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About this quote

What does it mean?
Seeing others be more vain makes us feel modest. It reveals that modesty can be a form of vanity.
In plain terms
Vanity in others makes us feel modest by comparison.
What can you take from it?
Modesty can be a hidden form of pride.

Where it applies

  • self-reflection
  • social comparison
  • personality analysis

Putting it to work

  • Check if modesty hides pride

Questions to consider

  • Is your modesty genuine?
  • How do others compare to you?

Another view

Not all modesty is false.

More from Louis Kronenberger

  1. Many people today don't want honest answers insofar as honest means unpleasant or disturbing, They want a soft answer that turneth away anxiety.

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  2. Old age is an excellent time for outrage. My goal is to say or do at least one outrageous thing every week.

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  3. It is the gossip columnist's business to write about what is none of his business.

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