--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most fundamental seems fickle." description: "\"The most fundamental seems fickle.\" — Laozi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/laozi-147_fickle_the-most-fundamental-seems-fickle-247564_2475645.jpg" --- # The most fundamental seems fickle. ![“The most fundamental seems fickle.” quote by Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/laozi-147_fickle_the-most-fundamental-seems-fickle-247564_2475645.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/laozi-147_fickle_the-most-fundamental-seems-fickle-247564_2475645.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/laozi-147_fickle_the-most-fundamental-seems-fickle-247564_2475645.jpg) > “The most fundamental seems fickle.” [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fundamental truths are unstable and can change over time. **In simple terms:** Fundamentals can be fickle. Key Takeaway Stay adaptable to shifting foundations. Themes change fundamentals instability philosophy Mood contemplative philosophical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - political policy - scientific theory - ethical standards Key Concepts Taoaoism relativism Questions to Reflect On - What core beliefs have you found to be enduring? - How do you discern which fundamentals are truly fluid? A Different Perspective Assuming all fundamentals are mutable may undermine necessary stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fickle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fickle/) [Fundamental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental/) [Fundamental Fickle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental-fickle-807986/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Taoism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taoism/) ## Related quotes > [This idea that once you get into politics... you are now signed up for lifelong duty being in elective office, makes a fundamental error…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-gonzalez/this-idea-that-once-you-get-into-politics-you-are-now-signed-up-for/) [Matt Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-gonzalez/) > [Physics is the most fundamental, and least significant, of the sciences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/physics-is-the-most-fundamental-and-least-significant-of-the-sciences/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [The fundamental question of politics has always been whether there should be politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hess/the-fundamental-question-of-politics-has-always-been-whether-there/) [Karl Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hess/) > [The fundamental things apply As time goes by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-hupfeld/the-fundamental-things-apply-as-time-goes-by/) [Herman Hupfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-hupfeld/) > [Fundamental renegotiation is very, very unlikely to produce any significant change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-cable/fundamental-renegotiation-is-very-very-unlikely-to-produce-any/) [Vince Cable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-cable/) > [Spare me the mantra that the “fundamentals” are sound. Credit is the ultimate fundamental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-evans-pritchard/spare-me-the-mantra-that-the-fundamentals-are-sound-credit-is-the/) [Ambrose Evans-Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-evans-pritchard/) > [Frankly, my fundamental beliefs have not changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/frankly-my-fundamental-beliefs-have-not-changed/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [An equal application of law to every condition of man is fundamental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/an-equal-application-of-law-to-every-condition-of-man-is-fundamental/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The most fundamental in me is coming uppermost, and the transient, the sensational, is dispersing, because it can't adversely influence what is essential to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oskar-kokoschka/the-most-fundamental-in-me-is-coming-uppermost-and-the-transient-the/) [Oskar Kokoschka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oskar-kokoschka/) > [The freedom to convert is fundamental to freedom of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-inglis/the-freedom-to-convert-is-fundamental-to-freedom-of-religion/) [Bob Inglis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-inglis/) > [What you need is a fundamental humility - the belief that you can learn from anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/what-you-need-is-a-fundamental-humility-the-belief-that-you-can-learn/) [Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/) > [ \[Quantity is the fundamental feature of things,\] the 'primarium accidens substantiae,' ...prior to the other categories. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/quantity-is-the-fundamental-feature-of-things-the-primarium-accidens/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [Courage is the most fundamental of all virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/courage-is-the-most-fundamental-of-all-virtues/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [Memory is the primary and fundamental power, without which there could be no other intellectual operation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/memory-is-the-primary-and-fundamental-power-without-which-there-could/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The moral foundation of the society, the way we interact with each other is more fundamental than the Supreme Court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/the-moral-foundation-of-the-society-the-way-we-interact-with-each/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) ## More by Laozi > [When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In lightness the root is lost. In haste the ruler is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-lightness-the-root-is-lost-in-haste-the-ruler-is-lost/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [If the sage wants to stand above people, he must speak to them from below. If he wants to lead people, he must follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/if-the-sage-wants-to-stand-above-people-he-must-speak-to-them-from/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Goodie-goodies are the thieves of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/goodie-goodies-are-the-thieves-of-virtue/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [He that humbles himself shall be preserved entire. He that bends shall be made straight. He that is empty shall be filled. He that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/he-that-humbles-himself-shall-be-preserved-entire-he-that-bends-shall/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The Way of the Sage is to act but not to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-way-of-the-sage-is-to-act-but-not-to-compete/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Do nondoing, strive for nonstriving, savor the flavorless, regard the small as important, make much of little, repay enmity with virtue; plan for difficulty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/do-nondoing-strive-for-nonstriving-savor-the-flavorless-regard-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Without looking through the window, you can see Heaven's Way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/without-looking-through-the-window-you-can-see-heaven-s-way/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/can-you-dissolve-your-ego-can-you-abandon-the-idea-of-self-and-other/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [What's the difference between beautiful and ugly?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-s-the-difference-between-beautiful-and-ugly/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In stillness the muddied water returns to clarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-stillness-the-muddied-water-returns-to-clarity/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [He (the sage) is good to those who are good. He is also good to those who are not good. That is the virtue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/he-the-sage-is-good-to-those-who-are-good-he-is-also-good-to-those/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [There is a thing inherent and natural which existed before heaven and earth. Motionless and fathomless, It stands alone and never changes; It pervades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/there-is-a-thing-inherent-and-natural-which-existed-before-heaven-and/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [What is a good man but a bad man's teacher? What is a bad man but a good man's job? If you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-is-a-good-man-but-a-bad-man-s-teacher-what-is-a-bad-man-but-a/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) [Explore all 1,140 Laozi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) ## More Fickle quotes > [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/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/) [Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/) > [Young men have strong passions and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. Of the bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/young-men-have-strong-passions-and-tend-to-gratify-them/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Even the most fickle are faithful to a few bad habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/even-the-most-fickle-are-faithful-to-a-few-bad-habits/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/speaking-generally-men-are-ungrateful-fickle-hypocritical-fearful/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [The gay community is very fickle. And I know because I'm part of it and I see it every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-bass/the-gay-community-is-very-fickle-and-i-know-because-i-m-part-of-it/) [Lance Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-bass/) > [Only when human sorrows are turned into a toy with glaring colors will baby people become interested - for a while at least. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/only-when-human-sorrows-are-turned-into-a-toy-with-glaring-colors/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Hollywood is fickle; your career can end pretty fast. If the acting jobs dry up, you have to have something to fall back on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lawrence/hollywood-is-fickle-your-career-can-end-pretty-fast-if-the-acting/) [Matthew Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lawrence/) > [Regardless of whether I can shift my affections to another - and the heart, as you observed, is a notoriously fickle beast - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/regardless-of-whether-i-can-shift-my-affections-to-another-and-the/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [“Hypocrisy is a fickle friend indeed .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-f-hoffmann-jr/hypocrisy-is-a-fickle-friend-indeed/) [Norbert F Hoffmann Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-f-hoffmann-jr/) > [“I am made for autumn. Summer and I have a fickle relationship, but everything about autumn is perfect to me. Wooly jumpers, Wellington boot,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alys-fowler/i-am-made-for-autumn-summer-and-i-have-a-fickle-relationship-but/) [Alys Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alys-fowler/) > [Fate is fickle, and the company of unwilling friends short lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/fate-is-fickle-and-the-company-of-unwilling-friends-short-lived/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [But collective thinking is usually short-lived. We're fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self-destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/but-collective-thinking-is-usually-short-lived-we-re-fickle-stupid/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [College is a magic time. Yes, youre young and fickle, but you want to be part of this college experience... Then you graduate from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sze/college-is-a-magic-time-yes-youre-young-and-fickle-but-you-want-to-be/) [David Sze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sze/) > [The music industry is so fickle, there's so many politics. I think a lot of people don't pay attention to the credits or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bow-wow/the-music-industry-is-so-fickle-there-s-so-many-politics-i-think-a/) [Bow Wow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bow-wow/) [Browse all 265 Fickle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fickle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The most fundamental seems fickle.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laozi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-most-fundamental-seems-fickle/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fickle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-most-fundamental-seems-fickle/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/laozi-147_fickle_the-most-fundamental-seems-fickle-247564_2475645.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/laozi-147_fickle_the-most-fundamental-seems-fickle-247564_2475645.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/laozi-147_fickle_the-most-fundamental-seems-fickle-247564_2475645.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The most fundamental seems fickle.” — Laozi", "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": "Laozi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The most fundamental seems fickle.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-most-fundamental-seems-fickle/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-most-fundamental-seems-fickle/#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 } } ] } ```