--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a switch inside every one of us…" description: "\"There's a switch inside every one of us that I guess grew there as a necessary part of survival. How can you drag a fish up out of the river for your s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf1/alissa-york-110167_drag_there-s-a-switch-inside-every-one-of-us_1260783.png" --- # There's a switch inside every one of us that I guess grew… ![“There's a switch inside every one of us that I guess grew there as a necessary part of survival. How can you drag a fish up out of the river for your supper if you feel the yank of the hook in your own cheek? I get that part. We can't feel for everyone and everything all the time. We'd die of fear…” quote by Alissa York](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf1/alissa-york-110167_drag_there-s-a-switch-inside-every-one-of-us_1260783.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf1/alissa-york-110167_drag_there-s-a-switch-inside-every-one-of-us_1260783.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf1/alissa-york-110167_drag_there-s-a-switch-inside-every-one-of-us_1260783.png) > “There's a switch inside every one of us that I guess grew there as a necessary part of survival. How can you drag a fish up out of the river for your supper if you feel the yank of the hook in your own cheek? I get that part. We can't feel for everyone and everything all the time. We'd die of fear or sorrow a hundred times a day. The thing is, it's gotten so we flick the switch off like it's nothing. And, more often than not, we forget to turn it back on.” Alissa York ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People have an internal survival switch that can be turned off, leading to emotional numbness, and we often forget to reactivate it, causing fear and sorrow. **In simple terms:** Survival instinct can be deactivated, causing numbness. Key Takeaway Reconnect with empathy. Themes survival empathy fear sorrow emotional regulation human nature switch turning off turning on Mood reflective empathetic Type psychological self‑help When to use this quote - personal growth - relationships - stress management Key Concepts psychology mental health self‑care resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can we keep empathy active? - What triggers the survival switch? A Different Perspective Neglecting the switch reduces compassion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) ## Related quotes > [He who is overly attached to his loved ones experiences fear and sorrow, for the root of all grief is attachment. Thus one should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/km-ii/he-who-is-overly-attached-to-his-loved-ones-experiences-fear-and/) [KM II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/km-ii/) > [He who is overly attached to his family members experiences fear and sorrow, for the root of all grief is attachment. 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