---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was never interested in looking at…"
description: "\"I was never interested in looking at myself in an aesthetic mirror. My intention was always to get away from myself, though I knew perfectly well that ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/marcel-duchamp-2390_game_i-was-never-interested-in-looking-at-mys_1169865.jpg"
---

#  I was never interested in looking at myself in an…

![“I was never interested in looking at myself in an aesthetic mirror. My intention was always to get away from myself, though I knew perfectly well that I was using myself. Call it a little game between 'I' and 'me.'” quote by Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/marcel-duchamp-2390_game_i-was-never-interested-in-looking-at-mys_1169865.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/marcel-duchamp-2390_game_i-was-never-interested-in-looking-at-mys_1169865.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/marcel-duchamp-2390_game_i-was-never-interested-in-looking-at-mys_1169865.jpg)

> “I was never interested in looking at myself in an aesthetic mirror. My intention was always to get away from myself, though I knew perfectly well that I was using myself. Call it a little game between 'I' and 'me.'”

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Self‑observation can become a game, distancing us from authentic self‑knowledge.

**In simple terms:** Looking at yourself can be a diversion, not insight.

Key Takeaway

Seek genuine self‑understanding beyond games.

Themes

self‑awareness authenticity artistic expression

Mood

introspective artistic

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- creative work
- personal therapy
- mindfulness practice

Key Concepts

psychology philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you differentiate self‑exploration from self‑avoidance?
- What “games” do you play with your identity?

A Different Perspective

Playing games with self can prevent true growth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror/)

## Related quotes

> [“It is not my intention to give away the plot; but I think I die at the end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-edson/it-is-not-my-intention-to-give-away-the-plot-but-i-think-i-die-at-the/)

Margaret Edson

> [I saw myself. . . in the time I watched, I saw strength and frailty, pride and vanity, courage and fear. Of wisdom, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/i-saw-myself-in-the-time-i-watched-i-saw-strength-and-frailty-pride/)

[Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/)

> [I had no intention of becoming an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-hammond/i-had-no-intention-of-becoming-an-actor/)

[Nicholas Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-hammond/)

> [“The devil?” Jason heaved the tick over his shoulder like a collier with his sack. “Satan. The adversary. The enemy of the plan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-devil-jason-heaved-the-tick-over-his-shoulder-like-a-collier-with/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [Where the sky begins, the horizon ends, despite the best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/where-the-sky-begins-the-horizon-ends-despite-the-best-intentions/)

[Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/)

> [Even a moderniser like Alexander II - who emancipated the serfs in 1861 - had no intention of devolving real power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/even-a-moderniser-like-alexander-ii-who-emancipated-the-serfs-in-1861/)

[Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/)

> [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [My intention is to knock out Andy Ruiz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-ortiz/my-intention-is-to-knock-out-andy-ruiz/)

[Luis Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-ortiz/)

> [If you are not conscious of all of the different parts of yourself, the part of yourself that is the strongest will win out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/if-you-are-not-conscious-of-all-of-the-different-parts-of-yourself/)

[Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/)

> [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/)

[John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/)

> [If you don't plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your God and to walking in obedience to Him, then don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-arthur/if-you-don-t-plan-to-live-the-christian-life-totally-committed-to/)

[Kay Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-arthur/)

> [Whenever any person in the creative field does a film, they think it is going to be of good quality or this is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshaye-khanna/whenever-any-person-in-the-creative-field-does-a-film-they-think-it/)

[Akshaye Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshaye-khanna/)

> [It is not my intention to explain Turkey, its culture and its problems. My literature has a universal concern: I want to bring people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/it-is-not-my-intention-to-explain-turkey-its-culture-and-its-problems/)

[Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/)

> [I have no intention of retiring. Even my blood sugar is better when I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-even-my-blood-sugar-is-better-when-i/)

[Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/)

> [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/)

[Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/)

## More by Marcel Duchamp

> [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [Humor is the only reason to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/humor-is-the-only-reason-to-live/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [Society takes what it wants. The artist himself does not count, because there is no actual existence for the work of art. The work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/society-takes-what-it-wants-the-artist-himself-does-not-count-because/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [The creative act is not performed by the artist alone; the spectator brings the work in contact with the external world by deciphering and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/the-creative-act-is-not-performed-by-the-artist-alone-the-spectator/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [I believe that the artist doesn't know what he does. I attach even more importance to the spectator than to the artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/i-believe-that-the-artist-doesn-t-know-what-he-does-i-attach-even/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [Living is more a question of what one spends than what one makes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/living-is-more-a-question-of-what-one-spends-than-what-one-makes/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [Rational intelligence is dangerous and leads to ratiocination. The painter is a medium who doesn't realize what he is doing. No translation can express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/rational-intelligence-is-dangerous-and-leads-to-ratiocination-the/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [Everything important that I have done can be put into a little suitcase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/everything-important-that-i-have-done-can-be-put-into-a-little/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [As soon as we start putting our thoughts into words and sentences everything gets distorted, language is just no damn good—I use it because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/as-soon-as-we-start-putting-our-thoughts-into-words-and-sentences/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [The basis for my own work during the years just before coming to America in 1915 was a desire to break up forms -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/the-basis-for-my-own-work-during-the-years-just-before-coming-to/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [The curious thing about that moustache and goatee is that when you look at the Mona Lisa it becomes a man. It is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/the-curious-thing-about-that-moustache-and-goatee-is-that-when-you/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [I am afraid to end up being in need to sell canvases - in other words, to be a society painter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/i-am-afraid-to-end-up-being-in-need-to-sell-canvases-in-other-words/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [In the midst of each epoch, I fully realize that a new epoch will dawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/in-the-midst-of-each-epoch-i-fully-realize-that-a-new-epoch-will-dawn/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [To all appearances the artist acts like a mediumistic being who, from the labyrinth beyond time and space, seeks his way out to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/to-all-appearances-the-artist-acts-like-a-mediumistic-being-who-from/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [Words such as truth, art, veracity, or anything are stupid in themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/words-such-as-truth-art-veracity-or-anything-are-stupid-in-themselves/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

[Explore all 169 Marcel Duchamp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

## More Game quotes

> [Raised by game where niggas ain't phased by fame. Come to the crib, get banged, they take your chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/raised-by-game-where-niggas-ain-t-phased-by-fame-come-to-the-crib-get/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/)

[Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/)

> [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/)

[Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/)

> [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/)

[Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/)

> [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/)

[Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/)

> [I've always been very hard on myself, and I never want to get to a point where I'm like, 'Alright, I'm kicking butt,' but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-sauerbrunn/i-ve-always-been-very-hard-on-myself-and-i-never-want-to-get-to-a/)

[Becky Sauerbrunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-sauerbrunn/)

> [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/)

Gene Scott

> [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/)

[Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/)

> [Often in my game as an actor, someone else pays for your travel and there's nothing like being able to lie flat on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/often-in-my-game-as-an-actor-someone-else-pays-for-your-travel-and/)

[Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/)

> [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [With the Capital One Bowl, the average fan might think whoopty do. But if you are a team member, you win that game and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/with-the-capital-one-bowl-the-average-fan-might-think-whoopty-do-but/)

[Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/)

> [I remember throughout middle school and high school how excited my mom, sister and I would be when a UNC game was on TV.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-barnes/i-remember-throughout-middle-school-and-high-school-how-excited-my/)

[Harrison Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-barnes/)

> [Obviously, I want to win, but at the same time, at the end of the day, it's a game and that's what I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-rendon/obviously-i-want-to-win-but-at-the-same-time-at-the-end-of-the-day-it/)

[Anthony Rendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-rendon/)

> [It's more than a game. It's an institution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hughes/it-s-more-than-a-game-it-s-an-institution/)

[Thomas Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hughes/)

> [There are things you can do in training like learn from the manager and talk with team-mates, but it's the game that tests you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burke/there-are-things-you-can-do-in-training-like-learn-from-the-manager/)

[Oliver Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burke/)

[Browse all 13,309 Game quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I was never interested in looking at myself in an aesthetic mirror. My intention was always to get away from myself, though I knew perfectly well that I was using myself. Call it a little game between 'I' and 'me.'",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Marcel Duchamp"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/i-was-never-interested-in-looking-at-myself-in-an-aesthetic-mirror-my/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Game"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/i-was-never-interested-in-looking-at-myself-in-an-aesthetic-mirror-my/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/marcel-duchamp-2390_game_i-was-never-interested-in-looking-at-mys_1169865.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/marcel-duchamp-2390_game_i-was-never-interested-in-looking-at-mys_1169865.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/marcel-duchamp-2390_game_i-was-never-interested-in-looking-at-mys_1169865.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I was never interested in looking at myself in an aesthetic mirror. My intention was always to get away from…” — Marcel Duchamp",
                "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": "Marcel Duchamp",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I was never interested in looking...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/i-was-never-interested-in-looking-at-myself-in-an-aesthetic-mirror-my/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/i-was-never-interested-in-looking-at-myself-in-an-aesthetic-mirror-my/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
