--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They can romanticize us so, mirrors, and…" description: "\"They can romanticize us so, mirrors, and that is their secret: what a subtle torture it would be to destroy all the mirrors in the world: where then co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/truman-capote-376_confidence_they-can-romanticize-us-so-mirrors-and-t_2733749.jpg" --- # They can romanticize us so, mirrors, and that is their… ![“They can romanticize us so, mirrors, and that is their secret: what a subtle torture it would be to destroy all the mirrors in the world: where then could we look for reassurance of our identities?” quote by Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/truman-capote-376_confidence_they-can-romanticize-us-so-mirrors-and-t_2733749.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/truman-capote-376_confidence_they-can-romanticize-us-so-mirrors-and-t_2733749.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/truman-capote-376_confidence_they-can-romanticize-us-so-mirrors-and-t_2733749.jpg) > “They can romanticize us so, mirrors, and that is their secret: what a subtle torture it would be to destroy all the mirrors in the world: where then could we look for reassurance of our identities?” [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People idealize us like mirrors; destroying all mirrors would leave us without reassurance of identity. **In simple terms:** Mirrors symbolize identity reassurance; their loss creates existential doubt. Key Takeaway Seek self‑validation beyond external reflections. Themes identity illusion self‑perception Mood introspective poetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - therapy - artistic expression - personal branding Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you affirm your identity? - What mirrors do you use beyond the literal? A Different Perspective Reliance on external validation can be fragile. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [Reassurance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reassurance/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [They can romanticize us so, mirrors, and that is their secret: what a subtle torture it would be to destroy all the mirrors in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/they-can-romanticize-us-so-mirrors-and-that-is-their-secret-what-a-2/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Well, Smoke n' Mirrors has very much a world music flavor and it doesn't park itself in one country. It borrows heavily from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ritenour/well-smoke-n-mirrors-has-very-much-a-world-music-flavor-and-it-doesn-2/) [Lee Ritenour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ritenour/) > [“If you look at it the other way round, that's the only reason why this world is inside of me. Maybe it's a paradox,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-you-look-at-it-the-other-way-round-that-s-the-only-reason-why-this/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I used to live in a room full of mirrors; all I could see was me. I take my spirit and I crash my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/i-used-to-live-in-a-room-full-of-mirrors-all-i-could-see-was-me-i/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [“There was only one huge world with no back to it A world like a sun One day it broke into tiny pieces They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/there-was-only-one-huge-world-with-no-back-to-it-a-world-like-a-sun/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Yes, my mind was wandering. I wished I were there with someone who could bring peace to my heart someone with whom I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/yes-my-mind-was-wandering-i-wished-i-were-there-with-someone-who/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The thought gave me reassurance for a split-second - until I saw the danger in it. The power to make me feel better also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morgenroth/the-thought-gave-me-reassurance-for-a-split-second-until-i-saw-the/) [Kate Morgenroth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morgenroth/) > [As artists, are we quasi psychiatrists who mend the soul? Do we provide the consolations, escapes, and reassurances which enable us to survive? Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-sherman/as-artists-are-we-quasi-psychiatrists-who-mend-the-soul-do-we-provide/) [Russell Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-sherman/) > [Any loss of identity prompts people to seek reassurance and rediscovery of themselves by testing, and even by violence. Today, the electric revolution, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/any-loss-of-identity-prompts-people-to-seek-reassurance-and/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [Ask before offering advice or reassurance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/ask-before-offering-advice-or-reassurance/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [I was the first in my peer group to get pregnant. All I craved was reassurance. I needed someone to tell me that all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-murkoff/i-was-the-first-in-my-peer-group-to-get-pregnant-all-i-craved-was/) [Heidi Murkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-murkoff/) > [Often, instead of offering empathy, we have a strong urge to give advice or reassurance and to explain our own position or feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/often-instead-of-offering-empathy-we-have-a-strong-urge-to-give/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Having limits to push against is how you find out what you can do. I have always been full of contradictions. I am shy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/having-limits-to-push-against-is-how-you-find-out-what-you-can-do-i/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [The day has the color and the sound of winter. Thoughts turn to chowder...chowder breathes reassurance. It steams consolation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-paddleford/the-day-has-the-color-and-the-sound-of-winter-thoughts-turn-to/) [Clementine Paddleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-paddleford/) > [“We never figured out whether I need to be more reassuring or if he just needs reassurance too much. We both try to readjust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-never-figured-out-whether-i-need-to-be-more-reassuring-or-if-he/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## More by Truman Capote > [“You can beat your brains out for her, and she’ll hand you horseshit on a platter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/you-can-beat-your-brains-out-for-her-and-she-ll-hand-you-horseshit-on/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“The walls of the cell fell away, the sky came down, I saw the big yellow bird.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/the-walls-of-the-cell-fell-away-the-sky-came-down-i-saw-the-big/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Don't wanna ride on the devil's side...just wanna ride with you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/don-t-wanna-ride-on-the-devil-s-side-just-wanna-ride-with-you/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Wrinkles and bones, white hair and diamonds: I can't wait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/wrinkles-and-bones-white-hair-and-diamonds-i-can-t-wait/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [You can't blame a writer for what the characters say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/you-can-t-blame-a-writer-for-what-the-characters-say/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [There is really no practical help that one can offer; it is a matter of self-discovery, of one's own convictions, or working with one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/there-is-really-no-practical-help-that-one-can-offer-it-is-a-matter/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“...Narcissus was so egotist...he was merely another of us who, in our unshatterable isolation, recognized, on seeing his reflection, the beautiful comrade, the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/narcissus-was-so-egotist-he-was-merely-another-of-us-who-in-our/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Is it - I'm not certain - possible to love someone if your first interest is the use you can make of him? Doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/is-it-i-m-not-certain-possible-to-love-someone-if-your-first-interest/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [One of the most difficult things in writing a novel or anything at all is to choose the point of view from which it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-in-writing-a-novel-or-anything-at/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [I've never worked for a newspaper. I've had some very bad reviews in newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/i-ve-never-worked-for-a-newspaper-i-ve-had-some-very-bad-reviews-in/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [But, my dear, so few things are fulfilled: what are most lives but a series of incompleted episodes? 'We work in the dark, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/but-my-dear-so-few-things-are-fulfilled-what-are-most-lives-but-a/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“…she, glittery voyager of secure destination, steamed down the harbor with whistles whistling and confetti in the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/she-glittery-voyager-of-secure-destination-steamed-down-the-harbor/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Because it's indeed difficult to portray, in any meaningful depth, another being, his appearance, speech, mentality, without to some degree, and often for quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/because-it-s-indeed-difficult-to-portray-in-any-meaningful-depth/) [truman capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“It's a bore, but the answer is good things only happen to you if you're good. Good? Honest is more what I mean. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/it-s-a-bore-but-the-answer-is-good-things-only-happen-to-you-if-you/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“In the courtyard there was an angel of black stone, and its angel head rose above giant elephant leaves; the stark glass angel eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/in-the-courtyard-there-was-an-angel-of-black-stone-and-its-angel-head/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) [Explore all 585 Truman Capote quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) Senoraroy > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They can romanticize us so, mirrors, and that is their secret: what a subtle torture it would be to destroy all the mirrors in the world: where then could we look for reassurance of our identities?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Truman Capote" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/they-can-romanticize-us-so-mirrors-and-that-is-their-secret-what-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Confidence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/they-can-romanticize-us-so-mirrors-and-that-is-their-secret-what-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/truman-capote-376_confidence_they-can-romanticize-us-so-mirrors-and-t_2733749.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/truman-capote-376_confidence_they-can-romanticize-us-so-mirrors-and-t_2733749.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/truman-capote-376_confidence_they-can-romanticize-us-so-mirrors-and-t_2733749.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They can romanticize us so, mirrors, and that is their secret: what a subtle torture it would be to destroy…” — Truman Capote", "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": "Truman Capote", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They can romanticize us so, mirrors,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/they-can-romanticize-us-so-mirrors-and-that-is-their-secret-what-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/they-can-romanticize-us-so-mirrors-and-that-is-their-secret-what-a/#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 } } ] } ```