--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The egotist is all surface; underneath is…" description: "\"The egotist is all surface; underneath is a pulpy mess and a lot of self-doubt. But the egoist may be yielding and even deferential in things he doesn'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/robertson-davies-834_doubt_the-egotist-is-all-surface-underneath-is_1025319.png" --- # The egotist is all surface; underneath is a pulpy mess and… ![“The egotist is all surface; underneath is a pulpy mess and a lot of self-doubt. But the egoist may be yielding and even deferential in things he doesn't consider important; in anything that touches his core he is remorseless.” quote by Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/robertson-davies-834_doubt_the-egotist-is-all-surface-underneath-is_1025319.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/robertson-davies-834_doubt_the-egotist-is-all-surface-underneath-is_1025319.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/robertson-davies-834_doubt_the-egotist-is-all-surface-underneath-is_1025319.png) > “The egotist is all surface; underneath is a pulpy mess and a lot of self-doubt. But the egoist may be yielding and even deferential in things he doesn't consider important; in anything that touches his core he is remorseless.” [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ego hides insecurity; it shows mercy only where it feels safe, but is ruthless at its core. **In simple terms:** Ego masks doubt, soft on trivial things, harsh on core issues. Key Takeaway Recognize ego’s limits. Themes ego insecurity authenticity Mood analytical introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - personal growth - conflict resolution - creative work Key Concepts psychology self-awareness philosophy Questions to Reflect On - When does ego protect you? - How can you confront core insecurities? A Different Perspective Ego can be a protective mechanism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-doubt/) ## Related quotes > [“An arrogant man forever thinks he can do much more than he can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-arrogant-man-forever-thinks-he-can-do-much-more-than-he-can/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“Many writers make the mistake of making their readers appear like Lazarus, without any iota of care, throwing down books to readers to crunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/many-writers-make-the-mistake-of-making-their-readers-appear-like/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Don't show a friend your gift, or your bag of money if you still want to maintain your relationship, but if nay, go on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/don-t-show-a-friend-your-gift-or-your-bag-of-money-if-you-still-want/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Arrogance is lifelong ascending madness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/arrogance-is-lifelong-ascending-madness/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“An ego always looks at his face in the mirror never in his eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-ego-always-looks-at-his-face-in-the-mirror-never-in-his-eyes/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [An egotist is especially hated by all other egotists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/an-egotist-is-especially-hated-by-all-other-egotists/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [No, no! 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Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) ## More by Robertson Davies > [“...the irrational will have its say, perhaps because 'irrational' is the wrong word for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-irrational-will-have-its-say-perhaps-because-irrational-is-the/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [If you're going to do something that looks evil, don't smear it with icing and pretend it's good; just bloody well do it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/if-you-re-going-to-do-something-that-looks-evil-don-t-smear-it-with/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Extraordinary people survive under the most terrible circumstances and they become more extraordinary because of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/extraordinary-people-survive-under-the-most-terrible-circumstances/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Although there may be nothing new under the sun, what is old is new to us and so rich and astonishing that we never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/although-there-may-be-nothing-new-under-the-sun-what-is-old-is-new-to/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [If I had to describe my remarks this evening frankly as if I were in police court and on oath, so to speak I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/if-i-had-to-describe-my-remarks-this-evening-frankly-as-if-i-were-in/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [The people of the United States, perhaps more than any other nation in history, love to abase themselves and proclaim their unworthiness, and seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-people-of-the-united-states-perhaps-more-than-any-other-nation-in/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [I don't suppose God laughs at the people who think He doesn't exist. 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