--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All men are born firstly with the…" description: "\"“All men are born firstly with the instinct to protect themselves. But few grow to really love themselves, and even fewer learn to love their neighbor ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/criss-jami-320_birth_all-men-are-born-firstly-with-the-instin_2999653.jpg" --- # All men are born firstly with the instinct to protect… ![“All men are born firstly with the instinct to protect themselves. But few grow to really love themselves, and even fewer learn to love their neighbor as themselves.” quote by Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/criss-jami-320_birth_all-men-are-born-firstly-with-the-instin_2999653.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/criss-jami-320_birth_all-men-are-born-firstly-with-the-instin_2999653.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d45/criss-jami-320_birth_all-men-are-born-firstly-with-the-instin_2999653.jpg) > ““All men are born firstly with the instinct to protect themselves. But few grow to really love themselves, and even fewer learn to love their neighbor as themselves.”” [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human instinct is self‑preservation, yet true growth requires self‑love and extending love to others. **In simple terms:** Self‑preservation vs. self‑love. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy and self‑acceptance. Themes self‑love empathy growth Mood thoughtful hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - counseling - community service - mindful practices - reading groups Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you practice self‑love? - In what ways can you love your neighbor? A Different Perspective Self‑love can be difficult to achieve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Intimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimacy/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) [Physiology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physiology/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Self love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-love/) [Selflessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selflessness/) [Serving others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serving-others/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Survival instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival-instinct/) ## Related quotes > [“…Love is physiologically a legal battle that lovers fight until death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farooq-a-shiekh/love-is-physiologically-a-legal-battle-that-lovers-fight-until-death/) Farooq A. Shiekh > [“That was my first instinct -- to protect him. It never occurred to me that there was a greater need to protect myself. Innocence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/that-was-my-first-instinct-to-protect-him-it-never-occurred-to-me/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“You think my first instinct is to protect you because you are small or a girl or a stiff, but you are wrong. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-think-my-first-instinct-is-to-protect-you-because-you-are-small/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“You think my first instinct is to protect you. Because you're small, or a girl, or a Stiff. But you're wrong." He leans his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-think-my-first-instinct-is-to-protect-you-because-you-re-small-or-3/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“You think my first instinct is to protect you. Because you're small, or a girl, or a stiff. But you're wrong. My first instinct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-think-my-first-instinct-is-to-protect-you-because-you-re-small-or-2/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [You think my first instinct is to protect you. Because you're small, or a girl, or a Stiff. But you're wrong." He leans his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-think-my-first-instinct-is-to-protect-you-because-you-re-small-or/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [One of the things that happens when you write characters - and maybe this is my own sentimentality - is that I always find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/one-of-the-things-that-happens-when-you-write-characters-and-maybe/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [...as your father, my instinct is to protect you ... Other people will want to protect you too. But remember that you are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-meltzer/as-your-father-my-instinct-is-to-protect-you-other-people-will-want/) [Brad Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-meltzer/) > [Mothers instinct...Protect her child at all cost...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mothers-instinct-protect-her-child-at-all-cost/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A dragons first instinct is to protect and defend. Its not your fault.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-knoebel/a-dragons-first-instinct-is-to-protect-and-defend-its-not-your-fault/) [Candace Knoebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-knoebel/) > [~My instinct is to protect my children from pain. But adversity is often the thing that gives us character and backbone. It's always been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/my-instinct-is-to-protect-my-children-from-pain-but-adversity-is/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [I guess everyone has their reasons for keeping people away, an instinct to protect yourself from getting hurt. It's part of human nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/i-guess-everyone-has-their-reasons-for-keeping-people-away-an/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [“It’s smart to want to be safe. It’s a natural instinct. If we protect ourselves—our bodies, our minds, our hearts—we can avoid all these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roni-loren/it-s-smart-to-want-to-be-safe-it-s-a-natural-instinct-if-we-protect/) [Roni Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roni-loren/) > [A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle; ...they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-myriad-of-men-are-born-they-labor-and-sweat-and-struggle-they/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [While all men are born as equals, to say that Brahmins alone are the highest and all others are low as Pariah (the Untouchables)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/periyar-e-v-ramasamy/while-all-men-are-born-as-equals-to-say-that-brahmins-alone-are-the/) [Periyar E. V. Ramasamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/periyar-e-v-ramasamy/) ## More by Criss Jami > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Religion, like science, is only noteworthy when it emphasizes a matter of what is true rather than whose belief is greater or lesser or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/religion-like-science-is-only-noteworthy-when-it-emphasizes-a-matter/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Slander does to a soul what cancer does to a cell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/slander-does-to-a-soul-what-cancer-does-to-a-cell/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [The hated man is the result of his hater's pride rather than his hater's conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-hated-man-is-the-result-of-his-hater-s-pride-rather-than-his/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [What is a genius? A person who demands little to nothing from others, but is often found extremely difficult to have around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/what-is-a-genius-a-person-who-demands-little-to-nothing-from-others/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [A man does not have to feel less than human to realize his sin; oppositely, he has to realize that he gets no special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/a-man-does-not-have-to-feel-less-than-human-to-realize-his-sin/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I would rather my descendants have greater abilities and a greater knowledge of the love of Christ than I do, much like standing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-would-rather-my-descendants-have-greater-abilities-and-a-greater/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/create-with-the-heart-build-with-the-mind/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Peace is more of an internal settlement rather than what is visible on the external.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/peace-is-more-of-an-internal-settlement-rather-than-what-is-visible/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Our entire lives we witness individuals, the ones who break some of the most culturally sensitive moral codes, ruined permanently by the media -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/our-entire-lives-we-witness-individuals-the-ones-who-break-some-of/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Senses of humor define people, as factions, deeper rooted than religious or political opinions. When carrying out everyday tasks, opinions are rather easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/senses-of-humor-define-people-as-factions-deeper-rooted-than/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I believe in evolution in the sense that a short-tempered man is the successor of a crybaby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-believe-in-evolution-in-the-sense-that-a-short-tempered-man-is-the/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“God speaks of his children shining best in ways that only he can provide. The heavens lift one as a golden child while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/god-speaks-of-his-children-shining-best-in-ways-that-only-he-can/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [It is never just disagreement but always intellectual dishonesty that is the apologist's worst enemy. And its apprentice is ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-is-never-just-disagreement-but-always-intellectual-dishonesty-that/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Always work towards a dream or you'll always dream of working elsewhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/always-work-towards-a-dream-or-you-ll-always-dream-of-working/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) [Explore all 684 Criss Jami quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## More Birth quotes > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974 > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The greatest mystery in life is not life itself, but death. Death is the culmination of life, the ultimate blossoming of life. In death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-greatest-mystery-in-life-is-not-life-itself-but-death-death-is/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. The causes of youth violence are working parents who put their kids into daycare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/guns-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-juvenile-violence-the-causes/) [Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. 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