--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must discover how to ask simple…" description: "\"We must discover how to ask simple questions of ourselves.\" — John Ralston Saul" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/john-ralston-saul-3128_asks_we-must-discover-how-to-ask-simple-quest_1089390.jpg" --- # We must discover how to ask simple questions of ourselves. ![“We must discover how to ask simple questions of ourselves.” quote by John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/john-ralston-saul-3128_asks_we-must-discover-how-to-ask-simple-quest_1089390.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/john-ralston-saul-3128_asks_we-must-discover-how-to-ask-simple-quest_1089390.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/john-ralston-saul-3128_asks_we-must-discover-how-to-ask-simple-quest_1089390.jpg) > “We must discover how to ask simple questions of ourselves.” [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑inquiry begins with simple, honest questions about our motives and beliefs. **In simple terms:** Ask simple questions of yourself. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑awareness. Themes self‑knowledge mindfulness growth Mood introspective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal decision‑making - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What simple question could reveal a hidden bias? - How does self‑questioning improve relationships? A Different Perspective Oversimplifying can miss deeper complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions/) [Truth Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-seeking/) ## Related quotes > [Please... tell me who you are and what you want. And if you think those are simple questions, keep in mind that most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/please-tell-me-who-you-are-and-what-you-want-and-if-you-think-those/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [Simple questions--and simple answers--were what we needed in life. That was what Mma Ramotswe believed. Yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/simple-questions-and-simple-answers-were-what-we-needed-in-life-that/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [The simple questions are always the hardest ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-henderson/the-simple-questions-are-always-the-hardest-ones/) [Ella Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-henderson/) > [It's always really Hard to answer the simple Questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-d-r-l-testament/it-s-always-really-hard-to-answer-the-simple-questions/) Junior Dè Rèál Testament > [A simple questions have always an answer. But persons who where hurt by someone they love will always be a questions without an answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teejay-david/a-simple-questions-have-always-an-answer-but-persons-who-where-hurt/) [Teejay David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teejay-david/) > [Why can’t you ever answer a simple question? (Wulf) Ask me a simple question and you will get a simple answer. (Acheron)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/why-can-t-you-ever-answer-a-simple-question-wulf-ask-me-a-simple/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When intelligent people read, they ask themselves a simple question: What do I plan to do with this information?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/when-intelligent-people-read-they-ask-themselves-a-simple-question/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [You ask for such simple things, I can't deny you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/you-ask-for-such-simple-things-i-can-t-deny-you/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [You know there are times when you wanna ask that simple little question... then you realize you're afraid of that one simple little answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/you-know-there-are-times-when-you-wanna-ask-that-simple-little/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [My basic approach to interviewing is to ask the basic questions that might even sound naive, or not intellectual. Sometimes when you ask the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lamb/my-basic-approach-to-interviewing-is-to-ask-the-basic-questions-that/) [Brian Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lamb/) > [When I meet with most entrepreneurial teams, I ask them a simple question: How do you know that you're making progress? Most of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/when-i-meet-with-most-entrepreneurial-teams-i-ask-them-a-simple/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“So you're going to have to ask yourselves on simple question: Which one of us is speaking now?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/so-you-re-going-to-have-to-ask-yourselves-on-simple-question-which/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [You are very familiar with Western ways, but you are too young. You go everywhere to follow the big news, but the questions you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-zemin/you-are-very-familiar-with-western-ways-but-you-are-too-young-you-go/) [Jiang Zemin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-zemin/) > [We have to be able to ask questions in order to answer them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-have-to-be-able-to-ask-questions-in-order-to-answer-them/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [At minimum, we must recognize that there are legitimate, unanswered questions about whether the Obama Justice Department involved themselves in a political project targeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/at-minimum-we-must-recognize-that-there-are-legitimate-unanswered/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) ## More by John Ralston Saul > [Of course, corporations and governments have a right to something for their money. They pay the wages. But they don't have the ethical right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/of-course-corporations-and-governments-have-a-right-to-something-for/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Some people don't like the 'comeback' because that suggests they went somewhere, which they didn't. That isn't what I mean. In my mind, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/some-people-don-t-like-the-comeback-because-that-suggests-they-went/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [In the humanist ideal, the mainstream is where interesting debate, the generating of new ideas and creativity take place. In rational society this mainstream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/in-the-humanist-ideal-the-mainstream-is-where-interesting-debate-the/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [There's two ways of dealing with fears of mortality. One of them is to hide, so every day you wear the same suit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/there-s-two-ways-of-dealing-with-fears-of-mortality-one-of-them-is-to/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [A foreigner is an individual who is considered either comic or sinister. When the victim of a disaster - preferably natural but sometimes political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/a-foreigner-is-an-individual-who-is-considered-either-comic-or/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Rights are a protection from society. But only by fulfilling their obligations to society can the individual give meaning to that protection. (V -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/rights-are-a-protection-from-society-but-only-by-fulfilling-their/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [All the lessons of psychiatry, psychology, social work, indeed culture, have taught us over the last hundred years that it is the acceptance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/all-the-lessons-of-psychiatry-psychology-social-work-indeed-culture/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [The neo-conservatives, who are closely linked to the neo-corporatists, are rather different. They claim to be conservatives, when everything they stand for is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/the-neo-conservatives-who-are-closely-linked-to-the-neo-corporatists/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Armaments; extremely useful for fighting wars, a deadweight in any civil economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/armaments-extremely-useful-for-fighting-wars-a-deadweight-in-any/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [In the European tradition, rivers are seen as divisions between peoples. But in the Aboriginal tradition, rivers are seen as the glue, the highway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/in-the-european-tradition-rivers-are-seen-as-divisions-between/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [“Basic technical training is, of course, useful. But to treat it as anything more than that is to lock students into technology that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/basic-technical-training-is-of-course-useful-but-to-treat-it-as/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Bankers - pillars of society who are going to hell if there is a God and He has been accurately quoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/bankers-pillars-of-society-who-are-going-to-hell-if-there-is-a-god/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [If allowed to run free of the social system, capitalism will attempt to corrupt and undermine democracy, which is after all not a natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/if-allowed-to-run-free-of-the-social-system-capitalism-will-attempt/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [For about 125 years, give or take, the Canadian government has acted extremely badly - even in a way which should be called evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/for-about-125-years-give-or-take-the-canadian-government-has-acted/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Ten geographers who think the world is flat will tend to reinforce each other's errors ... Only a sailor can set them straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/ten-geographers-who-think-the-world-is-flat-will-tend-to-reinforce/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) [Explore all 139 John Ralston Saul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We must discover how to ask simple questions of ourselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ralston Saul" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/we-must-discover-how-to-ask-simple-questions-of-ourselves/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/we-must-discover-how-to-ask-simple-questions-of-ourselves/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/john-ralston-saul-3128_asks_we-must-discover-how-to-ask-simple-quest_1089390.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/john-ralston-saul-3128_asks_we-must-discover-how-to-ask-simple-quest_1089390.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/john-ralston-saul-3128_asks_we-must-discover-how-to-ask-simple-quest_1089390.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must discover how to ask simple questions of ourselves.” — John Ralston Saul", "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": "John Ralston Saul", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We must discover how to ask...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/we-must-discover-how-to-ask-simple-questions-of-ourselves/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/we-must-discover-how-to-ask-simple-questions-of-ourselves/#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 } } ] } ```