--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Society is a more level surface than we…" description: "\"Society is a more level surface than we imagine. Wise men or absolute fools are hard to be met with, as there are few giants or dwarfs. The heaviest ch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd3/william-hazlitt-326_absolutes_society-is-a-more-level-surface-than-we_944845.png" --- # Society is a more level surface than we imagine. Wise men… ![“Society is a more level surface than we imagine. Wise men or absolute fools are hard to be met with, as there are few giants or dwarfs. The heaviest charge we can bring against the general texture of society is that it is commonplace. Our fancied superiority to others is in some one thing which we…” quote by William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd3/william-hazlitt-326_absolutes_society-is-a-more-level-surface-than-we_944845.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd3/william-hazlitt-326_absolutes_society-is-a-more-level-surface-than-we_944845.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd3/william-hazlitt-326_absolutes_society-is-a-more-level-surface-than-we_944845.png) > “Society is a more level surface than we imagine. Wise men or absolute fools are hard to be met with, as there are few giants or dwarfs. The heaviest charge we can bring against the general texture of society is that it is commonplace. Our fancied superiority to others is in some one thing which we think most of because we excel in it, or have paid most attention to it; whilst we overlook their superiority to us in something else which they set equal and exclusive store by.” [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society appears uniform, but hidden hierarchies exist; we often overvalue our own strengths while ignoring others' superior traits. **In simple terms:** We think society is equal but miss hidden strengths. Key Takeaway Recognize others' hidden talents. Themes society humility perception Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - teamwork - leadership - conflict resolution - diversity training Key Concepts social hierarchy bias self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - What strengths do you overlook in others? - How can you balance self‑confidence with humility? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on self can blind us to others' contributions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Commonplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commonplace/) [Dwarfs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dwarfs/) [Equal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal/) [Exclusive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exclusive/) [Fancied Superiority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fancied-superiority-1641452/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Giants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giants/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mets/) [One thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thing/) [Overlook Superiority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overlook-superiority-1641450/) [Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid/) [Society Commonplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-commonplace-1641451/) [Stores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stores/) [Superiority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superiority/) [Superiority Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superiority-thing-1641453/) [Surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surface/) [Texture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texture/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [There can be no such thing as Superiority when We Are All One. 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The Snow White to our motley group of dwarfs. Plus, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rowen/you-re-our-honorary-sixth-member-with-mysterious-abilities-and/) [Michelle Rowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rowen/) > [Being a famous writer is a little like being a tall dwarf. You're on the edge of normality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/being-a-famous-writer-is-a-little-like-being-a-tall-dwarf-you-re-on/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [As long as our people quote English standards they dwarf their own proportions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/as-long-as-our-people-quote-english-standards-they-dwarf-their-own/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Art is gushing hot bile on the fields and harvesting the looks of nasty dwarfs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunter-brus/art-is-gushing-hot-bile-on-the-fields-and-harvesting-the-looks-of/) [Gunter Brus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunter-brus/) > [“Did I offend you?” Lannister said. “Sorry. Dwarfs don’t have to be tactful. 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Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [I do not doubt but the majest and beauty of the world are latent in any iota of the world; I do not doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/i-do-not-doubt-but-the-majest-and-beauty-of-the-world-are-latent-in/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [For it is a mad world and it will get madder if we allow the minorities, be they dwarf or giant, orangutan or dolphin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/for-it-is-a-mad-world-and-it-will-get-madder-if-we-allow-the/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [A dwarf can stand on a mountain, he's no taller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-dwarf-can-stand-on-a-mountain-he-s-no-taller/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [He had quite liked the dwarfs. 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Truth and honesty set a limit to our efforts, which impudence and hypocrisy easily overleap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/want-of-principle-is-power-truth-and-honesty-set-a-limit-to-our/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Repose is as necessary in conversation as in a picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/repose-is-as-necessary-in-conversation-as-in-a-picture/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [No act terminating in itself constitutes greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/no-act-terminating-in-itself-constitutes-greatness/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Vice is man's nature: virtue is a habit--or a mask.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/vice-is-man-s-nature-virtue-is-a-habit-or-a-mask/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We never do anything well till we cease to think about the manner doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-never-do-anything-well-till-we-cease-to-think-about-the-manner/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/man-is-the-only-animal-that-laughs-and-weeps-for-he-is-the-only/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Those who have had none of the cares of this life to harass and disturb them, have been obliged to have recourse to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/those-who-have-had-none-of-the-cares-of-this-life-to-harass-and/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never despicable, but takes an heroical aspect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/poverty-when-it-is-voluntary-is-never-despicable-but-takes-an/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are not satisfied to be right, unless we can prove others to be quite wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-not-satisfied-to-be-right-unless-we-can-prove-others-to-be/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The world judge of men by their ability in their profession, and we judge of ourselves by the same test: for it is on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-world-judge-of-men-by-their-ability-in-their-profession-and-we/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The best part of our lives we pass in counting on what is to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-best-part-of-our-lives-we-pass-in-counting-on-what-is-to-come/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) [Explore all 671 William Hazlitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## More Absolutes quotes > [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. 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I believe the love of God is absolute. 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