--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gradually, after being the target a few…" description: "\"“Gradually, after being the target a few times of a similar capriciousness, which he discerned as default behavior for most people, and not liking it, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/tao-lin-3279_behavior_gradually-after-being-the-target-a-few-t_2096912.jpg" --- # Gradually, after being the target a few times of a similar… ![“Gradually, after being the target a few times of a similar capriciousness, which he discerned as default behavior for most people, and not liking it, Paul learned to not be more generous or enthusiastic or attentive that he could sustain regardless of his mood and to not talk to people if his only…” quote by Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/tao-lin-3279_behavior_gradually-after-being-the-target-a-few-t_2096912.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/tao-lin-3279_behavior_gradually-after-being-the-target-a-few-t_2096912.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/tao-lin-3279_behavior_gradually-after-being-the-target-a-few-t_2096912.jpg) > ““Gradually, after being the target a few times of a similar capriciousness, which he discerned as default behavior for most people, and not liking it, Paul learned to not be more generous or enthusiastic or attentive that he could sustain regardless of his mood and to not talk to people if his only reason to was because he felt lonely or bored.”” [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He learns to limit his generosity and attention to what he can sustain, avoiding interactions driven solely by loneliness or boredom. **In simple terms:** Limit giving to what you can truly sustain. Key Takeaway Set realistic emotional boundaries. Themes self‑care boundaries authenticity Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - personal relationships - mental health - social media interactions Key Concepts emotional regulation social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Do you give out of genuine desire or to fill a void? - How can you balance authenticity with compassion? A Different Perspective May lead to isolation if over‑controlled. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Human behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-behavior/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) ## Related quotes > [I'm just attracted to human behavior and how people sometimes never would interact with one another or be in each other's sphere of awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/da-vine-joy-randolph/i-m-just-attracted-to-human-behavior-and-how-people-sometimes-never/) [Da'Vine Joy Randolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/da-vine-joy-randolph/) > [For me, filmmaking is not about making statements but about exposing human behavior so people are eager enough to start thinking on their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/for-me-filmmaking-is-not-about-making-statements-but-about-exposing/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [The thing that I love is human behavior - why people do what they do, who they are, and the choices that they make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/the-thing-that-i-love-is-human-behavior-why-people-do-what-they-do/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [I think to try to understand human behavior and why people do what they do, and what in their lives have shaped them and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haley-bennett/i-think-to-try-to-understand-human-behavior-and-why-people-do-what/) [Haley Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haley-bennett/) > [Your attitude and your behavior with people will determine how far you will go in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-attitude-and-your-behavior-with-people-will-determine-how-far/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The people who have the biggest passion for restricting other people's behavior are the very people we should worry about most. 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I just watch people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoya-akhtar/i-m-obsessed-with-people-i-m-obsessed-with-human-behavior-i-just/) [Zoya Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoya-akhtar/) > [I think we've told a lot of lies about human behavior through film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/i-think-we-ve-told-a-lot-of-lies-about-human-behavior-through-film/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) ## More by Tao Lin > [“In the parking lot, she drove and parked in a dark area with no other cars around. She reclined her seat, and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/in-the-parking-lot-she-drove-and-parked-in-a-dark-area-with-no-other/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“i recommend the phrase 'pineapple ass”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/i-recommend-the-phrase-pineapple-ass/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [I actually don't have...opinions. I'm not being secretive about anything. I just actually don't have opinions about society. I can discern that certain things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/i-actually-don-t-have-opinions-i-m-not-being-secretive-about-anything/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“Sara would call one of those cops on horses a motherfucker. The cop would avert his eyes. Sara would ask directions for the wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/sara-would-call-one-of-those-cops-on-horses-a-motherfucker-the-cop/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [Do you sometimes look up from the computer and look around the room and know you are alone, I mean really know it, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/do-you-sometimes-look-up-from-the-computer-and-look-around-the-room/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [I think mostly the commodifying comes after I've done something that has some other value to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/i-think-mostly-the-commodifying-comes-after-i-ve-done-something-that/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“The hamster friend said being able to do front rolls didn't make the hamster as good as Bruce Lee, which was not a true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/the-hamster-friend-said-being-able-to-do-front-rolls-didn-t-make-the/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“As a teenager, he made screaming noises at night in his room, like a deranged person. He threw his electrical pencil sharpener at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/as-a-teenager-he-made-screaming-noises-at-night-in-his-room-like-a/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“Don't be stupid and awkward," the dolphin says. "You want to walk together or not?" "You are a stupid piece of shit. Go away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/don-t-be-stupid-and-awkward-the-dolphin-says-you-want-to-walk/) [tao lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [I was delivering pizzas at Domino's. I was 17 maybe. I liked it a lot. Just driving in the nice weather and listening to music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/i-was-delivering-pizzas-at-domino-s-i-was-17-maybe-i-liked-it-a-lot/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [loneliness can fly a helicopter through a cut-out shape of a helicopter the same size as the helicopter and that's it's only skill and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/loneliness-can-fly-a-helicopter-through-a-cut-out-shape-of-a/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [Life has never died, which is something that I think people ignore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/life-has-never-died-which-is-something-that-i-think-people-ignore/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“Amoeba ass is so hot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/amoeba-ass-is-so-hot/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“After untangling a cord, then moving the MacBook to the floor, Paul lay beside Erin and meekly pawed her forearm three times, then briefly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/after-untangling-a-cord-then-moving-the-macbook-to-the-floor-paul-lay/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“It was a face that said, “Fuck the world,” but said it reluctantly, and tonelessly, and then apologized, said “Sorry,” but said all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/it-was-a-face-that-said-fuck-the-world-but-said-it-reluctantly-and/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) [Explore all 133 Tao Lin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) ## More Behavior quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [“We are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. Willard Gibbs > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-tipping-point-is-that-magic-moment-when-an-idea-trend-or-social/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I think we've told a lot of lies about human behavior through film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/i-think-we-ve-told-a-lot-of-lies-about-human-behavior-through-film/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [The strongest rebellion may be expressed in quiet, undramatic behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/the-strongest-rebellion-may-be-expressed-in-quiet-undramatic-behavior/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 4,218 Behavior quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Gradually, after being the target a few times of a similar capriciousness, which he discerned as default behavior for most people, and not liking it, Paul learned to not be more generous or enthusiastic or attentive that he could sustain regardless of his mood and to not talk to people if his only reason to was because he felt lonely or bored.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tao Lin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/gradually-after-being-the-target-a-few-times-of-a-similar/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behavior" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/gradually-after-being-the-target-a-few-times-of-a-similar/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/tao-lin-3279_behavior_gradually-after-being-the-target-a-few-t_2096912.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/tao-lin-3279_behavior_gradually-after-being-the-target-a-few-t_2096912.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/tao-lin-3279_behavior_gradually-after-being-the-target-a-few-t_2096912.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Gradually, after being the target a few times of a similar capriciousness, which he discerned as default…” — Tao Lin", "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": "Tao Lin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Gradually, after being the target a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/gradually-after-being-the-target-a-few-times-of-a-similar/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/gradually-after-being-the-target-a-few-times-of-a-similar/#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 } } ] } ```