--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I find increasingly that the more extreme…" description: "\"I find increasingly that the more extreme are the things going on in your life, the more cultural reference points fail you. More mythical reference po..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/michael-sheen-4062_experience_i-find-increasingly-that-the-more-extrem_2487992.jpg" --- # I find increasingly that the more extreme are the things… ![“I find increasingly that the more extreme are the things going on in your life, the more cultural reference points fail you. More mythical reference points actually help, and you realize that's what myths are for. It's for human beings to process their experience in extremis.” quote by Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/michael-sheen-4062_experience_i-find-increasingly-that-the-more-extrem_2487992.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/michael-sheen-4062_experience_i-find-increasingly-that-the-more-extrem_2487992.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/michael-sheen-4062_experience_i-find-increasingly-that-the-more-extrem_2487992.jpg) > “I find increasingly that the more extreme are the things going on in your life, the more cultural reference points fail you. More mythical reference points actually help, and you realize that's what myths are for. It's for human beings to process their experience in extremis.” [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When life becomes extreme, everyday cultural cues lose relevance, and mythic narratives become useful for understanding intense experiences. **In simple terms:** Myths help us make sense of extreme life events. Key Takeaway Use myths to interpret intense situations. Themes mythology extremis interpretation Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - war zones - disaster response - high‑stress professions Key Concepts narrative framing psychological coping cultural literacy Questions to Reflect On - How can mythic stories be adapted to contemporary crises? - When do myths hinder rather than help? A Different Perspective Myths may oversimplify complex modern issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Extremes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremes/) [Fail Mythical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fail-mythical-934211/) [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Mythical Reference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mythical-reference-934208/) [Myths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myths/) [Myths Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myths-human-934210/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Realising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realising/) [Realize Myths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realize-myths-934209/) ## Related quotes > [“After all, as educated men, we should realize that myths always stand for other things. 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And for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-taylor/songs-are-like-myths-myths-are-useful-because-they-allow-you-to-cast/) [James Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-taylor/) > [“Many people do simply awful things out of sincere religious belief, not using religion as a cover the way that Saddam Hussein may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/many-people-do-simply-awful-things-out-of-sincere-religious-belief/) [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) > [I have always been fascinated by the supernatural elements in stories, whether fairy tales, myths, film or literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/i-have-always-been-fascinated-by-the-supernatural-elements-in-stories/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) ## More by Michael Sheen > [I don't want to do something that I've done before; I can't see the point of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-don-t-want-to-do-something-that-i-ve-done-before-i-can-t-see-the/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [A lot of the times when I've auditioned for parts in America, the answer is, 'Sorry, we need a bigger name.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/a-lot-of-the-times-when-i-ve-auditioned-for-parts-in-america-the/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [Everyone deserves compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/everyone-deserves-compassion/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [I'm always aware that there are, broadly speaking, two different ways to act: there is acting, and then there's being, and I'm always more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-m-always-aware-that-there-are-broadly-speaking-two-different-ways/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [I always say if I'm not good at something it's just because I've not had time to focus on it... it's just uncrafted, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-always-say-if-i-m-not-good-at-something-it-s-just-because-i-ve-not/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [The first thing, when I read the script, is that I need to care about what happens and feel compelled by the story and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/the-first-thing-when-i-read-the-script-is-that-i-need-to-care-about/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [I think the story of 'Alice in Wonderland' in a way is a reminder that life is frightening, it can shift on you at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-think-the-story-of-alice-in-wonderland-in-a-way-is-a-reminder-that/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [For me, what makes life enjoyable is having a shared culture and shared references.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/for-me-what-makes-life-enjoyable-is-having-a-shared-culture-and/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [I perceive and relate to the world through where I grew up; that's part of me. It's what I judge everything else against.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-perceive-and-relate-to-the-world-through-where-i-grew-up-that-s/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [I'm not a Tony Blair impersonator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-m-not-a-tony-blair-impersonator/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [You don't want to get into doing the same thing, over and over again. I know I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/you-don-t-want-to-get-into-doing-the-same-thing-over-and-over-again-i/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [We see death constantly on film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/we-see-death-constantly-on-film/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [Getting older is a struggle. I always feel that just under the surface of acceptance and enjoyment of the ageing process is a terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/getting-older-is-a-struggle-i-always-feel-that-just-under-the-surface/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [Wherever you come from, you carry the place with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/wherever-you-come-from-you-carry-the-place-with-you/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [I live a very Kenneth Williams-like existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-live-a-very-kenneth-williams-like-existence/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) [Explore all 116 Michael Sheen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) ## More Experience quotes > [Experience makes a lesson to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-makes-a-lesson-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) [Michael Bugeja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bugeja/) > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/) [Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [I have no physical genius about me. 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