About this quote

Some people feel safer in a crowd because it lets them pick their moments and avoid the pressure of direct attention. That choice isn't cowardice; it's a social tactic that controls how much you have to reveal. Try showing up to a busier event when small groups wear you down — you can listen more and speak less until you want to join. Notice how your energy shifts when you stop forcing intimacy and allow space instead.

When to use it

• At a company holiday mixer, when a colleague asks why you seem comfortable, you grin and say the Fitzgerald line to explain you prefer being anonymous in a crowd.
• Before a small study group that feels intense, you tell your roommate, "Give me a big party instead — I can disappear there," to avoid awkward focused attention.
• At a family dinner where everyone pries into your life, you whisper the line to your partner for a private laugh and a way to change the subject.
• Heading to a noisy book launch, you tell a friend, "I like big gatherings — they're actually more relaxing," to explain why you chose the crowded event over the intimate reading.