---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I just think it's bad when a boy looks at…"
description: "\"I just think it's bad when a boy looks at a girl and thinks that the way he sees her is better than she actually is. And I think it's bad when the most..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/stephen-chbosky-387_boys_i-just-think-it-s-bad-when-a-boy-looks-a_1005137.png"
---

#  I just think it's bad when a boy looks at a girl and…

![“I just think it's bad when a boy looks at a girl and thinks that the way he sees her is better than she actually is. And I think it's bad when the most honest way a boy can look at a girl is through a camera.” quote by Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/stephen-chbosky-387_boys_i-just-think-it-s-bad-when-a-boy-looks-a_1005137.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/stephen-chbosky-387_boys_i-just-think-it-s-bad-when-a-boy-looks-a_1005137.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/stephen-chbosky-387_boys_i-just-think-it-s-bad-when-a-boy-looks-a_1005137.png)

> “I just think it's bad when a boy looks at a girl and thinks that the way he sees her is better than she actually is. And I think it's bad when the most honest way a boy can look at a girl is through a camera.”

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

## About This Quote

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

Idealizing others and objectifying them through lenses distorts genuine connection.

**In simple terms:** Idealization and objectification harm relationships.

Key Takeaway

See people as they are, not as fantasies.

Themes

relationships perception authenticity

Mood

thoughtful empathetic

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- dating
- friendship
- social media interactions
- artistic representation

Key Concepts

objectification media influence gender dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance admiration with realism?
- What role does media play in shaping attraction?

A Different Perspective

Some may argue that artistic lenses can capture truth, not just distort.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Cameras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cameras/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perks/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [“And I think it's bad when the most honest way a boy can look at a girl is through a camera.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/and-i-think-it-s-bad-when-the-most-honest-way-a-boy-can-look-at-a/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [“I think its bad when the most honest way a boy can look at a girl is through a camera.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-think-its-bad-when-the-most-honest-way-a-boy-can-look-at-a-girl-is/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [“I just think it's bad when a boy looks at a girl and thinks that the way he sees the girl is better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-just-think-it-s-bad-when-a-boy-looks-at-a-girl-and-thinks-that-the-2/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [It's like he would take a photograph of Sam, and the photograph would be beautiful. And he would think that the reason the photograph…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/it-s-like-he-would-take-a-photograph-of-sam-and-the-photograph-would-2/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [“I think it's bad when a boy looks at a fork and thinks that the way he sees the girl is better than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-think-it-s-bad-when-a-boy-looks-at-a-fork-and-thinks-that-the-way/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [“Monday isn't that bad to be honest, What makes it bad is living in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/day/monday-isn-t-that-bad-to-be-honest-what-makes-it-bad-is-living-in-it/)

Day

> [Never feel bad about being honest, some people's truths are just not as pretty as they thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-feel-bad-about-being-honest-some-people-s-truths-are-just-not/)

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

> [ Yes, I met Carl Barat \[from Dirty Pretty Things\] yesterday when I was at the POPWORLD TV show. He smiled at me and watched… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-allen/yes-i-met-carl-barat-from-dirty-pretty-things-yesterday-when-i-was-at/)

[Lily Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-allen/)

> [With a suitcase in her hand, she said, she would like to meet a boy who looks like Elvis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/counting-crows/with-a-suitcase-in-her-hand-she-said-she-would-like-to-meet-a-boy-who/)

[Counting Crows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/counting-crows/)

> [A boy looks for different girls to sleep with but a man looks for that special one worth waking up to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhat/a-boy-looks-for-different-girls-to-sleep-with-but-a-man-looks-for/)

[Zhat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhat/)

> [Then he crouches down behind it, motions for Tess and me to sit down, and begins unbuttoning his vest. I blush scarlet and thank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/then-he-crouches-down-behind-it-motions-for-tess-and-me-to-sit-down/)

[Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/)

> [A player looks for junk in the trunk.. A boy looks for goods in the hood.. but a man does what can to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zabi-khojazada/a-player-looks-for-junk-in-the-trunk-a-boy-looks-for-goods-in-the/)

[Zabi Khojazada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zabi-khojazada/)

> [I go to school with a boy who looks like Zac Efron. With some faces he makes, he look just like him. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naquitta-faith/i-go-to-school-with-a-boy-who-looks-like-zac-efron-with-some-faces-he/)

[Naquitta Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naquitta-faith/)

> [I don't know if you've ever felt like that. That you wanted to sleep for thousands of years. Or just not exist..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-don-t-know-if-you-ve-ever-felt-like-that-that-you-wanted-to-sleep-2/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [“If somebody likes me, I want them to like the real me, not what they think I am. And I don't want them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/if-somebody-likes-me-i-want-them-to-like-the-real-me-not-what-they/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

## More by Stephen Chbosky

> [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [“It's great that you can listen and be a shoulder to someone, but what about when someone doesn't need a shoulder. What if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/it-s-great-that-you-can-listen-and-be-a-shoulder-to-someone-but-what/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [Most of the people I know who were raised to be accommodating or were raised to just be nice and put everybody's needs ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/most-of-the-people-i-know-who-were-raised-to-be-accommodating-or-were/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [I don’t want to start thinking again. Not like I have this last week. I can’t think again. Not ever again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-don-t-want-to-start-thinking-again-not-like-i-have-this-last-week-i/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [“And then Patrick started running after the sunset. And Sam immediately followed him. And I saw them in silhouette. Running after the sun. Then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/and-then-patrick-started-running-after-the-sunset-and-sam-immediately/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [That was always my hope that that is exactly what I would do. It was always part of the dream of this story -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/that-was-always-my-hope-that-that-is-exactly-what-i-would-do-it-was/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [And she says she wants to expose me to all these great things. And to tell you the truth, I don't really want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/and-she-says-she-wants-to-expose-me-to-all-these-great-things-and-to/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [“I'm sorry I bothered you, Susan. I'm just having a tough time. That's all. Have a good one," I said and walked away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-m-sorry-i-bothered-you-susan-i-m-just-having-a-tough-time-that-s/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [When we were all getting ready to leave, I walked up to my grandfather and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/when-we-were-all-getting-ready-to-leave-i-walked-up-to-my-grandfather/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [It's like he would take a photograph of Sam, and the photograph would be beautiful. And he would think that the reason the photograph…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/it-s-like-he-would-take-a-photograph-of-sam-and-the-photograph-would/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [Five minutes of a lifetime were truly spent, and we felt young in a good way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/five-minutes-of-a-lifetime-were-truly-spent-and-we-felt-young-in-a/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [I feel like a big faker because I've been putting my life back together, and nobody knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-feel-like-a-big-faker-because-i-ve-been-putting-my-life-back/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [“So, this is my life. And I want you to know I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/so-this-is-my-life-and-i-want-you-to-know-i-am-both-happy-and-sad-and/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [If you care about somebody, you should want them to be happy. Even if you wind up being left out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/if-you-care-about-somebody-you-should-want-them-to-be-happy-even-if/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [I wasn't raised very religiously because my parents went to Catholic school, but I do believe in God very much. I just never gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-wasn-t-raised-very-religiously-because-my-parents-went-to-catholic/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

[Explore all 558 Stephen Chbosky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

## More Boys quotes

> [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/)

[John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/)

> [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/)

[Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/)

> [Lets face it this world is ruled by girls that why we must away pleases our girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/lets-face-it-this-world-is-ruled-by-girls-that-why-we-must-away/)

MrAwesome

> [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/)

[Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/)

> [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/)

[Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/)

> [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/)

[Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/)

> [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/)

[Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/)

> [The tie's a multi purpose accessory, y'know, belt, school boy, Rambo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/the-tie-s-a-multi-purpose-accessory-y-know-belt-school-boy-rambo/)

[Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/)

> [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/)

[Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/)

> [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/)

[Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/)

> [She had been dragged in the most humiliating of all dusts, the dust reserved for older women who let themselves be approached, on amorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/she-had-been-dragged-in-the-most-humiliating-of-all-dusts-the-dust/)

[Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/)

> [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/)

[Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/)

> [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/)

[Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/)

[Browse all 7,168 Boys quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I just think it's bad when a boy looks at a girl and thinks that the way he sees her is better than she actually is. And I think it's bad when the most honest way a boy can look at a girl is through a camera.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Stephen Chbosky"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-just-think-it-s-bad-when-a-boy-looks-at-a-girl-and-thinks-that-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Boys"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-just-think-it-s-bad-when-a-boy-looks-at-a-girl-and-thinks-that-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/stephen-chbosky-387_boys_i-just-think-it-s-bad-when-a-boy-looks-a_1005137.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/stephen-chbosky-387_boys_i-just-think-it-s-bad-when-a-boy-looks-a_1005137.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/627/stephen-chbosky-387_boys_i-just-think-it-s-bad-when-a-boy-looks-a_1005137.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I just think it's bad when a boy looks at a girl and thinks that the way he sees her is better than she…” — Stephen Chbosky",
                "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": "Stephen Chbosky",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I just think it's bad when...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-just-think-it-s-bad-when-a-boy-looks-at-a-girl-and-thinks-that-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-just-think-it-s-bad-when-a-boy-looks-at-a-girl-and-thinks-that-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
