--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you are bent on assuming a pose and…" description: "\"If you are bent on assuming a pose and never reveal yourself to anyone frankly, in the fashion of many who live a false life that is all made up for sh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/seneca-the-younger-219_anxiety_if-you-are-bent-on-assuming-a-pose-and-n_2062539.jpg" --- # If you are bent on assuming a pose and never reveal… ![“If you are bent on assuming a pose and never reveal yourself to anyone frankly, in the fashion of many who live a false life that is all made up for show; for it is torturous to be constantly watching oneself and be fearful of being caught out of our usual role. And we are never free from concern…” quote by Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/seneca-the-younger-219_anxiety_if-you-are-bent-on-assuming-a-pose-and-n_2062539.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/seneca-the-younger-219_anxiety_if-you-are-bent-on-assuming-a-pose-and-n_2062539.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/seneca-the-younger-219_anxiety_if-you-are-bent-on-assuming-a-pose-and-n_2062539.jpg) > “If you are bent on assuming a pose and never reveal yourself to anyone frankly, in the fashion of many who live a false life that is all made up for show; for it is torturous to be constantly watching oneself and be fearful of being caught out of our usual role. And we are never free from concern if we think that every time anyone looks at us he is always taking-our measure; for many things happen that strip off our pretence against our will, and, though all this attention to self is successful, yet the life of those who live under a mask cannot be happy and without anxiety.” [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living a false life under a mask causes constant self‑scrutiny, anxiety, and prevents true happiness. **In simple terms:** Pretending leads to anxiety and unhappiness. Key Takeaway Embrace authenticity. Themes authenticity anxiety self‑image freedom Mood reflective somber Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - personal relationships - public speaking - social media - leadership Key Concepts Stoicism self‑awareness social perception Questions to Reflect On - What masks are you wearing? - How does self‑scrutiny affect your wellbeing? A Different Perspective Authenticity may clash with social expectations or safety concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Fearful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearful/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mask/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“And this, too, affords no small occasion for anxieties - if you are bent on assuming a pose and never reveal yourself to anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/and-this-too-affords-no-small-occasion-for-anxieties-if-you-are-bent/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [The fearful are caught as often as the bold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/the-fearful-are-caught-as-often-as-the-bold/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Fearful that they would be caught, the young lovers cast themselves into the sea with their stone, saying these words, "May we ever be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-boucher/fearful-that-they-would-be-caught-the-young-lovers-cast-themselves/) Rebecca Boucher > [“Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than to outrun exposer. the fearful are caught as often as the bold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/avoiding-danger-is-no-safer-in-the-long-run-than-to-outrun-exposer/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [A hungry people listens not to reason, not cares for justice, nor is bent by any prayers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-hungry-people-listens-not-to-reason-not-cares-for-justice-nor-is/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretences did I cheat myself. Surely a curious thing. That I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/all-other-swindlers-upon-earth-are-nothing-to-the-self-swindlers-and-2/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“It is so much more threatening to have something out of hand than to believe that at any moment I can stop (I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flora-rheta-schreiber/it-is-so-much-more-threatening-to-have-something-out-of-hand-than-to/) [Flora Rheta Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flora-rheta-schreiber/) > [All in the golden afternoon Full leisurely we glide; For both our oars, with little skill, By little arms are plied, While little hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/all-in-the-golden-afternoon-full-leisurely-we-glide-for-both-our-oars/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [Necessity hath no law. Feigned necessities, imaginary necessities, are the greatest cozenage men can put upon the Providence of God, and make pretences to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-cromwell/necessity-hath-no-law-feigned-necessities-imaginary-necessities-are/) [Oliver Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-cromwell/) > [In a society that restricts individual freedoms and violates human rights, anything that calls itself creative or independent is a pretence. It is impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/in-a-society-that-restricts-individual-freedoms-and-violates-human/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Anything can become a children's book if you give it to a child...Children are actually the best (and worst) audience for literature because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/anything-can-become-a-children-s-book-if-you-give-it-to-a-child/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Don't pretend to be what you're not, instead, pretend to what you want to be, it is not pretence, it is a journey to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/don-t-pretend-to-be-what-you-re-not-instead-pretend-to-what-you-want/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [And hast thou sworn on every slight pretence, Till perjuries are common as bad pence, While thousands, careless of the damning sin, Kiss the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/and-hast-thou-sworn-on-every-slight-pretence-till-perjuries-are/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“The closest she got to pretence was politeness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/the-closest-she-got-to-pretence-was-politeness/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) ## More by Seneca the Younger > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [It is for the superfluous we sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-for-the-superfluous-we-sweat/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Men trust rather to their eyes than to their ears; the effect of precepts is therefore slow and tedious, whilst that of examples is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-trust-rather-to-their-eyes-than-to-their-ears-the-effect-of/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [A great step towards independence is a good-humored stomach, one that is willing to endure rough treatment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-great-step-towards-independence-is-a-good-humored-stomach-one-that/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Men can be divided into 2 groups: one that goes ahead and achieves something, and one that comes after and criticizes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-can-be-divided-into-2-groups-one-that-goes-ahead-and-achieves/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Leisure without study is death, and the grave of a living man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/leisure-without-study-is-death-and-the-grave-of-a-living-man/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Such as the chain of causes we call Fate, such is the chain of wishes: one links on to another; the whole man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/such-as-the-chain-of-causes-we-call-fate-such-is-the-chain-of-wishes/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [To rule yourself is the ultimate power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/to-rule-yourself-is-the-ultimate-power/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The road by precepts is tedious, by example, short and efficacious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-road-by-precepts-is-tedious-by-example-short-and-efficacious/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Misfortune is the test of a person's merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/misfortune-is-the-test-of-a-person-s-merit/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [He who does not want to die should not want to live. For life is tendered to us with the proviso of death. Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/he-who-does-not-want-to-die-should-not-want-to-live-for-life-is/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Let us not seek our disease out of ourselves; 'tis in us, and planted in our bowels; and the mere fact that we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/let-us-not-seek-our-disease-out-of-ourselves-tis-in-us-and-planted-in/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [After death there is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/after-death-there-is-nothing/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Adversity finds at last the man whom she has often passed by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/adversity-finds-at-last-the-man-whom-she-has-often-passed-by/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Hesitation is the best cure for anger. The first blows of anger are heavy, but if it waits, it will think again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/hesitation-is-the-best-cure-for-anger-the-first-blows-of-anger-are/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) [Explore all 872 Seneca the Younger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you are bent on assuming a pose and never reveal yourself to anyone frankly, in the fashion of many who live a false life that is all made up for show; for it is torturous to be constantly watching oneself and be fearful of being caught out of our usual role. 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