--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Desire isn't lack, it's surplus energy…" description: "\"“Desire isn't lack, it's surplus energy - a claustrophobia inside your skin -.”\" — Chris Kraus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/chris-kraus-11419_desire_desire-isn-t-lack-it-s-surplus-energy-a_1404460.jpg" --- # Desire isn't lack, it's surplus energy - a claustrophobia… ![“Desire isn't lack, it's surplus energy - a claustrophobia inside your skin -.” quote by Chris Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/chris-kraus-11419_desire_desire-isn-t-lack-it-s-surplus-energy-a_1404460.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/chris-kraus-11419_desire_desire-isn-t-lack-it-s-surplus-energy-a_1404460.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/chris-kraus-11419_desire_desire-isn-t-lack-it-s-surplus-energy-a_1404460.jpg) > ““Desire isn't lack, it's surplus energy - a claustrophobia inside your skin -.”” [Chris Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kraus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire is portrayed as excess energy that feels confining, suggesting that wanting too much can trap us emotionally. **In simple terms:** Too much desire feels like a tight skin. Key Takeaway Recognize and channel excess desire constructively. Themes desire energy self‑awareness Mood reflective introspective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - creative projects - stress management Key Concepts psychology emotional regulation Questions to Reflect On - How does excess desire affect your decisions? - What can you do to balance desire and contentment? A Different Perspective Desire can become destructive if unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Claustrophobia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claustrophobia/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ## Related quotes > [Sitting in an automobile was where I first remember understanding how drama works ... 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Chronic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/the-manufacture-of-desire-isn-t-at-the-heart-if-it-isn-t-absurd-to/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [“There's nothing wrong with dreaming about accomplishing great things, as long as that desire isn't focused on one's own glory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-ingram/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-dreaming-about-accomplishing-great-things/) [Chip Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-ingram/) > [I believe there is something on this earth that you desire more than anything, and it isn't me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-oppel/i-believe-there-is-something-on-this-earth-that-you-desire-more-than/) [Kenneth Oppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-oppel/) > [I was tortured fifteen times, that's total submission. They did that with shutting off your blood circulation with ropes, giving you claustrophobia and pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/i-was-tortured-fifteen-times-that-s-total-submission-they-did-that/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [I guess my claustrophobia is incurable - feeling, as I tend to, ill at ease in any closed room, and always tempted to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/i-guess-my-claustrophobia-is-incurable-feeling-as-i-tend-to-ill-at/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > ['Game of Thrones' fans are the nicest people ever, but a thousand nice people coming at me gives me claustrophobia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/game-of-thrones-fans-are-the-nicest-people-ever-but-a-thousand-nice/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [“She had never before suffered from claustrophobia, but the room seemed too small to contain Luke's elation, and she felt that she could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-spurrill-jones/she-had-never-before-suffered-from-claustrophobia-but-the-room-seemed/) Esther Spurrill Jones > [I developed claustrophobia when I was about seven. And I am no stranger to panic attacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-front/i-developed-claustrophobia-when-i-was-about-seven-and-i-am-no/) [Rebecca Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-front/) > [“It was more like a form of claustrophobia -- a dread of exchanging the freedom of her own self-imposed routine for the inescapable burden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-struther/it-was-more-like-a-form-of-claustrophobia-a-dread-of-exchanging-the/) [Jan Struther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-struther/) > [“With every movement the claustrophobia threatened to consume me, and several times I had to stop as the fear rang bells in my brain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/with-every-movement-the-claustrophobia-threatened-to-consume-me-and/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [From the time I was a little kid, I was always shy. Performing was when I was outgoing. So I guess I am a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/from-the-time-i-was-a-little-kid-i-was-always-shy-performing-was-when/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [“Flakes of snow swirled and danced across the porch. The Overlook faced it as it had for nearly three-quarters of a century, its darkened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/flakes-of-snow-swirled-and-danced-across-the-porch-the-overlook-faced/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“I dropped into a space narrower than a preacher’s mind. Claustrophobia”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-aquilone/i-dropped-into-a-space-narrower-than-a-preacher-s-mind-claustrophobia/) [James Aquilone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-aquilone/) ## More by Chris Kraus > [Why does everybody think that women are debasing themselves when we expose the conditions of our debasement?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kraus/why-does-everybody-think-that-women-are-debasing-themselves-when-we/) [Chris Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kraus/) > [Because I'm moved in writing to be irrepressible. Writing to you seems like some holy cause, cause there's not enough female irrepressibility written down.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kraus/because-i-m-moved-in-writing-to-be-irrepressible-writing-to-you-seems/) [Chris Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kraus/) > [“Back to the 1st Person: I'd even made up art theories about my inability to use it. 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And I am no stranger to panic attacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-front/i-developed-claustrophobia-when-i-was-about-seven-and-i-am-no/) [Rebecca Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-front/) > [“She had never before suffered from claustrophobia, but the room seemed too small to contain Luke's elation, and she felt that she could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-spurrill-jones/she-had-never-before-suffered-from-claustrophobia-but-the-room-seemed/) Esther Spurrill Jones > ['Game of Thrones' fans are the nicest people ever, but a thousand nice people coming at me gives me claustrophobia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/game-of-thrones-fans-are-the-nicest-people-ever-but-a-thousand-nice/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [I guess my claustrophobia is incurable - feeling, as I tend to, ill at ease in any closed room, and always tempted to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/i-guess-my-claustrophobia-is-incurable-feeling-as-i-tend-to-ill-at/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [I was tortured fifteen times, that's total submission. 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Hidden in the back seat of a sedan, I quickly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-labute/sitting-in-an-automobile-was-where-i-first-remember-understanding-how/) [Neil LaBute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-labute/) [Browse all 47 Claustrophobia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claustrophobia/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Desire isn't lack, it's surplus energy - a claustrophobia inside your skin -.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Kraus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kraus/desire-isn-t-lack-it-s-surplus-energy-a-claustrophobia-inside-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Claustrophobia" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kraus/desire-isn-t-lack-it-s-surplus-energy-a-claustrophobia-inside-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/chris-kraus-11419_desire_desire-isn-t-lack-it-s-surplus-energy-a_1404460.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/chris-kraus-11419_desire_desire-isn-t-lack-it-s-surplus-energy-a_1404460.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/chris-kraus-11419_desire_desire-isn-t-lack-it-s-surplus-energy-a_1404460.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Desire isn't lack, it's surplus energy - a claustrophobia inside your skin -.” — Chris Kraus", "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": "Chris Kraus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kraus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Desire isn't lack, it's surplus energy...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kraus/desire-isn-t-lack-it-s-surplus-energy-a-claustrophobia-inside-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kraus/desire-isn-t-lack-it-s-surplus-energy-a-claustrophobia-inside-your/#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 } } ] } ```