Once eccentricity is reframed, the quote suggests an implicit comparison: some people live at a distance from themselves. Sitwell’s “more me” implies that many individuals dilute their preferences, tones, and convictions to avoid friction, choosing social safety over self-disclosure.
From there, authenticity becomes less a personality quirk and more a form of courage. It is the willingness to let one’s genuine inclinations be visible even when they invite misunderstanding. Sitwell, who cultivated a distinctive public presence in early 20th-century British literary life, speaks as someone familiar with how quickly a community polices what looks “too much.” [...]
