--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Is there any instinct more deeply…" description: "\"“Is there any instinct more deeply implanted in the heart of man than the pride of protection, a protection which is constantly exerted for a fragile a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/honor-de-balzac-197_creatures_is-there-any-instinct-more-deeply-implan_2342875.png" --- # Is there any instinct more deeply implanted in the heart… ![“Is there any instinct more deeply implanted in the heart of man than the pride of protection, a protection which is constantly exerted for a fragile and defenceless creature?” quote by Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/honor-de-balzac-197_creatures_is-there-any-instinct-more-deeply-implan_2342875.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/honor-de-balzac-197_creatures_is-there-any-instinct-more-deeply-implan_2342875.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/honor-de-balzac-197_creatures_is-there-any-instinct-more-deeply-implan_2342875.png) > ““Is there any instinct more deeply implanted in the heart of man than the pride of protection, a protection which is constantly exerted for a fragile and defenceless creature?”” [Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human beings are innately driven to protect the vulnerable, a deep-seated instinct of guardianship. **In simple terms:** People naturally want to protect the weak. Key Takeaway Recognize and nurture protective instincts. Themes protection instinct human nature Mood compassionate reflective Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - community leadership - volunteering - animal rescue Key Concepts guardianship empathy evolutionary psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance protection with autonomy? - When does protecting others become controlling? A Different Perspective Protection can become overbearing or misdirected. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fragile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fragile/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Protectiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protectiveness/) ## Related quotes > [“Paradoxically, pride weakens your courage, confidence and self-esteem. Pride is protection of a self-image, an image that is nothing more than an ego-mask.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-jelbert/paradoxically-pride-weakens-your-courage-confidence-and-self-esteem/) [Will Jelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-jelbert/) > [Kindliness seems to exist primarily as an animal instinct, so deeply rooted that mental degeneracy, which works from the top down,does not destroy it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-horton-cooley/kindliness-seems-to-exist-primarily-as-an-animal-instinct-so-deeply/) [Charles Horton Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-horton-cooley/) > [All a man has is pride. Sometimes you have it so much it is a sin. We have all done things for pride that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/all-a-man-has-is-pride-sometimes-you-have-it-so-much-it-is-a-sin-we/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“He did not want to feel old. He did not want to feel the weight of his age hovering above him, mocking him out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sarabande/he-did-not-want-to-feel-old-he-did-not-want-to-feel-the-weight-of-his/) William Sarabande > [A man's pride can be his downfall, and he needs to learn when to turn to others for support and guidance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-grylls/a-man-s-pride-can-be-his-downfall-and-he-needs-to-learn-when-to-turn/) [Bear Grylls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-grylls/) > [No one has a greater asset for his business than a man's pride in his work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/no-one-has-a-greater-asset-for-his-business-than-a-man-s-pride-in-his/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [“A man's pride needs careful handling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-mackenzie/a-man-s-pride-needs-careful-handling/) [Sally MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-mackenzie/) > [The Torah itself becomes coarse in the mouth of a man of pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nachman-of-breslov/the-torah-itself-becomes-coarse-in-the-mouth-of-a-man-of-pride/) [Nachman of Breslov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nachman-of-breslov/) > [Humility saves man: pride makes him lose his way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/humility-saves-man-pride-makes-him-lose-his-way/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I don't look to a man to get pride in myself. 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The mean man has pride without a dignified ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-has-a-dignified-ease-without-pride-the-mean-man-has/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Riches expose a man to pride and luxury, and a foolish elation of heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/riches-expose-a-man-to-pride-and-luxury-and-a-foolish-elation-of-heart/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [I clearly saw the skeleton underneath all this show of personality what is left of a man and all his pride but bones?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-clearly-saw-the-skeleton-underneath-all-this-show-of-personality/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## More by Honoré de Balzac > [“Oh, my friend, when you love, love a woman whom you are sure that you can love always. Never forsake a woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/oh-my-friend-when-you-love-love-a-woman-whom-you-are-sure-that-you/) [Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [“You have broken the ice, though you have not even scratched its glossy surface: you have placed your hand upon the croup of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/you-have-broken-the-ice-though-you-have-not-even-scratched-its-glossy/) [Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [In a world of hunchbacks, a fine figure becomes a monstrosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/in-a-world-of-hunchbacks-a-fine-figure-becomes-a-monstrosity/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [It is quite right what they say: the three most beautiful sights in the world are a ship in full sail, a galloping horse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/it-is-quite-right-what-they-say-the-three-most-beautiful-sights-in/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [My writing table has seen all my wretchedness, knows all my plans, has overheard all my thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/my-writing-table-has-seen-all-my-wretchedness-knows-all-my-plans-has/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Foppery, being the chronic condition of women, is not so much noticed as it is when it breaks out on the person of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/foppery-being-the-chronic-condition-of-women-is-not-so-much-noticed/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [A married woman is a slave you must know how to seat upon a throne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/a-married-woman-is-a-slave-you-must-know-how-to-seat-upon-a-throne/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Rich men are resolved to be astonished at nothing. 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It needs gymnastics, just like the body does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/the-mind-too-has-its-regimen-it-needs-gymnastics-just-like-the-body/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Hatred like love feeds on the merest trifles. Everything adds to it. Just as the being we love can do no wrong, so the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/hatred-like-love-feeds-on-the-merest-trifles-everything-adds-to-it/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [All human power is a compound of time and patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-human-power-is-a-compound-of-time-and-patience/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) [Explore all 793 Honoré de Balzac quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) ## More Creatures quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. 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