l_1820565.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Everyone knows people like that: You're looking at their milky, glazed-over eyes, and you know they're not…” — Paula Pell",
                "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": "Paula Pell",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-pell/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Everyone knows people like that: You're...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/everyone-knows-people-like-that-you-re-looking-at-their-milky-glazed/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-pell/everyone-knows-people-like-that-you-re-looking-at-their-milky-glazed/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
