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Be what you would seem to be - or, if you'd like it put more simply - never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.
Lewis Carroll
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Be true to yourself and maintain integrity in how you present yourself to others.

This quote by Lewis Carroll emphasizes the importance of authenticity and consistency in one’s self-presentation. It suggests that one should strive to be genuine and transparent, aligning their inner self with how they are perceived by others. The essence lies in not pretending to be something else, but rather being honest about who you are and acknowledging that perception shapes identity.

Themes

AuthenticityIdentityIntegrityPerceptionSelf-Presentation

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about personal integrity.

More from Lewis Carroll

The further off from England the nearer is to France-_x000D_ _x000D_ Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance.
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To the Looking-Glass world it was Alice that said 'I've a sceptre in hand, I've a crown on my head. Let the Looking-Glass creatures, whatever they be, Come and dine with the Red Queen, the White Queen, and me.
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So she was considering in her own mind...whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up & picking the daisies.
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Once she remembered trying to box her own ears for having cheated herself in a game of croquet she was playing against herself, for this curious child was very fond of pretending to be two people.
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Rule Forty-two. All persons more than a mile high to leave the court.
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Crawling at your feet,' said the Gnat (Alice drew her feet back in some alarm), `you may observe a Bread-and-Butterfly. Its wings are thin slices of Bread-and-butter, its body is a crust, and its head is a lump of sugar.' And what does IT live on?' Weak tea with cream in it.' A new difficulty came into Alice's head. `Supposing it couldn't find any?' she suggested. Then it would die, of course.' But that must happen very often,' Alice remarked thoughtfully. It always happens,' said the Gnat.
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