--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What about self-awareness, the mysterious…" description: "\"What about self-awareness, the mysterious ability of the brain to reflect upon itself? Self-awareness can be tampered with by brainwashing, psychoactiv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/chet-raymo-34749_ability_what-about-self-awareness-the-mysterious_1478817.png" --- # What about self-awareness, the mysterious ability of the… ![“What about self-awareness, the mysterious ability of the brain to reflect upon itself? Self-awareness can be tampered with by brainwashing, psychoactive drugs, electrical stimulation, political or religious propaganda, even advertising. A lifetime in front of a TV set may be the equivalent of a…” quote by Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/chet-raymo-34749_ability_what-about-self-awareness-the-mysterious_1478817.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/chet-raymo-34749_ability_what-about-self-awareness-the-mysterious_1478817.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/chet-raymo-34749_ability_what-about-self-awareness-the-mysterious_1478817.png) > “What about self-awareness, the mysterious ability of the brain to reflect upon itself? Self-awareness can be tampered with by brainwashing, psychoactive drugs, electrical stimulation, political or religious propaganda, even advertising. A lifetime in front of a TV set may be the equivalent of a self transplant.” [Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑awareness lets the mind examine itself, but can be distorted by external influences. **In simple terms:** Mind can reflect on itself, yet be misled. Key Takeaway Cultivate critical thinking to guard self‑awareness. Themes self‑awareness mind influence Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - education - political discourse - personal growth Key Concepts critical thinking media literacy Questions to Reflect On - What protects your self‑reflection? - How do you detect manipulation? A Different Perspective Self‑awareness can be suppressed by trauma or addiction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Advertising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) [Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Brainwashing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brainwashing/) [Drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Propaganda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/propaganda/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self -awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-awareness/) [Self Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-awareness-3/) ## Related quotes > [Entheogens are not to be lightly trifled with... 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I mean, I'm a transplant, but I've got American kids and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-wakeling/i-think-there-s-a-pride-of-what-a-real-american-can-be-i-mean-i-m-a/) [Dave Wakeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-wakeling/) > [I have always loved kids. They are little adults with so much personality, and it is fun to work with that. 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Even what’s inside you already, the colonies of microbes and bugs that eat your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/skin-bones-blood-and-organs-transplant-from-person-to-person-even/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I could have played football for two or three more years. All I needed was a leg transplant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-unitas/i-could-have-played-football-for-two-or-three-more-years-all-i-needed/) [Johnny Unitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-unitas/) > [Back in the late '90s, I put together a humorous newsmagazine program called 'The Awful Truth' for Bravo. We helped one guy get an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/back-in-the-late-90s-i-put-together-a-humorous-newsmagazine-program/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) ## More by Chet Raymo > [“In Anton Chekhov’s play the Three Sisters, sister Masha refuses ‘to live and not know why the cranes fly, why children are born, why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-raymo/in-anton-chekhov-s-play-the-three-sisters-sister-masha-refuses-to/) [Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) > [“Science is not a collection of facts. Nor is science something that happens in the laboratory. Science happens in the head. It's a flight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-raymo/science-is-not-a-collection-of-facts-nor-is-science-something-that/) [Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) > [Someone once quoted Shakespeare to the philosopher W. V. O. Quine: There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-raymo/someone-once-quoted-shakespeare-to-the-philosopher-w-v-o-quine-there/) [Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) > [I am a cautious pilgrim of the night, a tentative wanderer among the stars. My awareness of my home in the universe is fleeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-raymo/i-am-a-cautious-pilgrim-of-the-night-a-tentative-wanderer-among-the/) [Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) > [The dark night was the first book of poetry and the constellations were the poems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-raymo/the-dark-night-was-the-first-book-of-poetry-and-the-constellations/) [Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) > [Scratch the surface of knowledge and mystery bubbles up like a spring. 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I am stardust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-raymo/nancy-according-to-astronomers-every-atom-in-my-body-was-forged-in-a/) [Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) > [Knowledge is an island surrounded by a sea of mystery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-raymo/knowledge-is-an-island-surrounded-by-a-sea-of-mystery/) [Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) > [Coincidence is the science of the true believer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-raymo/coincidence-is-the-science-of-the-true-believer/) [Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) > [“Beauty soaks reality as water fills a rag.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-raymo/beauty-soaks-reality-as-water-fills-a-rag/) [Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) > [Through our science we have created magnificent spacecrafts and telescopes to explore the night and the light and the half light. We have made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-raymo/through-our-science-we-have-created-magnificent-spacecrafts-and/) [Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) > [“I am a child of the Milky Way. The night is my mother. I am made of the dust of stars. Every atom in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-raymo/i-am-a-child-of-the-milky-way-the-night-is-my-mother-i-am-made-of-the/) [Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) > [ The new advocates of ID \[Intelligent Design\] ask that their ideas be judged by scientific, not religious, criteria. OK, let's see how well ID… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-raymo/the-new-advocates-of-id-intelligent-design-ask-that-their-ideas-be/) [Chet Raymo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) [Explore all 14 Chet Raymo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-raymo/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. 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Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 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