--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The mirror is a worthless invention. The…" description: "\"The mirror is a worthless invention. The only way to truly see yourself is in the reflection of someone else's eyes.\" — Voltaire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/voltaire-173_eye_the-mirror-is-a-worthless-invention-the_1574994.png" --- # The mirror is a worthless invention. The only way to truly… ![“The mirror is a worthless invention. The only way to truly see yourself is in the reflection of someone else's eyes.” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/voltaire-173_eye_the-mirror-is-a-worthless-invention-the_1574994.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/voltaire-173_eye_the-mirror-is-a-worthless-invention-the_1574994.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/voltaire-173_eye_the-mirror-is-a-worthless-invention-the_1574994.png) > “The mirror is a worthless invention. The only way to truly see yourself is in the reflection of someone else's eyes.” [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑knowledge requires external perspective; mirrors only show surface, eyes reveal deeper truth. **In simple terms:** Look to others for true insight. Key Takeaway Seek honest feedback from trusted people. Themes self‑awareness reflection truth Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - Who’s the mirror you trust? - What truth have you missed? A Different Perspective Reliance on others can be biased or misleading. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention/) [Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror/) [Mirror Worthless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror-worthless-5937266/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [Reflection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflection/) [Reflection Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflection-eyes-640039/) [Self-Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-awareness-2/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Worthless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthless/) [Worthless Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthless-invention-5937267/) ## Related quotes > [It is not so much the example of others we imitate as the reflection of ourselves in their eyes and the echo of ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-is-not-so-much-the-example-of-others-we-imitate-as-the-reflection/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Today a woman must ignore her reflection in the eyes of her lover, since he might admire her, and seek it in the gaze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/today-a-woman-must-ignore-her-reflection-in-the-eyes-of-her-lover/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [“When you look in the mirror and see your reflection, your eyes are open; when you look in the mirror and see God, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/when-you-look-in-the-mirror-and-see-your-reflection-your-eyes-are/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“I saw my reflection in their eyes, but not the men themselves, not clearly. This preserved the idea that all intelligent and even vaguely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-finnamore/i-saw-my-reflection-in-their-eyes-but-not-the-men-themselves-not/) [Suzanne Finnamore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-finnamore/) > [“I am but the reflection in your eyes, the effect of your expressions, and the sum of your praise and criticism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/i-am-but-the-reflection-in-your-eyes-the-effect-of-your-expressions/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [However much we guard ourselves against it, we tend to shape ourselves in the image others have of us. It is not so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/however-much-we-guard-ourselves-against-it-we-tend-to-shape-ourselves/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“Those lying mirrors! I thought as I noticed he was close to me now. 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Away, then, with a vain prejudice, the invention of the priesthood, which has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-ourselves-alone-that-make-our-days-lucky-or-unlucky-away-then/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [The most amazing and effective inventions are not those which do most honour to the human genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-most-amazing-and-effective-inventions-are-not-those-which-do-most/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Grow up? Get herself straightened out? Her mind reeled from the verbal battering. No matter what she did, her father would tell her she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/grow-up-get-herself-straightened-out-her-mind-reeled-from-the-verbal/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) ## More by Voltaire > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Fanaticism, to which men are so much inclined, has always served not only to render them more brutalized but more wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/fanaticism-to-which-men-are-so-much-inclined-has-always-served-not/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [We’re neither pure, nor wise, nor good; we do the best we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/we-re-neither-pure-nor-wise-nor-good-we-do-the-best-we-know/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-with-books-as-with-men-a-very-small-number-play-a-great-part/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Meslier was the most singular phenomenon ever seen among all the meteors fatal to the Christian religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/meslier-was-the-most-singular-phenomenon-ever-seen-among-all-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." 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He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [“He blinked. His eyes fell as he processed her response. Then he lifted his chin and attempted a grin that was almost painfully dejected.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/he-blinked-his-eyes-fell-as-he-processed-her-response-then-he-lifted/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [Quotations can be valuable, like raisins in the rice pudding, for adding iron as well as eye appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/quotations-can-be-valuable-like-raisins-in-the-rice-pudding-for/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [Clearly, when we baptize, our eyes should gaze beyond the baptismal font to the holy temple. The great garner into which the sheaves should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/clearly-when-we-baptize-our-eyes-should-gaze-beyond-the-baptismal/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [It lies around us like a cloud- A world we do not see; Yet the sweet closing of an eye May bring us there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/it-lies-around-us-like-a-cloud-a-world-we-do-not-see-yet-the-sweet/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. 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They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) [Browse all 16,237 Eye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The mirror is a worthless invention. 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