Ask yourself Quote by Anthony Bloom
““Generally, it is greed, fear and curiosity which make us live outwardly. A French scientist who worked in America, Alexis Carrel, said in a book called "Man the Unknown" that if you ask yourself where your personality ends you will see that the tongue of a greed person is projected like tentacles towards all the edibles of the world; the eyes of the curious person are like tentacles projected and attached to everything around; the ears of the eavesdropper become long and wide and go far far afield. If you could draw a picture of what you look like in those terms you would see that precious little is left of you inside, because everything is extroverted. So that the first thing one must do is to detach the tentacles and bring them in. You cannot go inwards if you are completely outward.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Man the Unknown by Alexis Carrel, 1935
Greed, fear, and curiosity expand outward, consuming self; to find inner peace, withdraw these tentacles and turn inward.
In simple terms: Detach outward drives to discover inner self.
Key Takeaway
Pull back greed, fear, curiosity; focus inward.
Themes
self‑discovery
inner peace
detachment
Mood
contemplative
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- stress management
- personal growth
- creative work
- meditation practice
Key Concepts
psychology
philosophy
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance inner focus with external responsibilities?
- What habits keep you outwardly driven?
A Different Perspective
Over‑detachment may lead to isolation or neglect of necessary external engagement.
