I am aware that I am less than some people prefer me to be, but most people are unaware that I am so much more than what they see.

Pagels’ line juxtaposes two kinds of misrecognition: the disappointment of those who want an idealized version of us (“less than some people prefer”) and the blindness of casual observers to our hidden capacities (“so much more than what they see”). The speaker acknowledges imperfection without self-abasement, insisting that a person’s interior life—intentions, struggles, growth, private virtues—exceeds public impressions. The quote functions as a defense of complexity and a reminder that social judgment is often based on partial evidence. It also subtly critiques the pressure to perform for others’ expectations while affirming an inner self that remains larger than reputation.