--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That extremes beget extremes is an…" description: "\"That extremes beget extremes is an apothegm built on the most profound observation of the human mind.\" — Charles Caleb Colton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/charles-caleb-colton-270_begets_that-extremes-beget-extremes-is-an-apoth_1415184.png" --- # That extremes beget extremes is an apothegm built on the… ![“That extremes beget extremes is an apothegm built on the most profound observation of the human mind.” quote by Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/charles-caleb-colton-270_begets_that-extremes-beget-extremes-is-an-apoth_1415184.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/charles-caleb-colton-270_begets_that-extremes-beget-extremes-is-an-apoth_1415184.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/charles-caleb-colton-270_begets_that-extremes-beget-extremes-is-an-apoth_1415184.png) > “That extremes beget extremes is an apothegm built on the most profound observation of the human mind.” [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Extremes breed extremes, a fundamental observation of human behavior. **In simple terms:** Excess leads to more excess. Key Takeaway Avoid extreme reactions. Themes human behavior ethics balance Mood thoughtful cautious Type observational ethical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal habit formation - policy making - social media moderation Key Concepts extremism feedback loops psychology of escalation Questions to Reflect On - How can moderation be cultivated? - What triggers extreme responses in you? A Different Perspective Extremes can be a response to perceived threats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Extremes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremes/) [Human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-mind/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) [Profound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profound/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [Nature is filled with tendencies and obstructions. Extremes beget limitations, even as a river by its own swiftness creates obstructions for itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/nature-is-filled-with-tendencies-and-obstructions-extremes-beget/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Avarice begets more vices than Priam did children and like Priam survives them all. It starves its keeper to surfeit those who wish him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/avarice-begets-more-vices-than-priam-did-children-and-like-priam/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [It is with nations as with individuals, those who know the least of others think the highest of themselves; for the whole family of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-with-nations-as-with-individuals-those-who-know-the-least-of/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Sport begets tumultuous strife and wrath, and wrath begets fierce quarrels and war to the death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/sport-begets-tumultuous-strife-and-wrath-and-wrath-begets-fierce/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [“One evil begets another and another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bronwen-griffiths/one-evil-begets-another-and-another/) Bronwen Griffiths > [“Prayer begets peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/prayer-begets-peace/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Success begets success. I've been offered a lot of movies now that '30 Rock' has been successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/success-begets-success-i-ve-been-offered-a-lot-of-movies-now-that-30/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [ The messiness \[in my books\] is nothing like an Atwood novel. For me, the deeper subjects are secrets versus intimacy, and how both beget… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edan-lepucki/the-messiness-in-my-books-is-nothing-like-an-atwood-novel-for-me-the/) [Edan Lepucki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edan-lepucki/) > [Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enoch/come-let-us-choose-us-wives-from-among-the-children-of-men-and-beget/) [Enoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enoch/) > [War destroys. War obliterates. War is ruination. And war begets more war. After thousands of years of experience proving this, and reams of literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-simeone/war-destroys-war-obliterates-war-is-ruination-and-war-begets-more-war/) Lisa Simeone > [Energy begets energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/energy-begets-energy/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [Suspicion on one side breeds suspicion on the other, and new weapons beget counter-weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/suspicion-on-one-side-breeds-suspicion-on-the-other-and-new-weapons/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Cognitive and character skills work together as dynamic complements; they are inseparable. Skills beget skills. More motivated children learn more. Those who are more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-heckman/cognitive-and-character-skills-work-together-as-dynamic-complements/) [James Heckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-heckman/) > [Neatness begets order; but from order to taste there is the same difference as from taste to genius, or from love to friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/neatness-begets-order-but-from-order-to-taste-there-is-the-same/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More by Charles Caleb Colton > [Villainy that is vigilant will be an overmatch for virtue, if she slumber at her post.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/villainy-that-is-vigilant-will-be-an-overmatch-for-virtue-if-she/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [A beautiful woman, if poor, should use double circumspection; for her beauty will tempt others, her poverty herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/a-beautiful-woman-if-poor-should-use-double-circumspection-for-her/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Were the life of man prolonged, he would become such a proficient in villainy, that it would become necessary again to drown or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-the-life-of-man-prolonged-he-would-become-such-a-proficient-in/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [To dare to live alone is the rarest courage; since there are many who had rather meet their bitterest enemy in the field, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/to-dare-to-live-alone-is-the-rarest-courage-since-there-are-many-who/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the mine of literature, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most-indebted-to-those-who-like/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Be very slow to believe that you are wiser than all others; it is a fatal but common error. Where one has been saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/be-very-slow-to-believe-that-you-are-wiser-than-all-others-it-is-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [None are so fond of secrets as those who do not mean to keep them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/none-are-so-fond-of-secrets-as-those-who-do-not-mean-to-keep-them/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Mental pleasures never cloy; unlike those of the body, they are increased by reputation, approved by reflection, and strengthened by enjoyment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/mental-pleasures-never-cloy-unlike-those-of-the-body-they-are/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Ignorance lies at the bottom of all human knowledge, and the deeper we penetrate, the nearer we arrive unto it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/ignorance-lies-at-the-bottom-of-all-human-knowledge-and-the-deeper-we/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Heroism, self-denial, and magnanimity, in all instances where they do not spring from a principle of religion, are but splendid altars on which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/heroism-self-denial-and-magnanimity-in-all-instances-where-they-do/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [We ought not to be over-anxious to encourage innovation in cases of doubtful improvement, for an old system must ever have two advantages over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/we-ought-not-to-be-over-anxious-to-encourage-innovation-in-cases-of/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [We owe almost all our knowledge not to those who have agreed, but to those who have differed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/we-owe-almost-all-our-knowledge-not-to-those-who-have-agreed-but-to/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Metaphysicians have been learning their lessons for the last four thousand years, and it is high time that they should now begin to teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/metaphysicians-have-been-learning-their-lessons-for-the-last-four/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Faith and works are necessary to our spiritual life as Christians, as soul and body are to our natural life as men; for faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/faith-and-works-are-necessary-to-our-spiritual-life-as-christians-as/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [When all moves equally (says Pascal), nothing seems to move as in a vessel under sail; and when all run by common consent into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/when-all-moves-equally-says-pascal-nothing-seems-to-move-as-in-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) [Explore all 778 Charles Caleb Colton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## More Begets quotes > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Neatness begets order; but from order to taste there is the same difference as from taste to genius, or from love to friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/neatness-begets-order-but-from-order-to-taste-there-is-the-same/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [Cognitive and character skills work together as dynamic complements; they are inseparable. Skills beget skills. More motivated children learn more. Those who are more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-heckman/cognitive-and-character-skills-work-together-as-dynamic-complements/) [James Heckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-heckman/) > [Suspicion on one side breeds suspicion on the other, and new weapons beget counter-weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/suspicion-on-one-side-breeds-suspicion-on-the-other-and-new-weapons/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Energy begets energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/energy-begets-energy/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [War destroys. War obliterates. War is ruination. And war begets more war. After thousands of years of experience proving this, and reams of literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-simeone/war-destroys-war-obliterates-war-is-ruination-and-war-begets-more-war/) Lisa Simeone > [Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enoch/come-let-us-choose-us-wives-from-among-the-children-of-men-and-beget/) [Enoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enoch/) > [ The messiness \[in my books\] is nothing like an Atwood novel. For me, the deeper subjects are secrets versus intimacy, and how both beget… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edan-lepucki/the-messiness-in-my-books-is-nothing-like-an-atwood-novel-for-me-the/) [Edan Lepucki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edan-lepucki/) > [Success begets success. I've been offered a lot of movies now that '30 Rock' has been successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/success-begets-success-i-ve-been-offered-a-lot-of-movies-now-that-30/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [“Prayer begets peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/prayer-begets-peace/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“One evil begets another and another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bronwen-griffiths/one-evil-begets-another-and-another/) Bronwen Griffiths > [Sport begets tumultuous strife and wrath, and wrath begets fierce quarrels and war to the death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/sport-begets-tumultuous-strife-and-wrath-and-wrath-begets-fierce/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [They maintain that only a dictatorship - their dictatorship, of course - can create the will of the people, while our answer to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/they-maintain-that-only-a-dictatorship-their-dictatorship-of-course/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [Fortunately work begets work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-warburton/fortunately-work-begets-work/) [Patrick Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-warburton/) > [Trust begets trust and untrust begets untrust. It's natural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munshi-premchand/trust-begets-trust-and-untrust-begets-untrust-it-s-natural/) [Munshi Premchand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munshi-premchand/) Browse all 257 Begets quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That extremes beget extremes is an apothegm built on the most profound observation of the human mind.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Caleb Colton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/that-extremes-beget-extremes-is-an-apothegm-built-on-the-most/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Begets" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/that-extremes-beget-extremes-is-an-apothegm-built-on-the-most/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/charles-caleb-colton-270_begets_that-extremes-beget-extremes-is-an-apoth_1415184.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/charles-caleb-colton-270_begets_that-extremes-beget-extremes-is-an-apoth_1415184.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/charles-caleb-colton-270_begets_that-extremes-beget-extremes-is-an-apoth_1415184.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That extremes beget extremes is an apothegm built on the most profound observation of the human mind.” — Charles Caleb Colton", "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": "Charles Caleb Colton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That extremes beget extremes is an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/that-extremes-beget-extremes-is-an-apothegm-built-on-the-most/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/that-extremes-beget-extremes-is-an-apothegm-built-on-the-most/#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 } } ] } ```