--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would rather have an inferiority…" description: "\"I would rather have an inferiority complex and be pleasantly surprised, than have a superiority complex and be rudely awakened.\" — Vanna Bonta" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/vanna-bonta-2261_inferiority_i-would-rather-have-an-inferiority-compl_3221940.jpg" --- # I would rather have an inferiority complex and be… ![“I would rather have an inferiority complex and be pleasantly surprised, than have a superiority complex and be rudely awakened.” quote by Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/vanna-bonta-2261_inferiority_i-would-rather-have-an-inferiority-compl_3221940.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/vanna-bonta-2261_inferiority_i-would-rather-have-an-inferiority-compl_3221940.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/vanna-bonta-2261_inferiority_i-would-rather-have-an-inferiority-compl_3221940.jpg) > “I would rather have an inferiority complex and be pleasantly surprised, than have a superiority complex and be rudely awakened.” [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Preferring humility and surprise over arrogance and harsh awakening; humility invites growth, arrogance blinds **In simple terms:** Better to be humble and open to surprise than arrogant and shocked Key Takeaway Embrace humility, avoid arrogance Themes humility self‑awareness growth mindset Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - leadership - relationships - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology ego learning Questions to Reflect On - When does humility become a disadvantage? - How can you balance confidence with modesty? A Different Perspective Humility may be misinterpreted as weakness in competitive contexts ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inferiority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferiority/) [Inferiority complex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferiority-complex/) [Superiority complex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superiority-complex/) ## Related quotes > [He was a simple man who had no inferiority complex about his lack of education, and even more amazing no superiority complex because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/he-was-a-simple-man-who-had-no-inferiority-complex-about-his-lack-of/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I feel that when a white child goes to school only with white children, unconsciously that child grows up in many instances devoid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-feel-that-when-a-white-child-goes-to-school-only-with-white/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“If someone wants to be a king, know that he's just a clown! Anyone who sees himself as superior to others and tries to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-someone-wants-to-be-a-king-know-that-he-s-just-a-clown-anyone-who/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Superiority complex does not mean "pride" although it appears to be so in the eyes of those who want to see it so. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/superiority-complex-does-not-mean-pride-although-it-appears-to-be-so/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [One of the marked superiorities the English enjoy over other peoples is their ability to imbue the foreigner with a crippling inferiority complex the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-daninos/one-of-the-marked-superiorities-the-english-enjoy-over-other-peoples/) [Pierre Daninos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-daninos/) > [“Don't show your inferiority by climbing a stunted tree, show your superiority by climbing the longest and crooked one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/don-t-show-your-inferiority-by-climbing-a-stunted-tree-show-your/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [When I first saw the light of day on this planet, it seemed as if I had been rudely awakened from a death-like sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-woodhull/when-i-first-saw-the-light-of-day-on-this-planet-it-seemed-as-if-i/) [Victoria Woodhull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-woodhull/) > [The problem is sometimes so great that people do, literally, lose their desire to live. It happens, too, in relationships, when your partner leaves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-bk-satyanarayan/the-problem-is-sometimes-so-great-that-people-do-literally-lose-their/) [Dr BK Satyanarayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-bk-satyanarayan/) > [“Whenever you feel superior or inferior to anyone, that's the ego in you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whenever-you-feel-superior-or-inferior-to-anyone-that-s-the-ego-in-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [I never call them 'guys;' I always call them 'boys.' Maybe it's a superiority complex - my needing to keep them down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-never-call-them-guys-i-always-call-them-boys-maybe-it-s-a/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [I have a superiority complex I need to get rid of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-rosen/i-have-a-superiority-complex-i-need-to-get-rid-of/) [Josh Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-rosen/) > [A sarcastic person has a superiority complex that can be cured only by the honesty of humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-g-lovasik/a-sarcastic-person-has-a-superiority-complex-that-can-be-cured-only/) [Lawrence G. Lovasik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-g-lovasik/) > [“Continuously feeling superior is a characteristic of immaturity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eraldo-banovac/continuously-feeling-superior-is-a-characteristic-of-immaturity/) [Eraldo Banovac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eraldo-banovac/) > [I think I'm a very good driver. Apparently, the cause of road rage - as with most anger - is some kind of superiority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/i-think-i-m-a-very-good-driver-apparently-the-cause-of-road-rage-as/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [The British suffer from a most unfortunate superiority complex - unjustified even under Victoria and most certainly hopelessly out-of-date today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-british-suffer-from-a-most-unfortunate-superiority-complex/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) ## More by Vanna Bonta > [The stars are not the limit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/the-stars-are-not-the-limit/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [People at large are becoming more aware that there is much more to reality and to themselves than what meets the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/people-at-large-are-becoming-more-aware-that-there-is-much-more-to/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Corporately contrived art product replaces inspired intellectual property with ineffectual poperty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/corporately-contrived-art-product-replaces-inspired-intellectual/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Our lives are fictions, a work we leave behind, signed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/our-lives-are-fictions-a-work-we-leave-behind-signed/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [The real story is not the plot, but how the characters unfold by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/the-real-story-is-not-the-plot-but-how-the-characters-unfold-by-it/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [You are not going to find yourself anywhere except right where you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/you-are-not-going-to-find-yourself-anywhere-except-right-where-you-are/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Popularity is not an indication of quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/popularity-is-not-an-indication-of-quality/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Unfortunately, in our society, power means the ability to dominate and oppress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/unfortunately-in-our-society-power-means-the-ability-to-dominate-and/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Slander reveals the greatest truth about the coward implementing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/slander-reveals-the-greatest-truth-about-the-coward-implementing-it/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Sex in space is not just a good idea, it's survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/sex-in-space-is-not-just-a-good-idea-it-s-survival/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Ideals do exist, the rest is just temporary interruption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/ideals-do-exist-the-rest-is-just-temporary-interruption/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Patience is being friends with Time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/patience-is-being-friends-with-time/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [I didn't have a Barbie doll, so I played with eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/i-didn-t-have-a-barbie-doll-so-i-played-with-eternity/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Style of the future is the convergence of function and fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/style-of-the-future-is-the-convergence-of-function-and-fashion/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Any time a body goes outside the environmental conditions for which it developed it has to acclimate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/any-time-a-body-goes-outside-the-environmental-conditions-for-which/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) [Explore all 175 Vanna Bonta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) ## More Inferiority quotes > [Don't compare yourself to other people. It won't help. You'll only find what you expect to find. If you think you're weak, everyone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-skye/don-t-compare-yourself-to-other-people-it-won-t-help-you-ll-only-find/) [Samantha Skye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-skye/) > [All black people who are even minimally conscious, black people who have ever experienced Europe's technological power crusading in the vanguard of a civilizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-nkosi/all-black-people-who-are-even-minimally-conscious-black-people-who/) [Lewis Nkosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-nkosi/) > [What is a genius? A person who demands little to nothing from others, but is often found extremely difficult to have around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/what-is-a-genius-a-person-who-demands-little-to-nothing-from-others/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [The world, and the great and free United States in particular, is full of narrow-minded, ignorant, moronic, bigoted, cowardly, self-righteous, anemic, pig-headed, stupid, puritanical,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-world-and-the-great-and-free-united-states-in-particular-is-full/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [As soon as someone starts acting like you're not good enough for them move on because they are definitely wrong for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/as-soon-as-someone-starts-acting-like-you-re-not-good-enough-for-them/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [To be born again means that we must be changed from a negative to a positive self-image - from inferiority to self-esteem, from fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/to-be-born-again-means-that-we-must-be-changed-from-a-negative-to-a/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [“If someone wants to be a king, know that he's just a clown! Anyone who sees himself as superior to others and tries to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-someone-wants-to-be-a-king-know-that-he-s-just-a-clown-anyone-who/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Inferiority is not banal or incidental even when it happens to women. It is not a petty affliction like bad skin or circles under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/inferiority-is-not-banal-or-incidental-even-when-it-happens-to-women/) [Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/) > [The heaviest penalty for declining to rule is to be ruled by someone inferior to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-heaviest-penalty-for-declining-to-rule-is-to-be-ruled-by-someone/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Whether our reformers admit it or not, the economic and social inferiority of women is responsible for prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/whether-our-reformers-admit-it-or-not-the-economic-and-social/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Vince McMahon has the worst inferiority complex of anybody in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cornette/vince-mcmahon-has-the-worst-inferiority-complex-of-anybody-in-history/) [Jim Cornette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cornette/) > [When we have anger in us, we suffer. When we have discrimination in us, we suffer. When we have the complex of superiority, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/when-we-have-anger-in-us-we-suffer-when-we-have-discrimination-in-us/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [Although they understand their position as sons and daughters of God, they are tied up in knots, bound by a terrible feeling inferiority, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-they-understand-their-position-as-sons-and-daughters-of-god/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My paycheck is so small it has an inferiority complex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-kane/my-paycheck-is-so-small-it-has-an-inferiority-complex/) Mallory Kane > [Strutting and preening is, in fact, the surest sign of an inferiority complex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/strutting-and-preening-is-in-fact-the-surest-sign-of-an-inferiority/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) [Browse all 384 Inferiority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferiority/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would rather have an inferiority complex and be pleasantly surprised, than have a superiority complex and be rudely awakened.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vanna Bonta" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/i-would-rather-have-an-inferiority-complex-and-be-pleasantly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inferiority" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/i-would-rather-have-an-inferiority-complex-and-be-pleasantly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/vanna-bonta-2261_inferiority_i-would-rather-have-an-inferiority-compl_3221940.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/vanna-bonta-2261_inferiority_i-would-rather-have-an-inferiority-compl_3221940.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/vanna-bonta-2261_inferiority_i-would-rather-have-an-inferiority-compl_3221940.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I would rather have an inferiority complex and be pleasantly surprised, than have a superiority complex and…” — Vanna Bonta", "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": "Vanna Bonta", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I would rather have an inferiority...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/i-would-rather-have-an-inferiority-complex-and-be-pleasantly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/i-would-rather-have-an-inferiority-complex-and-be-pleasantly/#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 } } ] } ```