--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world is all alike. Those that seem…" description: "\"The world is all alike. Those that seem better than their neighbours are only more artful. They mean the same thing, though they take a different road...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/william-godwin-1978_alike_the-world-is-all-alike-those-that-seem-b_1844644.png" --- # The world is all alike. Those that seem better than their… ![“The world is all alike. Those that seem better than their neighbours are only more artful. They mean the same thing, though they take a different road.” quote by William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/william-godwin-1978_alike_the-world-is-all-alike-those-that-seem-b_1844644.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/william-godwin-1978_alike_the-world-is-all-alike-those-that-seem-b_1844644.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/william-godwin-1978_alike_the-world-is-all-alike-those-that-seem-b_1844644.png) > “The world is all alike. Those that seem better than their neighbours are only more artful. They mean the same thing, though they take a different road.” [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often mask envy with superiority, yet underlying motives remain similar, revealing universal human folly. **In simple terms:** Superiority masks shared flaws. Key Takeaway Recognize common humanity. Themes humility social critique equality Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - political debate - workplace dynamics - social media discourse Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing shared motives change your judgment? - When have you seen this in yourself? A Different Perspective Superiority can be a defense against insecurity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alike/) [Alike Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alike-better-2377232/) [Artful Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artful-mean-2377234/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Better Neighbours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-neighbours-2377233/) [Different Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-road-1074136/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Alike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-alike-2377231/) ## Related quotes > [“But the world is all alike. Those that seem better than their neighbours, are only more artful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/but-the-world-is-all-alike-those-that-seem-better-than-their/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [The more people I meet, the farther out of my own little world I go, the more I see that we are all alike.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-powter/the-more-people-i-meet-the-farther-out-of-my-own-little-world-i-go/) [Susan Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-powter/) > [All lovers in the world are alike: they fall in love by chance; they see each other, and are attached to each other by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-barbusse/all-lovers-in-the-world-are-alike-they-fall-in-love-by-chance-they/) [Henri Barbusse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-barbusse/) > [The evidence shows that religious people - defined by regular attendance at a place of worship - actually do make better neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/the-evidence-shows-that-religious-people-defined-by-regular/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [I realized early on that the academy and the literary world alike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/i-realized-early-on-that-the-academy-and-the-literary-world-alike/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [“Amazing where your life can deposit you before you know it. One, two, three, and you're on a completely different road than the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/amazing-where-your-life-can-deposit-you-before-you-know-it-one-two/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [There's a certain road in life most people walk on, because it's familiar, and they can jostle to get in front place. I prefer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-shorter/there-s-a-certain-road-in-life-most-people-walk-on-because-it-s/) [Wayne Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-shorter/) > [Where I'm at now is awesome. A different road might have led me to a different place, and I wouldn't be happy doing anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-momsen/where-i-m-at-now-is-awesome-a-different-road-might-have-led-me-to-a/) [Taylor Momsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-momsen/) > [“Photography has saved me from going down, a completely different road. I can imagine if I wasn't photography, that I don't know where I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denny-wiranda/photography-has-saved-me-from-going-down-a-completely-different-road/) [Denny Wiranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denny-wiranda/) > [“You can’t change the road you traveled from a child, but you can certainly take a different road for the journey into your future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shamarion-whitaker/you-can-t-change-the-road-you-traveled-from-a-child-but-you-can/) [Shamarion Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shamarion-whitaker/) > [To oppose something is to maintain it... You must go somewhere else; you must have another goal; then you walk a different road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/to-oppose-something-is-to-maintain-it-you-must-go-somewhere-else-you/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [We know we're coming full circle with God when we stand at a very similar crossroad where we made such a mess of life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/we-know-we-re-coming-full-circle-with-god-when-we-stand-at-a-very/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [My father died early. My mother died early. I started hanging with the gangs. I'm on the streets; I'm committing crimes. And the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/my-father-died-early-my-mother-died-early-i-started-hanging-with-the/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [Sometimes I just want to stop and carry on in different road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seiki-rowins-bie/sometimes-i-just-want-to-stop-and-carry-on-in-different-road/) [Seiki Rowins Bie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seiki-rowins-bie/) > [“Religions are different roads converging to the same point. What does it matter that we take different road, so long as we reach the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/religions-are-different-roads-converging-to-the-same-point-what-does/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by William Godwin > [I know nothing worth the living for but usefulness and the service of my fellow-creatures. The only object I pursue is to increase, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/i-know-nothing-worth-the-living-for-but-usefulness-and-the-service-of/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [He that loves reading has everything within his reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/he-that-loves-reading-has-everything-within-his-reach/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [There must be room for the imagination to exercise its powers; we must conceive and apprehend a thousand things which we do not actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/there-must-be-room-for-the-imagination-to-exercise-its-powers-we-must/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [In infamy, it is wisely provided that he who stands highest in the ranks of society has the heaviest load to sustain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/in-infamy-it-is-wisely-provided-that-he-who-stands-highest-in-the/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [No man knows the value of innocence and integrity but he who has lost them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/no-man-knows-the-value-of-innocence-and-integrity-but-he-who-has-lost/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [Study with desire is real activity; without desire it is but the semblance and mockery of activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/study-with-desire-is-real-activity-without-desire-it-is-but-the/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [“Godwin on Fenelon and his Valet \* Following is an excerpt from William Godwin's Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, Book II, Chapter II: “Of Justice”:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/godwin-on-fenelon-and-his-valet-following-is-an-excerpt-from-william/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [Tenderness is the name for a lover's most exquisite sensation; protection is implied in his most generous and heart-thrilling impulse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/tenderness-is-the-name-for-a-lover-s-most-exquisite-sensation/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [Whenever government assumes to deliver us from the trouble of thinking for ourselves, the only consequences it produces are those of torpor and imbecility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/whenever-government-assumes-to-deliver-us-from-the-trouble-of/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [During my academical life, and from this time forward, I was indefatigable in my search after truth. I read all the authors of greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/during-my-academical-life-and-from-this-time-forward-i-was/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [Was ever a great discovery prosecuted or an important benefit conferred upon the human race by him who was incapable of standing and thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/was-ever-a-great-discovery-prosecuted-or-an-important-benefit/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [The real or supposed rights of man are of two kinds, active and passive; the right in certain cases to do as we list;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/the-real-or-supposed-rights-of-man-are-of-two-kinds-active-and/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [Soundness of understanding is connected with freedom of enquiry; consequently, opinion should, as far as public security will admit, be exempted from restraint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/soundness-of-understanding-is-connected-with-freedom-of-enquiry/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [Power is not happiness. Security and peace are more to be desired than a man at which nations tremble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/power-is-not-happiness-security-and-peace-are-more-to-be-desired-than/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [“Strange that men, from age to age, should consent to hold their lives at the breath of another, merely that each in his turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/strange-that-men-from-age-to-age-should-consent-to-hold-their-lives/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) [Explore all 193 William Godwin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) ## More Alike quotes > [I'm a humanist at heart: at the end of the day, we are all human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-faker/i-m-a-humanist-at-heart-at-the-end-of-the-day-we-are-all-human-beings/) [Chet Faker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-faker/) > [No state of society or laws can render men so much alike but that education, fortune, and tastes will interpose some differences between them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/no-state-of-society-or-laws-can-render-men-so-much-alike-but-that/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [We all are different. Our lives are different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-jedrzejczyk/we-all-are-different-our-lives-are-different/) [Joanna Jedrzejczyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-jedrzejczyk/) > [“Everyone has their own path, their own story through which they go at their own pace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/everyone-has-their-own-path-their-own-story-through-which-they-go-at/) [Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/) > [We are all a unique person with everyone we meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/we-are-all-a-unique-person-with-everyone-we-meet/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [Everyone is their own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-is-their-own/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The real death of America will come when everyone is alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-death-of-america-will-come-when-everyone-is-alike/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Wise men think and speak alike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/wise-men-think-and-speak-alike/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [We're all equally important at the end of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-staples/we-re-all-equally-important-at-the-end-of-the-day/) [Vince Staples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-staples/) > [We all know one C:](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/we-all-know-one-c/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience/) > [I think everybody has their own journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athiya-shetty/i-think-everybody-has-their-own-journey/) [Athiya Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athiya-shetty/) > [“It is not a simple thing to decide where we fit, for at one time or another in our lives we manage to organize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/it-is-not-a-simple-thing-to-decide-where-we-fit-for-at-one-time-or/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Everybody brings their personality to any position, and that's true for presidents like anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/everybody-brings-their-personality-to-any-position-and-that-s-true/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [But then, after all, we are all alike, for we are all derived from the monkey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/but-then-after-all-we-are-all-alike-for-we-are-all-derived-from-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Understanding languages and other cultures builds bridges. It is the fastest way to bring the world closer together and to Truth. Through understanding, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/understanding-languages-and-other-cultures-builds-bridges-it-is-the/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) [Browse all 1,104 Alike quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alike/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The world is all alike. Those that seem better than their neighbours are only more artful. They mean the same thing, though they take a different road.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Godwin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/the-world-is-all-alike-those-that-seem-better-than-their-neighbours/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alike" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/the-world-is-all-alike-those-that-seem-better-than-their-neighbours/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/william-godwin-1978_alike_the-world-is-all-alike-those-that-seem-b_1844644.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/william-godwin-1978_alike_the-world-is-all-alike-those-that-seem-b_1844644.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/927/william-godwin-1978_alike_the-world-is-all-alike-those-that-seem-b_1844644.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The world is all alike. Those that seem better than their neighbours are only more artful. They mean the…” — William Godwin", "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": "William Godwin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The world is all alike. Those...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/the-world-is-all-alike-those-that-seem-better-than-their-neighbours/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/the-world-is-all-alike-those-that-seem-better-than-their-neighbours/#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 } } ] } ```