--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When people express what is most…" description: "\"When people express what is most important to them, it often comes out in cliches. That doesn't make them laughable; it's something tender about them. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/terrence-malick-22447_cliche_when-people-express-what-is-most-importa_1766288.jpg" --- # When people express what is most important to them, it… ![“When people express what is most important to them, it often comes out in cliches. That doesn't make them laughable; it's something tender about them. As though in struggling to reach what's most personal about them they could only come up with what's most public.” quote by Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/terrence-malick-22447_cliche_when-people-express-what-is-most-importa_1766288.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/terrence-malick-22447_cliche_when-people-express-what-is-most-importa_1766288.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/terrence-malick-22447_cliche_when-people-express-what-is-most-importa_1766288.jpg) > “When people express what is most important to them, it often comes out in cliches. That doesn't make them laughable; it's something tender about them. As though in struggling to reach what's most personal about them they could only come up with what's most public.” [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People reveal their deepest values through overused expressions, showing vulnerability rather than absurdity. **In simple terms:** Clichés reveal tender personal truths. Key Takeaway Listen for authenticity behind familiar phrases. Themes vulnerability communication human nature Mood reflective empathetic Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - personal conversations - therapy sessions - creative writing - public speaking Key Concepts psychology social masks emotional honesty Questions to Reflect On - What personal truth lies behind your favorite cliché? - How can you express it more uniquely? A Different Perspective Clichés can obscure nuance and lead to misinterpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cliche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliche/) [Cliches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliches/) [Cliches Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliches-doesn-1737666/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Come up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-up/) [Comes Cliches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comes-cliches-1737667/) [Express Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/express-important-1203075/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Laughable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughable/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Express](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-express-797748/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [ I think what's important for myself and anyone else who wants to create a film, or art, is \[to\] make sure that they have… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/i-think-what-s-important-for-myself-and-anyone-else-who-wants-to/) [Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/) > [I don’t like to talk to people, because I can’t express myself satisfactorily. I don’t say the things I mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/i-don-t-like-to-talk-to-people-because-i-can-t-express-myself/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [The American people get to express themselves, and in the ways that they choose. But I have got to tell you, I - this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-american-people-get-to-express-themselves-and-in-the-ways-that/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [You have to let people express themselves in the way that they need to express themselves. You have to express yourself in any way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/you-have-to-let-people-express-themselves-in-the-way-that-they-need/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [I believe for freedom. I believe that people should express themselves the way they want, except as it does in the way that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-wiseau/i-believe-for-freedom-i-believe-that-people-should-express-themselves/) [Tommy Wiseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-wiseau/) > [An artist doesn't necessarily have deeper feelings than other people, but he can express these feelings. He is like everyone else-only more so! He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-rorem/an-artist-doesn-t-necessarily-have-deeper-feelings-than-other-people/) [Ned Rorem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-rorem/) > [I think that's what all art is for - for people to express what it is to be human. That's the purpose of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarvis-cocker/i-think-that-s-what-all-art-is-for-for-people-to-express-what-it-is/) [Jarvis Cocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarvis-cocker/) > [I want to encourage people to be themselves and express themselves however they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-martinez/i-want-to-encourage-people-to-be-themselves-and-express-themselves/) [Melanie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-martinez/) > [“people express their fondness for a thing by thinking up lots of different ways to say it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/people-express-their-fondness-for-a-thing-by-thinking-up-lots-of/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [“Music is a powerful way for people to express themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lacour/music-is-a-powerful-way-for-people-to-express-themselves/) [Nina LaCour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lacour/) > [Everybody expresses themselves in different ways. Some people write it down, some people paint it. Some people express it in the way they speak.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-hanson/everybody-expresses-themselves-in-different-ways-some-people-write-it/) [Isaac Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-hanson/) > [People express their feelings through crying or anger. We, Big Bang, express it through music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kang-dae-sung/people-express-their-feelings-through-crying-or-anger-we-big-bang/) [Kang Dae Sung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kang-dae-sung/) > [This is the power of fashion: the capability of allowing people to express themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandro-michele/this-is-the-power-of-fashion-the-capability-of-allowing-people-to/) [Alessandro Michele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandro-michele/) > [The church should provide a setting in which people can express their questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/the-church-should-provide-a-setting-in-which-people-can-express-their/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“What we call worldliness simply consists of such people who, if one may so express it, pawn themselves to the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/what-we-call-worldliness-simply-consists-of-such-people-who-if-one/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) ## More by Terrence Malick > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [You can't live in Austin and escape the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/you-can-t-live-in-austin-and-escape-the-music/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [There's a good many pictures I'd like to make; we'll see how many I'll be allowed to make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/there-s-a-good-many-pictures-i-d-like-to-make-we-ll-see-how-many-i-ll/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [“Toscanini once recorded a piece sixty five times. You know what he said when he finished? "It could be better." Think about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/toscanini-once-recorded-a-piece-sixty-five-times-you-know-what-he/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [What's this war in the heart of Nature? Why does Nature vie with itself? The Land contend with the Sea? Is there an avenging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/what-s-this-war-in-the-heart-of-nature-why-does-nature-vie-with/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [I was not a good teacher; I didn't have the sort of edge one should have on the students, so I decided to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/i-was-not-a-good-teacher-i-didn-t-have-the-sort-of-edge-one-should/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [I'd always liked movies in a kind of naive way. They seemed no less improbable a career than anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/i-d-always-liked-movies-in-a-kind-of-naive-way-they-seemed-no-less/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [I film quite a bit of footage, then edit. Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/i-film-quite-a-bit-of-footage-then-edit-changes-before-your-eyes/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [“One day, while taking a look at some vistas in Dad's stereopticon, it hit me that I was just this little girl, born in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/one-day-while-taking-a-look-at-some-vistas-in-dad-s-stereopticon-it/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [Children's books are full of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/children-s-books-are-full-of-violence/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [Nostalgia is a powerful feeling; it can drown out anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/nostalgia-is-a-powerful-feeling-it-can-drown-out-anything/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [There are two ways through life: the way of Nature, and the way of Grace. You have to choose which one you'll follow. Grace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/there-are-two-ways-through-life-the-way-of-nature-and-the-way-of/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [I came to Los Angeles in the fall of 1969 to study at the AFI.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/i-came-to-los-angeles-in-the-fall-of-1969-to-study-at-the-afi/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [“I will be true to you. Whatever comes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/i-will-be-true-to-you-whatever-comes/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [“And love is smiling through all things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/and-love-is-smiling-through-all-things/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) [Explore all 27 Terrence Malick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) ## More Cliche quotes > [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [Good things come to those who hustle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-noll/good-things-come-to-those-who-hustle/) [Chuck Noll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-noll/) > [It's a bit cliche, but you can't go wrong by writing what you know. Even if you're a horrible writer, your own knowledge and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/issa-rae/it-s-a-bit-cliche-but-you-can-t-go-wrong-by-writing-what-you-know/) [Issa Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/issa-rae/) > [“As an opener, I'd like to state that elves are certainly NOT cliché. It doesn't matter if they all have pointy ears, or they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fanney/as-an-opener-i-d-like-to-state-that-elves-are-certainly-not-clich-it/) [Robert Fanney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fanney/) > [“NormnAl, "Like, Share, Follow and subscribe" - The typical cliche drill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/normnal-like-share-follow-and-subscribe-the-typical-cliche-drill/) [Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/) > [To move past fear is a cliche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/to-move-past-fear-is-a-cliche/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [There are trappings of science fiction which I kind of embrace, but there are also cliches which I run from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-twohy/there-are-trappings-of-science-fiction-which-i-kind-of-embrace-but/) [David Twohy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-twohy/) > [Audiences are hungry for something different. With binge-watching, they're hungry for interesting content they haven't seen before, and they want to be entertained. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-millar/audiences-are-hungry-for-something-different-with-binge-watching-they/) [Miles Millar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-millar/) > [A popular cliche in philosophy says that science is pure analysis or reductionism, like taking the rainbow to pieces; and art is pure synthesis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/a-popular-cliche-in-philosophy-says-that-science-is-pure-analysis-or/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [I think the French have a romantic cliche that Englishmen have great style, great music, irony and sense of humour. Well, sometimes cliches are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-de-la-baume/i-think-the-french-have-a-romantic-cliche-that-englishmen-have-great/) [Josephine de La Baume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-de-la-baume/) > [Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/last-but-not-least-avoid-cliches-like-the-plague/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [“The more you know, the less you understand. That's so cliche'. Wanna know the scary version? The more you know, the more fuckups you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/the-more-you-know-the-less-you-understand-that-s-so-cliche-wanna-know/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [You can't do anything if a person says no. In such a case, there's nothing you can do - unlike the popular cliche that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-wolf/you-can-t-do-anything-if-a-person-says-no-in-such-a-case-there-s/) [Markus Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-wolf/) > [“Sometimes people overlooked how useful a cliché was. It got everyone thinking about things in the same sort of way, and that could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leese/sometimes-people-overlooked-how-useful-a-clich-was-it-got-everyone/) [Michael Leese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leese/) > [When academics claim a topic is obsolete, they mean merely they are tired of flogging it with their cliches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/when-academics-claim-a-topic-is-obsolete-they-mean-merely-they-are/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) [Browse all 601 Cliche quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliche/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When people express what is most important to them, it often comes out in cliches. That doesn't make them laughable; it's something tender about them. As though in struggling to reach what's most personal about them they could only come up with what's most public.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terrence Malick" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/when-people-express-what-is-most-important-to-them-it-often-comes-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cliche" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/when-people-express-what-is-most-important-to-them-it-often-comes-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/terrence-malick-22447_cliche_when-people-express-what-is-most-importa_1766288.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/terrence-malick-22447_cliche_when-people-express-what-is-most-importa_1766288.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/terrence-malick-22447_cliche_when-people-express-what-is-most-importa_1766288.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When people express what is most important to them, it often comes out in cliches. That doesn't make them…” — Terrence Malick", "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": "Terrence Malick", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When people express what is most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/when-people-express-what-is-most-important-to-them-it-often-comes-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/when-people-express-what-is-most-important-to-them-it-often-comes-out/#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 } } ] } ```