--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man is a machine, but a very peculiar…" description: "\"Man is a machine, but a very peculiar machine. He is a machine which, in right circumstances, and with right treatment, can know that he is a machine, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/p-d-ouspensky-9110_circumstances_man-is-a-machine-but-a-very-peculiar-mac_2944529.png" --- # Man is a machine, but a very peculiar machine. He is a… ![“Man is a machine, but a very peculiar machine. He is a machine which, in right circumstances, and with right treatment, can know that he is a machine, and having fully realized this, he may find the ways to cease to be a machine. First of all, what man must know is that he is not one; he is many…” quote by P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/p-d-ouspensky-9110_circumstances_man-is-a-machine-but-a-very-peculiar-mac_2944529.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/p-d-ouspensky-9110_circumstances_man-is-a-machine-but-a-very-peculiar-mac_2944529.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/p-d-ouspensky-9110_circumstances_man-is-a-machine-but-a-very-peculiar-mac_2944529.png) > “Man is a machine, but a very peculiar machine. He is a machine which, in right circumstances, and with right treatment, can know that he is a machine, and having fully realized this, he may find the ways to cease to be a machine. First of all, what man must know is that he is not one; he is many. He has not one permanent and unchangeable “I” or Ego. He is always different. One moment he is one, another moment he is another, the third moment he is a third, and so on, almost without end.” [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human identity is fluid; we are composed of many shifting selves rather than a single fixed ego. **In simple terms:** We are many changing selves, not one permanent ego. Key Takeaway Recognize and integrate your multiple selves. Themes identity self philosophy psychology change Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - therapy - creative work - spiritual practice - leadership Key Concepts selfhood ego fluidity consciousness Questions to Reflect On - How do you experience your multiple selves daily? - What practices help you integrate these changing aspects? A Different Perspective The concept may overlook biological continuity and social roles that provide stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Circumstances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circumstances/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Ego Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego-different-2925539/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Machine Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machine-having-4407007/) [Machine Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machine-man-941517/) [Machine Peculiar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machine-peculiar-4407006/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Man Machine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-machine-321415/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Peculiar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peculiar/) [Thirds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirds/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Treatment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treatment/) [Unchangeable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unchangeable/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [The source of wisdom and power, of love and beauty, is within ourselves, but not within our egos. It is within our consciousness. Indeed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-brunton/the-source-of-wisdom-and-power-of-love-and-beauty-is-within-ourselves/) [Paul Brunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-brunton/) > [“I used to think that was what set me apart, you know? That I always did what I thought was right and didn't give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-mills/i-used-to-think-that-was-what-set-me-apart-you-know-that-i-always-did/) [Kyle Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-mills/) > [Man is a machine which reacts blindly to external forces and, this being so, he has no will, and very little control of himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/man-is-a-machine-which-reacts-blindly-to-external-forces-and-this/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [What a strange machine man is! You fill him with bread, wine, fish, and radishes, and out comes sighs, laughter, and dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/what-a-strange-machine-man-is-you-fill-him-with-bread-wine-fish-and/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [“The man who is more than his chemistry, walking on the earth, turning his plow point for a stone, dropping his handles to slide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-man-who-is-more-than-his-chemistry-walking-on-the-earth-turning/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Machine Man faithfully believes that conscious intelligent life came by chance from unconscious, dumb and dead matter that nobody suddenly made out of nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-klingenberg/machine-man-faithfully-believes-that-conscious-intelligent-life-came/) [Arne Klingenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-klingenberg/) > [I'm a machine man, and I head a machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-bridges/i-m-a-machine-man-and-i-head-a-machine/) [Harry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-bridges/) > [“That man who is more than his chemistry, walking on the earth, turning his plow point for a stone, dropping his handles to slide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/that-man-who-is-more-than-his-chemistry-walking-on-the-earth-turning/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Im a machine man, and I head a machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-bridges/im-a-machine-man-and-i-head-a-machine/) [Harry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-bridges/) > [During a race, it's like I become a machine and the machine becomes a man. I talk to my cars, baby them, shout at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cale-yarborough/during-a-race-it-s-like-i-become-a-machine-and-the-machine-becomes-a/) [Cale Yarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cale-yarborough/) > [Without self knowledge, without understanding the working and functions of his machine, man cannot be free, he cannot govern himself and he will always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/without-self-knowledge-without-understanding-the-working-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man has no permanent and unchangeable I. Every thought, every mood, every desire, every sensation says "I." And in each case it seems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/man-has-no-permanent-and-unchangeable-i-every-thought-every-mood/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [A man with a machine and inadequate culture is a pestilence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/a-man-with-a-machine-and-inadequate-culture-is-a-pestilence/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [For most purposes, a man with a machine is better than a man without a machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/for-most-purposes-a-man-with-a-machine-is-better-than-a-man-without-a/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [We are more like vehicles, a part of our mensch machine, our man-machine. Sometimes we play the music, sometimes the music plays us, sometimes...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florian-schneider/we-are-more-like-vehicles-a-part-of-our-mensch-machine-our-man/) [Florian Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florian-schneider/) ## More by P.D. Ouspensky > [Art is the communication of ecstasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/art-is-the-communication-of-ecstasy/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [I had come to the conclusion a long time ago that there was no escape from the labyrinth of contradictions in which we live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/i-had-come-to-the-conclusion-a-long-time-ago-that-there-was-no-escape/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [It is only when we realize that life is taking us nowhere that it begins to have meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/it-is-only-when-we-realize-that-life-is-taking-us-nowhere-that-it/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [To remember oneself means the same thing as to be aware of oneself - I am. It is not a function, not thinking, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/to-remember-oneself-means-the-same-thing-as-to-be-aware-of-oneself-i/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [In all living nature (and perhaps also in that which we consider as dead) love is the motive force which drives the creative activity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/in-all-living-nature-and-perhaps-also-in-that-which-we-consider-as/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Begin with the possible: begin with one step. There is always a limit you cannot do more than you can do. If you try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/begin-with-the-possible-begin-with-one-step-there-is-always-a-limit/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [“Suddenly I began to find a strange meaning in old fairy-tales; woods, rivers, mountains, became living beings; mysterious life filled the night; with new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/suddenly-i-began-to-find-a-strange-meaning-in-old-fairy-tales-woods/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [The greatest barrier to consciousness is the belief that one is already conscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/the-greatest-barrier-to-consciousness-is-the-belief-that-one-is/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Ideas by themselves cannot produce change of being; your effort must go in the right direction, and one must correspond to the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/ideas-by-themselves-cannot-produce-change-of-being-your-effort-must/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Desire is when you do what you want, will is when you can do what you do not want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/desire-is-when-you-do-what-you-want-will-is-when-you-can-do-what-you/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Divide in yourself the mechanical from the conscious, see how little there is of the conscious, how seldom it works, and how strong is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/divide-in-yourself-the-mechanical-from-the-conscious-see-how-little/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [“The most important factor in every function is: ‘Is it under our control or not?’ So when imagination is under our control we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/the-most-important-factor-in-every-function-is-is-it-under-our/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Love is the eternally burning fire in which humanity & all the world are being purified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/love-is-the-eternally-burning-fire-in-which-humanity-all-the-world/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [a man can be given only what he can use; and he can use only that for which he has sacrificed something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/a-man-can-be-given-only-what-he-can-use-and-he-can-use-only-that-for/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [If a man gives way to all his desires, or panders to them, there will be no inner struggle in him, no 'friction,' no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/if-a-man-gives-way-to-all-his-desires-or-panders-to-them-there-will/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) [Explore all 73 P.D. Ouspensky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) ## More Circumstances quotes > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Although under particular circumstances, the violence method - any method - can be justified, nevertheless once you commit violence, then counterviolence will be returned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/although-under-particular-circumstances-the-violence-method-any/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [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/) > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [The fortunate circumstances of our lives are generally found, at last, to be of our own producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-fortunate-circumstances-of-our-lives-are-generally-found-at-last/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [“The set of circumstances that justifies the use of deadly force is a situation of immediate danger of death or great bodily harm to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massad-ayoob/the-set-of-circumstances-that-justifies-the-use-of-deadly-force-is-a/) [Massad Ayoob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massad-ayoob/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [It's impossible to know who Donald might have been under different circumstances and with different parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-l-trump/it-s-impossible-to-know-who-donald-might-have-been-under-different/) [Mary L. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) > [When we watch a play under the standard circumstances, we've lost volition and time is passing. A still play feels like an existential threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-greenberg/when-we-watch-a-play-under-the-standard-circumstances-we-ve-lost/) [Richard Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-greenberg/) > [Being positive helps you to keep away negative thoughts. And helps you to stand in adverse circumstances with the hope that in the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/being-positive-helps-you-to-keep-away-negative-thoughts-and-helps-you/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [It seemed to me that the human beings I met reacted pretty much the same to the same stimuli. Different idioms,yes. Circumstances and conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/it-seemed-to-me-that-the-human-beings-i-met-reacted-pretty-much-the/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [I don't think you would have missed that putt, but in these circumstances, I would never give you the opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/i-don-t-think-you-would-have-missed-that-putt-but-in-these/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [I used to think I could shape the circumstances around me, but now I know Jesus uses circumstances to shape me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-used-to-think-i-could-shape-the-circumstances-around-me-but-now-i/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy creating new ones. You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 4,560 Circumstances quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circumstances/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man is a machine, but a very peculiar machine. He is a machine which, in right circumstances, and with right treatment, can know that he is a machine, and having fully realized this, he may find the ways to cease to be a machine. First of all, what man must know is that he is not one; he is many. He has not one permanent and unchangeable “I” or Ego. He is always different. One moment he is one, another moment he is another, the third moment he is a third, and so on, almost without end.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P.D. 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