--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are people who can write their…" description: "\"There are people who can write their memoirs with a reasonable amount of honesty, and there are people who simply cannot take themselves seriously enou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/raymond-chandler-629_amount_there-are-people-who-can-write-their-mem_2298086.jpg" --- # There are people who can write their memoirs with a… ![“There are people who can write their memoirs with a reasonable amount of honesty, and there are people who simply cannot take themselves seriously enough. I think I might be the first to admit that the sort of reticence which prevents a man from exploiting his own personality is really an inverted…” quote by Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/raymond-chandler-629_amount_there-are-people-who-can-write-their-mem_2298086.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/raymond-chandler-629_amount_there-are-people-who-can-write-their-mem_2298086.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/raymond-chandler-629_amount_there-are-people-who-can-write-their-mem_2298086.jpg) > “There are people who can write their memoirs with a reasonable amount of honesty, and there are people who simply cannot take themselves seriously enough. I think I might be the first to admit that the sort of reticence which prevents a man from exploiting his own personality is really an inverted sort of egotism.” [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Some write honestly, others avoid self‑seriousness; avoiding self‑importance can be a hidden ego. **In simple terms:** Honesty vs self‑seriousness in memoirs. Key Takeaway Balance honesty with humility. Themes honesty ego self‑reflection writing Mood introspective analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - memoir writing - self‑assessment - creative work Key Concepts psychology self‑esteem Questions to Reflect On - Do you hide your true self? - When does humility become ego? A Different Perspective Too much self‑critique can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autobiography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autobiography/) [Egotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egotism/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Memoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memoir/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Reticence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reticence/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [There is a degree of confidence exhibited towards strangers in Sweden, especially in hotels, at post-stations, and on board the inland steamers, which tells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/there-is-a-degree-of-confidence-exhibited-towards-strangers-in-sweden/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [What would happen if people practiced openness and honesty? If people talked about their real challenges without shame or fear of rejection? My guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-reber/what-would-happen-if-people-practiced-openness-and-honesty-if-people/) [Deborah Reber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-reber/) > [“People can live with only so much honesty. And sometimes, people can surprise you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/people-can-live-with-only-so-much-honesty-and-sometimes-people-can/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“Alibaba has a very good PR team, very capable. Our only secret is to always tell the truth. No matter wherever or whenever, say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suk-lee/alibaba-has-a-very-good-pr-team-very-capable-our-only-secret-is-to/) [Suk Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suk-lee/) > [I know that I need honesty from the people I interview. I also know that the truth is more interesting than made up stuff,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-strauss/i-know-that-i-need-honesty-from-the-people-i-interview-i-also-know/) [Neil Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-strauss/) > [I like to see honesty out of people. People who are trustworthy. I like to see people who are involved with The Lord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lewis/i-like-to-see-honesty-out-of-people-people-who-are-trustworthy-i-like/) [Ray Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lewis/) > [“sometimes I just get so frustrated with games of human attraction.” “How so?” “It’s all masked in posturing and ploys. There’s no honesty. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/sometimes-i-just-get-so-frustrated-with-games-of-human-attraction-how/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [The only thing I don't divulge is the truth about Mother killing little Carolina. I don't know why. Perhaps I sense he's not ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/the-only-thing-i-don-t-divulge-is-the-truth-about-mother-killing/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [It doesn't matter if there are 5,000 or 500 people in the crowd, if you can sing well and with absolute honesty, people will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankit-tiwari/it-doesn-t-matter-if-there-are-5-000-or-500-people-in-the-crowd-if/) [Ankit Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankit-tiwari/) > [“But isn’t it better to be honest about these things before someone else can use them against you? 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Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [A judicious reticence is hard to learn, but it is one of the great lessons of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/a-judicious-reticence-is-hard-to-learn-but-it-is-one-of-the-great/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“You yourself are English and yet you do not seem to appreciate the quality of the English reaction to a direct question. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/you-yourself-are-english-and-yet-you-do-not-seem-to-appreciate-the/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Theres that initial reticence for some athletes to take you seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-guerrero/theres-that-initial-reticence-for-some-athletes-to-take-you-seriously/) [Lisa Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-guerrero/) ## More by Raymond Chandler > [Television's perfect. You turn a few knobs, a few of those mechanical adjustments at which the higher apes are so proficient, and lean back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/television-s-perfect-you-turn-a-few-knobs-a-few-of-those-mechanical/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [There is no trap so deadly as the trap you set for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/there-is-no-trap-so-deadly-as-the-trap-you-set-for-yourself/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [ “Hammett was the ace performer... He is said to have lacked heart; yet the story he himself thought the most of \[The Glass Key\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/hammett-was-the-ace-performer-he-is-said-to-have-lacked-heart-yet-the/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [She jerked away from me like a startled fawn might, if I had a startled fawn and it jerked away from me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/she-jerked-away-from-me-like-a-startled-fawn-might-if-i-had-a/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [A good story cannot be devised; it has to be distilled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/a-good-story-cannot-be-devised-it-has-to-be-distilled/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Dashiell Hammett took murder out of theVenetian vase and dropped it into the alley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/dashiell-hammett-took-murder-out-of-thevenetian-vase-and-dropped-it/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [ “He \[James Cain\] is every kind of writer I detest...a Proust in greasy overalls, a dirty little boy with a piece of chalk and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/he-james-cain-is-every-kind-of-writer-i-detest-a-proust-in-greasy/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [It was a blonde. A blonde to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained-glass window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/it-was-a-blonde-a-blonde-to-make-a-bishop-kick-a-hole-in-a-stained/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [“I had been stalking the bluebottle fly for five minutes, waiting for him to sit down. He didn't want to sit down. He just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/i-had-been-stalking-the-bluebottle-fly-for-five-minutes-waiting-for/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [“A three-piece Mexican band was making the kind of music a Mexican band always makes. Whatever they play, it all sounds the same. 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What matters is what that amount represents in terms of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-amount-you-give-isn-t-important-what-matters-is-what-that-amount/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/there-s-a-place-in-botswana-where-there-are-100-000-elephants-living/) [Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [I am not a great believer in dialectical struggle. I am much more of a fusion person. 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