--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Know thyself. A maxim as pernicious as it…" description: "\"Know thyself. A maxim as pernicious as it is ugly. Whoever studies himself arrest his own development. A caterpillar who seeks to know himself would ne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/andre-gide-790_butterfly_know-thyself-a-maxim-as-pernicious-as-it_31461.png" --- # Know thyself. A maxim as pernicious as it is ugly. Whoever… ![“Know thyself. A maxim as pernicious as it is ugly. Whoever studies himself arrest his own development. A caterpillar who seeks to know himself would never become a butterfly.” quote by Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/andre-gide-790_butterfly_know-thyself-a-maxim-as-pernicious-as-it_31461.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/andre-gide-790_butterfly_know-thyself-a-maxim-as-pernicious-as-it_31461.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/andre-gide-790_butterfly_know-thyself-a-maxim-as-pernicious-as-it_31461.png) > “Know thyself. A maxim as pernicious as it is ugly. Whoever studies himself arrest his own development. A caterpillar who seeks to know himself would never become a butterfly.” [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑knowledge can become a trap that stalls growth, because over‑analysis prevents transformation. **In simple terms:** Self‑analysis can hinder progress. Key Takeaway Beware of excessive introspection. Themes self‑awareness growth stagnation identity transformation Mood cautious thoughtful Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - personal development - career planning - creative projects - spiritual practice Key Concepts psychology philosophy Practical Applications - coaching - self‑help literature Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance self‑reflection with action? - When does introspection become counterproductive? A Different Perspective Some argue that reflective practice is essential for meaningful change, not a hindrance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Butterfly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butterfly/) [Development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/development/) [Development Caterpillar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/development-caterpillar-428001/) [Know Butterfly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-butterfly-428000/) [Know thyself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-thyself/) [Thyself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thyself/) [Thyself Maxim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thyself-maxim-427999/) [Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly/) ## Related quotes > [A caterpillar who seeks to know himself would never become a butterfly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/a-caterpillar-who-seeks-to-know-himself-would-never-become-a-butterfly/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [You know how a butterfly is the symbol of new life, a new beginning. Im just tryin to live, man. I just wanna live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-game/you-know-how-a-butterfly-is-the-symbol-of-new-life-a-new-beginning-im/) [The Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-game/) > [“…I went away from your side, in love without knowing it. Now I don’t know how your eyes look, nor your hands, nor your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-garc-a-lorca/i-went-away-from-your-side-in-love-without-knowing-it-now-i-don-t/) [Federico García Lorca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-garc-a-lorca/) > [“There’s a butterfly that has been hovering around the window. It doesn’t know where to go. I am that butterfly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhuwan-thapaliya/there-s-a-butterfly-that-has-been-hovering-around-the-window-it-doesn/) [Bhuwan Thapaliya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhuwan-thapaliya/) > [There are two sentences inscribed upon the Ancient oracle... "Know thyself" and "Nothing too much"; and upon these all other precepts depend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/there-are-two-sentences-inscribed-upon-the-ancient-oracle-know/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [One has to know the size of one's stomach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/one-has-to-know-the-size-of-one-s-stomach/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [All too willingly man sees himself as the centre of the universe, as something not belonging to the rest of nature but standing apart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/all-too-willingly-man-sees-himself-as-the-centre-of-the-universe-as/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [“If you don't know what you want, others will want you for what they know! You must know yourself!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/if-you-don-t-know-what-you-want-others-will-want-you-for-what-they/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Know thyself because what else is there to know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-connor/know-thyself-because-what-else-is-there-to-know/) [Sarah Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-connor/) > [The height of all philosophy is to know thyself; and the end of this knowledge is to know God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-height-of-all-philosophy-is-to-know-thyself-and-the-end-of-this/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [My friend...care for your psyche...know thyself, for once we know ourselves, we may learn how to care for ourselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/my-friend-care-for-your-psyche-know-thyself-for-once-we-know/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Knowledge can be acquired by a suitable and complete study, no matter what the starting point is. Only one must know how to 'learn.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/knowledge-can-be-acquired-by-a-suitable-and-complete-study-no-matter/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Make it thy business to know thyself, which is the most difficult lesson in the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/make-it-thy-business-to-know-thyself-which-is-the-most-difficult/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Know thyself and thou wilt know the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/know-thyself-and-thou-wilt-know-the-universe/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [The aim of human life is to know thyself. Think for yourself. Question authority. Think with your friends. Create, create new realities. Philosophy is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/the-aim-of-human-life-is-to-know-thyself-think-for-yourself-question/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) ## More by Andre Gide > [Without mysticism man can achieve nothing great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/without-mysticism-man-can-achieve-nothing-great/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“The things one feels are different about oneself are the things that are rare, that give each person their value - and these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/the-things-one-feels-are-different-about-oneself-are-the-things-that/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [I believe that in every circumstance I have been able to see rather clearly the most advantageous course I could follow, which is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/i-believe-that-in-every-circumstance-i-have-been-able-to-see-rather/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“There is a germ of revolt lying in the spirit of inquiry and critical curiosity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/there-is-a-germ-of-revolt-lying-in-the-spirit-of-inquiry-and-critical/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Oh, would that my mind could let fall its dead ideas, as the tree does its withered leaves!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/oh-would-that-my-mind-could-let-fall-its-dead-ideas-as-the-tree-does/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [God lies ahead. I convince myself and constantly repeat to myself that: He depends on us. It is through us that God is achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/god-lies-ahead-i-convince-myself-and-constantly-repeat-to-myself-that/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“Welcome everything that comes to you, but do not long for anything else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/welcome-everything-that-comes-to-you-but-do-not-long-for-anything-else/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [There are many things that seem impossible only so long as one does not attempt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/there-are-many-things-that-seem-impossible-only-so-long-as-one-does/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Envying another man's happiness is madness; you wouldn't know what to do with it if you had it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/envying-another-man-s-happiness-is-madness-you-wouldn-t-know-what-to/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [So long as we live among men, let us cherish humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/so-long-as-we-live-among-men-let-us-cherish-humanity/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [It is one of life's laws that as soon as one door closes another opens. But the tragedy is we look at the closed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/it-is-one-of-life-s-laws-that-as-soon-as-one-door-closes-another/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“What would a narrative of happiness be like? All that can be described is what prepares it, and then what destroys it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/what-would-a-narrative-of-happiness-be-like-all-that-can-be-described/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [It is with noble sentiments that bad literature gets written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/it-is-with-noble-sentiments-that-bad-literature-gets-written/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“C'est dans l'extraordinaire que je me sens le plus naturel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/c-est-dans-l-extraordinaire-que-je-me-sens-le-plus-naturel/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Understanding is the beginning of approving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/understanding-is-the-beginning-of-approving/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) [Explore all 304 Andre Gide quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) ## More Butterfly quotes > [The beginning of love is all about the butterflies, but the end of it is when you can't get out of bed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-beginning-of-love-is-all-about-the-butterflies-but-the-end-of-it/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [One day I decided I would like to put a record into my system. So I picked up a record that was lying on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-oliveros/one-day-i-decided-i-would-like-to-put-a-record-into-my-system-so-i/) [Pauline Oliveros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-oliveros/) > [A room full of words that are nearly the truth but not quite, each note fluttering off the steam of its rose like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/a-room-full-of-words-that-are-nearly-the-truth-but-not-quite-each/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Story is a butterfly whose wings transport us to another world where we receive gifts that change who we are and who we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/story-is-a-butterfly-whose-wings-transport-us-to-another-world-where/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [Do you remember how you felt at seventeen? I do and I don't (...) Imagine you came from outer space and someone showed you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/do-you-remember-how-you-felt-at-seventeen-i-do-and-i-don-t-imagine/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Kill not the moth nor butterfly, For the Last Judgement draweth nigh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/kill-not-the-moth-nor-butterfly-for-the-last-judgement-draweth-nigh/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Farewell,' she said. 'I hope you hear many more songs' - which was the best way she could think of to say good-bye to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/farewell-she-said-i-hope-you-hear-many-more-songs-which-was-the-best/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [When, within our souls and psyches we are made aware of a safe but insistent drum beat, repeated like butterfly wings in motion, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-meeker/when-within-our-souls-and-psyches-we-are-made-aware-of-a-safe-but/) [Mary Meeker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-meeker/) > [I just think about what I am doing on my side of the net, which requires focus. Even after all the years I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/i-just-think-about-what-i-am-doing-on-my-side-of-the-net-which/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [My loneliness...still comes over me sometimes...It's a liminal, lost sensation of having wandered wide, endless boulevards, among rows of orange trees, winter butterflies, seasons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-roth/my-loneliness-still-comes-over-me-sometimes-it-s-a-liminal-lost/) [Marco Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-roth/) > [I used to watch old clips of Muhammad Ali, where he'd be talking the jive during interviews, you know, 'Float like a butterfly, sting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buffer/i-used-to-watch-old-clips-of-muhammad-ali-where-he-d-be-talking-the/) [Michael Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buffer/) > [Pleasure's a Moth, that sleeps by day And dances by false glare at night; But Joy's a Butterfly, that loves To spread its wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-davies/pleasure-s-a-moth-that-sleeps-by-day-and-dances-by-false-glare-at/) [W. H. Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-davies/) > [The air is like a butterfly With frail blue wings. The happy earth looks at the sky And sings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-kilmer/the-air-is-like-a-butterfly-with-frail-blue-wings-the-happy-earth/) [Joyce Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-kilmer/) > [I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free. Mankind will surely not deny to Harold Skimpole what it concedes to the butterflies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-only-ask-to-be-free-the-butterflies-are-free-mankind-will-surely/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I've always loved butterflies, because they remind us that it's never too late to transform ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/i-ve-always-loved-butterflies-because-they-remind-us-that-it-s-never/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) [Browse all 1,033 Butterfly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butterfly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Know thyself. A maxim as pernicious as it is ugly. Whoever studies himself arrest his own development. 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