--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You put on a bishop's robe and miter, he…" description: "\"“You put on a bishop's robe and miter, he pondered, and walk around in that, and people bow and genuflect and like that, and try to kiss your ring, if ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/philip-k-dick-502_bishop_you-put-on-a-bishop-s-robe-and-miter-he_2186091.jpg" --- # You put on a bishop's robe and miter, he pondered, and… ![“You put on a bishop's robe and miter, he pondered, and walk around in that, and people bow and genuflect and like that, and try to kiss your ring, if not your ass, and pretty soon you're a bishop. So to speak. What is identity? he asked himself. Where does the act end? Nobody knows.” quote by Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/philip-k-dick-502_bishop_you-put-on-a-bishop-s-robe-and-miter-he_2186091.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/philip-k-dick-502_bishop_you-put-on-a-bishop-s-robe-and-miter-he_2186091.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/philip-k-dick-502_bishop_you-put-on-a-bishop-s-robe-and-miter-he_2186091.jpg) > ““You put on a bishop's robe and miter, he pondered, and walk around in that, and people bow and genuflect and like that, and try to kiss your ring, if not your ass, and pretty soon you're a bishop. So to speak. What is identity? he asked himself. Where does the act end? Nobody knows.”” [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identity is shaped by external roles and symbols, yet its true core remains elusive. **In simple terms:** Roles and symbols shape identity, but the core is unclear. Key Takeaway Question the authenticity of imposed identities. Themes identity role authenticity philosophy Mood contemplative enigmatic Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - career - religion - politics - personal growth Key Concepts symbolic interaction self‑construction Questions to Reflect On - Where does your public persona end and your true self begin? - Can you ever fully know your own identity? A Different Perspective External symbols may never fully represent inner self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bishop/) [Bishop Robe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bishop-robe-4744316/) [Bishop Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bishop-speak-4744317/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Identity Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity-asked-888841/) [Nobody knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobody-knows/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) ## Related quotes > [“What is identity? he asked himself. Where does the act end? Nobody knows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/what-is-identity-he-asked-himself-where-does-the-act-end-nobody-knows/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [When I started doing press after college, I never got asked about my racial identity; I was asked more about being a girl in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zauner/when-i-started-doing-press-after-college-i-never-got-asked-about-my/) [Michelle Zauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zauner/) > [Each of us assumes everyone else knows what HE is doing. They all assume we know what WE are doing. We don't...Nothing is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/each-of-us-assumes-everyone-else-knows-what-he-is-doing-they-all-2/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [How can a bishop marry? How can he flirt? The most he can say is "I will see you in the vestry after service."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/how-can-a-bishop-marry-how-can-he-flirt-the-most-he-can-say-is-i-will/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [“The Bishop blessed him and helped him to his feet. "May God have mercy on you," he said. And erased him from his heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/the-bishop-blessed-him-and-helped-him-to-his-feet-may-god-have-mercy/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [I think that the Pope has trust in every bishop that is appointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blase-j-cupich/i-think-that-the-pope-has-trust-in-every-bishop-that-is-appointed/) [Blase J. Cupich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blase-j-cupich/) > [“Does it have a name? All of these fancy magical weapons usually have names." Bishop glared at her. "Yeah. I like to call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rowen/does-it-have-a-name-all-of-these-fancy-magical-weapons-usually-have/) [Michelle Rowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rowen/) > [It is important that the Church of London, which has now lost its ruler, should receive for its new bishop a man whose personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-becket/it-is-important-that-the-church-of-london-which-has-now-lost-its/) [Thomas Becket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-becket/) > [“CHAPTER XII—THE BISHOP WORKS”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/chapter-xii-the-bishop-works/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“There were many candidates for this office, but none, thought the bishop, of the stuff of which an archdeacon is made. And he went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-nathan/there-were-many-candidates-for-this-office-but-none-thought-the/) [Robert Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-nathan/) > [Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/wherever-the-bishop-shall-appear-there-let-the-multitude-also-be-even/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [“We are like the moon. The moon shines anyway, but it does not produce its own light. It reflects the light illuminated onto its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/we-are-like-the-moon-the-moon-shines-anyway-but-it-does-not-produce/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Once a bishop is appointed, in terms of governance, we are semi-autonomous. It's not like we are branch managers of a bank or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blase-j-cupich/once-a-bishop-is-appointed-in-terms-of-governance-we-are-semi/) [Blase J. Cupich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blase-j-cupich/) > [Only a good bishop can be sacrificed, a bad bishop can only be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-razuvaev/only-a-good-bishop-can-be-sacrificed-a-bad-bishop-can-only-be-lost/) [Yuri Razuvaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-razuvaev/) > [“Who among us can claim normalcy, Bishop?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-marusek/who-among-us-can-claim-normalcy-bishop/) [David Marusek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-marusek/) ## More by Philip K. Dick > [So we and our elaborately evolving computers may meet each other halfway. Someday a human being, named perhaps Fred White, may shoot a robot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/so-we-and-our-elaborately-evolving-computers-may-meet-each-other/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Even if all life on our planet is destroyed, there must be other life somewhere which we know nothing of. It is impossible that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/even-if-all-life-on-our-planet-is-destroyed-there-must-be-other-life/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“That is not how you do it; you do not solve one problem with another, greater problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/that-is-not-how-you-do-it-you-do-not-solve-one-problem-with-another/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [For each person there is a sentence—a series of words—which has the power to destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/for-each-person-there-is-a-sentence-a-series-of-words-which-has-the/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [I want to write about people I love, and put them into a fictional world spun out of my own mind, not the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-want-to-write-about-people-i-love-and-put-them-into-a-fictional/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Why does a man cry? he wondered. Not like a woman; not for that. Not for sentiment. A man cries over the loss of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/why-does-a-man-cry-he-wondered-not-like-a-woman-not-for-that-not-for/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [The day came. The wrath descended. Sin, guilt, and retribution? The manic psychoses of those entities we referred to as states, institutions, systems -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/the-day-came-the-wrath-descended-sin-guilt-and-retribution-the-manic/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [The church of my choice is the free, open world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/the-church-of-my-choice-is-the-free-open-world/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“I see,' Rick said. He felt numb. Completely. Throughout his entire body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-see-rick-said-he-felt-numb-completely-throughout-his-entire-body/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“What is identity? he asked himself. Where does the act end? Nobody knows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/what-is-identity-he-asked-himself-where-does-the-act-end-nobody-knows/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [You're killing yourself with cynicism. Your idols got taken away from you one by one and now you have nothing to give your love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/you-re-killing-yourself-with-cynicism-your-idols-got-taken-away-from/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [What scared me the most was when my father would put on the gasmask. His face would disappear... This was not a human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/what-scared-me-the-most-was-when-my-father-would-put-on-the-gasmask/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“A man is an angel that has become deranged, Joe Fernwright thought. Once they – all of them – had been genuine angels, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/a-man-is-an-angel-that-has-become-deranged-joe-fernwright-thought/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“When do I see a photograph, when a reflection?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/when-do-i-see-a-photograph-when-a-reflection/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [My major preoccupation is the question, 'What is reality?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/my-major-preoccupation-is-the-question-what-is-reality/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) [Explore all 489 Philip K. Dick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) ## More Bishop quotes > [“Who among us can claim normalcy, Bishop?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-marusek/who-among-us-can-claim-normalcy-bishop/) [David Marusek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-marusek/) > [Only a good bishop can be sacrificed, a bad bishop can only be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-razuvaev/only-a-good-bishop-can-be-sacrificed-a-bad-bishop-can-only-be-lost/) [Yuri Razuvaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-razuvaev/) > [Once a bishop is appointed, in terms of governance, we are semi-autonomous. It's not like we are branch managers of a bank or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blase-j-cupich/once-a-bishop-is-appointed-in-terms-of-governance-we-are-semi/) [Blase J. Cupich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blase-j-cupich/) > [“We are like the moon. The moon shines anyway, but it does not produce its own light. It reflects the light illuminated onto its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/we-are-like-the-moon-the-moon-shines-anyway-but-it-does-not-produce/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/wherever-the-bishop-shall-appear-there-let-the-multitude-also-be-even/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [“There were many candidates for this office, but none, thought the bishop, of the stuff of which an archdeacon is made. And he went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-nathan/there-were-many-candidates-for-this-office-but-none-thought-the/) [Robert Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-nathan/) > [“CHAPTER XII—THE BISHOP WORKS”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/chapter-xii-the-bishop-works/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [It is important that the Church of London, which has now lost its ruler, should receive for its new bishop a man whose personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-becket/it-is-important-that-the-church-of-london-which-has-now-lost-its/) [Thomas Becket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-becket/) > [“Does it have a name? All of these fancy magical weapons usually have names." Bishop glared at her. "Yeah. I like to call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rowen/does-it-have-a-name-all-of-these-fancy-magical-weapons-usually-have/) [Michelle Rowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rowen/) > [I think that the Pope has trust in every bishop that is appointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blase-j-cupich/i-think-that-the-pope-has-trust-in-every-bishop-that-is-appointed/) [Blase J. Cupich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blase-j-cupich/) > [“The Bishop blessed him and helped him to his feet. "May God have mercy on you," he said. And erased him from his heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/the-bishop-blessed-him-and-helped-him-to-his-feet-may-god-have-mercy/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [How can a bishop marry? How can he flirt? The most he can say is "I will see you in the vestry after service."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/how-can-a-bishop-marry-how-can-he-flirt-the-most-he-can-say-is-i-will/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [“Chandler’s “She was blonde enough to make a bishop kick a hole through a stained-glass window”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/chandler-s-she-was-blonde-enough-to-make-a-bishop-kick-a-hole-through/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [“The power of self deception is great in the case of all men, but I incline to think that it is greatest in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hensley-henson/the-power-of-self-deception-is-great-in-the-case-of-all-men-but-i/) [Herbert Hensley Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hensley-henson/) > [I did think of becoming a priest quite late on, when other boys were thinking of knocking over fences and going out with girls.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-toibin/i-did-think-of-becoming-a-priest-quite-late-on-when-other-boys-were/) [Colm Toibin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-toibin/) [Browse all 108 Bishop quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bishop/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You put on a bishop's robe and miter, he pondered, and walk around in that, and people bow and genuflect and like that, and try to kiss your ring, if not your ass, and pretty soon you're a bishop. 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