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About this quote

What does it mean?
Vidal bluntly states he was the meanest child on his block growing up.
In plain terms
He admits to being a very mean kid when he was young.
What can you take from it?
Past behavior can shape character and public perception.

Where it applies

  • biography
  • self-description
  • interviews

Putting it to work

  • self-reflection
  • admitting flaws
  • personal history

Questions to consider

  • How does childhood shape adult identity?
  • Why admit to negative traits?

Another view

Self-criticism may be exaggerated for effect or humor.

More from Gore Vidal

  1. For a writer, memory is everything. But then you have to test it; how good is it, really? Whether it's wrong or not, I'm beyond caring. It is what it is. As No…

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  2. We're the most captive nation of slaves that ever came along. The moral timidity of the average American is quite noticeable. Everybody's afraid to be thought …

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  3. People in my situation get to read about themselves whether they want to or not. It's generally wrong. Or oversimplified - which is sometimes useful.

    Permalink to quote #75

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