--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People tend to overestimate my…" description: "\"“People tend to overestimate my character,' I say quietly, 'They think because I'm small, or a girl, or a Stiff, I can't possibly be cruel. But they're..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/veronica-roth-66_character_people-tend-to-overestimate-my-character_695456.png" --- # People tend to overestimate my character,' I say quietly… ![“People tend to overestimate my character,' I say quietly, 'They think because I'm small, or a girl, or a Stiff, I can't possibly be cruel. But they're wrong.” quote by Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/veronica-roth-66_character_people-tend-to-overestimate-my-character_695456.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/veronica-roth-66_character_people-tend-to-overestimate-my-character_695456.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/veronica-roth-66_character_people-tend-to-overestimate-my-character_695456.png) > ““People tend to overestimate my character,' I say quietly, 'They think because I'm small, or a girl, or a Stiff, I can't possibly be cruel. But they're wrong.”” [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People underestimate those they deem weak, assuming they cannot be cruel, but that assumption is false. **In simple terms:** People think the small or female cannot be cruel, but they can. Key Takeaway Don’t judge character by appearance. Themes prejudice power dynamics identity misjudgment Mood reflective critical Type literary dialogue When to use this quote - workplace - personal relationships - leadership - social activism Key Concepts social perception stereotype moral agency Questions to Reflect On - How do you challenge assumptions about others? - What biases affect your judgments? A Different Perspective Assuming innocence can overlook real threats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“People tend to overestimate my character,” I say quietly. “They think that because I’m small, or a girl, or a Stiff, I can’t possibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/people-tend-to-overestimate-my-character-i-say-quietly-they-think-2/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“You won’t shoot me." "People tend to overestimate my character," I say quietly. "They think that because I’m small, or a girl, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-won-t-shoot-me-people-tend-to-overestimate-my-character-i-say/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“(J)ust as we tend to underestimate the role of luck in life in general, we tend to overestimate it in games of chance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/j-ust-as-we-tend-to-underestimate-the-role-of-luck-in-life-in-general/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“we tend to overestimate what we can accomplish in a year.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/we-tend-to-overestimate-what-we-can-accomplish-in-a-year/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [We tend to overestimate what we can do in a short period, and underestimate what we can do over a long period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/we-tend-to-overestimate-what-we-can-do-in-a-short-period-and-3/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-amara/we-tend-to-overestimate-the-effect-of-a-technology-in-the-short-run/) Roy Amara > [“We tend to overestimate the impact of technology in the short term and underestimate it in the long term.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-amara/we-tend-to-overestimate-the-impact-of-technology-in-the-short-term/) Roy Amara > [“They think that because I'm small, or a girl, or a stiff, I can't possible be cruel. But they're wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/they-think-that-because-i-m-small-or-a-girl-or-a-stiff-i-can-t/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“We tend to overestimate what we can do in a short period, and underestimate what we can do over a long period, provided we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocelyn-k-glei/we-tend-to-overestimate-what-we-can-do-in-a-short-period-and-2/) [Jocelyn K. Glei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocelyn-k-glei/) > [People tend to overestimate the short-term impact of technological change. In the short-term, it's not going to make that much of a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/people-tend-to-overestimate-the-short-term-impact-of-technological/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [“Intentions are the only thing they care about. They try to make you think they care about what you do, but they don't. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/intentions-are-the-only-thing-they-care-about-they-try-to-make-you/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“It must require bravery to be honest all the time. I wouldn't know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/it-must-require-bravery-to-be-honest-all-the-time-i-wouldn-t-know/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [It's when you're acting selflessly that you are at your bravest." --Four in Divergent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/it-s-when-you-re-acting-selflessly-that-you-are-at-your-bravest-four/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [From your results I have determined that you are one of the strongest Divergent, which I say not to compliment you but to explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/from-your-results-i-have-determined-that-you-are-one-of-the-strongest/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“I was beginning to feel that I had finally found a place to stay, a place that was not so unstable or corrupt or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-was-beginning-to-feel-that-i-had-finally-found-a-place-to-stay-a/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) ## More by Veronica Roth > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“I was beginning to feel that I had finally found a place to stay, a place that was not so unstable or corrupt or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-was-beginning-to-feel-that-i-had-finally-found-a-place-to-stay-a/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“He acts so tough that he’s probably afraid of marshmallows and really bright sunrises or something. Overcompensating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/he-acts-so-tough-that-he-s-probably-afraid-of-marshmallows-and-really/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [And is it selfish of me to crave victory, or is it brave?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/and-is-it-selfish-of-me-to-crave-victory-or-is-it-brave/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [You always look like someone's sucked the life right out of you when something fascinates you. -Tris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-always-look-like-someone-s-sucked-the-life-right-out-of-you-when/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“We can be mended. We mend each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/we-can-be-mended-we-mend-each-other/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Don’t worry about me handling the pain," I say. "I’ve had a lot of practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/don-t-worry-about-me-handling-the-pain-i-say-i-ve-had-a-lot-of/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Soon I will honor my parents by dying as they died. and if all they believed about death was true, soon I will join…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/soon-i-will-honor-my-parents-by-dying-as-they-died-and-if-all-they/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Mas lembre-se, já agora, que por vezes as pessoas que oprimimos tornam-se mais poderosas do que nós gostaríamos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/mas-lembre-se-j-agora-que-por-vezes-as-pessoas-que-oprimimos-tornam/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“am aware of how little space there is between us—six inches at most. That space feels charged with electricity. I feel like it should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/am-aware-of-how-little-space-there-is-between-us-six-inches-at-most/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Oh, good,” I say, a sour taste in my mouth. “Heroism is what I was focused on. Not, you know, trying not to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/oh-good-i-say-a-sour-taste-in-my-mouth-heroism-is-what-i-was-focused/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Caleb frowns at him. "How old are you, anyway?" "Eighteen." "And you don't think you're too old to be with my little sister?" Tobias…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/caleb-frowns-at-him-how-old-are-you-anyway-eighteen-and-you-don-t/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [What do you think they're going to do to us when they find us guilty?" she says after a few minutes of silence have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/what-do-you-think-they-re-going-to-do-to-us-when-they-find-us-guilty/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“La paz está restringida, eso es libertad”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/la-paz-est-restringida-eso-es-libertad/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [In some parts of the ancient world, the hawk symbolized the sun. Back when I got this, I figured if I always had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/in-some-parts-of-the-ancient-world-the-hawk-symbolized-the-sun-back/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) [Explore all 1,589 Veronica Roth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) ## 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. 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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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