--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we look for love in others without…" description: "\"“If we look for love in others without finding it in ourselves, we are like an underdeveloped country at the mercy of industrialised countries. Some ma..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/franco-santoro-14540_compassion_if-we-look-for-love-in-others-without-fi_3026888.jpg" --- # If we look for love in others without finding it in… ![“If we look for love in others without finding it in ourselves, we are like an underdeveloped country at the mercy of industrialised countries. Some may rescue us, providing the resources we lack and creating a tie of dependence, while others may teach us to produce what we need so that in a…” quote by Franco Santoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/franco-santoro-14540_compassion_if-we-look-for-love-in-others-without-fi_3026888.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/franco-santoro-14540_compassion_if-we-look-for-love-in-others-without-fi_3026888.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e08/franco-santoro-14540_compassion_if-we-look-for-love-in-others-without-fi_3026888.jpg) > ““If we look for love in others without finding it in ourselves, we are like an underdeveloped country at the mercy of industrialised countries. Some may rescue us, providing the resources we lack and creating a tie of dependence, while others may teach us to produce what we need so that in a distant future we may become self-sufficient. Others may refuse to offer support, hating and even fighting us, hence urgently forcing us to find our own resources within. Perhaps one day someone will become aware that we are part of the same planet, and that all resources, including love, belongs to all.”” [Franco Santoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-santoro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeking love externally creates dependence; self‑love fosters independence and mutual support. **In simple terms:** Love yourself before relying on others. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner love. Themes self‑love dependence global unity Mood hopeful thoughtful Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - Personal relationships - community building - policy making - education Key Concepts psychology economics philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What resources do you already have? - How can you give without expecting? A Different Perspective Self‑love is hard to practice consistently. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Underdeveloped countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underdeveloped-countries/) ## Related quotes > [It is easy to overlook the importance of the young in underdeveloped countries. 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On the other hand a regime which is completely oriented towards the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/capitalist-exploitation-and-cartels-and-monopolies-are-the-enemies-of/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) ## More by Franco Santoro > [“I hid my wound under my clothes. Nobody could see it, including myself, and I completely forgot about it. Then I met someone who,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franco-santoro/i-hid-my-wound-under-my-clothes-nobody-could-see-it-including-myself/) [Franco Santoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-santoro/) > [“A true dancer is not a dancer, it is all possible dancers, including all non-dancers, it is all and nothing at the same time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franco-santoro/a-true-dancer-is-not-a-dancer-it-is-all-possible-dancers-including/) [Franco Santoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-santoro/) > [“Good Morning! Good Afternoon! Good Night! These are not just mere greetings. 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We will leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franco-santoro/aloneness-and-all-oneness-is-our-authentic-nature-we-are-always-alone/) [Franco Santoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-santoro/) > [“Life is a relentless expulsion from where we come from and an ongoing deportation to alien realms. We are in exile and our greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franco-santoro/life-is-a-relentless-expulsion-from-where-we-come-from-and-an-ongoing/) [Franco Santoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-santoro/) > [“No matter how alone you seem to be right now, just be aware that in this precise moment there are huge amounts of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franco-santoro/no-matter-how-alone-you-seem-to-be-right-now-just-be-aware-that-in/) [Franco Santoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-santoro/) > [“All the luminous and loving episodes of any relationship you have had in your life continue to exist in the present at all times,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franco-santoro/all-the-luminous-and-loving-episodes-of-any-relationship-you-have-had/) [Franco Santoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-santoro/) > [“Acceptance may be seen as the first step in healing, though when there is true acceptance, this is not really a step. Acceptance is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franco-santoro/acceptance-may-be-seen-as-the-first-step-in-healing-though-when-there/) [Franco Santoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-santoro/) > [“Darkness, grievances and all painful emotions are the realm of the unknown. They are not horrible issues to hide or something wrong that needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franco-santoro/darkness-grievances-and-all-painful-emotions-are-the-realm-of-the/) [Franco Santoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-santoro/) > [“Whatever is going on, whether there is pain or joy, light or darkness, separation or wholeness, accept it! The Sun and the Moon oppose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franco-santoro/whatever-is-going-on-whether-there-is-pain-or-joy-light-or-darkness/) [Franco Santoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-santoro/) [Explore all 46 Franco Santoro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-santoro/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) Segun Magbagbeola > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. 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