--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You focus on the here and now in order to…" description: "\"You focus on the here and now in order to escape existence forever and vanish into Nirvana. There is another religious impulse that is the opposite of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/quentin-s-crisp-4149_elsewhere_you-focus-on-the-here-and-now-in-order-t_1763659.jpg" --- # You focus on the here and now in order to escape existence… ![“You focus on the here and now in order to escape existence forever and vanish into Nirvana. There is another religious impulse that is the opposite of this. It uses a world elsewhere in order to affirm life and give a reason to "go forth and multiply".” quote by Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/quentin-s-crisp-4149_elsewhere_you-focus-on-the-here-and-now-in-order-t_1763659.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/quentin-s-crisp-4149_elsewhere_you-focus-on-the-here-and-now-in-order-t_1763659.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/quentin-s-crisp-4149_elsewhere_you-focus-on-the-here-and-now-in-order-t_1763659.jpg) > “You focus on the here and now in order to escape existence forever and vanish into Nirvana. There is another religious impulse that is the opposite of this. It uses a world elsewhere in order to affirm life and give a reason to "go forth and multiply".” [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts two religious drives: one seeks to dissolve self into Nirvana, the other embraces life to propagate and create. **In simple terms:** One path denies self, the other affirms life. Key Takeaway Recognize which impulse guides you. Themes spirituality existentialism purpose dualism Mood contemplative reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Meditation retreats - community building - creative projects - family life Key Concepts Nirvana affirmation life‑force Questions to Reflect On - Do you seek escape or affirmation? - How does each impulse affect your daily choices? A Different Perspective The pursuit of transcendence can neglect practical responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Here and now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/here-and-now/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Samuel Johnson: A book should either allow us to escape existence or teach us how to endure it .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shields/samuel-johnson-a-book-should-either-allow-us-to-escape-existence-or/) [David Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shields/) > [“Every little thing now has to be about maximising your potential, and perfecting yourself, and honing yourself, and getting the best deal out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/every-little-thing-now-has-to-be-about-maximising-your-potential-and/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [A book should either allow us to escape existence or teach us how to endure it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shields/a-book-should-either-allow-us-to-escape-existence-or-teach-us-how-to/) [David Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shields/) > [The love of life, at any and every level of development, is the religious impulse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-love-of-life-at-any-and-every-level-of-development-is-the/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Religion begins in story. 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But much bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/all-real-art-is-in-its-true-sense-is-a-religious-impulse-there-is-no/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Secular humanists suspect there is something more gloriously human about resisting the religious impulse; about accepting the cold truth, even if that truth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-flynn/secular-humanists-suspect-there-is-something-more-gloriously-human/) [Tom Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-flynn/) > [“Deep in ourselves resides the religious impulse. Out of the passions of our clay it rises. We have religion when we stop deluding ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-helfer-as-stated-by-kalli-gooma/deep-in-ourselves-resides-the-religious-impulse-out-of-the-passions/) Ralph Helfer as stated by Kalli Gooma > [As the genuine religious impulse becomes dominant, adoration more and more takes charge. 'I come to seek God because I need Him', may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/as-the-genuine-religious-impulse-becomes-dominant-adoration-more-and/) [Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/) > [“The root of addict in latin is the word addicere, which means religious devotion. It was an attribute of beginning monks. There is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-root-of-addict-in-latin-is-the-word-addicere-which-means/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [The peculiar thing is that, in focusing only on the here and now, Buddhism seems to despise the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/the-peculiar-thing-is-that-in-focusing-only-on-the-here-and-now/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Quentin S. Crisp > [I have a sense of them being Easter religions, for some reason. Christianity, of course, is a mystery religion, too, and I believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-have-a-sense-of-them-being-easter-religions-for-some-reason/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ If we do want to do that \[ colonise space to survive, \], then vacuous materialism is not going to be enough for us. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/if-we-do-want-to-do-that-colonise-space-to-survive-then-vacuous/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [I seemed to recall some words from an old Zen master, something like, "My Zen cuts down mountains." My rejection of Buddhism was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-seemed-to-recall-some-words-from-an-old-zen-master-something-like/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ This is the strange thing about existing in time. 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Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ \[william\] Burroughs, incidentally, took up the slogan that we are "Here to go", which contradicts the tendency in Eastern mysticism to advocate staying where… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/william-burroughs-incidentally-took-up-the-slogan-that-we-are-here-to/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [As children in the seventies we were told about nebulous 'strangers'. By definition, we didn't know who these strangers were, and we didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/as-children-in-the-seventies-we-were-told-about-nebulous-strangers-by/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [This is part of the fundamental character of Buddhism that I find problematic - that it is not interested in anything. Hence the 'Fascination'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/this-is-part-of-the-fundamental-character-of-buddhism-that-i-find/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ I also remember a line from a song by Smog \[Bill Callahan\], which seems to describe the experience of a town-dweller moving to the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-also-remember-a-line-from-a-song-by-smog-bill-callahan-which-seems/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [This strong sense of who I am that I've always had, since I was very young, is what makes me write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/this-strong-sense-of-who-i-am-that-i-ve-always-had-since-i-was-very/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [I like the concept of an anti-muse, though I'm not quite sure what that is. If there is such a thing in my life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-like-the-concept-of-an-anti-muse-though-i-m-not-quite-sure-what/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ I really think \[William\] Burroughs was onto something here, when he said, "Dreams are a biologic necessity and your lifeline into space." ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-really-think-william-burroughs-was-onto-something-here-when-he-said/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ \[My muse\] is, in fact, a woman of the world, and precisely because of this, hopes that a diversity of cultures will endure, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/my-muse-is-in-fact-a-woman-of-the-world-and-precisely-because-of-this/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [I do have a muse. I am not sure how to describe her. She can be very elusive. She was born in England but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-do-have-a-muse-i-am-not-sure-how-to-describe-her-she-can-be-very/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) [Explore all 115 Quentin S. Crisp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) ## More Elsewhere quotes > [In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. 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