--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ARIADNE: Why are they looking at me?…" description: "\"“ARIADNE: Why are they looking at me? COBB: Because you're changing things. My subconscious feels that someone else is creating the world. The more you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f4/christopher-nolan-2670_change-things_ariadne-why-are-they-looking-at-me-cobb_1782577.jpg" --- # ARIADNE: Why are they looking at me? COBB: Because you're… ![“ARIADNE: Why are they looking at me? COBB: Because you're changing things. My subconscious feels that someone else is creating the world. The more you change things, the quicker the projections converge on you. ARIADNE: Converge? COBB: They feel the foreign nature of the dreamer, and attack-like…” quote by Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f4/christopher-nolan-2670_change-things_ariadne-why-are-they-looking-at-me-cobb_1782577.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f4/christopher-nolan-2670_change-things_ariadne-why-are-they-looking-at-me-cobb_1782577.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f4/christopher-nolan-2670_change-things_ariadne-why-are-they-looking-at-me-cobb_1782577.jpg) > ““ARIADNE: Why are they looking at me? COBB: Because you're changing things. My subconscious feels that someone else is creating the world. The more you change things, the quicker the projections converge on you. ARIADNE: Converge? COBB: They feel the foreign nature of the dreamer, and attack-like white blood cells fighting an infection. ARIADNE: They're going to attack us? COBB: Just you, actually.”” [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The dialogue explores how altering subconscious perceptions can trigger defensive reactions, likened to immune responses. **In simple terms:** Changing thoughts can cause mental resistance. Key Takeaway Be aware of mental defenses when introducing new ideas. Themes psychology perception reality Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - therapy sessions - creative brainstorming - mind‑altering tech - personal growth Key Concepts cognitive dissonance subconscious defense mechanisms Questions to Reflect On - What subconscious defenses arise when you challenge beliefs? - How can we reduce mental resistance to new ideas? A Different Perspective Mind changes may be resisted, limiting acceptance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Changing Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-things/) [Subconscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subconscious/) ## Related quotes > [“I do not use my intellect to write my stories and books; I have a gut reaction to the things that my subconscious gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-do-not-use-my-intellect-to-write-my-stories-and-books-i-have-a-gut/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The worst of pushing horrible things down into one's subconscious is that when they pop up again they are as fresh as if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-tey/the-worst-of-pushing-horrible-things-down-into-one-s-subconscious-is/) [Josephine Tey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-tey/) > [For me it's important to keep changing things up and growing and experiencing new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-bingham/for-me-it-s-important-to-keep-changing-things-up-and-growing-and/) [Ryan Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-bingham/) > [I don't want to be that person overthinking and changing things. It's not how I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pegula/i-don-t-want-to-be-that-person-overthinking-and-changing-things-it-s/) [Jessica Pegula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pegula/) > [I don’t see it in terms of changing things, but rather using language and music as weapons for fighting a mainstream media which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-don-t-see-it-in-terms-of-changing-things-but-rather-using-language/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I do so much revising as I go along; I wonder how I could write books if I hadn't grown up in the computer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-do-so-much-revising-as-i-go-along-i-wonder-how-i-could-write-books/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [As soon as you start doing that - changing things - it seems self-evident to me that you've entered the world of make-believe. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/as-soon-as-you-start-doing-that-changing-things-it-seems-self-evident/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [“Of all the many changing things In dreary dancing past us whirled, To the cracked tune that Chronos sings, Words alone are certain good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/of-all-the-many-changing-things-in-dreary-dancing-past-us-whirled-to/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [I can't remember who said, 'No film is completed, just abandoned,' but I think most filmmakers will tell you that they could endlessly fiddle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-w-s-anderson/i-can-t-remember-who-said-no-film-is-completed-just-abandoned-but-i/) [Paul W. S. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-w-s-anderson/) > [When people with power see things happen of which they disapprove, they drop bombs and send in tanks. When people without power see things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-people-with-power-see-things-happen-of-which-they-disapprove/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forever is a long long time and time has a way of changing things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/forever-is-a-long-long-time-and-time-has-a-way-of-changing-things/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [There's a sense of knowing when to stop and take a break from things, to step back from the work you're making, and of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fox/there-s-a-sense-of-knowing-when-to-stop-and-take-a-break-from-things/) [Dan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fox/) > [“The Song Of The Happy Shepherd The woods of Arcady are dead, And over is their antique joy; Of old the world on dreaming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/the-song-of-the-happy-shepherd-the-woods-of-arcady-are-dead-and-over/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Changing things from the top down works when things are stable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/changing-things-from-the-top-down-works-when-things-are-stable/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [Changing is not just changing the things outside of us. First of all we need the right view that transcends all notions including of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/changing-is-not-just-changing-the-things-outside-of-us-first-of-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Christopher Nolan > [In Hollywood there's a great openness, almost a voracious appetite for new people. In England there's a great suspicion of the new. In cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/in-hollywood-there-s-a-great-openness-almost-a-voracious-appetite-for/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [“COBB: You're waiting for a train. A train that will take you far away. You know where you hope this train will take you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/cobb-you-re-waiting-for-a-train-a-train-that-will-take-you-far-away/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [When you play a videogame, you could be a completely different person than you are in the real world, certain aspects of the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/when-you-play-a-videogame-you-could-be-a-completely-different-person/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [The structural notions to me always have to be worked out very carefully in the script stage. Whatever a particular structure is. 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So we can learn to pick ourselves back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/why-do-we-fall-so-we-can-learn-to-pick-ourselves-back-up/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [Every great story deserves a great ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/every-great-story-deserves-a-great-ending/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [“(On "Following") We've got a pretty serious claim on being the cheapest film ever made.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/on-following-we-ve-got-a-pretty-serious-claim-on-being-the-cheapest/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [Particularly, the actors, to have analyzed the script in great detail from the point of view of their specific character. So that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/particularly-the-actors-to-have-analyzed-the-script-in-great-detail/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [I've never read Joseph Campbell, and I don't know all that much about story archetypes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/i-ve-never-read-joseph-campbell-and-i-don-t-know-all-that-much-about/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) > [I'm taking a bit of a wait-and-see attitude towards 3D.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-nolan/i-m-taking-a-bit-of-a-wait-and-see-attitude-towards-3d/) [Christopher Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) [Explore all 155 Christopher Nolan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-nolan/) ## More Change things quotes > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [“I’m not saying Jesus won’t come back; I’ve just decided I can’t keep hoping to be rescued from my life. Maybe it’s up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/i-m-not-saying-jesus-won-t-come-back-i-ve-just-decided-i-can-t-keep/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [What really distinguishes this generation in all countries from earlier generations ... is its determination to act, its joy in action, the assurance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/what-really-distinguishes-this-generation-in-all-countries-from/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“why would white dudes want to change things when they held all the cards?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/why-would-white-dudes-want-to-change-things-when-they-held-all-the/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“Gandhi is best remembered for his adherence to the principle of nonviolence; but no less important was his adherence to non-demonization. Even when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-truett-anderson/gandhi-is-best-remembered-for-his-adherence-to-the-principle-of/) [Walter Truett Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-truett-anderson/) > [Simply having rules does not change the things that people want to do. You have to change incentives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/simply-having-rules-does-not-change-the-things-that-people-want-to-do/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I believe that prayer changes us and we change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-used-to-believe-that-prayer-changes-things-but-now-i-believe-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You cannot change the things, so you don't need to stress if you're going to change them. So why complain? It looks so simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/you-cannot-change-the-things-so-you-don-t-need-to-stress-if-you-re/) [Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/) > [I'm always trying to change things - change my character, change my look, change my hair, change my facial hair, change my costumes, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jericho/i-m-always-trying-to-change-things-change-my-character-change-my-look/) [Chris Jericho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jericho/) > [When something doesn't go your way, never lose hope in Allah. That faith could be just enough for Him to change things around for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-something-doesn-t-go-your-way-never-lose-hope-in-allah-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you're a black superhero, you can't erase the notion that you're black. If you're black, living in the community, and you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheo-hodari-coker/when-you-re-a-black-superhero-you-can-t-erase-the-notion-that-you-re/) [Cheo Hodari Coker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheo-hodari-coker/) > [It's crazy how much time can change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaska/it-s-crazy-how-much-time-can-change-things/) [Alaska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaska/) > [The point of the essay is to change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-tufte/the-point-of-the-essay-is-to-change-things/) [Edward Tufte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-tufte/) > [“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-may-not-control-all-the-events-that-happen-to-you-but-you-can/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) Browse all 661 Change things quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“ARIADNE: Why are they looking at me? COBB: Because you're changing things. My subconscious feels that someone else is creating the world. The more you change things, the quicker the projections converge on you. ARIADNE: Converge? COBB: They feel the foreign nature of the dreamer, and attack-like white blood cells fighting an infection. ARIADNE: They're going to attack us? 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