--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The death drive is parasitic. It runs off…" description: "\"The death drive is parasitic. It runs off of other drives, leeching off of them.\" — Christopher Bollen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/christopher-bollen-9436_death_the-death-drive-is-parasitic-it-runs-off_224687.jpg" --- # The death drive is parasitic. It runs off of other drives… ![“The death drive is parasitic. It runs off of other drives, leeching off of them.” quote by Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/christopher-bollen-9436_death_the-death-drive-is-parasitic-it-runs-off_224687.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/christopher-bollen-9436_death_the-death-drive-is-parasitic-it-runs-off_224687.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/christopher-bollen-9436_death_the-death-drive-is-parasitic-it-runs-off_224687.jpg) > “The death drive is parasitic. It runs off of other drives, leeching off of them.” [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The concept describes a destructive drive that feeds on other motivations, draining their energy and purpose. **In simple terms:** A harmful drive that leeches off other drives. Key Takeaway Recognize and redirect parasitic motivations. Themes psychology motivation destruction Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - personal development - therapy sessions - creative work - team dynamics Key Concepts parasitic drive energy depletion inner conflict Questions to Reflect On - What drives in your life may be parasitic? - How can you transform them into productive energy? 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Failure definitely drives me more than anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-seager/the-fear-of-failure-failure-definitely-drives-me-more-than-anything/) [Corey Seager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-seager/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [Just as Wall Street needs to break the hold of the bonus culture, which drives risk-taking that is rational for individuals but damaging to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-schekman/just-as-wall-street-needs-to-break-the-hold-of-the-bonus-culture/) [Randy Schekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-schekman/) > [Narrative drives most of economics. Everything seems to be part of a story, and how that story is told often leads to critical error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/narrative-drives-most-of-economics-everything-seems-to-be-part-of-a/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [As an entrepreneur, what drives you has to be the good news; otherwise, you just don't get out of bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-massenet/as-an-entrepreneur-what-drives-you-has-to-be-the-good-news-otherwise/) [Natalie Massenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-massenet/) > [It is really want, rather than need, that drives the process of technological evolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/it-is-really-want-rather-than-need-that-drives-the-process-of/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [My wife loves cars, but the difference is she doesn't have 20 years of understanding the background of them. 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The university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/what-is-the-engine-that-drives-economic-growth-in-an-ideopolis-the/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [When I go to my health club, and it's in the basement, you have to take the elevator down. And this drives me crazy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-i-go-to-my-health-club-and-it-s-in-the-basement-you-have-to-take/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I have this lock of hair that keeps falling across my forehead. It drives me mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-boyd/i-have-this-lock-of-hair-that-keeps-falling-across-my-forehead-it/) [William Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-boyd/) ## More by Christopher Bollen > [Safety, reputation, their lives, their friends, and their world. Writers typically try to avoid that because it's not expedient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/safety-reputation-their-lives-their-friends-and-their-world-writers/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [There's something about fear and aesthetic that go hand in hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/there-s-something-about-fear-and-aesthetic-that-go-hand-in-hand/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [You find when you're writing a detective story that you're actually not trying to solve anything. You're trying to stop the reader from solving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/you-find-when-you-re-writing-a-detective-story-that-you-re-actually/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [ I'm convinced I was the only kid ever who had a Death on the Nile \[1978\] movie poster and a Murder on the Orient… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-m-convinced-i-was-the-only-kid-ever-who-had-a-death-on-the-nile/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [It's hard for me to figure out where I want to be. But it's definitely in New York. I feel like New York throws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/it-s-hard-for-me-to-figure-out-where-i-want-to-be-but-it-s-definitely/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [There's also something sexual about watching the nubile girl in terror. But you do take on her fear as your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/there-s-also-something-sexual-about-watching-the-nubile-girl-in/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [I've never had a mentor. I've always wanted one. I'm actually really disappointed that nobody took my under their wing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-ve-never-had-a-mentor-i-ve-always-wanted-one-i-m-actually-really/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [The Greeks really believed in history. They believed that the past had consequences and that you might be punished for the sins of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/the-greeks-really-believed-in-history-they-believed-that-the-past-had/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [I was never afraid on stage. That's where I was the least afraid. 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I'm thinking of "Losing My Religion." That's a landmark piece. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/looking-back-r-e-m-videos-by-in-large-have-always-been-art-films-i-m/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) [Explore all 72 Christopher Bollen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. 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Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The death drive is parasitic. 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