--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Approach everything rationally, and you…" description: "\"“Approach everything rationally, and you become harsh. Pole along in the stream of emotions, and you will be swept away by the current. Give free rein ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/soseki-natsume-9685_harsh_approach-everything-rationally-and-you-b_909697.png" --- # Approach everything rationally, and you become harsh. Pole… ![“Approach everything rationally, and you become harsh. Pole along in the stream of emotions, and you will be swept away by the current. Give free rein to your desires, and you become uncomfortably confined. It is not a very agreeable place to live, this world of ours.” quote by Sōseki Natsume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/soseki-natsume-9685_harsh_approach-everything-rationally-and-you-b_909697.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/soseki-natsume-9685_harsh_approach-everything-rationally-and-you-b_909697.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/soseki-natsume-9685_harsh_approach-everything-rationally-and-you-b_909697.png) > ““Approach everything rationally, and you become harsh. Pole along in the stream of emotions, and you will be swept away by the current. Give free rein to your desires, and you become uncomfortably confined. It is not a very agreeable place to live, this world of ours.”” [Sōseki Natsume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soseki-natsume/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes extremes of rational control versus emotional surrender, warning that both can lead to discomfort and loss of balance. **In simple terms:** Balance reason and feeling. Key Takeaway Seek emotional‑rational balance. Themes balance emotion reason self‑control Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - personal decision‑making - stress management - creative work Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you integrate feeling into logic? - When does emotion guide you wisely? A Different Perspective Extreme rationality can be cold. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. 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Self-assessment and attempts at self-improvement are essential aspects of "the good life."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/no-one-seriously-doubts-socrates-maxim-the-unexamined-life-isn-t/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [If a man gives you a harsh winter, give him back something unexpected: The warm spring!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-a-man-gives-you-a-harsh-winter-give-him-back-something-unexpected/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [A single woman should only marry a man she can follow: Ladies if you are single, be very, very careful who you date and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/a-single-woman-should-only-marry-a-man-she-can-follow-ladies-if-you/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [He is indeed the 'Lamb.' There is nothing harsh or haughty or retaliative about Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sidlow-baxter/he-is-indeed-the-lamb-there-is-nothing-harsh-or-haughty-or/) [J. Sidlow Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sidlow-baxter/) > [Who can calculate the wounds inflicted, their depth and pain, by harsh and mean words spoken in anger? How pitiful a sight is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/who-can-calculate-the-wounds-inflicted-their-depth-and-pain-by-harsh/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Now see that noble and most sovereign reason, Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/now-see-that-noble-and-most-sovereign-reason-like-sweet-bells-jangled/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A lot of independent films offer a harsh reality check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/a-lot-of-independent-films-offer-a-harsh-reality-check/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [I think about everyone in my life that was harsh with me or who gave me tough love and told me things that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlamagne-tha-god/i-think-about-everyone-in-my-life-that-was-harsh-with-me-or-who-gave/) [Charlamagne Tha God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlamagne-tha-god/) > [The trees change their voices in autumn as well as their shapes. No longer do they whisper to one another in muffled tones as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience-strong/the-trees-change-their-voices-in-autumn-as-well-as-their-shapes-no/) [Patience Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience-strong/) > [The individual, by means of the discipline imposed on him by sport, not only plays and finds relaxation from the various compulsions to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-individual-by-means-of-the-discipline-imposed-on-him-by-sport-not/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/) [Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/) > [The act of self-denial seems to confer on us the right to be harsh and merciless toward others. The impression somehow prevails that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-act-of-self-denial-seems-to-confer-on-us-the-right-to-be-harsh/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## More by Sōseki Natsume > [“In fact, there is no such thing as character, something fixed and final. The real thing is something that novelists don’t know how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soseki-natsume/in-fact-there-is-no-such-thing-as-character-something-fixed-and-final/) [Soseki Natsume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soseki-natsume/) > [“I would guess that he thought and thought for at least ten years before he came up with a stupendous idea, that glory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soseki-natsume/i-would-guess-that-he-thought-and-thought-for-at-least-ten-years/) [Soseki Natsume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soseki-natsume/) > [I am a cat. As yet I have no name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soseki-natsume/i-am-a-cat-as-yet-i-have-no-name/) [Soseki Natsume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soseki-natsume/) > [“Under the sun the couple presented smiles to the world. Under the moon, they were lost in thought: and so they had quietly passed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soseki-natsume/under-the-sun-the-couple-presented-smiles-to-the-world-under-the-moon/) [Sōseki Natsume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soseki-natsume/) > [“Miss Blanche, having given through her tears a complete account of this event, assured me that, to maintain our own parental love and enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soseki-natsume/miss-blanche-having-given-through-her-tears-a-complete-account-of/) [Sōseki Natsume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soseki-natsume/) > [“But since heaven has not seen fit to dower the human animal with an ability to understand cat language, I regret to say that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soseki-natsume/but-since-heaven-has-not-seen-fit-to-dower-the-human-animal-with-an/) [Sōseki Natsume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soseki-natsume/) > [“A stomach can resite itself in a pulmonary location; Coxinga can be blood-kin to the Seiwa Minamotos; and that Mr. Tami, much maligned, may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soseki-natsume/a-stomach-can-resite-itself-in-a-pulmonary-location-coxinga-can-be/) [Sōseki Natsume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soseki-natsume/) > [“So that wee bit of a thing is what you call a haiku-play? 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"How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soseki-natsume/on-my-arrival-at-tokyo-i-rushed-into-her-house-swinging-my-valise/) [Sōseki Natsume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soseki-natsume/) > [“When someone in privileged circumstances gets a bit bewildered or stymied or maybe stumbles, the light he sees things in will change. But seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soseki-natsume/when-someone-in-privileged-circumstances-gets-a-bit-bewildered-or/) [Sōseki Natsume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soseki-natsume/) [Explore all 69 Sōseki Natsume quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soseki-natsume/) ## More Harsh quotes > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. 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No longer do they whisper to one another in muffled tones as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience-strong/the-trees-change-their-voices-in-autumn-as-well-as-their-shapes-no/) [Patience Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience-strong/) > [I think about everyone in my life that was harsh with me or who gave me tough love and told me things that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlamagne-tha-god/i-think-about-everyone-in-my-life-that-was-harsh-with-me-or-who-gave/) [Charlamagne Tha God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlamagne-tha-god/) > [A lot of independent films offer a harsh reality check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/a-lot-of-independent-films-offer-a-harsh-reality-check/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [Now see that noble and most sovereign reason, Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/now-see-that-noble-and-most-sovereign-reason-like-sweet-bells-jangled/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Who can calculate the wounds inflicted, their depth and pain, by harsh and mean words spoken in anger? How pitiful a sight is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/who-can-calculate-the-wounds-inflicted-their-depth-and-pain-by-harsh/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [He is indeed the 'Lamb.' There is nothing harsh or haughty or retaliative about Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sidlow-baxter/he-is-indeed-the-lamb-there-is-nothing-harsh-or-haughty-or/) [J. Sidlow Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sidlow-baxter/) > [A single woman should only marry a man she can follow: Ladies if you are single, be very, very careful who you date and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/a-single-woman-should-only-marry-a-man-she-can-follow-ladies-if-you/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [If a man gives you a harsh winter, give him back something unexpected: The warm spring!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-a-man-gives-you-a-harsh-winter-give-him-back-something-unexpected/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [No one seriously doubts Socrates' maxim: The unexamined life isn't worth living. Self-assessment and attempts at self-improvement are essential aspects of "the good life."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/no-one-seriously-doubts-socrates-maxim-the-unexamined-life-isn-t/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [If content with himself and mankind, a man is never harsh or curt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/if-content-with-himself-and-mankind-a-man-is-never-harsh-or-curt/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [I checked out all types of tobacco trying to find one that would be easiest to live with, I ended up using pipe tobacco.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-strathairn/i-checked-out-all-types-of-tobacco-trying-to-find-one-that-would-be/) [David Strathairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-strathairn/) > [The act of self-denial seems to confer on us the right to be harsh and merciless toward others. The impression somehow prevails that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-act-of-self-denial-seems-to-confer-on-us-the-right-to-be-harsh/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) Browse all 772 Harsh quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Approach everything rationally, and you become harsh. Pole along in the stream of emotions, and you will be swept away by the current. Give free rein to your desires, and you become uncomfortably confined. 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