--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From an evolutionary point of view, most…" description: "\"From an evolutionary point of view, most emotions - fear, desire, anger - serve some practical purpose, but nostalgia is a useless, futile thing becaus..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/david-nicholls-873_anger_from-an-evolutionary-point-of-view-most_2746683.png" --- # From an evolutionary point of view, most emotions - fear… ![“From an evolutionary point of view, most emotions - fear, desire, anger - serve some practical purpose, but nostalgia is a useless, futile thing because it is a longing for something that is permanently lost . . . .” quote by David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/david-nicholls-873_anger_from-an-evolutionary-point-of-view-most_2746683.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/david-nicholls-873_anger_from-an-evolutionary-point-of-view-most_2746683.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/david-nicholls-873_anger_from-an-evolutionary-point-of-view-most_2746683.png) > “From an evolutionary point of view, most emotions - fear, desire, anger - serve some practical purpose, but nostalgia is a useless, futile thing because it is a longing for something that is permanently lost . . . .” [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emotions have evolutionary purposes, but nostalgia is a longing for something irretrievably lost, making it impractical. **In simple terms:** Nostalgia is a useless longing for the past. Key Takeaway Limit dwelling on past losses. Themes nostalgia evolution emotion Mood melancholic thoughtful Type psychological philosophical When to use this quote - therapy - creative writing - personal reflection Key Concepts psychology human behavior Questions to Reflect On - What does nostalgia teach you about yourself? - Can longing be useful? A Different Perspective Nostalgia can inspire creativity despite its futility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-anger-352646/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [Emotions Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-fear-460146/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) [Nostalgia Useless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia-useless-3068288/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Practicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practicals/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purpose Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-nostalgia-3068287/) [Useless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useless/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) ## Related quotes > [Though why should we expect age to mellow us? If it isn't life's business to reward merit, why should it be life's business to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/though-why-should-we-expect-age-to-mellow-us-if-it-isn-t-life-s/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“When one's mind dwells on the objects of Senses, fondness for them grows on him, from fondness comes desire, from desire anger. Anger leads to bewilderment, bewilderment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-krishna/when-one-s-mind-dwells-on-the-objects-of-senses-fondness-for-them/) [Lord Krishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-krishna/) > [When you allow desire, anger and frustration to dominate you, you are losing power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/when-you-allow-desire-anger-and-frustration-to-dominate-you-you-are/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [He who, before he leaves his body, learns to surmount the promptings of desire and anger is a saint and is happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhagavad-gita/he-who-before-he-leaves-his-body-learns-to-surmount-the-promptings-of/) [Bhagavad Gita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhagavad-gita/) > [Never store the negative energy and emotions such as fear, anger within you. Always speak up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-store-the-negative-energy-and-emotions-such-as-fear-anger/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mari remembered what she had read in the young girl's eyes the moment she had come into the refectory: fear. Fear. Veronika might feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/mari-remembered-what-she-had-read-in-the-young-girl-s-eyes-the-moment/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Whenever an animal is frightened, particularly a cat, it runs away to get over its disgrace. In the case of a feline such an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhan-gopal-mukerji/whenever-an-animal-is-frightened-particularly-a-cat-it-runs-away-to/) [Dhan Gopal Mukerji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhan-gopal-mukerji/) > [Write about the emotions you fear the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/write-about-the-emotions-you-fear-the-most/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [People's lives are forever controlled by two emotions: fear and greed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/people-s-lives-are-forever-controlled-by-two-emotions-fear-and-greed/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [There are only two emotions: love and fear. All positive emotions come from love, all negative emotions from fear. From love flows happiness, contentment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-only-two-emotions-love-and-fear-all-positive-emotions-come/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But human beings are like that, she thought. We've replaced nearly all our emotions with fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/but-human-beings-are-like-that-she-thought-we-ve-replaced-nearly-all/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“reactions and think. That is important. We will always have emotions of fear and greed. From here on in, it’s imperative for you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-kiyosaki/reactions-and-think-that-is-important-we-will-always-have-emotions-of/) [Robert T. Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-t-kiyosaki/) > [“negative emotions such as fear can also be powerful motivators. The ad in figure 6 shows a disabled man with a shocking head scar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/negative-emotions-such-as-fear-can-also-be-powerful-motivators-the-ad/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [I got mugged about six months ago. The oddest thing about the entire situation, though, was that I wasn't afraid, which is strange because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/i-got-mugged-about-six-months-ago-the-oddest-thing-about-the-entire/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [Hate is perhaps the most dynamic of all emotions - fear may immobilize, love may stay the hand, but hate urges to action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-duer-miller/hate-is-perhaps-the-most-dynamic-of-all-emotions-fear-may-immobilize/) [Alice Duer Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-duer-miller/) ## More by David Nicholls > [These days grief seems like walking on a frozen river; most of the time he feels safe enough, but there is always that danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/these-days-grief-seems-like-walking-on-a-frozen-river-most-of-the/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“Good God, 'the elusive thing'. 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And dangerous. One day it'll be a cyanide capsule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/you-ve-got-to-stop-letting-women-slip-drugs-into-your-mouth-dex-it-s/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“He presses two fingers against each eye and attempts to account for this crippling melancholy, but is having trouble with rational thought. It feels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/he-presses-two-fingers-against-each-eye-and-attempts-to-account-for/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“Live each day as if it's our last', that was the conventional advice, but really who had the energy for that? What if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/live-each-day-as-if-it-s-our-last-that-was-the-conventional-advice/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [She was reaching the limits of how much its possible to change a man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/she-was-reaching-the-limits-of-how-much-its-possible-to-change-a-man/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“How would she fill the days? She had no idea. The trick of it, she told herself, is to be courageous and bold and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/how-would-she-fill-the-days-she-had-no-idea-the-trick-of-it-she-told/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“What if it rained or you felt a bit glandy? It just wasn't practical. 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Not change the world exactly, but the bit around you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/better-by-far-to-be-good-and-courageous-and-bold-and-to-make/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [A screenplay is really an instruction manual, and it can be interpreted in any number of ways. The casting, the choice of location, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/a-screenplay-is-really-an-instruction-manual-and-it-can-be/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [Most of the books and films I love walk a knife edge between romance and cynicism, and I wanted 'One Day' to stay on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/most-of-the-books-and-films-i-love-walk-a-knife-edge-between-romance/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) [Explore all 332 David Nicholls quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. 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I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "From an evolutionary point of view, most emotions - fear, desire, anger - serve some practical purpose, but nostalgia is a useless, futile thing because it is a longing for something that is permanently lost . . . .", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Nicholls" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/from-an-evolutionary-point-of-view-most-emotions-fear-desire-anger/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/from-an-evolutionary-point-of-view-most-emotions-fear-desire-anger/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/david-nicholls-873_anger_from-an-evolutionary-point-of-view-most_2746683.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/david-nicholls-873_anger_from-an-evolutionary-point-of-view-most_2746683.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/david-nicholls-873_anger_from-an-evolutionary-point-of-view-most_2746683.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“From an evolutionary point of view, most emotions - fear, desire, anger - serve some practical purpose, but…” — David Nicholls", "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": "David Nicholls", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "From an evolutionary point of view,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/from-an-evolutionary-point-of-view-most-emotions-fear-desire-anger/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/from-an-evolutionary-point-of-view-most-emotions-fear-desire-anger/#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 } } ] } ```