--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe we choose to stay in a constant…" description: "\"“Maybe we choose to stay in a constant state of ignorance as a protective instinct — maybe I was just in denial. I just don’t get how you can be comple..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/piper-caleb-95299_contemporary-fiction_maybe-we-choose-to-stay-in-a-constant-st_728042.jpg" --- # Maybe we choose to stay in a constant state of ignorance… ![“Maybe we choose to stay in a constant state of ignorance as a protective instinct — maybe I was just in denial. I just don’t get how you can be completely in love with someone one day, and then all of a sudden you just aren’t. I will never forget that day...the day where I became numb.” quote by Piper Caleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/piper-caleb-95299_contemporary-fiction_maybe-we-choose-to-stay-in-a-constant-st_728042.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/piper-caleb-95299_contemporary-fiction_maybe-we-choose-to-stay-in-a-constant-st_728042.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/piper-caleb-95299_contemporary-fiction_maybe-we-choose-to-stay-in-a-constant-st_728042.jpg) > ““Maybe we choose to stay in a constant state of ignorance as a protective instinct — maybe I was just in denial. I just don’t get how you can be completely in love with someone one day, and then all of a sudden you just aren’t. I will never forget that day...the day where I became numb.”” Piper Caleb ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author describes staying in ignorance as a protective instinct, experiencing denial and numbness after love ends, leading to emotional numbness. **In simple terms:** Ignorance as protection, love lost, feeling numb. Key Takeaway Recognize and confront protective denial. Themes psychology love denial protective instincts emotional numbness Mood sad introspective Type personal psychological When to use this quote - therapy - journaling - support groups - self‑reflection Key Concepts self‑protection relationship loss Questions to Reflect On - What protects you from pain? - How can you move beyond numbness? A Different Perspective Denial can hinder healing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contemporary fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemporary-fiction/) [Diary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diary/) [Eating disorders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating-disorders/) [Numb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numb/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“I need to make myself strong on the inside instead of what is on the outside. I know all of this, but why can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-caleb/i-need-to-make-myself-strong-on-the-inside-instead-of-what-is-on-the/) Piper Caleb > [“It's not that I'm some detached lab animal just conditioned to ignore violence, but my first instinct is maybe it's not too late to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/it-s-not-that-i-m-some-detached-lab-animal-just-conditioned-to-ignore/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I had an instinct before and maybe now I don't have that instinct as much as knowing what to do, what shots to hit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-capriati/i-had-an-instinct-before-and-maybe-now-i-don-t-have-that-instinct-as/) [Jennifer Capriati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-capriati/) > [If you're serious about what you're doing, you've got to keep your head and follow your instinct. Maybe you won't reach the same dizzy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-lee-miller/if-you-re-serious-about-what-you-re-doing-you-ve-got-to-keep-your/) [Jonny Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-lee-miller/) > [And it was kind of funny to see all these professional fighters unwilling to get within a mile of the female. Then again, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/and-it-was-kind-of-funny-to-see-all-these-professional-fighters/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [When you keep your most intimate relationship in the public eye and that too in a most vulnerable state, then your protective instinct comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rubina-dilaik/when-you-keep-your-most-intimate-relationship-in-the-public-eye-and/) [Rubina Dilaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rubina-dilaik/) > [“I knew I had an unreasonable attachment to her, and an overblown protective instinct for reasons we’d already discussed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-jones/i-knew-i-had-an-unreasonable-attachment-to-her-and-an-overblown/) [Juliette Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-jones/) > [If a woman goes crazy because of jealousy, a mans blood rises when their protective instinct goes into gear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-woman-goes-crazy-because-of-jealousy-a-mans-blood-rises-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Didn't we talk about this Mays?" she asked. I looked away from her. "It's just hanging out." "And denial is just a river in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-meredith-walters/didn-t-we-talk-about-this-mays-she-asked-i-looked-away-from-her-it-s/) [A. Meredith Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-meredith-walters/) > [Religion, in one sense, is a life of self-denial, just as husbandry, in one sense, is a work of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/religion-in-one-sense-is-a-life-of-self-denial-just-as-husbandry-in/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Denial is not just a river in Egypt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/denial-is-not-just-a-river-in-egypt/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [ \[I think there are a lot of Americans who are very scared \] that Donald Trump and his campaign, or his future administration, is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-dionne/i-think-there-are-a-lot-of-americans-who-are-very-scared-that-donald/) [E. J. Dionne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-dionne/) > [It's not denial. I'm just selective about the reality I accept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/it-s-not-denial-i-m-just-selective-about-the-reality-i-accept/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [Find happiness in your denial and just smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-time-steele/find-happiness-in-your-denial-and-just-smile/) [Chris Time Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-time-steele/) > [It's not denial,I'm just very selected about the reality I accept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-not-denial-i-m-just-very-selected-about-the-reality-i-accept/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Piper Caleb > [“I need to make myself strong on the inside instead of what is on the outside. I know all of this, but why can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-caleb/i-need-to-make-myself-strong-on-the-inside-instead-of-what-is-on-the/) Piper Caleb Explore all 2 Piper Caleb quotes ## More Contemporary fiction quotes > [“Ava glanced over at Napoleon, who was walking back toward them. She smirked at Juliet and said, "Sweetie, you are \*not\* the one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-fingers/ava-glanced-over-at-napoleon-who-was-walking-back-toward-them-she/) Jay Fingers > [Most of my writer friends are women, and they're all extremely talented, so of course I think the state of contemporary fiction for women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/most-of-my-writer-friends-are-women-and-they-re-all-extremely/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [Aimee Parkison offers a distinct new voice to contemporary fiction. Her seductive stories explore childhood as a realm of sorrows, and reveal the afflictions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-anshaw/aimee-parkison-offers-a-distinct-new-voice-to-contemporary-fiction/) [Carol Anshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-anshaw/) > [“A writer looks at an issue and asks, 'What if this were to occur? Or what if that was thrown into the mix? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venita-ellick/a-writer-looks-at-an-issue-and-asks-what-if-this-were-to-occur-or/) [Venita Ellick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venita-ellick/) > [“She might have been there for you in the aftermath, but I was there when everything came crashing down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-duke/she-might-have-been-there-for-you-in-the-aftermath-but-i-was-there/) [Megan Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-duke/) > [“How'd you know that would help, Grandma? Used to have a regular who had attacks like that all the time. Poor guy. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-leblanc/how-d-you-know-that-would-help-grandma-used-to-have-a-regular-who-had/) Jennifer LeBlanc > [“Irrationality is part of everyday rationale”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-shafak/irrationality-is-part-of-everyday-rationale/) [Elif Shafak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-shafak/) > [“The dusty library air is electric with secrets/ almost palpable in the thick quiet that bounces between/ Cal and those books and me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stasia-ward-kehoe/the-dusty-library-air-is-electric-with-secrets-almost-palpable-in-the/) [Stasia Ward Kehoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stasia-ward-kehoe/) > [“When death becomes an escape, when it becomes attractive, the purpose of life is fulfilled. To teach one it's futility, it's worthlessness, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faiqa-mansab/when-death-becomes-an-escape-when-it-becomes-attractive-the-purpose/) [Faiqa Mansab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faiqa-mansab/) > [“You want me to change overnight, Katie, and I’m telling you right now that it’s not going to happen. You're asking me to forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inger-iversen/you-want-me-to-change-overnight-katie-and-i-m-telling-you-right-now/) [Inger Iversen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inger-iversen/) > [Here is one of the fundamental defects of American fiction--perhaps the one character that sets it off sharply from all other known kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/here-is-one-of-the-fundamental-defects-of-american-fiction-perhaps/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Not a lot of contemporary fiction is written about brothers and sisters. Salinger's Franny and Zooey was an inspiration for me. In Franny and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-soehnlein/not-a-lot-of-contemporary-fiction-is-written-about-brothers-and/) [K. M. Soehnlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-m-soehnlein/) > [“Taking inspiration from her own experiences as a wife, mother, principal and teacher, Ellick creates a realistic and thought-provoking modern scenario for readers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bainbridge-island-review/taking-inspiration-from-her-own-experiences-as-a-wife-mother/) Bainbridge Island Review > [I started reading contemporary fiction in college or right after college. It wasn't as if I was steeped in experimental minimalism when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leni-zumas/i-started-reading-contemporary-fiction-in-college-or-right-after/) [Leni Zumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leni-zumas/) > [“Jax Cassidy is a brilliant new voice in contemporary fiction. Full of heat, seduction, and romance, her winning characters are sure to capture your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/jax-cassidy-is-a-brilliant-new-voice-in-contemporary-fiction-full-of/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) [Browse all 104 Contemporary fiction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemporary-fiction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Maybe we choose to stay in a constant state of ignorance as a protective instinct — maybe I was just in denial. I just don’t get how you can be completely in love with someone one day, and then all of a sudden you just aren’t. I will never forget that day...the day where I became numb.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Piper Caleb" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-caleb/maybe-we-choose-to-stay-in-a-constant-state-of-ignorance-as-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contemporary fiction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-caleb/maybe-we-choose-to-stay-in-a-constant-state-of-ignorance-as-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/piper-caleb-95299_contemporary-fiction_maybe-we-choose-to-stay-in-a-constant-st_728042.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/piper-caleb-95299_contemporary-fiction_maybe-we-choose-to-stay-in-a-constant-st_728042.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/piper-caleb-95299_contemporary-fiction_maybe-we-choose-to-stay-in-a-constant-st_728042.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Maybe we choose to stay in a constant state of ignorance as a protective instinct — maybe I was just in…” — Piper Caleb", "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": "Piper Caleb", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piper-caleb/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Maybe we choose to stay in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-caleb/maybe-we-choose-to-stay-in-a-constant-state-of-ignorance-as-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-caleb/maybe-we-choose-to-stay-in-a-constant-state-of-ignorance-as-a/#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 } } ] } ```