--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In many ways we were drugged when we were…" description: "\"In many ways we were drugged when we were young. We were brought up to need people. For what? For acceptance, approval, appreciation, applause.\" — Anth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/anthony-de-mello-1331_acceptance_in-many-ways-we-were-drugged-when-we-wer_1382408.png" --- # In many ways we were drugged when we were young. We were… ![“In many ways we were drugged when we were young. We were brought up to need people. For what? For acceptance, approval, appreciation, applause.” quote by Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/anthony-de-mello-1331_acceptance_in-many-ways-we-were-drugged-when-we-wer_1382408.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/anthony-de-mello-1331_acceptance_in-many-ways-we-were-drugged-when-we-wer_1382408.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/anthony-de-mello-1331_acceptance_in-many-ways-we-were-drugged-when-we-wer_1382408.png) > “In many ways we were drugged when we were young. We were brought up to need people. For what? For acceptance, approval, appreciation, applause.” [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early conditioning makes us dependent on external validation, leading to a perpetual need for approval. **In simple terms:** We crave approval due to early conditioning. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner self‑acceptance. Themes psychology conditioning self‑esteem Mood reflective motivational Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - therapy - personal development - mindful practices - education on self‑worth Key Concepts dependency social approval mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What drives your need for approval? - How can you build internal validation? A Different Perspective Breaking dependence is challenging and may cause discomfort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Applause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/applause/) [Appreciation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciation/) [Approval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/) [Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Applause felt like approval, and it became a drug that soothed the pain, but only temporarily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-baker/applause-felt-like-approval-and-it-became-a-drug-that-soothed-the/) [Anita Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-baker/) > [Nothing is so foolish, they say, as for a man to stand for office and woo the crowd to win its vote, buy its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/nothing-is-so-foolish-they-say-as-for-a-man-to-stand-for-office-and/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [Cooking for people is an enormously significant expression of generosity and soulfulness, and entertaining is a way to be both generous and creative. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-allen/cooking-for-people-is-an-enormously-significant-expression-of/) [Ted Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-allen/) > [Well, I'm not one of those people who needs the limelight. If I'm performing, that's what I'm doing. If I'm not, I don't long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/well-i-m-not-one-of-those-people-who-needs-the-limelight-if-i-m/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [When we are passionately in love with our Prince, we put Him above all else--not just in theory, but also practically, in every moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-ludy/when-we-are-passionately-in-love-with-our-prince-we-put-him-above-all/) [Leslie Ludy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-ludy/) > [If you drugged me with truth serum and said I can only do one thing, I would probably have to say that I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-hall/if-you-drugged-me-with-truth-serum-and-said-i-can-only-do-one-thing-i/) [Brad Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-hall/) > [“It was real sweet, except that he'd drugged me and ridden me to within an inch of my life, and I was still so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-castillo-price/it-was-real-sweet-except-that-he-d-drugged-me-and-ridden-me-to-within/) [Jordan Castillo Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-castillo-price/) > [“We were probably drugged," Lauren said, running her hands over the walls again. "You'd know about that," said Esmee. Lauren wheeled round. "What's that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-e-o-connor/we-were-probably-drugged-lauren-said-running-her-hands-over-the-walls/) K.E. O'Connor > [“Nick knew the moment she realized her robe had dropped. Knew when the knowledge she was naked hit her full force. Watched her lips…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/nick-knew-the-moment-she-realized-her-robe-had-dropped-knew-when-the/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-yates/you-re-painfully-alive-in-a-drugged-and-dying-culture/) [Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-yates/) > [“Gen was sleeping the sleep of the heavily drugged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/gen-was-sleeping-the-sleep-of-the-heavily-drugged/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [And if God were trying to reach out to us, and teach us something about the deepest nature of matter, he might use some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-milch/and-if-god-were-trying-to-reach-out-to-us-and-teach-us-something/) [David Milch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-milch/) > [I lurched away from the table after a few hours feeling like Elvis in Vegas - fat, drugged, and completely out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-lurched-away-from-the-table-after-a-few-hours-feeling-like-elvis-in/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [“He felt that if he brooded on what he had gone through he would sicken or grow mad. There were sins whose fascination was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-felt-that-if-he-brooded-on-what-he-had-gone-through-he-would/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Even in my really bad, drugged-out days, I didn't go away. I still toured, still did interviews. I never gave up the fight. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-nicks/even-in-my-really-bad-drugged-out-days-i-didn-t-go-away-i-still/) [Stevie Nicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-nicks/) ## More by Anthony de Mello > [The poor think they will be happy when they become rich. The rich think they will be happy when they are rid of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-poor-think-they-will-be-happy-when-they-become-rich-the-rich/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You only change what you understand. What you do not understand and are not aware of, you repress. You dont change. But when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-only-change-what-you-understand-what-you-do-not-understand-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A zealous disciple expressed a desire to teach others the Truth and asked the Master what he thought about this. The Master said, "Wait."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-zealous-disciple-expressed-a-desire-to-teach-others-the-truth-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [As the Arabs say, "The nature of rain is the same, but it makes thorns grow in the marshes and flowers in the gardens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/as-the-arabs-say-the-nature-of-rain-is-the-same-but-it-makes-thorns/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Sinners often speak the truth. And saints have led people astray. Examine what is said, not the one who says it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/sinners-often-speak-the-truth-and-saints-have-led-people-astray/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Isn't there such a thing as social liberation?" "Of course there is," said the Master. "How would you describe it?" "Liberation from the need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/isn-t-there-such-a-thing-as-social-liberation-of-course-there-is-said/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [The important thing is not to know who "I" is or what "I" is. You'll never succeed. There are no words for it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-important-thing-is-not-to-know-who-i-is-or-what-i-is-you-ll-never/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [And increasingly - you know this and so do I we're losing the youth everywhere. They hate us; they are not interested in having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-increasingly-you-know-this-and-so-do-i-we-re-losing-the-youth/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Spirituality practiced in the state of activity is incomparably superior to that practiced in a state of withdrawel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/spirituality-practiced-in-the-state-of-activity-is-incomparably/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You know, all mystics - Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion - are unanimous on one thing:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-know-all-mystics-catholic-christian-non-christian-no-matter-what/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [There were rules in the monastery, but the Master always warned against the tyranny of the law. 'Obedience keeps the rules,' he would say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/there-were-rules-in-the-monastery-but-the-master-always-warned/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A disciple, in his reverence for the Master, looked upon him as God incarnate. "Tell me, O Master," he said, "why you have come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-disciple-in-his-reverence-for-the-master-looked-upon-him-as-god/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“And how about you? Do you want to understand and play the game of life or fool around with miracles?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-how-about-you-do-you-want-to-understand-and-play-the-game-of-life/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You don't have to add anything in order to be happy; you've got to drop something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-don-t-have-to-add-anything-in-order-to-be-happy-you-ve-got-to/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Rare indeed, is the relationship in which the other is not cultivated for what one can get for oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/rare-indeed-is-the-relationship-in-which-the-other-is-not-cultivated/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) [Explore all 253 Anthony de Mello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In many ways we were drugged when we were young. We were brought up to need people. For what? 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