--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe they were just as mean on the…" description: "\"“Maybe they were just as mean on the inside, but they were scared of getting in trouble. Or maybe they were just as mean on the inside, but they’d been..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/rainbow-rowell-135_old-people_maybe-they-were-just-as-mean-on-the-insi_3022661.jpg" --- # Maybe they were just as mean on the inside, but they were… ![“Maybe they were just as mean on the inside, but they were scared of getting in trouble. Or maybe they were just as mean on the inside, but they’d been trained to be polite – to give up their seats for old people and girls.” quote by Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/rainbow-rowell-135_old-people_maybe-they-were-just-as-mean-on-the-insi_3022661.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/rainbow-rowell-135_old-people_maybe-they-were-just-as-mean-on-the-insi_3022661.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/rainbow-rowell-135_old-people_maybe-they-were-just-as-mean-on-the-insi_3022661.jpg) > ““Maybe they were just as mean on the inside, but they were scared of getting in trouble. Or maybe they were just as mean on the inside, but they’d been trained to be polite – to give up their seats for old people and girls.”” [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People may hide inner meeness behind politeness, fearing trouble. **In simple terms:** Politeness can mask inner harshness. Key Takeaway Look beyond surface behavior to understand true motives. Themes social behavior politeness inner conflict Mood curious empathetic Type observational psychological When to use this quote - classroom interactions - customer service - family gatherings Key Concepts psychology social masks Questions to Reflect On - When have you misread someone's kindness? - How can you discern genuine intent? A Different Perspective Not all politeness hides meanness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inside Scared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inside-scared-1158995/) [Mean Inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean-inside-572910/) [Old people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-people/) [Polite Seats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polite-seats-1357128/) [Seats Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seats-old-4900422/) [Trained Polite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trained-polite-4900421/) ## Related quotes > [“Honor students -- black, white, or Asia Minor -- tended to be nicer. Maybe they were just as mean on the inside, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/honor-students-black-white-or-asia-minor-tended-to-be-nicer-maybe/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [My family trained me to be polite to people I had just met, and that included strangers. You speak when you're spoken to. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/my-family-trained-me-to-be-polite-to-people-i-had-just-met-and-that/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [Deep down inside ourselves, we are all scared of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-walters/deep-down-inside-ourselves-we-are-all-scared-of-something/) [Tim Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-walters/) > [I'm the person I am because of all the support we have but inside there is still a scared, gay kid, worried he's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-alexander/i-m-the-person-i-am-because-of-all-the-support-we-have-but-inside/) [Olly Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-alexander/) > [When they say look for what is inside of a girl, they mean inside their heart, not their clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/when-they-say-look-for-what-is-inside-of-a-girl-they-mean-inside/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Actually, years mean nothing. It's what's inside them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-van-booy/actually-years-mean-nothing-it-s-what-s-inside-them/) [Simon Van Booy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-van-booy/) > [If my parents ever had to ground me, they didn't really know what that would mean, because I was inside most of the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/if-my-parents-ever-had-to-ground-me-they-didn-t-really-know-what-that/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [Just because I am strong on the outside, doesn't mean it's the same on the inside...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naquitta-faith/just-because-i-am-strong-on-the-outside-doesn-t-mean-it-s-the-same-on/) [Naquitta Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naquitta-faith/) > [You flirt with old people and babies and everybody in between.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/you-flirt-with-old-people-and-babies-and-everybody-in-between/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“The real food in Ag 6 looked like old people before aging-reversal treatments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-rossi/the-real-food-in-ag-6-looked-like-old-people-before-aging-reversal/) [Veronica Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-rossi/) > [My mother loved my father. From my view, she let him get away with too much. It broke my heart to see him in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/my-mother-loved-my-father-from-my-view-she-let-him-get-away-with-too/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I like making films about old people because they are repositories of amazing stories that they tell well. And they're incredibly good telly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hislop/i-like-making-films-about-old-people-because-they-are-repositories-of/) [Ian Hislop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hislop/) > [“Eddie saw great things and near misses. Albert Einstein as a child, not quite struck by a run-away milk-wagon as he crossed a street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/eddie-saw-great-things-and-near-misses-albert-einstein-as-a-child-not/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) ## More by Rainbow Rowell > [Reagan was sitting up at Cath's desk when Cath woke up. "Are you awake?" "Have you been watching me sleep?" "Yes, Bella. Are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/reagan-was-sitting-up-at-cath-s-desk-when-cath-woke-up-are-you-awake/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Are you awake?” “Have you been watching me sleep?” “Yes, Bella. Are you awake?” “No.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/are-you-awake-have-you-been-watching-me-sleep-yes-bella-are-you-awake/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Someone was knocking on her windshield. Georgie lifted her head off the steering wheel. It was Kendrick. She couldn’t really hear what he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/someone-was-knocking-on-her-windshield-georgie-lifted-her-head-off/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [Maybe Park had paralyzed her with his ninja magic, his Vulcan handhold, and now he was going to eat her. That would be awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/maybe-park-had-paralyzed-her-with-his-ninja-magic-his-vulcan-handhold/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“She wouldn't pick up a fight him just because she was bored.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/she-wouldn-t-pick-up-a-fight-him-just-because-she-was-bored/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“That person thought that wearing an ugly dress on the happiest day of someone else's life was just the beginning-the line you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/that-person-thought-that-wearing-an-ugly-dress-on-the-happiest-day-of/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Is this where you tell me that I'm a scoundrel, and I say that I think you like me because I'm a scoundrel? Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/is-this-where-you-tell-me-that-i-m-a-scoundrel-and-i-say-that-i-think/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Te informo de que mi respuesta a tus próximas doce afirmaciones va a ser: «¿Cómo dices?»”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/te-informo-de-que-mi-respuesta-a-tus-pr-ximas-doce-afirmaciones-va-a/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Dude. Let it go. Good riddance to bad rubbers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/dude-let-it-go-good-riddance-to-bad-rubbers/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [He looked exactly like a rat. Like the human being version of a rat. Like the villain in a Don Bluth movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/he-looked-exactly-like-a-rat-like-the-human-being-version-of-a-rat/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Tell me more about the mountains, Georgie said, because she wasn't really sure what to ask. Because ' tell me where I went wrong'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/tell-me-more-about-the-mountains-georgie-said-because-she-wasn-t/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [God, his chin. She wanted to make an honest woman of his chin. She wanted to lock it down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/god-his-chin-she-wanted-to-make-an-honest-woman-of-his-chin-she/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Wait, I really do need your help with this." He turned his computer monitor toward her and pointed. "Is this funny? It's a Snoopy/Snoop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/wait-i-really-do-need-your-help-with-this-he-turned-his-computer/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“You need to cool down first.” “I’m cool.” “Simon. You’re never cool.” “That hurts, Penny.” “It shouldn’t. It’s one of the reasons I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/you-need-to-cool-down-first-i-m-cool-simon-you-re-never-cool-that/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“She'd get out of the shower the next morning, and it would be written in the steam on the mirror. Dance. Dress. Try a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/she-d-get-out-of-the-shower-the-next-morning-and-it-would-be-written/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) [Explore all 1,108 Rainbow Rowell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) ## More Old people quotes > [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) > [“Eddie saw great things and near misses. Albert Einstein as a child, not quite struck by a run-away milk-wagon as he crossed a street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/eddie-saw-great-things-and-near-misses-albert-einstein-as-a-child-not/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I like making films about old people because they are repositories of amazing stories that they tell well. And they're incredibly good telly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hislop/i-like-making-films-about-old-people-because-they-are-repositories-of/) [Ian Hislop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hislop/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [My mother loved my father. From my view, she let him get away with too much. It broke my heart to see him in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/my-mother-loved-my-father-from-my-view-she-let-him-get-away-with-too/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [“The real food in Ag 6 looked like old people before aging-reversal treatments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-rossi/the-real-food-in-ag-6-looked-like-old-people-before-aging-reversal/) [Veronica Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-rossi/) > [There's a convention in English stuff that if something is more than 100 years old, people have to say 'do not' instead of 'don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-knight/there-s-a-convention-in-english-stuff-that-if-something-is-more-than/) [Steven Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-knight/) > [Sometimes you believe that you are targeting a 25-35-year-old young woman and you see that there is a crowd of 78-year-old people who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-levy/sometimes-you-believe-that-you-are-targeting-a-25-35-year-old-young/) [Maurice Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-levy/) > [Science has salvaged scrap metal and even found vitamins and valuable oils in refuse, but old people are extravagantly wasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anzia-yezierska/science-has-salvaged-scrap-metal-and-even-found-vitamins-and-valuable/) [Anzia Yezierska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anzia-yezierska/) > [“Old people deserves a medal, a medal of existence which crowns their long-term victory against the cruelty of time and the dangers of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/old-people-deserves-a-medal-a-medal-of-existence-which-crowns-their/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [One of the biggest reasons old people are so bitter is after all those years they finally realize what life is really about, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-vincent/one-of-the-biggest-reasons-old-people-are-so-bitter-is-after-all/) [Billy Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-vincent/) > [“Chance words spoken in kindness often help amazingly; and that's what old people are here for -- else their experience is of little use.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/chance-words-spoken-in-kindness-often-help-amazingly-and-that-s-what/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [In certain savage tribes in New Guinea, they put the old people up in the trees and shake them once a year in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dos-passos/in-certain-savage-tribes-in-new-guinea-they-put-the-old-people-up-in/) [John Dos Passos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dos-passos/) > [Eating is sex for old people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/eating-is-sex-for-old-people/) [Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/) > [Most people think that aging is irreversible and we know that there are mechanisms even in the human machinery that allow for the reversal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/most-people-think-that-aging-is-irreversible-and-we-know-that-there/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) [Browse all 776 Old people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Maybe they were just as mean on the inside, but they were scared of getting in trouble. 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