--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm just shallow and self-interested, and…" description: "\"I'm just shallow and self-interested, and don't get out much because I'm afraid of real commitments.\" — Henry Rollins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/henry-rollins-170_commitment_i-m-just-shallow-and-self-interested-and_2689800.png" --- # I'm just shallow and self-interested, and don't get out… ![“I'm just shallow and self-interested, and don't get out much because I'm afraid of real commitments.” quote by Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/henry-rollins-170_commitment_i-m-just-shallow-and-self-interested-and_2689800.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/henry-rollins-170_commitment_i-m-just-shallow-and-self-interested-and_2689800.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/henry-rollins-170_commitment_i-m-just-shallow-and-self-interested-and_2689800.png) > “I'm just shallow and self-interested, and don't get out much because I'm afraid of real commitments.” [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑preservation leads to shallow living; fear of commitment limits authentic connection. **In simple terms:** Fear of commitment creates shallow life. Key Takeaway Confront fear to deepen relationships. Themes commitment fear self‑interest authenticity Mood introspective candid Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - career decisions - social engagement Key Concepts psychology personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What commitments are you avoiding? - How does fear shape your daily choices? A Different Perspective Avoiding commitment can stunt personal growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Just Shallow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-shallow-1121526/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real Commitments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-commitments-1082342/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self Interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-interested-682351/) [Shallow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shallow/) [Shallow Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shallow-self-1714076/) ## Related quotes > [Were not one thing, as human beings, so any character that is written uni-dimensional, thats just a shallow character with shallow writing and shallow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kari-matchett/were-not-one-thing-as-human-beings-so-any-character-that-is-written/) [Kari Matchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kari-matchett/) > [If our shallow, self-critical culture sometimes seems to lack a sense of the numinous or spiritual it's only in the same way a fish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/if-our-shallow-self-critical-culture-sometimes-seems-to-lack-a-sense-2/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [If you throw money around like confetti, it just becomes shallow and meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caudwell/if-you-throw-money-around-like-confetti-it-just-becomes-shallow-and/) [John Caudwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caudwell/) > [“First, we go figure out how to recognize a real team player, the kind of person who can easily build trust, engage in healthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/first-we-go-figure-out-how-to-recognize-a-real-team-player-the-kind/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [We're not one thing, as human beings, so any character that is written uni-dimensional, that's just a shallow character with shallow writing and shallow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kari-matchett/we-re-not-one-thing-as-human-beings-so-any-character-that-is-written/) [Kari Matchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kari-matchett/) > [“We think of ourselves as failures, rather than renounce our belief in the possibility of perfection. We hang on to the hope of eternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/we-think-of-ourselves-as-failures-rather-than-renounce-our-belief-in/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [“They looked shallow, self-absorbed. And a small, strangled part of me envied them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/they-looked-shallow-self-absorbed-and-a-small-strangled-part-of-me/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [“Everything you do or say interests me." "Really," she said skeptically. "What about Lord Westcliff's claim that I'm shallow and self-absorbed?" As she faced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/everything-you-do-or-say-interests-me-really-she-said-skeptically/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [If you look down on or discriminate against interracial relationships, then you are just as shallow as our previous generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-look-down-on-or-discriminate-against-interracial-relationships/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The Self-Interested Case for Not Being a Dick”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harris/the-self-interested-case-for-not-being-a-dick/) [Dan Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harris/) > [I guess because I'm a liberal I think it's not people's natural instinct to be completely self-interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-weiner/i-guess-because-i-m-a-liberal-i-think-it-s-not-people-s-natural/) [Matthew Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-weiner/) > [There is a difference between being self-interested and being selfish. I will never be selfish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/there-is-a-difference-between-being-self-interested-and-being-selfish/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [People in government are self-interested just like people in business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-boaz/people-in-government-are-self-interested-just-like-people-in-business/) [David Boaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-boaz/) > [“If you never sit still, it does not even hint to that deeper self in you that you are interested. By practice, by showing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/if-you-never-sit-still-it-does-not-even-hint-to-that-deeper-self-in/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [If the sad truth be known, writers, being the misfits we are, probably ought not to belong to families in the first place. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rosenblatt/if-the-sad-truth-be-known-writers-being-the-misfits-we-are-probably/) [Roger Rosenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rosenblatt/) ## More by Henry Rollins > [I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-believe-that-one-defines-oneself-by-reinvention/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I think that one of the hardest things in the world to be is a black male. I mean everyone hates your guts. White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-think-that-one-of-the-hardest-things-in-the-world-to-be-is-a-black/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [In the summer of '84, you just couldn't escape the Born in the USA record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/in-the-summer-of-84-you-just-couldn-t-escape-the-born-in-the-usa/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [We spend millions of dollars to remove pain from our lives. It's why so many people get hooked on painkillers. The body becomes addicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/we-spend-millions-of-dollars-to-remove-pain-from-our-lives-it-s-why/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Sleep is for squares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/sleep-is-for-squares/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [There's a lot of mountain climbers trapped inside of bodies of people behind the counter at Kinko's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/there-s-a-lot-of-mountain-climbers-trapped-inside-of-bodies-of-people/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [If I lose the light of the sun, I will write by candlelight, moonlight, no light. If I lose paper and ink, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/if-i-lose-the-light-of-the-sun-i-will-write-by-candlelight-moonlight/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I was raised in Washington, DC, very violent place. I grew up with violence. My introduction to music was violent. The years I've spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-was-raised-in-washington-dc-very-violent-place-i-grew-up-with/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I feel pain everyday of my life. When you see me perform, it's that pain you're seeing coming out. I put all my emotions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-feel-pain-everyday-of-my-life-when-you-see-me-perform-it-s-that/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I feel close to people like Jimi Hendrix because I connect with his music. Not the man but what he did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-feel-close-to-people-like-jimi-hendrix-because-i-connect-with-his/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I don't believe in fate or destiny. I believe in various degrees of hatred, paranoia, and abandonment. However much of that gets heaped upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-don-t-believe-in-fate-or-destiny-i-believe-in-various-degrees-of/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Young, gay and stuck in Arkansas? Sounds like a horror flick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/young-gay-and-stuck-in-arkansas-sounds-like-a-horror-flick/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I was never told to "Get up, get out there, get a job." It was never a thing either parent ever said I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-was-never-told-to-get-up-get-out-there-get-a-job-it-was-never-a/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [There's no retirement, there's just a few years of non-work by the fire with someone bringing you some tea and relative peace and playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/there-s-no-retirement-there-s-just-a-few-years-of-non-work-by-the/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I love being a storyteller. I love telling stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-love-being-a-storyteller-i-love-telling-stories/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) [Explore all 1,006 Henry Rollins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) ## More Commitment quotes > [Deepen your existing spiritual commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-buettner/deepen-your-existing-spiritual-commitment/) [Dan Buettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-buettner/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [“You make me believe in happiness... if I had my way, if anything were up to me, I’d never be without you. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-kirchoff/you-make-me-believe-in-happiness-if-i-had-my-way-if-anything-were-up/) [Courtney Kirchoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-kirchoff/) > [Golf is such a big commitment, and so is acting. Sometimes you have to give up something to do something else, although, when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-newton/golf-is-such-a-big-commitment-and-so-is-acting-sometimes-you-have-to/) [Kathryn Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-newton/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [When you make a commitment to a relationship, you invest your attention and energy in it more profoundly because you now experience ownership of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-de-angelis/when-you-make-a-commitment-to-a-relationship-you-invest-your/) [Barbara De Angelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-de-angelis/) > [ “For \[erotically intelligent couples\], love is a vessel that contains both security and adventure, and commitment offers one of the great luxuries of life:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-erotically-intelligent-couples-love-is-a-vessel-that-contains/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [Having a point to start is important. You know that when you decide to write something it's like a commitment. It's like falling in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/having-a-point-to-start-is-important-you-know-that-when-you-decide-to/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [A commitment to lifelong learning is a natural expression of the practice of living consciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/a-commitment-to-lifelong-learning-is-a-natural-expression-of-the/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [A lasting relationship consists of the 3 C's: Commitment. Communication. Compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/a-lasting-relationship-consists-of-the-3-c-s-commitment-communication/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I've developed a huge regard for Toyota for its environmental awareness, for its immense commitment to research and development in this field, and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-developed-a-huge-regard-for-toyota-for-its-environmental/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Browse all 4,004 Commitment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm just shallow and self-interested, and don't get out much because I'm afraid of real commitments.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Rollins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-m-just-shallow-and-self-interested-and-don-t-get-out-much-because-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Commitment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-m-just-shallow-and-self-interested-and-don-t-get-out-much-because-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/henry-rollins-170_commitment_i-m-just-shallow-and-self-interested-and_2689800.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/henry-rollins-170_commitment_i-m-just-shallow-and-self-interested-and_2689800.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/henry-rollins-170_commitment_i-m-just-shallow-and-self-interested-and_2689800.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm just shallow and self-interested, and don't get out much because I'm afraid of real commitments.” — Henry Rollins", "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": "Henry Rollins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm just shallow and self-interested, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-m-just-shallow-and-self-interested-and-don-t-get-out-much-because-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-m-just-shallow-and-self-interested-and-don-t-get-out-much-because-i/#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 } } ] } ```