--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I surrounded myself with people who…" description: "\"I surrounded myself with people who indulged my ego. They treated me as though I was Ziggy Stardust or one of my characters, never realising that David..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/david-bowie-508_behinds_i-surrounded-myself-with-people-who-indu_596233.jpg" --- # I surrounded myself with people who indulged my ego. They… ![“I surrounded myself with people who indulged my ego. They treated me as though I was Ziggy Stardust or one of my characters, never realising that David Jones might be behind it.” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/david-bowie-508_behinds_i-surrounded-myself-with-people-who-indu_596233.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/david-bowie-508_behinds_i-surrounded-myself-with-people-who-indu_596233.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/david-bowie-508_behinds_i-surrounded-myself-with-people-who-indu_596233.jpg) > “I surrounded myself with people who indulged my ego. They treated me as though I was Ziggy Stardust or one of my characters, never realising that David Jones might be behind it.” [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. I chose companions who fed my artistic persona, ignoring the true self behind the stage character. **In simple terms:** Surround yourself with people who see your real self, not just the persona. Key Takeaway Seek authentic relationships. Themes identity ego authenticity Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical personal. When to use this quote - creative collaborations - personal relationships - public image - self‑reflection Key Concepts persona self‑deception Questions to Reflect On - Who in your life reflects your true self? - How does ego affect your relationships? A Different Perspective The ego can blind you to genuine connections and personal growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Stardust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stardust/) ## Related quotes > [I'm gay and always have been, even when I was David Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-gay-and-always-have-been-even-when-i-was-david-jones/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [Mine is really - Ziggy Stardust, characters, "Let's Dance." That's me in the American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/mine-is-really-ziggy-stardust-characters-let-s-dance-that-s-me-in-the/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Stardust," Jyn said. "It's that one." "How do you know that?" Curiosity and urgency mixed in his voice, as if he wanted to say:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-freed/stardust-jyn-said-it-s-that-one-how-do-you-know-that-curiosity-and/) [Alexander Freed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-freed/) > [I walked out of... was it 'Stardust?' That thing with the witches? I was so looking forward to it, but I just couldn't handle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlto-copley/i-walked-out-of-was-it-stardust-that-thing-with-the-witches-i-was-so/) [Sharlto Copley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharlto-copley/) > [The atoms of our bodies are traceable to stars that manufactured them in their cores and exploded these enriched ingredients across our galaxy, billions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-atoms-of-our-bodies-are-traceable-to-stars-that-manufactured-them/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [He wondered how it could have taken him so long to realize he cared for her, and he told her so, and she called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/he-wondered-how-it-could-have-taken-him-so-long-to-realize-he-cared/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Happiness is a choice not a result of something you do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-kumar/happiness-is-a-choice-not-a-result-of-something-you-do/) [Abhishek Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-kumar/) > [“Coincidence has nothing to do with faith or destiny , it's just a miss matched equation of timing and spacing ... just like a butterfly effect”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-mezzat/coincidence-has-nothing-to-do-with-faith-or-destiny-it-s-just-a-miss/) Omar Mezzat > [We are travelers on a cosmic journey,stardust,swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-are-travelers-on-a-cosmic-journey-stardust-swirling-and-dancing-in/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [To me you are stardust sprinkled across a night sky, forever in my dreams, but out of my reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-medeiros/to-me-you-are-stardust-sprinkled-across-a-night-sky-forever-in-my/) [Teresa Medeiros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-medeiros/) > [There's something in me that loves to inspire people: when I'm playing music, I imagine all this sparkly stardust going through everyone. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/there-s-something-in-me-that-loves-to-inspire-people-when-i-m-playing/) [Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/) > [“We're LOVE! We came straight outta LOVE & that's where we're headed. From love to love - is what we call LIFE! Love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-kumar/we-re-love-we-came-straight-outta-love-that-s-where-we-re-headed-from/) [Abhishek Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-kumar/) > [The energy of the stars becomes us. We become the energy of the stars. Stardust and spirit unite and we begin: one with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/the-energy-of-the-stars-becomes-us-we-become-the-energy-of-the-stars/) [Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/) > [Friend, you are a divine mingle-mangle of guts and stardust. So hang in there! If doors opened for me, they can open for anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/friend-you-are-a-divine-mingle-mangle-of-guts-and-stardust-so-hang-in/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [And the rest is rust and stardust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/and-the-rest-is-rust-and-stardust/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) ## More by David Bowie > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [No more free steps to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/no-more-free-steps-to-heaven/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm not sure whether it is me changing my mind, or whether I lie a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-not-sure-whether-it-is-me-changing-my-mind-or-whether-i-lie-a-lot/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I do some kind of work, whether writing or painting or recording, on a daily basis. And it's so essential that when I'm involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-do-some-kind-of-work-whether-writing-or-painting-or-recording-on-a/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [To not be modest about it, you'll find that with only a couple of exceptions, most of the musicians that I've worked with have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/to-not-be-modest-about-it-you-ll-find-that-with-only-a-couple-of/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I went mainstream in a major way with the song "Let's Dance." And what I found I had done was put a box around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-went-mainstream-in-a-major-way-with-the-song-let-s-dance-and-what-i/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe Put your ray gun to my head Press your space face close to mine, love Freak out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/keep-your-lectric-eye-on-me-babe-put-your-ray-gun-to-my-head-press/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm in awe of the universe, but I don't necessarily believe there's an intelligence or agent behind it. I do have a passion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-in-awe-of-the-universe-but-i-don-t-necessarily-believe-there-s-an/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [TV has eaten up everything else, and Warhol films are all that are left, which is fabulous. Pork could become the next I Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/tv-has-eaten-up-everything-else-and-warhol-films-are-all-that-are/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“My brain hurt like a warehouse It had no room to spare I had to cram so many things to store everything in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/my-brain-hurt-like-a-warehouse-it-had-no-room-to-spare-i-had-to-cram/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't always just about expressing my work; I really wanted, more than anything else, to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-suppose-for-me-as-an-artist-it-wasn-t-always-just-about-expressing/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [... And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They're quite aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/and-these-children-that-you-spit-on-as-they-try-to-change-their/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I think the first song I ever wrote ... was called "Can't Help Thinking About Me." That's an illuminating little piece, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-think-the-first-song-i-ever-wrote-was-called-can-t-help-thinking/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I've come to the realizations that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-ve-come-to-the-realizations-that-i-have-absolutely-no-idea-what-i-m/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I never really felt like a rock singer or a rock star or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-really-felt-like-a-rock-singer-or-a-rock-star-or-whatever/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) [Explore all 508 David Bowie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I surrounded myself with people who indulged my ego. 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