--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever the surface appearances, most…" description: "\"“Whatever the surface appearances, most human beings come equipped with convoluted emotional machinery. With intimacy, the wreckage starts to show, dam..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/sue-grafton-1640_intimacy_whatever-the-surface-appearances-most-hu_644017.png" --- # Whatever the surface appearances, most human beings come… ![“Whatever the surface appearances, most human beings come equipped with convoluted emotional machinery. With intimacy, the wreckage starts to show, damage rendered in the course of passions colliding like freight trains on the same track.” quote by Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/sue-grafton-1640_intimacy_whatever-the-surface-appearances-most-hu_644017.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/sue-grafton-1640_intimacy_whatever-the-surface-appearances-most-hu_644017.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/sue-grafton-1640_intimacy_whatever-the-surface-appearances-most-hu_644017.png) > ““Whatever the surface appearances, most human beings come equipped with convoluted emotional machinery. With intimacy, the wreckage starts to show, damage rendered in the course of passions colliding like freight trains on the same track.”” [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human beings possess complex emotional systems that become exposed in intimate relationships, leading to damage when passions clash. **In simple terms:** Complex emotions surface in intimacy, causing conflict. Key Takeaway Navigate intimacy with awareness. Themes relationships emotions vulnerability Mood introspective somber Type relationships psychology When to use this quote - romantic partnerships - family ties - close friendships - emotional healing Key Concepts emotional complexity intimacy conflict dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can partners protect each other? - What mechanisms help repair emotional wreckage? A Different Perspective Emotional damage can be deep and lasting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emotional Machinery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional-machinery-5164812/) [Freight Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freight-train/) [Intimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimacy/) [Intimacy Wreckage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimacy-wreckage-5164810/) [Machinery Intimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machinery-intimacy-5164816/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Passions Colliding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passions-colliding-5164814/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) ## Related quotes > [“George didn't do quiet or subtle. His big paws kicked up rocks as he stretched into his own version of a freight train.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kaniut-cobb/george-didn-t-do-quiet-or-subtle-his-big-paws-kicked-up-rocks-as-he/) [Lisa Kaniut Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kaniut-cobb/) > [“You're like a freight train, and I don't want to get railroaded because the girl you fell in love with will be crushed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-james/you-re-like-a-freight-train-and-i-don-t-want-to-get-railroaded/) [EL James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-james/) > [“Farrell had seen pure white drunkenness before, but not often enough to recognize it at sight. He knew the thing itself, however--the freight train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/farrell-had-seen-pure-white-drunkenness-before-but-not-often-enough/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [“At the risk of being simplistic, a railway metaphor comes to mind. 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Trump is not one of those politicians. His sentences call to mind an aerial shot of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/some-politicians-have-a-gift-for-language-trump-is-not-one-of-those/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [There is a light at the end of the tunnel...hopefully it's not a freight train.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/there-is-a-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel-hopefully-it-s-not-a/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [“All right. You want to know about Nigel. I’ll tell you about Nigel. He’s come a long way since that so-called accident, Jon. Heck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-corey/all-right-you-want-to-know-about-nigel-i-ll-tell-you-about-nigel-he-s/) [Shawn Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-corey/) > [“Ronnie offered, “I don’t want my life to pass me by.” Filling Ronnie’s glass again, Sissy promised, “It won’t.” “It’s already started. It’s whizzing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-laurenston/ronnie-offered-i-don-t-want-my-life-to-pass-me-by-filling-ronnie-s/) [Shelly Laurenston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-laurenston/) ## More by Sue Grafton > [“Life is hard. Life hurts. So what? You tough it out. You get through and then you'll feel good again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/life-is-hard-life-hurts-so-what-you-tough-it-out-you-get-through-and/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“nothing wrong with a lie or two when the situation demanded it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/nothing-wrong-with-a-lie-or-two-when-the-situation-demanded-it/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“I can just about promise you Philip Marlowe was never as dainty as I.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/i-can-just-about-promise-you-philip-marlowe-was-never-as-dainty-as-i/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“You can always push people around, but it's not a good idea. Better to let them volunteer information for reasons of their own. 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It's a fact.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/some-people-die-accidentally-it-s-a-fact/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [Thinking is hard work, which is why you don't see many people doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/thinking-is-hard-work-which-is-why-you-don-t-see-many-people-doing-it/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [Pay enough for anything and it passes for taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/pay-enough-for-anything-and-it-passes-for-taste/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“It’s hard to have faith in your fellow man when you’re forced to look at some of his handiwork.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/it-s-hard-to-have-faith-in-your-fellow-man-when-you-re-forced-to-look/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [Insecure people have a special sensitivity for anything that finally confirms their own low opinion of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/insecure-people-have-a-special-sensitivity-for-anything-that-finally/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“I wondered if I'd ever be nice enough to volunteer for anything. I was hoping not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/i-wondered-if-i-d-ever-be-nice-enough-to-volunteer-for-anything-i-was/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [Ideas are easy. It's the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the goats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/ideas-are-easy-it-s-the-execution-of-ideas-that-really-separates-the/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“You can't believe everything you hear. Sometimes, you can't even believe your eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/you-can-t-believe-everything-you-hear-sometimes-you-can-t-even/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“It wasn’t about finding the right answer; it was about patience and diligence. I surrendered to the process, ascribing the same importance to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/it-wasn-t-about-finding-the-right-answer-it-was-about-patience-and/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“Life is simple. You're the one making things complex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/life-is-simple-you-re-the-one-making-things-complex/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) [Explore all 217 Sue Grafton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) ## More Intimacy quotes > [“It's morning now, and I miss the soft rasp of her voice already. Ugh. I'm in trouble, aren't I?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-shand/it-s-morning-now-and-i-miss-the-soft-rasp-of-her-voice-already-ugh-i/) [Pat Shand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-shand/) > [“One single syllable of intimacy and the world is put to rights.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/one-single-syllable-of-intimacy-and-the-world-is-put-to-rights/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [Intimacy requires an ability to both merge and be separate, to come together and be apart, like oscillating on a giant swing from oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-sophia-kasl/intimacy-requires-an-ability-to-both-merge-and-be-separate-to-come/) [Charlotte Sophia Kasl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-sophia-kasl/) > [When you write something by hand, there's a sort of intimacy that is just intrinsic to that act. You don't get to delete something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/when-you-write-something-by-hand-there-s-a-sort-of-intimacy-that-is/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [“Intercourse is one thing, Intimacy is everything. Be encouraged”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-e-wagner/intercourse-is-one-thing-intimacy-is-everything-be-encouraged/) [Kerry E. Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-e-wagner/) > [Is it any wonder that for millions of men the only intimacy is physical, silent, and predictable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-donahue/is-it-any-wonder-that-for-millions-of-men-the-only-intimacy-is/) [Phil Donahue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-donahue/) > [The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-lasting-value-of-our-public-service-for-god-is-measured-by-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“You thought I was answering "As you wish" but that's only because you were hearing wrong. "I love you" was what it was, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-thought-i-was-answering-as-you-wish-but-that-s-only-because-you/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) > [Awe combined with intimacy is the essence of Christian worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/awe-combined-with-intimacy-is-the-essence-of-christian-worship/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to engage people in an honest, enlightened, and provocative conversation about the nature of erotic desire and the intricacies of intimacy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/i-want-to-engage-people-in-an-honest-enlightened-and-provocative/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [Communication is a continual balancing act, juggling the conflicting needs for intimacy and independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/communication-is-a-continual-balancing-act-juggling-the-conflicting/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [Physical love is total intimacy. It is the sign that the lovers have nothing to refuse each other, that they belong wholly to each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-leclercq/physical-love-is-total-intimacy-it-is-the-sign-that-the-lovers-have/) [Jacques Leclercq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-leclercq/) > [True intimacy is the experience of real acceptance and authentic vulnerability without feeling the need to apologize or fear rejection. The freedom to just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-blake-michiels/true-intimacy-is-the-experience-of-real-acceptance-and-authentic/) [Jordan Blake Michiels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-blake-michiels/) > [“Eschew evil and it's machinations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaachynma-n-e-agu/eschew-evil-and-it-s-machinations/) [Jaachynma N.E. Agu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaachynma-n-e-agu/) > [“Lack of intimacy among friends is a mistake that cannot be censured without becoming irreparable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nietzsche-friedrich-wilhelm/lack-of-intimacy-among-friends-is-a-mistake-that-cannot-be-censured/) [NIETZSCHE FRIEDRICH WILHELM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nietzsche-friedrich-wilhelm/) [Browse all 1,461 Intimacy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimacy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Whatever the surface appearances, most human beings come equipped with convoluted emotional machinery. 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