--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any image I have, it's just what I do…" description: "\"Any image I have, it's just what I do, but it comes off as being very pretentious. When you're a bit in the public astigmatism, anything you do seems l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/tom-waits-916_like-you_any-image-i-have-it-s-just-what-i-do-but_330924.jpg" --- # Any image I have, it's just what I do, but it comes off as… ![“Any image I have, it's just what I do, but it comes off as being very pretentious. When you're a bit in the public astigmatism, anything you do seems like you did it so somebody would see you do it, like showing up at the right parties.” quote by Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/tom-waits-916_like-you_any-image-i-have-it-s-just-what-i-do-but_330924.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/tom-waits-916_like-you_any-image-i-have-it-s-just-what-i-do-but_330924.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/tom-waits-916_like-you_any-image-i-have-it-s-just-what-i-do-but_330924.jpg) > “Any image I have, it's just what I do, but it comes off as being very pretentious. When you're a bit in the public astigmatism, anything you do seems like you did it so somebody would see you do it, like showing up at the right parties.” [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels that personal actions are judged as showy when under public scrutiny, leading to a perception of pretentiousness. **In simple terms:** People think you act for attention when you're in the public eye. Key Takeaway Be authentic, not performative. Themes authenticity public perception image self‑awareness Mood reflective critical introspective Type advice personal reflection cultural commentary When to use this quote - celebrity events - social media posts - networking gatherings - artistic showcases Key Concepts social psychology performance theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate genuine expression from performance? - Can you maintain authenticity under constant observation? A Different Perspective Even sincere actions can be misread as self‑promotion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Pretentious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretentious/) ## Related quotes > [However, science isn't just about showing when you're right; it's also about showing when you're wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-plait/however-science-isn-t-just-about-showing-when-you-re-right-it-s-also/) [Phil Plait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-plait/) > [I never believe it when people claim they knew they wanted to be actors when they were 4 or 5 years old. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/i-never-believe-it-when-people-claim-they-knew-they-wanted-to-be/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [If it would not look too much like showing off, I would tell the reader where New Zealand is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-it-would-not-look-too-much-like-showing-off-i-would-tell-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I like showing versatility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-premier/i-like-showing-versatility/) [DJ Premier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-premier/) > [“Talking about ideas for a novel is a bit like showing pictures of the ultrasound if you're pregnant. Until they're out in the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-boylan/talking-about-ideas-for-a-novel-is-a-bit-like-showing-pictures-of-the/) [Clare Boylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-boylan/) > [Stunt work offers a diversity of roles and, while I'm used to anonymity, I really like showing off and performing in front of camera,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/stunt-work-offers-a-diversity-of-roles-and-while-i-m-used-to/) [Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/) > [I don't like showing my privacy online.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-saverin/i-don-t-like-showing-my-privacy-online/) [Eduardo Saverin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-saverin/) > [It may sound like showing off, but I am good in communications and in creating harmony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-won-soon/it-may-sound-like-showing-off-but-i-am-good-in-communications-and-in/) [Park Won-soon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-won-soon/) > [I like showing moms what it's really like having a baby, and how it's not Hollywood life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethenny-frankel/i-like-showing-moms-what-it-s-really-like-having-a-baby-and-how-it-s/) [Bethenny Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethenny-frankel/) > [I'm not a very emotional guy. 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I do not like showing off in public or written about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imtiaz-ali/i-m-not-the-look-at-me-kind-of-a-person-i-do-not-like-showing-off-in/) [Imtiaz Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imtiaz-ali/) > [I just like showing people - and this might be at the root of everything that I've done - that I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/i-just-like-showing-people-and-this-might-be-at-the-root-of/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [I really don't like showing my hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-dolph/i-really-don-t-like-showing-my-hand/) [Young Dolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-dolph/) ## More by Tom Waits > [Most of us have the residue of thousands of songs in our ears, that if you end up songwriting, I think you're mostly smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/most-of-us-have-the-residue-of-thousands-of-songs-in-our-ears-that-if/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Bill Hicks - blowtorch, excavator, truthsayer, and brain specialist. He will correct your vision. Others will drive on the road he built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/bill-hicks-blowtorch-excavator-truthsayer-and-brain-specialist-he/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Don't plant your days they turn into weeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/don-t-plant-your-days-they-turn-into-weeds/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“T’ain’t no sin to take off your skin, and dance around in your bones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/t-ain-t-no-sin-to-take-off-your-skin-and-dance-around-in-your-bones/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“an all time favorite: "The large print giveth, the small print taketh away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/an-all-time-favorite-the-large-print-giveth-the-small-print-taketh/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'll tell you all my secrets but I lie about my past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-ll-tell-you-all-my-secrets-but-i-lie-about-my-past/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [For a songwriter, you don't really go to songwriting school; you learn by listening to tunes. And you try to understand them and take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/for-a-songwriter-you-don-t-really-go-to-songwriting-school-you-learn/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'm trying to learn how to write faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-m-trying-to-learn-how-to-write-faster/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [The world is a hellish place, and bad writing is destroying the quality of our suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-world-is-a-hellish-place-and-bad-writing-is-destroying-the/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'm always looking for sounds that are pleasing at the time. 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I think people like that, that I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/there-s-not-much-difference-between-what-i-appear-to-be-on-stage-and/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Most of the things you absorb you will ultimately secrete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/most-of-the-things-you-absorb-you-will-ultimately-secrete/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [The devil knows the Bible like the back of his hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back-of-his-hand/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I bark my voice out through a closed throat, pretty much. It's more, perhaps, like a dog in some ways. It does have its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-bark-my-voice-out-through-a-closed-throat-pretty-much-it-s-more/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) [Explore all 328 Tom Waits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) ## More Like you quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [Then come to realize that you're making mountains out of molehills. Realize how petty you've become. 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