--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is one of the defects of my character…" description: "\"It is one of the defects of my character that I cannot altogether dislike anyone who makes me laugh.\" — W. Somerset Maugham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/w-somerset-maugham-237_character_it-is-one-of-the-defects-of-my-character_2553241.jpg" --- # It is one of the defects of my character that I cannot… ![“It is one of the defects of my character that I cannot altogether dislike anyone who makes me laugh.” quote by W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/w-somerset-maugham-237_character_it-is-one-of-the-defects-of-my-character_2553241.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/w-somerset-maugham-237_character_it-is-one-of-the-defects-of-my-character_2553241.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/w-somerset-maugham-237_character_it-is-one-of-the-defects-of-my-character_2553241.jpg) > “It is one of the defects of my character that I cannot altogether dislike anyone who makes me laugh.” [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits a personal flaw: they cannot fully dislike anyone who brings them joy through laughter. **In simple terms:** Liking someone who makes you laugh prevents total dislike. Key Takeaway Recognize how humor softens judgments. Themes humor relationships self-awareness bias empathy Mood reflective lighthearted thoughtful Type observational personal philosophical When to use this quote - making friends - conflict resolution - team building - personal reflection - leadership Key Concepts psychology social dynamics cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - Do you let laughter outweigh serious concerns? - How can you balance humor with critical assessment? A Different Perspective Humor may mask deeper issues, leading to misplaced tolerance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Defects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defects/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) ## Related quotes > [We tend to see our character flaws as simple defects, and the simple defects of others as character flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/we-tend-to-see-our-character-flaws-as-simple-defects-and-the-simple/) [Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/) > [True freedom is the capacity for acting according to one's true character, to be altogether one's self, to be self-determined and not subject to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corliss-lamont/true-freedom-is-the-capacity-for-acting-according-to-one-s-true/) [Corliss Lamont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corliss-lamont/) > [ “It was in the defects that they \[servants\] invariably acquired that I learned of my own natural, invariable defects, and their character presented me… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/it-was-in-the-defects-that-they-servants-invariably-acquired-that-i/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“It was a compound of self-reliance, hard knocks, heart hunger, unceasing work, and generosity. There was no form of suffering with which the girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-stratton-porter-2/it-was-a-compound-of-self-reliance-hard-knocks-heart-hunger-unceasing/) Gene Stratton Porter > [Gordon Ramsay makes me laugh because he knows that I'm not a chef.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigella-lawson/gordon-ramsay-makes-me-laugh-because-he-knows-that-i-m-not-a-chef/) [Nigella Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigella-lawson/) > [In my personal life, my family makes me laugh more than anybody; I think that is the same for everybody. I certainly hope it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/in-my-personal-life-my-family-makes-me-laugh-more-than-anybody-i/) [Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/) > [I love it when somebody makes me laugh - it's what attracts me to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-french/i-love-it-when-somebody-makes-me-laugh-it-s-what-attracts-me-to-people/) [Dawn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-french/) > [If somebody makes me laugh, I’m his slave for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/if-somebody-makes-me-laugh-i-m-his-slave-for-life/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [Larry David makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/larry-david-makes-me-laugh/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [Graham Norton makes me laugh. I love him. I'm not kidding. I watch him on BBC America every week. He's so fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jessica-parker/graham-norton-makes-me-laugh-i-love-him-i-m-not-kidding-i-watch-him/) [Sarah Jessica Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jessica-parker/) > [It makes me laugh when you bring two things together which have nothing to do with one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/it-makes-me-laugh-when-you-bring-two-things-together-which-have/) [Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/) > [Almost anything makes me laugh, especially jokes at my own expense. And I will never, ever admit to being ticklish anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/almost-anything-makes-me-laugh-especially-jokes-at-my-own-expense-and/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [There's nothing that makes me laugh more than being in the situation where you're not supposed to laugh. Funerals. People crying. Breaking down. Telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/there-s-nothing-that-makes-me-laugh-more-than-being-in-the-situation/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I love anyone who surprises me and makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-love-anyone-who-surprises-me-and-makes-me-laugh/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [I'm more of an older school comedian so Tommy Davidson still makes me laugh a lot no matter how many times I've heard his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torry/i-m-more-of-an-older-school-comedian-so-tommy-davidson-still-makes-me/) [Joe Torry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torry/) ## More by W. Somerset Maugham > [“A man thinks it quite natural that he should fall out of love with a woman, but it never strikes him for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-thinks-it-quite-natural-that-he-should-fall-out-of-love-with-a/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A man's work reveals him. In social intercourse he gives you the surface that he wishes the world to accept, but in his book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-s-work-reveals-him-in-social-intercourse-he-gives-you-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Love is only a dirty trick played on us to achieve continuation of the species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/love-is-only-a-dirty-trick-played-on-us-to-achieve-continuation-of/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The world is hard and cruel. We are here none knows why, and we go none knows whither. We must be very humble. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-world-is-hard-and-cruel-we-are-here-none-knows-why-and-we-go-none/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“There is no more merit in having read a thousand books than in having ploughed a thousand fields.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/there-is-no-more-merit-in-having-read-a-thousand-books-than-in-having/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“I wanted to live again and again. I was willing to accept every sort of life, no matter what its pain and sorrow; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-wanted-to-live-again-and-again-i-was-willing-to-accept-every-sort/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. It makes one long for an apple occasionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/in-hollywood-the-women-are-all-peaches-it-makes-one-long-for-an-apple/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Follow your inclinations with due regard to the policeman round the corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/follow-your-inclinations-with-due-regard-to-the-policeman-round-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“His love became a prison from which he longed to escape, but he had not the strength merely to open the door-that was all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/his-love-became-a-prison-from-which-he-longed-to-escape-but-he-had/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [I did not believe him capable of love. That is an emotion in which tenderness is an essential part, but Strickland had no tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-did-not-believe-him-capable-of-love-that-is-an-emotion-in-which/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [If only the good were a little less heavy-footed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/if-only-the-good-were-a-little-less-heavy-footed/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Perfection has one grave defect: it is apt to be dull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/perfection-has-one-grave-defect-it-is-apt-to-be-dull/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A God that can be understood is no God. Who can explain the Infinite in words?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-god-that-can-be-understood-is-no-god-who-can-explain-the-infinite/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“My dear, you used to be quite a dish; now you're quite a tureen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/my-dear-you-used-to-be-quite-a-dish-now-you-re-quite-a-tureen/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“When people say they do not care what others thing of them, for the most part they deceive themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-thing-of-them-for-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) [Explore all 840 W. Somerset Maugham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## 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. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is one of the defects of my character that I cannot altogether dislike anyone who makes me laugh.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. Somerset Maugham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/it-is-one-of-the-defects-of-my-character-that-i-cannot-altogether/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/it-is-one-of-the-defects-of-my-character-that-i-cannot-altogether/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/w-somerset-maugham-237_character_it-is-one-of-the-defects-of-my-character_2553241.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/w-somerset-maugham-237_character_it-is-one-of-the-defects-of-my-character_2553241.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7e/w-somerset-maugham-237_character_it-is-one-of-the-defects-of-my-character_2553241.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is one of the defects of my character that I cannot altogether dislike anyone who makes me laugh.” — W. Somerset Maugham", "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": "W. Somerset Maugham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is one of the defects...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/it-is-one-of-the-defects-of-my-character-that-i-cannot-altogether/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/it-is-one-of-the-defects-of-my-character-that-i-cannot-altogether/#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 } } ] } ```