--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a cruel man to myself." description: "\"I'm a cruel man to myself.\" — Duncan Jones" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/duncan-jones-12555_cruel_i-m-a-cruel-man-to-myself-2298712_2298712.jpg" --- # I'm a cruel man to myself. ![“I'm a cruel man to myself.” quote by Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/duncan-jones-12555_cruel_i-m-a-cruel-man-to-myself-2298712_2298712.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/duncan-jones-12555_cruel_i-m-a-cruel-man-to-myself-2298712_2298712.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/duncan-jones-12555_cruel_i-m-a-cruel-man-to-myself-2298712_2298712.jpg) > “I'm a cruel man to myself.” [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑criticism can become self‑destruction when it replaces compassion. **In simple terms:** Being harsh to yourself harms you. Key Takeaway Practice self‑compassion. Themes self‑criticism mental health personal growth Mood reflective somber Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - therapy sessions - daily journaling - stressful work periods - recovering from failure Key Concepts psychology self‑esteem mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How does your inner voice affect your decisions? - What could replace harsh self‑talk with kindness? A Different Perspective Self‑criticism may sometimes motivate improvement, but often it undermines confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cruel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel/) [Cruel Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel-man-572613/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [“…oh, you faithless, unfortunate man!...Because of you I spent the whole night yesterday shivering and naked. I lost my nature and replaced it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bulgakov/oh-you-faithless-unfortunate-man-because-of-you-i-spent-the-whole/) [Mikhail Bulgakov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bulgakov/) > [“(’No animal could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so artistically cruel.’)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-glover/no-animal-could-ever-be-so-cruel-as-a-man-so-artfully-so-artistically/) [Jonathan Glover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-glover/) > [Cruelty is the highest pleasure to the cruel man; it is his love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/cruelty-is-the-highest-pleasure-to-the-cruel-man-it-is-his-love/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [“Mr. Heathcliff, you're a cruel man, but you're not a fiend; and you won't, from mere malice, destroy, irrevocably, all my happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/mr-heathcliff-you-re-a-cruel-man-but-you-re-not-a-fiend-and-you-won-t/) [Emily Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [“Lady Thornton!” the prosecutor rapped out, and he began firing questions at her so rapidly that she could scarcely keep track of them. “Tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/lady-thornton-the-prosecutor-rapped-out-and-he-began-firing-questions/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“There is no redemption in a cruel man's love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/there-is-no-redemption-in-a-cruel-man-s-love/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [How cruel it must be for a man to live past his soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lansens/how-cruel-it-must-be-for-a-man-to-live-past-his-soul/) [Lori Lansens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lansens/) > [A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself. - Proverbs 11:17](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/a-man-who-is-kind-benefits-himself-but-a-cruel-man-hurts-himself/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine, and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/it-is-from-the-bible-that-man-has-learned-cruelty-rapine-and-murder/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [There is no beast more cruel than man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonid-andreyev/there-is-no-beast-more-cruel-than-man/) [Leonid Andreyev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonid-andreyev/) > [Men are cruel, but Man is kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/men-are-cruel-but-man-is-kind/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [I admired my father very much... at the age of sixteen. But now I see that he was a brutal and cruel man, -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delmore-schwartz/i-admired-my-father-very-much-at-the-age-of-sixteen-but-now-i-see/) [Delmore Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delmore-schwartz/) > [It would be stupid tameness, and unaccountable folly, for whole nations to suffer one unreasonable, ambitious and cruel man, to wanton and riot in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-mayhew/it-would-be-stupid-tameness-and-unaccountable-folly-for-whole-nations/) [Jonathan Mayhew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-mayhew/) > [“The cruel man is of misanthropic temperament, and is a man of moods, oscillating from quiet brooding to sudden explosions. If a man like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-the-great/the-cruel-man-is-of-misanthropic-temperament-and-is-a-man-of-moods/) [Frederick the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-the-great/) > [Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/belief-in-a-cruel-god-makes-a-cruel-man/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## More by Duncan Jones > [Here in the UK the audience immediately reacts and they get the fact that: "What would be the most annoying thing in the world?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/here-in-the-uk-the-audience-immediately-reacts-and-they-get-the-fact/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [One of the things I think is unique and signature about Blizzard is that whenever they do their games, and with Warcraft in particular,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/one-of-the-things-i-think-is-unique-and-signature-about-blizzard-is/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [Maybe there is a sort of a sweet middle ground there, where you can do something with something with like 20 to 40 million…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/maybe-there-is-a-sort-of-a-sweet-middle-ground-there-where-you-can-do/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [The beauty of science fiction is its open canvas. You can hypothesize about any element of the world. It doesn't have to be laser…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/the-beauty-of-science-fiction-is-its-open-canvas-you-can-hypothesize/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [Life and career kind of catches up with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/life-and-career-kind-of-catches-up-with-you/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [Sometimes there's a disjoint between what works on the page and what works with visual story telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/sometimes-there-s-a-disjoint-between-what-works-on-the-page-and-what/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [Every film I try and make it the way I see it in my head, and it really just depends on the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/every-film-i-try-and-make-it-the-way-i-see-it-in-my-head-and-it/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [You go through different stages when you're working on the music in film. At least, I do. You have a temp score, so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/you-go-through-different-stages-when-you-re-working-on-the-music-in/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [I really don't see CG as a goal in its own right. I really do believe it's a tool. In the advertising industry I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/i-really-don-t-see-cg-as-a-goal-in-its-own-right-i-really-do-believe/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [I had a real comfort with being on a set and in particular working with special effects and because of that background, it became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/i-had-a-real-comfort-with-being-on-a-set-and-in-particular-working/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [My biggest difference with our film and those kinds of science fiction films is that they are going from one special effect set piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/my-biggest-difference-with-our-film-and-those-kinds-of-science/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [When I said that something was going to cost a certain amount of money, I actually knew what I was talking about. The biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/when-i-said-that-something-was-going-to-cost-a-certain-amount-of/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [I do enjoy the puzzle-solving aspect of making a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/i-do-enjoy-the-puzzle-solving-aspect-of-making-a-movie/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [Every time you want to reset your set and pull walls out and reset the lighting, you're burning up half an hour to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/every-time-you-want-to-reset-your-set-and-pull-walls-out-and-reset/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [I think that idea of being far away from the people that you love is something that everyone can relate to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/i-think-that-idea-of-being-far-away-from-the-people-that-you-love-is/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) [Explore all 54 Duncan Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) ## More Cruel quotes > [“History has a cruel way of disappointing optimists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-thompson/history-has-a-cruel-way-of-disappointing-optimists/) [Keith Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-thompson/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [“Don't be so cruel to me. Don't promise me anything. I've got everything that i need. I need love in a good way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tegan-quin/don-t-be-so-cruel-to-me-don-t-promise-me-anything-i-ve-got-everything/) [Tegan Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tegan-quin/) > [Pity is cruel. Pity destroys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/pity-is-cruel-pity-destroys/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“Even the cruel feel pain. And even the cruel can change. I hope this changes him. He could do so much, if only he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/even-the-cruel-feel-pain-and-even-the-cruel-can-change-i-hope-this/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [You must learn that to endure cruelty is to become cruel yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bleach/you-must-learn-that-to-endure-cruelty-is-to-become-cruel-yourself/) [Bleach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bleach/) > [“my power is as cruel a joke as it can get? That’s”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-d-anderson/my-power-is-as-cruel-a-joke-as-it-can-get-that-s/) [Katie D. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-d-anderson/) > [I must be cruel only to be kind; Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-must-be-cruel-only-to-be-kind-thus-bad-begins-and-worse-remains/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Huamns, uregulated, are cruel and capricious; violet and selfish; miserable and quarrelsome. It is only after their instincts and basic emotions have been controlled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/huamns-uregulated-are-cruel-and-capricious-violet-and-selfish/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“You would think those who have endured unkindness would be kinder as a result, intent on sparing others the awful suffering they abhorred firsthand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/you-would-think-those-who-have-endured-unkindness-would-be-kinder-as/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [how cruel, your veins are full of ice-water and mine are boiling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/how-cruel-your-veins-are-full-of-ice-water-and-mine-are-boiling/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [There is no kindness more cruel than the kindness which consigns another person to their sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-is-no-kindness-more-cruel-than-the-kindness-which-consigns/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Vanity can create a very cruel space for you if you don't know how to manage it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/vanity-can-create-a-very-cruel-space-for-you-if-you-don-t-know-how-to/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [Life is cruel and we do terrible things to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-pym/life-is-cruel-and-we-do-terrible-things-to-each-other/) [Barbara Pym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-pym/) > [What people loathe the most is to be orphaned, desolate, unworthy. But this is what princes and kings call themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-people-loathe-the-most-is-to-be-orphaned-desolate-unworthy-but/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) [Browse all 1,069 Cruel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a cruel man to myself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Duncan Jones" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/i-m-a-cruel-man-to-myself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cruel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/i-m-a-cruel-man-to-myself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/duncan-jones-12555_cruel_i-m-a-cruel-man-to-myself-2298712_2298712.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/duncan-jones-12555_cruel_i-m-a-cruel-man-to-myself-2298712_2298712.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cc/duncan-jones-12555_cruel_i-m-a-cruel-man-to-myself-2298712_2298712.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm a cruel man to myself.” — Duncan Jones", "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": "Duncan Jones", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm a cruel man to myself.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/i-m-a-cruel-man-to-myself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/i-m-a-cruel-man-to-myself/#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 } } ] } ```