---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was in college, I became…"
description: "\"When I was in college, I became interested in various aspects of foreign policy and international relations. Even as a kid, I was interested in what I ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/barry-eisler-1009_aspects_when-i-was-in-college-i-became-intereste_2938465.png"
---

#  When I was in college, I became interested in various…

![“When I was in college, I became interested in various aspects of foreign policy and international relations. Even as a kid, I was interested in what I call, loosely speaking, forbidden knowledge.” quote by Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/barry-eisler-1009_aspects_when-i-was-in-college-i-became-intereste_2938465.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/barry-eisler-1009_aspects_when-i-was-in-college-i-became-intereste_2938465.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/barry-eisler-1009_aspects_when-i-was-in-college-i-became-intereste_2938465.png)

> “When I was in college, I became interested in various aspects of foreign policy and international relations. Even as a kid, I was interested in what I call, loosely speaking, forbidden knowledge.”

[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.

Reveals a lifelong fascination with forbidden knowledge and global affairs, shaping his worldview.

**In simple terms:** Fascination with hidden knowledge.

Key Takeaway

Pursue curiosity responsibly.

Themes

knowledge policy curiosity

Mood

inquisitive cautious

Type

intellectual reflective

When to use this quote

- research
- policy analysis
- writing

Key Concepts

political science ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- What “forbidden” topics intrigue you?
- How do you balance curiosity with responsibility?

A Different Perspective

Obsession with forbidden topics can be risky.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Aspects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspects/) [Became](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/became/) [Call](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/call/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Forbidden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forbidden/) [Forbidden Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forbidden-knowledge-3648258/) [Foreign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign/) [Foreign policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-policy/) [Interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interested/) [Interested Loosely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interested-loosely-4368898/) [International](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/international/) [International relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/international-relations/) [Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kid/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Loosely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loosely/) [Loosely Speaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loosely-speaking-4368899/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relations/) [Speaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaking/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/various/)

## Related quotes

> [I have a long-standing interest in what I like to think of as 'forbidden knowledge:' methods of unarmed killing, lock picking, breaking and entry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-have-a-long-standing-interest-in-what-i-like-to-think-of-as/)

[Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/)

> [an intoxication with forbidden knowledge in which the natural things become unimportant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/an-intoxication-with-forbidden-knowledge-in-which-the-natural-things/)

[Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/)

> [“and he is forbidden the knowledge of foreign languages. If he were allowed contact with foreigners he would discover that they are creatures similar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/and-he-is-forbidden-the-knowledge-of-foreign-languages-if-he-were/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [“hold it loosely”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swindoll-charles-r/hold-it-loosely/)

[Swindoll Charles R](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swindoll-charles-r/)

> [Learn to hold loosely all that is not eternal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maude-royden/learn-to-hold-loosely-all-that-is-not-eternal/)

[Maude Royden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maude-royden/)

> [We're loosely calling it The River Project, but hopefully the pieces that we put together will be educational pieces that will throw some light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dean-anderson/we-re-loosely-calling-it-the-river-project-but-hopefully-the-pieces/)

[Richard Dean Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dean-anderson/)

> [When you're traveling constantly, every day you become inspired, and it shows in my work, sonically, lyrically, visually. Conversations with women with different accents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/when-you-re-traveling-constantly-every-day-you-become-inspired-and-it/)

[The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/)

> [“I use the word love loosely, and only because my vocabulary is unequal to the task of describing the precise nature of that maze,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-use-the-word-love-loosely-and-only-because-my-vocabulary-is-unequal/)

[Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/)

> [It's extremely difficult to say what one actually means by 'sculpture' other than, in a provisional sense, it's something that goes on the floor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walead-beshty/it-s-extremely-difficult-to-say-what-one-actually-means-by-sculpture/)

[Walead Beshty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walead-beshty/)

> [The term "genius" gets used far too loosely in rock &amp; roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/the-term-genius-gets-used-far-too-loosely-in-rock-roll/)

[Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/)

> [The idea of an e-book has been around since the late 1970s, when researchers at Xerox PARC got on the case. Their prototype used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-platt/the-idea-of-an-e-book-has-been-around-since-the-late-1970s-when/)

[Charles Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-platt/)

> [If a person uses the word 'sorry' loosely then of course it loses its value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciara/if-a-person-uses-the-word-sorry-loosely-then-of-course-it-loses-its/)

[Ciara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciara/)

> [Hold loosely to the things of this life, so that if God requires them of you, it will be easy to let them go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrie-ten-boom/hold-loosely-to-the-things-of-this-life-so-that-if-god-requires-them/)

[Corrie Ten Boom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrie-ten-boom/)

> [I trust you: That's huge. That's truth. That's real love. Everyone uses 'I love you' so loosely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chatwin/i-trust-you-that-s-huge-that-s-truth-that-s-real-love-everyone-uses-i/)

[Justin Chatwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chatwin/)

> [Sit loosely in the saddle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/sit-loosely-in-the-saddle/)

[Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/)

## 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 Aspects quotes

> [A monkey is unaware that atoms exist. Likewise, our brainpower may not stretch to the deepest aspects of reality. The bedrock nature of space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/a-monkey-is-unaware-that-atoms-exist-likewise-our-brainpower-may-not/)

[Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/)

> [People say that globalisation has negative aspects, but I don't believe globalisation is bad. It's criticised from a western perspective, but if you put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadashi-yanai/people-say-that-globalisation-has-negative-aspects-but-i-don-t/)

[Tadashi Yanai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadashi-yanai/)

> [I like to take certain aspects of genre fiction and modify them in my own way. 'Your Republic Is Calling You' follows the form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-young-ha/i-like-to-take-certain-aspects-of-genre-fiction-and-modify-them-in-my/)

[Kim Young-ha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-young-ha/)

> [We may not like our times or many aspects of the time we live in but that is not the fault of art as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-elliott/we-may-not-like-our-times-or-many-aspects-of-the-time-we-live-in-but/)

[David Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-elliott/)

> [“Join up the different aspects of yourself – sort of like a team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/join-up-the-different-aspects-of-yourself-sort-of-like-a-team/)

[Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/)

> [What are the aspects of yourself that line up with the character? You magnify those, and the ones that don't match up you kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/what-are-the-aspects-of-yourself-that-line-up-with-the-character-you/)

[Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/)

> [“this has more aspects than a cat has hair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/this-has-more-aspects-than-a-cat-has-hair/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [I love acting, but don't necessarily enjoy other aspects of the business. For me, going to celebrity parties is like work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-parish/i-love-acting-but-don-t-necessarily-enjoy-other-aspects-of-the/)

[Sarah Parish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-parish/)

> [There are a lot of similar aspects in all the religions. The question is which side of it you hold up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/there-are-a-lot-of-similar-aspects-in-all-the-religions-the-question/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [Throughout my career I have been an advocate for women, in all aspects of their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/throughout-my-career-i-have-been-an-advocate-for-women-in-all-aspects/)

[Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/)

> [Extreme weather threatens our energy and electric grid, federal buildings, transportation infrastructure, access to natural resources, public health, our relationships across the globe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cartwright/extreme-weather-threatens-our-energy-and-electric-grid-federal/)

[Matt Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cartwright/)

> [Anuj Bahari has always been a really good literary agent for me. What a good agent does is that he manages many of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amish-tripathi/anuj-bahari-has-always-been-a-really-good-literary-agent-for-me-what/)

[Amish Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amish-tripathi/)

> [I don't want to spoil the magic, but it's a very curious thing that honestly baffles me. It's the nearest we'll ever get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/i-don-t-want-to-spoil-the-magic-but-it-s-a-very-curious-thing-that/)

[Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/)

> [Frankly, we actresses are so much in a hurry. We feel we have very few years to shine in our career, so we neglect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/frankly-we-actresses-are-so-much-in-a-hurry-we-feel-we-have-very-few/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The reason I'm in San Diego is not because I want distance from South Africa but because I want proximity to the people I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/the-reason-i-m-in-san-diego-is-not-because-i-want-distance-from-south/)

[Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/)

[Browse all 251 Aspects quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspects/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When I was in college, I became interested in various aspects of foreign policy and international relations. Even as a kid, I was interested in what I call, loosely speaking, forbidden knowledge.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Barry Eisler"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/when-i-was-in-college-i-became-interested-in-various-aspects-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Aspects"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/when-i-was-in-college-i-became-interested-in-various-aspects-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/barry-eisler-1009_aspects_when-i-was-in-college-i-became-intereste_2938465.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/barry-eisler-1009_aspects_when-i-was-in-college-i-became-intereste_2938465.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/barry-eisler-1009_aspects_when-i-was-in-college-i-became-intereste_2938465.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When I was in college, I became interested in various aspects of foreign policy and international relations…” — 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": "When I was in college, I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/when-i-was-in-college-i-became-interested-in-various-aspects-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/when-i-was-in-college-i-became-interested-in-various-aspects-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
