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Superficiality Quotes

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Superficiality Quotes

“When it came time for me to go to bed, my mother beckoned me to her, and kissed me, and whispered, "I know I'll never have another anxious moment with my own dear laddie." I pondered these words before I went to sleep. How could I reconcile this motherliness with the screeching fury who had pursued me around the kitchen with a whip, flogging me until she was gorged with — what? Vengeance? What was it? Once, when I was in my thirties and reading Freud for the first time, I thought I knew. I am not so sure I know now. But what I knew then was that nobody— not even my mother— was to be trusted in a strange world that showed very little of itself on the surface.”

Growing UpDoubtTrustBetrayalMotherhoodDisillusionmentSuperficialityMasksTwo FacedToxic Parents
Book:Fifth business
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“songs, to me, were more important than just light entertainment. They were my preceptor and guide into some altered consciousness of reality. Some different republic, some liberated republic... whatever the case, it wasn't that I was anti-popular culture or anything and I had no ambition to stir things up. I just thought of mainstream culture as lame as hell and a big trick. It was like the unbroken sea of frost that lay outside the window and you had to have awkward footgear to walk with.”

PhilosophyMusicPop CultureLegendSuperficiality
Book:Chronicles, Volume One
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“A utopian system, when established by men, is likely to be synonymous with a dystopian depression. The only way for perfect peace by man is absolute control of all wrongs. Bully-cultures find this: with each and every mistake, another village idiot is shamed into nothingness and mindlessly shut down by the herd. This is a superficial peace made by force and by fear, one in which there is no freedom to breathe; and the reason it is impossible for man to maintain freedom and peace for everyone at the same time. Christ, on the other hand, transforms, instead of controls, by instilling his certain inner peace. This is the place where one realizes that only his holiness is and feels like true freedom, rather than like imprisonment, and, too, why Hell, I imagine, a magnified version of man's never-ending conflict between freedom and peace, would be the flesh's ultimate utopia - yet its ultimate regret.”

WarPhilosophyGodRealityGovernmentPoliticalCultureForceHeavenFearPeaceChristFreedomSinHellGraceSocietyRegretBattleConflictDepressionForgivenessDevilMercyTransformationSalvationUnityChaosInner PeaceTyrannyTheologyConfusionOppressionVanityManSatanHolinessControlEstablishmentDictatorshipBullyUtopiaGood IntentionsDystopiaImprisonmentPolice StateApologeticsSuperficialityHerd MentalityArtificialityTotalitarian
Book:Healology
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“Pleasure is a false god. Research shows that people who focus their energy on superficial pleasures end up more anxious, more emotionally unstable, and more depressed. Pleasure is the most superficial form of life satisfaction and therefore the easiest to obtain and the easiest to lose. But pleasure, while necessary in life (in certain doses), isn't, by itself, sufficient. Pleasure is not the cause of happiness; rather, it is the effect.”

HappinessPleasureSuperficialityPleasures Of Life
Book:The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
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“A woman who holds her head up too high, is trying to breathe from her own pollution.”

WomenQualityVirtueHumilityProudBalanceIntegrityEgoCorruptionHumbleIgnorantVanityWomanVainArroganceMaterialismGirlsGossipArrogantPollutionShallowSuperficialEgotismSinsHeadSuperficialityFemalesShallownessWomen RightsLadyLadiesValuelessGossipingImmaterialFlauntWomen StrengthsHold HeadNo ValueNo MeritNo Substance
Book:Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem
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“They are taught everywhere, from advertisements to schools and from media to relationships, that they must always follow their instincts, that if they are not "self-confident," they will not be loved by anyone, or that they must change things "to make the world a better place" and "contribute to the common good," which leads them to have a primal, worldly view and an empty, shallow sense of individuality.”

IndividualIndividualityUnconsciousIndividualismUnconsciousnessSuperficialityIndividualsRobotEarthlyBounded
Author:Sov8840
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“Many people measure their self-worth based on how much money they make... once one is able to provide for basic physical needs (food shelter, and so on), the correlation between happiness and worldly success quickly approaches zero. ...The other issue with overvaluing material success is the danger of prioritizing it over other values, such as honesty, nonviolence, and compassion.”

HappinessWealthSelf WorthSuperficiality
Book:The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
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“Botox" In a friendly exchange with a shopper in a grocery story line, she joyfully declared: “Today is my 50th birthday!” I said, “It looks like the hands of Time have touched your face gently. Happy birthday!” “The hands of Time weren’t gentle on me, my dear. What you see are the wonders of botox,” she said. “They say it freezes face features and expressions. Is that true?” I inquired half-jokingly. “At this stage of my life, it makes no difference. I no longer need any expressions. There is nothing worth smiling for or frowning upon. I spent decades expressing in every physical and verbal way possible, all in vain,” she said. Her words were followed by a hopeless giggle that reminded me of the philosopher who wrote that as we advance in age, our fears are replaced with giggles. She then continued, “There is a time when you discover that all verbal and physical expressions are futile. In everyone’s life, there’s one defining event that freezes everything in their lives. Anything that happens after that event is no more than desperate and hopeless attempts to pretend that we are okay.” Before I managed to find the appropriate words, the cashier called on her. The timing was ideal as words froze on my tongue just like the botox freezes features and expression in a world in which words and expressions are of no use anymore. [Original text published in Arabic on October 14, 2024 at ahewar.org]”

WomenBeautyAgingVanityPlastic SurgerySuperficialityBotoxArabic Literature
Author:Louis Yako
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“I wish to forget, a considerable part of every day, all mean, narrow, trivial men (and this requires usually to forego and forget all personal relations so long), and therefore I come out to these solitudes, where the problem of existence is simplified. I enter some glade in the woods, perchance, where a few weeds and dry leaves alone lift themselves above the surface of the snow, and it is as if I had come to an open window. I see out and around myself.”

PeopleNatureSolitudeSuperficiality
Book:The Journal, 1837-1861
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“I was taught to prioritize what's "important"; food, water, children (Being the eldest among our siblings, I was taught to watch out for the younger ones). I was taught that the important stuff wasn't shiny; it involved logistics, practicals, survival. Only the necessary stuff to get by. Style, beauty, self-expression, affairs, superficiality — these are luxuries in my world. I could barely afford to eat lunch, much less buy clothes or get my hair styled in a salon. My family couldn't afford cable TV so I never watched MTV to learn the latest trends. So when I started high school, I had no regard for appearances. This is how I learned, the hard way, that maturity has no place with teenagers who could afford to have fun.”

LoveLife LessonsSexRelationshipsYouthDatingSuperficialitySocial ClassFilipino Authors
Book:Karinderya Love Songs
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“The people of today would rather stand next to a man with no substance but covered in gold, rather than the man with substance and wisdom of gold. What if God was dressed as a carpenter with dirty nails and beaten boots? Would you recognize your Maker? Would you give him your time? Your vote? A cup of tea or water? Only those with truth in them will recognize truth. And you must learn to recognize all that is untrue to get the truth.”

HeartCharacterGodWisdomTruthJusticeDivineIllusionConscienceGoldCreatorSubstanceFakeTrueBootsArtificialWorthSuperficialImageCarpenterFacadeSuperficialityMakerMirageImmaterialDirty NailsSuperfical
Book:Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem
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“Constantly exposing yourself to popular culture and the mass media will ultimately shape your reality tunnel in ways that are not necessarily conducive to achieving your Soul Purpose and Life Calling. Modern society has generally ‘lost the plot’. Slavishly following its false gods and idols makes no sense in a spiritually aware life.”

SocietyIgnoranceMaterialismIdolsCynicismSkepticismNegativityLife PurposePublic OpinionNegative PeopleModern SocietyPopular CultureMisinformationMass MediaSuperficialityNegative AttitudeFalse GodsMedia BiasDisinformationSoul PurposeSociety S Increasing StupidityFalse BeliefLife CallingReality CreationReality Tunnel
Author:Anthon St. Maarten
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“Fashionable Beard” I asked my friend, sporting a fashionable beard, with playful curiosity: ‘Has your beard brought you new fans?’ ‘You have no idea how much it has!’ he laughed, eyes gleaming with irony. ‘Do you wonder why people can’t see you clearly without it?’ I probed. He smiled and said, ‘This beard reminds me daily— people refuse to face the bare truth. They only look at things when they’re dressed up in something— a mask, a trend, a distraction. But never just as they are.”

MenLooksGenderAttractionMasculinityGender RolesSuperficialityAppearancesArabic LiteratureBeards
Book:سرطان في كل مكان [Cancer Everywhere]
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“E poi è crudele, ed è necessario dirlo: c’è sempre un momento in cui una donna chiede a se stessa se realmente siano state le grandi qualità morali del suo amante a soggiogarla. Perché in quel caso ci sarebbero delle giustificazioni. E c’è una profonda umiliazione nella nostra coscienza quando arriviamo a convincerci che se amiamo un uomo non è stata solo la nobiltà delle sue idee e l’ideale dei suoi sentimenti a dominarci, ma un non-so-che, in cui c’entra forse il colore dei suoi capelli e il nodo della sua cravatta. Siamo franche, perché mascherare la pochezza delle nostre inclinazioni? Perché colorare di ideali l’origine volgare delle nostre preferenze? Non voglio dire che l’integrità morale non sia un poderoso incentivo alla simpatia istintiva, ma ciò che in realtà ci colpisce è l’aspetto esteriore di un uomo. Tutte coloro che leggeranno queste dolorose confidenze si consultino nel silenzio del proprio cuore e dicano che cosa ha suscitato in loro quella sensazione: se è stato il carattere o l’aspetto. E le più franche diranno che nella vita influisce forse di più il colore del frac che la grandezza d’animo.”

LoveBeautySuperficiality
Book:O Mistério da Estrada de Sintra
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“Si dalkiinu uu meel sare u gaaro, oo u noqdo mid mar kale horumar ku tilaabsada, ka bilaaba in aad doorataan hogaamiye wanaagsan. Ha ogolaanina in warbaahinta iyo kuwa danaha-gaarka ah lehi ay idinku qasbaan in aad doorataan dadka ay ayagu idiin xuleen, balse doorta dadka aysan ayagu xulan. Dadka dhexdiisa ka doorta hogaamiyaha, oo ah mid uu wado wadnahiisu, mid isu arka in uu matalo shacabka dalka, ogna waxa dalku u baahan yahay dhinac walba. Ha dooranina hogaamiye lacag uun u socda, oo aan waxba ka ogayn shacabka, shacabkana aan xiriir la lahayn, balse kaliya og waxa shirkadahu u baahan yahiin. Doorta nabaddoon. Mid dadka mideeya, ee aan qaybin. Hogaamiye aqoon leh oo taageera dhaqanka iyo xoriyadda figrad-dhhiibashada; oo aan ahayn mid dadka afka qabta. Doorta hogaamiye maalgaliya iskuulada, oo aan joojin maalgalinta waxbarashada, una ogolaanayn in maktabadahu xirmaan. Doorta hogaamiye wadahadal ka doorta in la dagaalo. Hogaamiye dadnimo leh, mid dhahaya waxuu aaminsan yahay, mid balanta ka soo baxa oo aan dadka been u sheegin. Doorta hogaamiye adag oo isku-kalsoon, laakiin aan kor isu qaadin. Mid caqli badan, laakiin aan dhagarow ahayn, hogaamiyo ogol kala duwanaanta oo aan cunsuri ahayn. Doorta hogaamiye maalgalinaya dhisidda buundooyin la isaga gudbo, ee aan dhisayn darbiyo dadka kala xira. Buugaag, maya hub, Daacadnimo, maya musuq-maasuq. Xigmad iyo aqoon, maya jahli, Xasilooni, maya baqdin iyo argagax. Nabad, maya burbur. Jacayl, maya nacayb, Isu-imaatin, maya kala qaybin. Dulqaad, maya cunsuriyayn, Daacadnimo, maya munaafaqnimo, Wax ku oolnimo, maya wax kama jiraan, Dabeecad, maya maangaabnimo, Soo bandhigid, maya qarsasho, Cadaalad, maya sharcidaro, Run, maya been. Ugu danbayn, doorta hogaamiye dadkiisu ay ku farxayaan. Mid dhaqaajinaya qalbiyada dadka, si ay wiilasha iyo gabdhaha qaranku ugu dadaalaan in ay ku daydaan sharafta hogaamiyaha qaranka. Markaas oo qura ayaa qaran si fiican kor ugu kici karaa, marka hogaamiye dhiirigaliyo, soona saaro muwaadiniin u qalma in ay noqdaan hogaamiyayaasha mustaqbalka, maamulayaal qiimo badan iyo nabaddoono. Waqtiyada hadda lagu jirana, hogaamiye waa in uu noqdo mid dhiiran. Hogaankoodu waa inuu ku adeego daacadnimo, mana aha inay u shaqeeyaan laaluush. Suzy Kassem, waana gabar qoraa Mareykan ah kana soo jeeda Masar, waa na faylasuuf.”

CharacterJusticeTransparencySuperficialitySomaliaBeenGreatenessAnshaxAnshaxaBurburintaCadaaladdaCaddaaladCaqli Iyo XigmadCodadkaCodayntaDoorashadaDoorashada MadaxtinimadaDulqaadkaFaquuqidHa Ka Cabsanina Iyo CabsiHogaamintaHogaamiyahaHogaamiyaha DoorashadaHoggaamiyayaashaIswaafiqidaJacaylkaJeclaadaLabawejiilenimadaMa DerbiyadaMa FowdoMa HubMa Jaahil AhMa Uu QudhminMaandooriyahaMadaxweynahaMusuqmaasuqNacaybkaNecbahayQaan GaarinQarinSharciTakoorkaWaxbarashoXaqXigmad
Book:Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem
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“Our lives are mere flashes of light in an infinitely empty universe. In 12 years of education the most important lesson I have learned is that what we see as “normal” living is truly a travesty of our potential. In a society so governed by superficiality, appearances, and petty economics, dreams are more real than anything anything in the “real world”. Refuse normalcy. Beauty is everywhere, love is endless, and joy bleeds from our everyday existence. Embrace it. I love all of you, all my friends, family, and community. I am ceaselessly grateful from the bottom of my heart for everyone. The only thing I can ask of you is to stay free of materialism. Remember that every day contains a universe of potential; exhaust it. Live and love so immensely that when death comes there is nothing left for him to take. Wealth is love, music, sports, learning, family and freedom. Above all, stay gold.”

LoveLifeDeathJoySportsWealthFreedomExistenceEducationBeautyMusicFamilyLearningSocietyNormalAppearanceMaterialismPotentialSuperficialityNormalcyAppearances
Author:Dominic Owen Mallary
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“You are too timid for me. You care too much about what other people think. But you know what? Because you are so desperate to win the approval of others, you'll never get rid of their criticisms, no matter how hard you try. You say you want to travel the path, but you don't want to sacrifice anything to that end. Money, fame, power, lavishness, or carnal pleasure - whatever it is that one holds most dear in life, one should dispose of that first.”

SpiritualitySacrificeTravelMaterialismSuperficialityThe Path
Book:The Forty Rules of Love
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“It wasn't until the show was almost over that I figured out what it was: the crack above my David Onica that I had asked the doorman to tell the superintendent to fix. On my way out this morning, I stopped at the front desk, about to complain to the doorman, when I was confronted with a NEW doorman, my age but balding and homely and FAT. Three glazed jelly doughnuts AND two steaming cups of extra-dark HOT CHOCOLATE lay on the desk in front of him beside a copy of the Post opened to the comics and it struck me that I was infinitely better-looking, more successful and richer than this poor bastard would ever be and so with a passing rush of sympathy I smiled and nodded a curt though not impolite good morning without lodging a complaint.”

SuperficialityAmerican Psycho
Book:American Psycho
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“Guy suddenly wanted to scald his face, gain fifty pounds, shear his hair. He was sick of his beauty, his “eternal” beauty. People thought he was purer, more intelligent, kinder, nobler than he was because they ascribed all these virtues to him. What if he were stripped of his looks, if he stabbed the grotesque painting in the attic? If they saw him for what he really was – empty-headed, vicieux (how did you translate that? “Riddled with vices?”), narcisse? Used to being indulged and pursued, terrified he’d outlive his fatal appeal and yet longing to be free of it?”

ProjectionSuperficialityBeauty Standards
Book:Our Young Man
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“cultural cringe which prevents other people from challenging them. the Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci used the term ‘cultural hegemony’ to describe the way in which ideas and concepts which benefit a dominant class are universalised. they become norms, adopted whole and unexamined, which shape our thinking”

PhilosophyCultureMoralityManipulationOpinionsSuperficialityHegemonyDisinterestCopying OthersLack Of Motivation
Book:Feral: Rewilding the Land, the Sea and Human Life
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“But it wasn't the right season to lift off. Not yet. I sat in my apartment and looked out over the city, and I just didn't feel any passion to write about the place. I didn't give a damn about local politics; I wasn't moved by the issues. I missed home. And I was frustrated by people who actually thought the world was a centre and that centre was here. ‘The world's a sphere, everyone,’ I wanted to say. ‘The centre of a sphere doesn't lie on its surface. Look up the word 'superficial', when you have a chance.”

WritingPassionNew York CitySuperficialityHomesickSphereSurfaces
Book:Moth Smoke
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“Superficiality is a mentality. Those who love for superficial reasons will also hate for superficial reasons; those who vote for one candidate for superficial reasons will also dislike the other for superficial reasons; those who live for superficial reasons are more susceptible to burying themselves deeply in an existential debt, and then it comes: regret when on the bed of death.”

VotingMentalityExistentialSearch For MeaningSuperficialityMeaninglessnessSuperficial CultureGo DeeperLack Of PurposeFind A Purpose
Author:Criss Jami
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“Barbie” Through my many long travels I’ve seen women reading books on planes, buses, and trains… Over the years, three titles caught my eye, each in the hands of women who looked—or tried to look—like the Barbie doll. I don’t recall the exact names, but one was along the lines of ‘How to Keep Your Husband’ or ‘How to Preserve Your Marriage.’ The second warned of ‘Signs He’s Cheating on You,’ and the third promised how to get rid of him—and move on. It felt as if these three titles mapped out the lifecycle of every woman who lets herself play Barbie. And I often wonder: wouldn’t reading ‘How to Stop Playing the Barbie Role in Love and Life’ be enough to solve all the problems those books claim to fix? [Original poem published”

LoveRelationshipsMarriageFeminismGenderWomen EmpowermentSuperficialityArabic PoetryArabic Literature
Author:Louis Yako
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