--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Psychologically, it's always more…" description: "\"Psychologically, it's always more pleasurable to blame others for our problems than it is to acknowledge our own responsibility.\" — Barry Eisler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/barry-eisler-1009_acknowledge_psychologically-it-s-always-more-pleasur_1839866.jpg" --- # Psychologically, it's always more pleasurable to blame… ![“Psychologically, it's always more pleasurable to blame others for our problems than it is to acknowledge our own responsibility.” quote by Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/barry-eisler-1009_acknowledge_psychologically-it-s-always-more-pleasur_1839866.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/barry-eisler-1009_acknowledge_psychologically-it-s-always-more-pleasur_1839866.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/barry-eisler-1009_acknowledge_psychologically-it-s-always-more-pleasur_1839866.jpg) > “Psychologically, it's always more pleasurable to blame others for our problems than it is to acknowledge our own responsibility.” [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People tend to find it more satisfying to blame others than to accept personal responsibility. **In simple terms:** Blaming feels better than owning up. Key Takeaway Own your part, stop shifting blame. Themes psychology responsibility accountability Mood introspective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal growth - team dynamics Key Concepts defense mechanisms self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - When have you blamed others instead of yourself? - What steps help you accept responsibility? A Different Perspective Blame can protect ego but hinders growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acknowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledge/) [Acknowledge Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledge-responsibility-2340969/) [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) [Blame Others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame-others/) [Blame Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame-problems-556761/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/others/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Pleasurable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasurable/) [Pleasurable Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasurable-blame-2340968/) [Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems/) [Psychologically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychologically/) [Psychologically Pleasurable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychologically-pleasurable-2340970/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) ## Related quotes > [“I don't acknowledge the responsibility you're trying to make me feel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-lassiter/i-don-t-acknowledge-the-responsibility-you-re-trying-to-make-me-feel/) [Rhiannon Lassiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-lassiter/) > [I know I have only myself to blame for all the problems I've had in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-i-have-only-myself-to-blame-for-all-the-problems-i-ve-had-in/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [“Life was so much simpler when everyone else was to blame for my problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-watson/life-was-so-much-simpler-when-everyone-else-was-to-blame-for-my/) [Louise Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-watson/) > [It seems that we're better at finding someone to blame for our problems than we are at finding creative solutions to fix them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/it-seems-that-we-re-better-at-finding-someone-to-blame-for-our/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Who is this vague "they" we blame for so many of our problems? "They" is the obscure party we use as our whipping boy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/who-is-this-vague-they-we-blame-for-so-many-of-our-problems-they-is/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [If people would just take responsibility for their own actions...they might just find life getting a bit easier...don't blame others for your problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/if-people-would-just-take-responsibility-for-their-own-actions-they/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [One of the annoying things about believing in free will and individual responsibility is the difficulty of finding somebody to blame your problems on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/one-of-the-annoying-things-about-believing-in-free-will-and/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The average human's fundamental project is to find someone else to blame for their problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-goad/the-average-human-s-fundamental-project-is-to-find-someone-else-to/) [Jim Goad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-goad/) > [Now, some have said I blame too many problems on my predecessor, but let's not forget that's a practice that was initiated by George…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/now-some-have-said-i-blame-too-many-problems-on-my-predecessor-but/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So don't blame me for the problems. You can't fault me for it. You can't blame me. You want to blame me but I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/so-don-t-blame-me-for-the-problems-you-can-t-fault-me-for-it-you-can/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [We'll blame each other for our own problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/we-ll-blame-each-other-for-our-own-problems/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [I used to blame my problems on other people. But my moment of clarity, if you want to call it that, came when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-sizemore/i-used-to-blame-my-problems-on-other-people-but-my-moment-of-clarity/) [Tom Sizemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-sizemore/) > [Love how people can blame others for their problems!! It's always the same story: Well my daddy wasn't around, mama didn't do this, aunt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayla-jenkins/love-how-people-can-blame-others-for-their-problems-it-s-always-the/) [Kayla Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayla-jenkins/) > [I'm convinced that a lot of people simply don't know what's available out there and how it is possible to find a job and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-m-convinced-that-a-lot-of-people-simply-don-t-know-what-s-available/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“There is no one but ourselves to blame for our problems: neither God nor any oppressors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devdutt-pattanaik/there-is-no-one-but-ourselves-to-blame-for-our-problems-neither-god/) [Devdutt Pattanaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devdutt-pattanaik/) ## More by Barry Eisler > [“But, like all indulgences that are valued not just for their product but for their process, the sento will never entirely disappear. For in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/but-like-all-indulgences-that-are-valued-not-just-for-their-product/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“She’s a bargirl. You don’t know where her loyalties lie. That one was unconvincing. No one had directed her against me—I was the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/she-s-a-bargirl-you-don-t-know-where-her-loyalties-lie-that-one-was/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“In my unpleasant experience, unarmed against a knife, you’ve basically got four options. Your best bet is to run like hell, if you can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/in-my-unpleasant-experience-unarmed-against-a-knife-you-ve-basically/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [The most important guideline when it comes to argument is the golden rule. If someone were addressing your point, what tone, what overall approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/the-most-important-guideline-when-it-comes-to-argument-is-the-golden/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“That I was apparently into body building at all at this stage in my life probably meant affairs with young women, for whom a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/that-i-was-apparently-into-body-building-at-all-at-this-stage-in-my/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“Immediately the sounds of the street below grew detached, distant, the meaningless echoes of urban voices whose urgent notes reached but held no sway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/immediately-the-sounds-of-the-street-below-grew-detached-distant-the/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“I heard laughter and looked up. Some kids at the terminal next to me, playing an online game. I wondered for a moment how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-heard-laughter-and-looked-up-some-kids-at-the-terminal-next-to-me/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“I shifted my head slightly. The corners of our mouths brushed together. I felt her breath on my cheek. Then we were kissing. Her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-shifted-my-head-slightly-the-corners-of-our-mouths-brushed-together/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“I looked at her. Why was it her question seemed suffused with double entendre? She was attractive, of course, more than attractive, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-looked-at-her-why-was-it-her-question-seemed-suffused-with-double/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“I realized my knowledge of that potentially damning evidence gave Delilah a reason to want me out of the way. “Out of the way”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-realized-my-knowledge-of-that-potentially-damning-evidence-gave/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“I wouldn’t want to try to take this guy out with anything less than a scoped rifle. Which is something that’s hard to confuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-wouldn-t-want-to-try-to-take-this-guy-out-with-anything-less-than-a/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“I picked up the earthen cup and went to take a sip. “Not like that,” Miyamoto said. “Let it cool a little. Give yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-picked-up-the-earthen-cup-and-went-to-take-a-sip-not-like-that/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“It seemed he’d recently learned the value of playing up the difficulty of accomplishing whatever he was tasked with, the better to play the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/it-seemed-he-d-recently-learned-the-value-of-playing-up-the/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“Yukiko walked over, her mouth stretching into a feline grin at the sight of Murakami. Naomi followed a moment later. She was wearing another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/yukiko-walked-over-her-mouth-stretching-into-a-feline-grin-at-the/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [It would be awesome to be so impressive that we could sway people to our way of thinking just by declaiming our thoughts, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/it-would-be-awesome-to-be-so-impressive-that-we-could-sway-people-to/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) [Explore all 305 Barry Eisler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) ## More Acknowledge quotes > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I'm a Christian because Christianity names and addresses sin. It acknowledges the reality that the evil we observe in the world is also present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-m-a-christian-because-christianity-names-and-addresses-sin-it/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [The only way to ease our fear and be truly happy is to acknowledge our fear and look deeply at its source. Instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-way-to-ease-our-fear-and-be-truly-happy-is-to-acknowledge/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/on-thanksgiving-day-we-acknowledge-our-dependence/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [You can't go into games with any fear. You can acknowledge a good team but you can't go in worrying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/you-can-t-go-into-games-with-any-fear-you-can-acknowledge-a-good-team/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) > [We must acknowledge that bearing and raising children is not some pesky, peripheral activity that we engage in, but the whole point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-raising-children-is-not-some/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [When we pray, we must begin by conceiving God in full and vigorous images, but we must go on to acknowledge the inadequacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-farrer/when-we-pray-we-must-begin-by-conceiving-god-in-full-and-vigorous/) [Austin Farrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-farrer/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Actually, when I look at my old notebooks, I think I have been a bit self-indulgent and have given myself too much time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/actually-when-i-look-at-my-old-notebooks-i-think-i-have-been-a-bit/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [I would like, then, to end by putting in a good word for the non-industrious poor. At least they aren’t hurting anyone. Insofar as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graeber/i-would-like-then-to-end-by-putting-in-a-good-word-for-the-non/) [David Graeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graeber/) > [No one seriously doubts Socrates' maxim: The unexamined life isn't worth living. Self-assessment and attempts at self-improvement are essential aspects of "the good life."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/no-one-seriously-doubts-socrates-maxim-the-unexamined-life-isn-t/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [As objects of contemplation, images of the atrocious can answer to several different needs. To steel oneself against weakness. To make oneself more numb.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/as-objects-of-contemplation-images-of-the-atrocious-can-answer-to/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [It is in the measure that special methods acknowledge their common core in transcendental method, that norms common to all the sciences will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lonergan/it-is-in-the-measure-that-special-methods-acknowledge-their-common/) [Bernard Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lonergan/) > [I can hear of the brilliant accomplishments of any of my sex with pleasure and rejoice in that liberality of sentiment which acknowledges them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/i-can-hear-of-the-brilliant-accomplishments-of-any-of-my-sex-with/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) [Browse all 1,475 Acknowledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Psychologically, it's always more pleasurable to blame others for our problems than it is to acknowledge our own responsibility.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barry Eisler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/psychologically-it-s-always-more-pleasurable-to-blame-others-for-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acknowledge" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/psychologically-it-s-always-more-pleasurable-to-blame-others-for-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/barry-eisler-1009_acknowledge_psychologically-it-s-always-more-pleasur_1839866.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/barry-eisler-1009_acknowledge_psychologically-it-s-always-more-pleasur_1839866.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb8/barry-eisler-1009_acknowledge_psychologically-it-s-always-more-pleasur_1839866.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Psychologically, it's always more pleasurable to blame others for our problems than it is to acknowledge our…” — Barry Eisler", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barry Eisler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Psychologically, it's always more pleasurable to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/psychologically-it-s-always-more-pleasurable-to-blame-others-for-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/psychologically-it-s-always-more-pleasurable-to-blame-others-for-our/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```