"Well, because we're so different as people. And it's that difference that probably also makes it easy to stay together, because we don't get in each others way"
About this Quote
The phrasing is tellingly plain. “We’re so different” rejects the pop-culture fantasy that compatibility means mirrored tastes and shared everything. Oates flips that script: difference isn’t the problem, it’s the buffer. “Probably” adds a modest, almost sheepish realism - no grand theory, just an earned observation. That humility matters because it keeps the sentiment from sounding like a self-help commandment. It reads like someone who’s seen relationships (and partnerships) implode when boundaries blur.
The subtext is boundary management dressed up as affection. “Easy to stay together” isn’t about avoiding conflict through silence; it’s about reducing unnecessary friction by not competing for the same emotional or professional territory. “Don’t get in each other’s way” implies respect, space, and a refusal to micromanage - the unsexy stuff that actually sustains intimacy over decades.
Contextually, it lands in a culture that celebrates “best friend” couples who do everything together. Oates offers a counter-myth: sometimes the healthiest togetherness is built on parallel tracks, not total merge.
Quote Details
| Topic | Relationship |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Oates, John. (2026, January 16). Well, because we're so different as people. And it's that difference that probably also makes it easy to stay together, because we don't get in each others way. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/well-because-were-so-different-as-people-and-its-109729/
Chicago Style
Oates, John. "Well, because we're so different as people. And it's that difference that probably also makes it easy to stay together, because we don't get in each others way." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/well-because-were-so-different-as-people-and-its-109729/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Well, because we're so different as people. And it's that difference that probably also makes it easy to stay together, because we don't get in each others way." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/well-because-were-so-different-as-people-and-its-109729/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.




