--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: See, phrenology is this old Victorian…" description: "\"“See, phrenology is this old Victorian science, which claimed you could determine the dominant traits of a man's personality by studying the bumps on h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/simon-r-green-6185_different-person_see-phrenology-is-this-old-victorian-sci_482779.png" --- # See, phrenology is this old Victorian science, which… ![“See, phrenology is this old Victorian science, which claimed you could determine the dominant traits of a man's personality by studying the bumps on his head. The size and position of these bumps indicated different personality traits. See? Now, /retro-phrenology/ says, why not change a man's…” quote by Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/simon-r-green-6185_different-person_see-phrenology-is-this-old-victorian-sci_482779.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/simon-r-green-6185_different-person_see-phrenology-is-this-old-victorian-sci_482779.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/simon-r-green-6185_different-person_see-phrenology-is-this-old-victorian-sci_482779.png) > ““See, phrenology is this old Victorian science, which claimed you could determine the dominant traits of a man's personality by studying the bumps on his head. The size and position of these bumps indicated different personality traits. See? Now, /retro-phrenology/ says, why not change a man's personality by hitting him on the head with a hammer, till you raise just the right bumps in the right places!" "One of us needs a lot more drinks," said Alex. "That's starting to make sense.”” [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote satizes pseudoscientific attempts to reshape personality through force, highlighting absurdity of simplistic solutions to complex human traits. **In simple terms:** Trying to change people by crude means is ridiculous. Key Takeaway Avoid oversimplified fixes for deep issues. Themes science pseudoscience human nature ethics Mood skeptical ironic critical Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - psychology research - education reform - personal development - conflict resolution Key Concepts personality determinism violent intervention Questions to Reflect On - Can personality truly be altered by external force? - What ethical lines are crossed when manipulating minds? A Different Perspective Simplistic solutions ignore underlying complexity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Personality traits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality-traits/) [Phrenology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phrenology/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [“After all, in the nineteenth century, racists relied on phrenology, or the “science” of determining personality traits based on the shape of the head,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francione-gary-l/after-all-in-the-nineteenth-century-racists-relied-on-phrenology-or/) [Francione, Gary L](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francione-gary-l/) > [“He’d had, perhaps, too much wine. Enough to weaken a certain resolve, the one having to do with recognizing his own maturity, that host…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/he-d-had-perhaps-too-much-wine-enough-to-weaken-a-certain-resolve-the/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [“Misanthropist’s manifesto: Do not tell a friend what your enemy ought not to know. Giving way neither to love nor hate is one half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/misanthropist-s-manifesto-do-not-tell-a-friend-what-your-enemy-ought/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [Authentic femininity is a combination of class, tenderness and virtue. When a woman possesses these traits, a man will naturally want to be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-evert/authentic-femininity-is-a-combination-of-class-tenderness-and-virtue/) [Jason Evert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-evert/) > [Phrenology is the study of the brain or how it operates, you know, the particular components that effect the nerves and the thought process,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-thought/phrenology-is-the-study-of-the-brain-or-how-it-operates-you-know-the/) [Black Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-thought/) > [Every good journalist is aware that his trade may one day go the way of phrenology-and, what's more, the population will hardly protest the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/every-good-journalist-is-aware-that-his-trade-may-one-day-go-the-way/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I suspect that our own faith in psychiatry will seem as touchingly quaint to the future as our grandparents' belief in phrenology seems now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-suspect-that-our-own-faith-in-psychiatry-will-seem-as-touchingly/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“Matthew knew that phrenology was nonsense, and yet, years later, he found himself making judgments similar to those made by his father; slippery people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/matthew-knew-that-phrenology-was-nonsense-and-yet-years-later-he/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [I look upon Phrenology as the guide to philosophy and the handmaid of Christianity. Whoever disseminates true Phrenology is a public benefactor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/i-look-upon-phrenology-as-the-guide-to-philosophy-and-the-handmaid-of/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [PHRENOLOGY, n. The science of picking the pocket through the scalp. It consists in locating and exploiting the organ that one is a dupe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/phrenology-n-the-science-of-picking-the-pocket-through-the-scalp-it/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [ \[Vestiges begins\] from principles which are at variance with all sober inductive truth. The sober facts of geology shuffled, so as to play a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sedgwick/vestiges-begins-from-principles-which-are-at-variance-with-all-sober/) [Adam Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sedgwick/) > [Psychoanalysis will fade away just as mesmerism and phrenology did, and for the same reason - its exploded pretensions will deprive it of recruits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-crews/psychoanalysis-will-fade-away-just-as-mesmerism-and-phrenology-did/) Frederick Crews > [Astrology is the sheerest hokum. This pseudoscience has been around since the day of the Chaldeans and Babylonians. It is as phony as numerology,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-j-kilpatrick/astrology-is-the-sheerest-hokum-this-pseudoscience-has-been-around/) [James J. Kilpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-j-kilpatrick/) > [A rare book at once of great importance and wonderful to read… Gould presents a fascinating historical study of scientific racism, tracing it through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/a-rare-book-at-once-of-great-importance-and-wonderful-to-read-gould/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Nature may be as selfishly studied as trade. Astronomy to the selfish becomes astrology; psychology, mesmerism (with intent to show where aour spoons are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/nature-may-be-as-selfishly-studied-as-trade-astronomy-to-the-selfish/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by Simon R. Green > [“Worship Me Like the Goddess I Am or There Will Be Some Serious Smiting." Jubilee”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/worship-me-like-the-goddess-i-am-or-there-will-be-some-serious/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [“Don’t you dare try to out-gloom me. I’m the only one here entitled to indulge in deep dark existential brooding.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/don-t-you-dare-try-to-out-gloom-me-i-m-the-only-one-here-entitled-to/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [“He has also worked as a shop assistant, bicycle-repair mechanic, journalist, actor, eccentric dancer, and mail-order bride. He has never worked for MI5. Don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/he-has-also-worked-as-a-shop-assistant-bicycle-repair-mechanic/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [“Families – can’t live with them – can’t take them down to the river and drown them all in sacks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/families-can-t-live-with-them-can-t-take-them-down-to-the-river-and/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [“I am the scalpel that cuts out infection, and the heartbreak that makes men wiser.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/i-am-the-scalpel-that-cuts-out-infection-and-the-heartbreak-that/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [“You’re the only man I know who makes the sign of the cross when confronted with broccoli.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/you-re-the-only-man-i-know-who-makes-the-sign-of-the-cross-when/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [“Every day there’s something which makes me think ‘I’d better ask Dad about that, I wonder what Mother would say…’ and then I remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/every-day-there-s-something-which-makes-me-think-i-d-better-ask-dad/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [“CHAPTER SIX Dangerous Lab Interns”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/chapter-six-dangerous-lab-interns/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [Books can be terrible snobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/books-can-be-terrible-snobs/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [“Never look back,” I said wisely. “All you’ll ever see are lost opportunities creeping up on you with bad intent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/never-look-back-i-said-wisely-all-you-ll-ever-see-are-lost/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [“I’m exempt from anything I damned will feel like on the grounds that I’ll kick anyone’s ass who says otherwise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/i-m-exempt-from-anything-i-damned-will-feel-like-on-the-grounds-that/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [We are in the dark places of the earth," said Madman. "Where all the ancient and most dangerous secrets are kept. There are Old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/we-are-in-the-dark-places-of-the-earth-said-madman-where-all-the/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [“I’m not crazy. I know what I’m doing. You’re just jealous because the voices only speak to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/i-m-not-crazy-i-know-what-i-m-doing-you-re-just-jealous-because-the/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [Revenge is simply justice with teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/revenge-is-simply-justice-with-teeth/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [Nothing is ever really lost. The memories of good friends and good times are always there, never more than a thought away. In a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/nothing-is-ever-really-lost-the-memories-of-good-friends-and-good/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) [Explore all 98 Simon R. Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) ## More Different person quotes > [I'm not always smiling when I'm on the golf course. Sometimes, hey, listen, people have regular jobs. You go to them when they're working,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooks-koepka/i-m-not-always-smiling-when-i-m-on-the-golf-course-sometimes-hey/) [Brooks Koepka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooks-koepka/) > [“We as humans are the patterns of life. We are the roads we travel. Our lives make up the insignificance of a moment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-duke/we-as-humans-are-the-patterns-of-life-we-are-the-roads-we-travel-our/) [Megan Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-duke/) > [My favorite superheroes when I was younger were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and they still are. Simply because they rule and you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reeves/my-favorite-superheroes-when-i-was-younger-were-the-teenage-mutant/) [Jason Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reeves/) > [I got a different persona than a lot of these other guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aljamain-sterling/i-got-a-different-persona-than-a-lot-of-these-other-guys/) [Aljamain Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aljamain-sterling/) > [“It is so odd that you can stand in a space - a place in which you normally feel so happy and safe -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-driscoll/it-is-so-odd-that-you-can-stand-in-a-space-a-place-in-which-you/) [Teresa Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-driscoll/) > [“It was probably not so unusual to be a different person with a different man, for all parts were authentically within, waiting to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-shreve/it-was-probably-not-so-unusual-to-be-a-different-person-with-a/) [Anita Shreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-shreve/) > [“If you wake up at a different time in a different place, could you wake up as a different person?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/if-you-wake-up-at-a-different-time-in-a-different-place-could-you/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I was depressed. I knew I was lost, but I had no idea how to find myself again. It was as though I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/i-was-depressed-i-knew-i-was-lost-but-i-had-no-idea-how-to-find/) [Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/) > [When I see myself on screen, I don't even feel like it's me - it's like it's a completely different person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-riley/when-i-see-myself-on-screen-i-don-t-even-feel-like-it-s-me-it-s-like/) [Rachel Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-riley/) > [I mean the cool thing about the movies is that you get to try on these different personalities and different styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burns/i-mean-the-cool-thing-about-the-movies-is-that-you-get-to-try-on/) [Edward Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burns/) > [To be a superstar you have to win and you have to have something special. For me, I hope that knocking people out is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gaethje/to-be-a-superstar-you-have-to-win-and-you-have-to-have-something/) [Justin Gaethje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gaethje/) > [I love dressing up and putting on the makeup and the hair and the clothes and just being a different person for a day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-stone/i-love-dressing-up-and-putting-on-the-makeup-and-the-hair-and-the/) [Lara Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-stone/) > [What I like doing is being a different person. Every character is kind of different. So being able to be that person and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-breslin/what-i-like-doing-is-being-a-different-person-every-character-is-kind/) [Abigail Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-breslin/) > [All the teams you have have different personalities, and you kind of want it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calipari/all-the-teams-you-have-have-different-personalities-and-you-kind-of/) [John Calipari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calipari/) > [Ya know what, I am jealous. I am jealous of everyone who is prettier than me, because everyone is skinnier than me. because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ya-know-what-i-am-jealous-i-am-jealous-of-everyone-who-is-prettier/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 700 Different person quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“See, phrenology is this old Victorian science, which claimed you could determine the dominant traits of a man's personality by studying the bumps on his head. The size and position of these bumps indicated different personality traits. See? Now, /retro-phrenology/ says, why not change a man's personality by hitting him on the head with a hammer, till you raise just the right bumps in the right places!\" \"One of us needs a lot more drinks,\" said Alex. \"That's starting to make sense.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Simon R. Green" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/see-phrenology-is-this-old-victorian-science-which-claimed-you-could/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Different person" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/see-phrenology-is-this-old-victorian-science-which-claimed-you-could/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/simon-r-green-6185_different-person_see-phrenology-is-this-old-victorian-sci_482779.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/simon-r-green-6185_different-person_see-phrenology-is-this-old-victorian-sci_482779.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/simon-r-green-6185_different-person_see-phrenology-is-this-old-victorian-sci_482779.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“See, phrenology is this old Victorian science, which claimed you could determine the dominant traits of a…” — Simon R. Green", "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": "Simon R. Green", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“See, phrenology is this old Victorian...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/see-phrenology-is-this-old-victorian-science-which-claimed-you-could/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/see-phrenology-is-this-old-victorian-science-which-claimed-you-could/#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 } } ] } ```