If you have the guts to be yourself, other people'll pay your price.
John UpdikeRead
People are incorrigibly themselves.
Interpretation
What this quote means
People are inherently true to their nature and difficult to change.
This quote by John Updike suggests that individuals possess a core identity that is hard to alter, regardless of external influences or attempts at self-improvement. It reflects the notion that our fundamental characteristics and behaviors are deeply ingrained and often resistant to change, emphasizing the idea of authenticity in human nature.
Themes
IdentityAuthenticityHuman NatureChangeSelf
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational talk about personal development, one might say, 'Remember, people are incorrigibly themselves.'
More from John Updike
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The reader knows the writer better than he knows himself; but the writer's physical presence is light from a star that has moved on.
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To guarantee the individual maximum freedom within a social frame of minimal laws ensures - if not happiness - its hopeful pursuit.
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