--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Such are the limitations of the common…" description: "\"“Such are the limitations of the common mind, and so thoroughly engrossing are the cares of common life, that only the few among men can discern throug..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ae/frederick-douglass-859_common-life_such-are-the-limitations-of-the-common-m_2768872.jpg" --- # Such are the limitations of the common mind, and so… ![“Such are the limitations of the common mind, and so thoroughly engrossing are the cares of common life, that only the few among men can discern through the glitter and dazzle of present prosperity the dark outlines of approaching disasters, even though they may have come up to our very gates, and…” quote by Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ae/frederick-douglass-859_common-life_such-are-the-limitations-of-the-common-m_2768872.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ae/frederick-douglass-859_common-life_such-are-the-limitations-of-the-common-m_2768872.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ae/frederick-douglass-859_common-life_such-are-the-limitations-of-the-common-m_2768872.jpg) > ““Such are the limitations of the common mind, and so thoroughly engrossing are the cares of common life, that only the few among men can discern through the glitter and dazzle of present prosperity the dark outlines of approaching disasters, even though they may have come up to our very gates, and are already within striking distance. The yawning seam and corroded bolt conceal their defects from the mariner until the storm calls all hands to the pumps.”” [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The educated few can see looming crises hidden by prosperity, while most are distracted by daily concerns. **In simple terms:** Only a few notice dangers behind wealth. Key Takeaway Cultivate awareness beyond comfort. Themes perception warning social critique Mood cautious reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - political analysis - financial planning - community safety - personal vigilance Key Concepts critical thinking historical context Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize hidden risks? - What habits keep you alert to danger? A Different Perspective Blind optimism can ignore early signs of trouble. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“Now this gift of the Holy Ghost, as I before remarked, is the greatest boon that can be conferred upon mortal men, because by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-w-penrose/now-this-gift-of-the-holy-ghost-as-i-before-remarked-is-the-greatest/) [Charles W. Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-w-penrose/) > [“As I speak, I’m reminded of the old saying that diseases go in through the mouth, disasters come out of the mouth, meaning that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/as-i-speak-i-m-reminded-of-the-old-saying-that-diseases-go-in-through/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [So disasters come not singly; But as if they watched and waited, Scanning one another's motions, When the first descends, the others Follow, follow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/so-disasters-come-not-singly-but-as-if-they-watched-and-waited/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Disasters will always come and go, leaving their victims either completely broken or steeled and seasoned and better able to face the next crop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/disasters-will-always-come-and-go-leaving-their-victims-either/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Nearly all of our disasters come from a few fools having the courage of their convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/nearly-all-of-our-disasters-come-from-a-few-fools-having-the-courage/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [“I’m reminded of the old saying that diseases go in through the mouth, disasters come out of the mouth, meaning that words can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/i-m-reminded-of-the-old-saying-that-diseases-go-in-through-the-mouth/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [“I asked what sort of 'trouble' we might expect. That he couldn't say; disasters always come out of the blue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-asked-what-sort-of-trouble-we-might-expect-that-he-couldn-t-say/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“When disasters come at the same time, they compete with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/when-disasters-come-at-the-same-time-they-compete-with-each-other/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [In life, the worst disasters come from passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/in-life-the-worst-disasters-come-from-passion/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [“Such are the limitations of the human mind, and so thoroughly engrossing are the cares of common life, that only the few among men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/such-are-the-limitations-of-the-human-mind-and-so-thoroughly/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [At any given period in history the ideas of the common mind are found to antedate the facts. The facts of the twentieth century…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-perkins-gilman/at-any-given-period-in-history-the-ideas-of-the-common-mind-are-found/) [Charlotte Perkins Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-perkins-gilman/) > [As to the pure all things are pure, so the common mind sees far more vulgarity in others than the mind developed in genuine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/as-to-the-pure-all-things-are-pure-so-the-common-mind-sees-far-more/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Where once a tyrant had to wish that his subjects had but one common neck that he might strangle them all at once, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mitchell/where-once-a-tyrant-had-to-wish-that-his-subjects-had-but-one-common/) [Richard Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mitchell/) > [Education forms the common mind. Just as the twig is bent, the tree's inclined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/education-forms-the-common-mind-just-as-the-twig-is-bent-the-tree-s/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [As education becomes inclusive, introspective, cosmic, promoting whole populations to power and privilege, it enthrones a vast, invisible, personal rule over the common mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-bronson-alcott/as-education-becomes-inclusive-introspective-cosmic-promoting-whole/) [Amos Bronson Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-bronson-alcott/) ## More by Frederick Douglass > [“A treacherous President stood in the way; and it can be easily seen how reluctant good men might be to admit an apostasy which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-treacherous-president-stood-in-the-way-and-it-can-be-easily-seen/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“But I should be false in the earliest sentiments of my soul, if I suppressed the opinion. I prefer to be true to myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/but-i-should-be-false-in-the-earliest-sentiments-of-my-soul-if-i/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [A man who will enslave his own blood, may not be safely relied on for magnamity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-man-who-will-enslave-his-own-blood-may-not-be-safely-relied-on-for/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes, - a justifier of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-assert-most-unhesitatingly-that-the-religion-of-the-south-is-a-mere/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the South is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes—a justifier of the most appalling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-assert-most-unhesitatingly-that-the-religion-of-the-south-is-a-mere-2/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-limits-of-tyrants-are-prescribed-by-the-endurance-of-those-whom/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/power-concedes-nothing-without-a-demand-it-never-did-and-it-never-will/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“We have all met a class of men, very remarkable for their activity, and who yet make but little headway in life; men who,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/we-have-all-met-a-class-of-men-very-remarkable-for-their-activity-and/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye, under the influence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-fatal-poison-of-irresponsible-power-was-already-in-her-hands-and/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [A battle lost or won is easily described, understood, and appreciated, but the moral growth of a great nation requires reflection, as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-battle-lost-or-won-is-easily-described-understood-and-appreciated/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/knowledge-makes-a-man-unfit-to-be-a-slave/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-was-broken-in-body-soul-and-spirit-my-natural-elasticity-was/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, that whenever my condition was improved, instead of increasing my contentment; it only increased my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my-2/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/at-a-time-like-this-scorching-irony-not-convincing-argument-is-needed/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) [Explore all 348 Frederick Douglass quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## More Common life quotes > [It is not the fact that we are united in common goals or purposes that makes us a community. Rather, it is the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/it-is-not-the-fact-that-we-are-united-in-common-goals-or-purposes/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [We must seek the loving-kindness of God in all the breadth and open-air of common life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-smith/we-must-seek-the-loving-kindness-of-god-in-all-the-breadth-and-open/) [George A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-smith/) > [Bird taxonomy is a difficult field because of the severe anatomical constraints imposed by flight. There are only so many ways to design a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/bird-taxonomy-is-a-difficult-field-because-of-the-severe-anatomical/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [Each moment of the happy lover's hour is worth an age of dull and common life. -](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aphra-behn/each-moment-of-the-happy-lover-s-hour-is-worth-an-age-of-dull-and/) [Aphra Behn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aphra-behn/) > [In morals, theosophy builds its teachings on the unity, seeing in each form the expression of a common life, and therefore the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/in-morals-theosophy-builds-its-teachings-on-the-unity-seeing-in-each/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [People are mostly sane enough, of course, in the affairs of common life: the getting of food, shelter, and so on. But the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-stove/people-are-mostly-sane-enough-of-course-in-the-affairs-of-common-life/) [David Stove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-stove/) > [“The Spirit doesn’t simply make me a singular new creation. He makes me part of God’s new creation people. He inscribes God’s rule on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lawrence/the-spirit-doesn-t-simply-make-me-a-singular-new-creation-he-makes-me/) Michael Lawrence > [Learn to commend thy daily acts to God, so shall the dry every-day duties of common life be steps to heaven, and lift they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bouverie-pusey/learn-to-commend-thy-daily-acts-to-god-so-shall-the-dry-every-day/) [Edward Bouverie Pusey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bouverie-pusey/) > [Let us become thoroughly sensible of the weakness, blindness, and narrow limits of human reason: Let us duly consider its uncertainty and endless contrarieties,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/let-us-become-thoroughly-sensible-of-the-weakness-blindness-and/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [The most part of men, though they have the use of reasoning a little way, as in numbering to some degree; yet it serves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-most-part-of-men-though-they-have-the-use-of-reasoning-a-little/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [“Such are the limitations of the human mind, and so thoroughly engrossing are the cares of common life, that only the few among men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/such-are-the-limitations-of-the-human-mind-and-so-thoroughly/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [The poor and the low have their way of expressing the last facts of philosophy as well as you. "Blessed be nothing," and "The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-poor-and-the-low-have-their-way-of-expressing-the-last-facts-of/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Let us learn to accept ourselves-accept the truth that we are capable in some directions and limited in others, that genius is rare, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-l-liebman/let-us-learn-to-accept-ourselves-accept-the-truth-that-we-are-capable/) [Joshua L. Liebman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-l-liebman/) > [“in common life we esteem but meanly and contemptibly a fellow who anoints his hair, and palpably smells of that anointing. In truth, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/in-common-life-we-esteem-but-meanly-and-contemptibly-a-fellow-who/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“He came to save sinners, to heal the sick, to preach the good news to the poor, and to live a common life hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kennelly/he-came-to-save-sinners-to-heal-the-sick-to-preach-the-good-news-to/) [Brian Kennelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-kennelly/) Browse all 99 Common life quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Such are the limitations of the common mind, and so thoroughly engrossing are the cares of common life, that only the few among men can discern through the glitter and dazzle of present prosperity the dark outlines of approaching disasters, even though they may have come up to our very gates, and are already within striking distance. The yawning seam and corroded bolt conceal their defects from the mariner until the storm calls all hands to the pumps.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frederick Douglass" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/such-are-the-limitations-of-the-common-mind-and-so-thoroughly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Common life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/such-are-the-limitations-of-the-common-mind-and-so-thoroughly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ae/frederick-douglass-859_common-life_such-are-the-limitations-of-the-common-m_2768872.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ae/frederick-douglass-859_common-life_such-are-the-limitations-of-the-common-m_2768872.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ae/frederick-douglass-859_common-life_such-are-the-limitations-of-the-common-m_2768872.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Such are the limitations of the common mind, and so thoroughly engrossing are the cares of common life, that…” — Frederick Douglass", "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": "Frederick Douglass", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Such are the limitations of the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/such-are-the-limitations-of-the-common-mind-and-so-thoroughly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/such-are-the-limitations-of-the-common-mind-and-so-thoroughly/#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 } } ] } ```