--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world consists of imaginary people…" description: "\"The world consists of imaginary people, claiming imaginary virtues and suffering from imaginary happiness.\" — Vernon Howard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/288/vernon-howard-2173_character_the-world-consists-of-imaginary-people-c_2135898.png" --- # The world consists of imaginary people, claiming imaginary… ![“The world consists of imaginary people, claiming imaginary virtues and suffering from imaginary happiness.” quote by Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/288/vernon-howard-2173_character_the-world-consists-of-imaginary-people-c_2135898.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/288/vernon-howard-2173_character_the-world-consists-of-imaginary-people-c_2135898.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/288/vernon-howard-2173_character_the-world-consists-of-imaginary-people-c_2135898.png) > “The world consists of imaginary people, claiming imaginary virtues and suffering from imaginary happiness.” [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People create imagined identities and pursue false virtues, leading to illusory happiness. **In simple terms:** Imagined identities cause false happiness. Key Takeaway Question your assumptions about self. Themes identity illusion happiness Mood thoughtful philosophical Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - personal growth - therapy - spiritual practice - social interaction Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What "virtues" do you hold that might be imagined? - How can you find authentic happiness? A Different Perspective Happiness based on illusion is fragile. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [So much of our lives is given over to the consideration of our imperfections that there is no time to improve our imaginary virtues.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-dahlberg/so-much-of-our-lives-is-given-over-to-the-consideration-of-our/) [Edward Dahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-dahlberg/) > [I say the same of humility and of all the virtues; the wiles of the devil are terrible, he will run a thousand times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/i-say-the-same-of-humility-and-of-all-the-virtues-the-wiles-of-the/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [In fiction, imaginary people become realer to us than any named celebrity glimpsed in a series of rumored events, whose causes and subtler ramifications…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/in-fiction-imaginary-people-become-realer-to-us-than-any-named/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [Writers spend too much time among dead things. I thought that was profound and actually true, that you're trying to pump life into something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/writers-spend-too-much-time-among-dead-things-i-thought-that-was/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [The only excuse for a novelist, aside from the entertainment and vicarious living his books give the people who read them, is as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dos-passos/the-only-excuse-for-a-novelist-aside-from-the-entertainment-and/) [John Dos Passos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dos-passos/) > [As a friend of mine, herself a writer, says, 'People who spend the most meaningful hours of their lives in the exclusive company of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-block/as-a-friend-of-mine-herself-a-writer-says-people-who-spend-the-most/) [Lawrence Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-block/) > [“We have all been fooled into believing in people who are entirely imaginary--made-up prisoners in a hypothetical panopticon. But the point isn't whether or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-schneider/we-have-all-been-fooled-into-believing-in-people-who-are-entirely/) [Robyn Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-schneider/) > [Virtue can procure only an imaginary happiness; true felicity lies only in the senses, and virtue gratifies none of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-sade/virtue-can-procure-only-an-imaginary-happiness-true-felicity-lies/) [Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-sade/) > [The past is dead; The future is imaginary; Happiness can only be in the Eternal Now Moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-keyes-jr/the-past-is-dead-the-future-is-imaginary-happiness-can-only-be-in-the/) [Ken Keyes Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-keyes-jr/) > [There is no wrong suffering. There is imaginary, sham, feigned, simulated, pretended suffering. But the assertion that someone suffers for the right or wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothee-solle/there-is-no-wrong-suffering-there-is-imaginary-sham-feigned-simulated/) [Dorothee Solle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothee-solle/) > [How few of us appreciate the fact that a very great deal of physical suffering in after life comes from bad mental training in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyman-abbott/how-few-of-us-appreciate-the-fact-that-a-very-great-deal-of-physical/) [Lyman Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyman-abbott/) > [“But I know now that isn’t true; history is filled with fictional people. And even the epigraph Fitzgerald placed at the beginning of The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-schneider/but-i-know-now-that-isn-t-true-history-is-filled-with-fictional/) [Robyn Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-schneider/) > [“Literature is the real life of imaginary people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefanos-livos/literature-is-the-real-life-of-imaginary-people/) [Stefanos Livos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefanos-livos/) > [For any artistic person who creates imaginary people, the art is like inhabiting the life and mind of a seven-year-old child with imaginary friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-shacochis/for-any-artistic-person-who-creates-imaginary-people-the-art-is-like/) [Bob Shacochis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-shacochis/) > [“...history is filled with fictional people. We have all been fooled into believing in people who are entirely imaginary - made-up prisoners in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-schneider/history-is-filled-with-fictional-people-we-have-all-been-fooled-into/) [Robyn Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-schneider/) ## More by Vernon Howard > [“A self-working individual will be sitting around home one day when the startling thought occurs, “Here I am, sitting around, doing nothing of interest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/a-self-working-individual-will-be-sitting-around-home-one-day-when/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [The terrible immoralities are the cunning ones hiding behind masks of morality, such as exploiting people while pretending to help them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/the-terrible-immoralities-are-the-cunning-ones-hiding-behind-masks-of/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [No one on earth can hurt you, unless you accept the hurt in your own mind. . . The problem is not other people;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/no-one-on-earth-can-hurt-you-unless-you-accept-the-hurt-in-your-own/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [To change what you get you must change who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/to-change-what-you-get-you-must-change-who-you-are/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Genuine kindness is not what we do, it is what we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/genuine-kindness-is-not-what-we-do-it-is-what-we-are/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [When told that man lives in delusion everyone thinks of himself as the exception; hence his delusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/when-told-that-man-lives-in-delusion-everyone-thinks-of-himself-as/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [It is against the law to permit weak people to steal your strength. Never permit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/it-is-against-the-law-to-permit-weak-people-to-steal-your-strength/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Men have the illusion of having a duty to make the world spin properly, which is precisely what makes it wobble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/men-have-the-illusion-of-having-a-duty-to-make-the-world-spin/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Just as surely as distress must follow self-deceit, healing must follow self-honesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/just-as-surely-as-distress-must-follow-self-deceit-healing-must/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Quit thinking that you must halt before the barrier of inner negativity. You need not. You can crash through... whatever we see a negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/quit-thinking-that-you-must-halt-before-the-barrier-of-inner/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [One false idea is that anyone can hurt you. Events can ruin your reputation, take your money, mistreat you, revenge itself upon you, deceive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/one-false-idea-is-that-anyone-can-hurt-you-events-can-ruin-your/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Don't try to be unafraid. That is impossible. Rather, go ahead while being afraid. That is the entire secret for abolishing fear. The Supermind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/don-t-try-to-be-unafraid-that-is-impossible-rather-go-ahead-while/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [The only way to do something truly important every day is to seek to understand yourself every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/the-only-way-to-do-something-truly-important-every-day-is-to-seek-to/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Make it absolutely clear to yourself what you want from other people. That is really half the secret for drawing your desire to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/make-it-absolutely-clear-to-yourself-what-you-want-from-other-people/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [The only reason you do not do great things is because you timidly cling to small things. Will you let loose of small things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/the-only-reason-you-do-not-do-great-things-is-because-you-timidly/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) [Explore all 181 Vernon Howard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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