---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's so egotistical to believe that we…"
description: "\"“It's so egotistical to believe that we know more about someone else's reality than they do, and such a waste of time.”\" — Shreve Stockton"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/shreve-stockton-72996_ego_it-s-so-egotistical-to-believe-that-we-k_850521.jpg"
---

#  It's so egotistical to believe that we know more about…

![“It's so egotistical to believe that we know more about someone else's reality than they do, and such a waste of time.” quote by Shreve Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/shreve-stockton-72996_ego_it-s-so-egotistical-to-believe-that-we-k_850521.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/shreve-stockton-72996_ego_it-s-so-egotistical-to-believe-that-we-k_850521.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/shreve-stockton-72996_ego_it-s-so-egotistical-to-believe-that-we-k_850521.jpg)

> ““It's so egotistical to believe that we know more about someone else's reality than they do, and such a waste of time.””

Shreve Stockton

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Assuming we know others' reality is egotistical and wasteful.

**In simple terms:** Thinking we know others' reality is arrogant.

Key Takeaway

Listen before judging.

Themes

ego knowledge humility

Mood

reflective cautious

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

- personal relationships
- political debates
- clinical therapy
- cross‑cultural exchange

Key Concepts

epistemic humility cognitive bias

Questions to Reflect On

- How often do you assume you know someone's experience?
- What steps can you take to reduce ego?

A Different Perspective

Complete understanding is impossible.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) [Waste of time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste-of-time/) [Waste time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste-time/)

## Related quotes

> [It's frightening that skepticism has to be a movement, because you're just arguing that reality is reality. What a waste of energy, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/it-s-frightening-that-skepticism-has-to-be-a-movement-because-you-re/)

[Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/)

> [“Doing things you hate is a waste of time and offers a very little possibility of success, so move on to things you enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taskinsoy/doing-things-you-hate-is-a-waste-of-time-and-offers-a-very-little/)

[John Taskinsoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taskinsoy/)

> [it is a waste of time to ask more of people than they have to give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/it-is-a-waste-of-time-to-ask-more-of-people-than-they-have-to-give/)

[Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/)

> [Facebook isn't a waste of time, it's important, it um, let's me, um, yeah OK it's a waste of time but you do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/facebook-isn-t-a-waste-of-time-it-s-important-it-um-let-s-me-um-yeah/)

[Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/)

> [Regret is an appalling waste of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mansfield/regret-is-an-appalling-waste-of-time/)

[Katherine Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mansfield/)

> [“It's a waste of time worrying about something that worry won't fix. It's about as useful as trying to feed your pet rock.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/it-s-a-waste-of-time-worrying-about-something-that-worry-won-t-fix-it/)

[Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/)

> [I recently read an article on how I was dropped from a film because I couldn't dance! It was so ridiculous that I decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kajal-aggarwal/i-recently-read-an-article-on-how-i-was-dropped-from-a-film-because-i/)

[Kajal Aggarwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kajal-aggarwal/)

> [Arguing with someone that hates you is a waste of time. It will just go on and on because they won't ever admit that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/arguing-with-someone-that-hates-you-is-a-waste-of-time-it-will-just/)

[Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/)

> [Worrying is a waste of time. It doesnt change anything. It messes with your mind and steals your happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/worrying-is-a-waste-of-time-it-doesnt-change-anything-it-messes-with/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“If you’re waiting for my good looks to fade... it’s a futile waste of time. Give up at once. - (Christian Wright)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-delucy/if-you-re-waiting-for-my-good-looks-to-fade-it-s-a-futile-waste-of/)

[Jennifer DeLucy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-delucy/)

> [Thank you for the lies, drama, heartache and most of all for being a huge waste of time :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thank-you-for-the-lies-drama-heartache-and-most-of-all-for-being-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There is no bigger waste of time than doing 90% of what is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/there-is-no-bigger-waste-of-time-than-doing-90-of-what-is-necessary/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [Why Worry? It's a total waste of time and it doesn't change anything. All it does is steal your joy and keeps you busy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/why-worry-it-s-a-total-waste-of-time-and-it-doesn-t-change-anything/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [Trying to find this industry's tendency to celebrate the physical is a waste of time. So I'm happy to play the game. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/trying-to-find-this-industry-s-tendency-to-celebrate-the-physical-is/)

[Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/)

> [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

## More by Shreve Stockton

> [“I let go of my remorse...of wanting to fix his problems and cure his pain. This seems like such a common female thing, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreve-stockton/i-let-go-of-my-remorse-of-wanting-to-fix-his-problems-and-cure-his/)

Shreve Stockton

> [“Whether they realized it or not, they were doubting possibility, and the unknown. They believed I would fail. And when we only believe what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreve-stockton/whether-they-realized-it-or-not-they-were-doubting-possibility-and/)

Shreve Stockton

> [“Between the head and the heart is the voice, and our voice reflects our choices: the way we reconcile what we think and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreve-stockton/between-the-head-and-the-heart-is-the-voice-and-our-voice-reflects/)

Shreve Stockton

Explore all 4 Shreve Stockton quotes

## More Ego quotes

> [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/)

[Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/)

> [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/)

[Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/)

> [I love playing ego and insecurity combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/i-love-playing-ego-and-insecurity-combined/)

[Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/)

> [“sometimes when everything seems at its worst when all conspires and gnaws and the hours, days, weeks years seem wasted – stretched there upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-when-everything-seems-at-its-worst-when-all-conspires-and/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [I'm a straight shooter, and most of the time my ego doesn't interrupt my relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-macht/i-m-a-straight-shooter-and-most-of-the-time-my-ego-doesn-t-interrupt/)

[Gabriel Macht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-macht/)

> [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/)

[David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/)

> [“There are two kinds of people: goal-oriented and ego-oriented. Goal-oriented people work together and get things gone. Ego-oriented people don’t work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charbel-tadros/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-goal-oriented-and-ego-oriented-goal/)

[Charbel Tadros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charbel-tadros/)

> [Heart surgeons do not have the world's smallest egos: when you ask them to name the world's three leading practitioners, they never can remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/heart-surgeons-do-not-have-the-world-s-smallest-egos-when-you-ask/)

[Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/)

> [I hate acting when I see it. I don't want to feel it, I don't want to see it, I want to be taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-hauer/i-hate-acting-when-i-see-it-i-don-t-want-to-feel-it-i-don-t-want-to/)

[Rutger Hauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-hauer/)

> [It's a constant man-ego-check going on in the streets, in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/it-s-a-constant-man-ego-check-going-on-in-the-streets-in-this-world/)

[Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/)

> [“... a man doesn't like to have his ego popped, especially when he prides himself on his sagacity, and then to be proved wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/a-man-doesn-t-like-to-have-his-ego-popped-especially-when-he-prides/)

[E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/)

> [Our real nature is not our imaginary, limited ego. Our true nature is vast, all-comprehensive, and intangible as empty space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anagarika-govinda/our-real-nature-is-not-our-imaginary-limited-ego-our-true-nature-is/)

[Anagarika Govinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anagarika-govinda/)

> [The man of wisdom is devoid of ego even though he may appear to use it. His vacant or fasting mind is neither doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramesh-s-balsekar/the-man-of-wisdom-is-devoid-of-ego-even-though-he-may-appear-to-use/)

[Ramesh S Balsekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramesh-s-balsekar/)

> [Show me success without ego!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivana-trump/show-me-success-without-ego/)

[Ivana Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivana-trump/)

[Browse all 3,462 Ego quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“It's so egotistical to believe that we know more about someone else's reality than they do, and such a waste of time.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Shreve Stockton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreve-stockton/it-s-so-egotistical-to-believe-that-we-know-more-about-someone-else-s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ego"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreve-stockton/it-s-so-egotistical-to-believe-that-we-know-more-about-someone-else-s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/shreve-stockton-72996_ego_it-s-so-egotistical-to-believe-that-we-k_850521.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/shreve-stockton-72996_ego_it-s-so-egotistical-to-believe-that-we-k_850521.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/shreve-stockton-72996_ego_it-s-so-egotistical-to-believe-that-we-k_850521.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's so egotistical to believe that we know more about someone else's reality than they do, and such a waste…” — Shreve Stockton",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Shreve Stockton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shreve-stockton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“It's so egotistical to believe that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreve-stockton/it-s-so-egotistical-to-believe-that-we-know-more-about-someone-else-s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreve-stockton/it-s-so-egotistical-to-believe-that-we-know-more-about-someone-else-s/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
