--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I tried to grasp at either what I…" description: "\"When I tried to grasp at either what I love or what I hate, I destroyed the very ability of being able to really penetrate the essence of either. By tr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/941/jeff-mangum-16672_ability_when-i-tried-to-grasp-at-either-what-i-l_1377991.png" --- # When I tried to grasp at either what I love or what I… ![“When I tried to grasp at either what I love or what I hate, I destroyed the very ability of being able to really penetrate the essence of either. By trying to understand it, I would just crush it.” quote by Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/941/jeff-mangum-16672_ability_when-i-tried-to-grasp-at-either-what-i-l_1377991.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/941/jeff-mangum-16672_ability_when-i-tried-to-grasp-at-either-what-i-l_1377991.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/941/jeff-mangum-16672_ability_when-i-tried-to-grasp-at-either-what-i-l_1377991.png) > “When I tried to grasp at either what I love or what I hate, I destroyed the very ability of being able to really penetrate the essence of either. By trying to understand it, I would just crush it.” [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes how trying to force understanding of love or hate can destroy the ability to truly perceive them. **In simple terms:** Forceful analysis can ruin true feeling. Key Takeaway Avoid over‑analyzing emotions. Themes emotion perception philosophy Mood reflective cautionary Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - relationships - art creation - personal growth - conflict resolution Key Concepts subjectivity introspection Questions to Reflect On - Can you experience love without dissecting it? - When does analysis become harmful? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis may lead to indecision or emotional numbness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Crush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crush/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) ## Related quotes > [To penetrate into the essence of all being and significance, and to release the fragrance of that inner attainment for the guidance of others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meher-baba/to-penetrate-into-the-essence-of-all-being-and-significance-and-to/) [Meher Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meher-baba/) > [Hate has destroyed more than what love has ever created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-agnihotri/hate-has-destroyed-more-than-what-love-has-ever-created/) [Vivek Agnihotri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-agnihotri/) > [Love will come and take a hold of you, celebrate with you for a brief moment, then move on. When that happens, some people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-will-come-and-take-a-hold-of-you-celebrate-with-you-for-a-brief/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We may not be able to grasp love with our hands or even see it with our eyes, but we forever feel it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-may-not-be-able-to-grasp-love-with-our-hands-or-even-see-it-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we allow ourselves to feel what we are feeling-without trying to understand it, explain it, or judge it-we reach a point where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisen/when-we-allow-ourselves-to-feel-what-we-are-feeling-without-trying-to/) [Michael Eisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisen/) > [Whenever I'm trying to understand people that I don't understand, or things in people or even in myself, I'll say, 'When did this negativity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/whenever-i-m-trying-to-understand-people-that-i-don-t-understand-or/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [Listening to learn isn't about giving advice--at least not until asked--but about trying to understand exactly what someone means,how it is that someone looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-debold/listening-to-learn-isn-t-about-giving-advice-at-least-not-until-asked/) [Elizabeth Debold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-debold/) > [You don’t get it, do you?" I said. “It’s not a question of ‘what then’. Some people get a kick out of reading railroad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/you-don-t-get-it-do-you-i-said-it-s-not-a-question-of-what-then-some/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Sometimes, when you were thinking about something, trying to understand it, it opened up in your head without you expecting it to, like it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-doyle/sometimes-when-you-were-thinking-about-something-trying-to-understand/) [Roddy Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-doyle/) > [And as I stood there in the hallway―alone―trying to understand what had just happened and why, I realized the truth: I wasn't worth an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/and-as-i-stood-there-in-the-hallway-alone-trying-to-understand-what/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [There are situations when all answers and explanations fade. When you fully accept that you do not know, you give up struggling to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/there-are-situations-when-all-answers-and-explanations-fade-when-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Listening doesn't mean trying to understand. Anything, however trifling, may be of use one day. What matters is to know something that others don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/listening-doesn-t-mean-trying-to-understand-anything-however-trifling/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [“Some people get a kick out of reading railway timetables and that's all they do all day. Some people make huge model boats out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/some-people-get-a-kick-out-of-reading-railway-timetables-and-that-s/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I've given up trying to understand what people think about me. It seems like a lot of people don't like the music we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/i-ve-given-up-trying-to-understand-what-people-think-about-me-it/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) ## More by Jeff Mangum > [You know, you struggle and cry and moan and thrash around and beat your head against the wall... and then you realize that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/you-know-you-struggle-and-cry-and-moan-and-thrash-around-and-beat/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [My songs pretty much revolve in my brain most of the time - usually, whatevers coming next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/my-songs-pretty-much-revolve-in-my-brain-most-of-the-time-usually/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [I bring a record home, and it connects with me like nothing else. In my ideal situation, somebody will do that with my record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/i-bring-a-record-home-and-it-connects-with-me-like-nothing-else-in-my/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [I guess my path feels sort of different now... I don't know what's going to happen, but I certainly want to make music a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/i-guess-my-path-feels-sort-of-different-now-i-don-t-know-what-s-going/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [“And now a song for Jesus Christ and since this seems to confuse people I'd like to simply say that I mean what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/and-now-a-song-for-jesus-christ-and-since-this-seems-to-confuse/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [Soft silly music is meaningful, magical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/soft-silly-music-is-meaningful-magical/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [My songs pretty much revolve in my brain most of the time - usually, whatever's coming next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/my-songs-pretty-much-revolve-in-my-brain-most-of-the-time-usually-2/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [I spend a lot of time practicing active imagination before I go to sleep. What I'm feeling will manifest as images through active imagination.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-practicing-active-imagination-before-i-go-to/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [I feel like we're so limited by the context at which we look at life. The way we look at who we're supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/i-feel-like-we-re-so-limited-by-the-context-at-which-we-look-at-life/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [I'm trying to find peace in the world, as it is. I'm feeling this sort of slow stripping of my mind, like the layers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/i-m-trying-to-find-peace-in-the-world-as-it-is-i-m-feeling-this-sort/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [The music is supposed to be healing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/the-music-is-supposed-to-be-healing/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [I think the songs I was writing after Aeroplane were full of a lot of undealt-with pain that was just a little too big...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/i-think-the-songs-i-was-writing-after-aeroplane-were-full-of-a-lot-of/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [The songs sort of come out spontaneously and it'll take me awhile to figure out what exactly is happening lyrically, what kind of story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/the-songs-sort-of-come-out-spontaneously-and-it-ll-take-me-awhile-to/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [I love the idea of a record containing an entire universe; where the sounds span decades of recording from all over the world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/i-love-the-idea-of-a-record-containing-an-entire-universe-where-the/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [God is a place you will wait for the rest of your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/god-is-a-place-you-will-wait-for-the-rest-of-your-life/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) [Explore all 39 Jeff Mangum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I tried to grasp at either what I love or what I hate, I destroyed the very ability of being able to really penetrate the essence of either. 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