"It is curious how instinctively one protects the image of oneself from idolatry or any other handling that could make it ridiculous, or too unlike the original to be believed any longer"

This quote by Virginia Woolf speaks with the instinctive nature of people to protect their own image. We all have a concept of how we want to be seen by others, and we instinctively guard against anything that might make us look ridiculous or unrecognizable. We don't want to be idolized, as that could cause unrealistic expectations, and we do not wish to be teased, as that might lead to humiliation. We want to be seen as we are, and we naturally protect our image from anything that could make us look various. Woolf's quote speaks to the power of our instinctive nature to safeguard ourselves from anything that could harm our image.