--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The obsessions of others embarrass and…" description: "\"“The obsessions of others embarrass and repel because they seem to dehumanize, to make the obsessed one robotic and alien and unavailable.”\" — Terry Ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/terry-castle-70037_quote_the-obsessions-of-others-embarrass-and-r_912156.jpg" --- # The obsessions of others embarrass and repel because they… ![“The obsessions of others embarrass and repel because they seem to dehumanize, to make the obsessed one robotic and alien and unavailable.” quote by Terry Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/terry-castle-70037_quote_the-obsessions-of-others-embarrass-and-r_912156.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/terry-castle-70037_quote_the-obsessions-of-others-embarrass-and-r_912156.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/terry-castle-70037_quote_the-obsessions-of-others-embarrass-and-r_912156.jpg) > ““The obsessions of others embarrass and repel because they seem to dehumanize, to make the obsessed one robotic and alien and unavailable.”” [Terry Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-castle/) ## 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 warns that intense fixation on others can strip away humanity, turning the obsessed into a detached, mechanical presence. **In simple terms:** Obsessing on people can make them seem robotic and distant. Key Takeaway Maintain empathy and personal connection. Themes empathy humanity obsession alienation relationships Mood critical reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - online interactions - workplace dynamics - personal relationships Key Concepts dehumanization psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep relationships human when deeply interested? - What boundaries prevent dehumanizing others? A Different Perspective Obsessions can also drive positive focus when balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dehumanize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dehumanize/) [Obsessed Robotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsessed-robotic-1345226/) [Obsessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsessions/) [Obsessions Embarrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsessions-embarrass-1345224/) [Repel Dehumanize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repel-dehumanize-1345225/) ## Related quotes > [“Any time we feel ourselves moved to outrage by the behavior of people we think of as them, have we, accidentally or deliberately, allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/any-time-we-feel-ourselves-moved-to-outrage-by-the-behavior-of-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is a tendency to dehumanize kids that commit crimes. The system is focused on punishment, not on rehabilitation. These kids are the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/there-is-a-tendency-to-dehumanize-kids-that-commit-crimes-the-system/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coretta-scott-king/homophobia-is-like-racism-and-anti-semitism-and-other-forms-of-2/) [Coretta Scott King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coretta-scott-king/) > [When you dehumanize a group, there's lasting consequences because they know that they're being dehumanized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/when-you-dehumanize-a-group-there-s-lasting-consequences-because-they/) [James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/) > [The instant people specialize, it's in their interest to dehumanize the people their specialized function operates upon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/the-instant-people-specialize-it-s-in-their-interest-to-dehumanize/) [William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/) > [ It \[culture\] invites people to diminish themselves, and dehumanize themselves by behaving like machines, meme processors of memes passed down from Madison Avenue, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/it-culture-invites-people-to-diminish-themselves-and-dehumanize/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [It's interesting to see the more femme that you present yourself, the more people sort of dehumanize you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tranter/it-s-interesting-to-see-the-more-femme-that-you-present-yourself-the/) [Justin Tranter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tranter/) > [Segregation is evil; there is no pattern of life which can dehumanize men as can the way of segregation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-smith/segregation-is-evil-there-is-no-pattern-of-life-which-can-dehumanize/) [Lillian Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-smith/) > [We cannot expect to move forward or win anyone over to our side if we dehumanize the people we speak to. Productivity requires civility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-johnson/we-cannot-expect-to-move-forward-or-win-anyone-over-to-our-side-if-we/) [Mike Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-johnson/) > [When we deny the EVIL within ourselves, we dehumanize ourselves, and we deprive ourselves not only of our own destiny but of any possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/when-we-deny-the-evil-within-ourselves-we-dehumanize-ourselves-and-we/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [I look at is as one single entity. I dehumanize the audience. This way, I don't get nervous, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-hickey/i-look-at-is-as-one-single-entity-i-dehumanize-the-audience-this-way/) [Kenny Hickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-hickey/) > [“But on Kwajalein, the guards sought to deprive them of something that had sustained them even as all else had been lost: dignity. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/but-on-kwajalein-the-guards-sought-to-deprive-them-of-something-that/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“There are two ways to dehumanize; the first is to strip people of all virtue; the second is to cleanse them of all sin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/there-are-two-ways-to-dehumanize-the-first-is-to-strip-people-of-all/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [When you objectify a person living with dementia, you dehumanize them. Once dehumanized, the person becomes a villain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-demarco/when-you-objectify-a-person-living-with-dementia-you-dehumanize-them/) [Bob DeMarco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-demarco/) > [If we treat another person as essentially bad, we dehumanize him or her. If we take the view that every human being has some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/if-we-treat-another-person-as-essentially-bad-we-dehumanize-him-or/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) ## More by Terry Castle > [“...the very greatest satire, I came to think -- the kind that lives forever -- ultimately grew out of a debunking attitude toward the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-castle/the-very-greatest-satire-i-came-to-think-the-kind-that-lives-forever/) [Terry Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-castle/) > [“True or False? The delusion that doing well in school will win me love has disfigured my life. Discuss in 5-7 pages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-castle/true-or-false-the-delusion-that-doing-well-in-school-will-win-me-love/) [Terry Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-castle/) > [“It would be putting it mildly to say that the lesbian represents a threat to patriarchal protocol: Western civilization has for centuries been haunted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-castle/it-would-be-putting-it-mildly-to-say-that-the-lesbian-represents-a/) [Terry Castle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-castle/) [Explore all 4 Terry Castle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-castle/) ## More Dehumanize quotes > [“Any time we feel ourselves moved to outrage by the behavior of people we think of as them, have we, accidentally or deliberately, allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/any-time-we-feel-ourselves-moved-to-outrage-by-the-behavior-of-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you objectify a person living with dementia, you dehumanize them. Once dehumanized, the person becomes a villain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-demarco/when-you-objectify-a-person-living-with-dementia-you-dehumanize-them/) [Bob DeMarco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-demarco/) > [“There are two ways to dehumanize; the first is to strip people of all virtue; the second is to cleanse them of all sin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/there-are-two-ways-to-dehumanize-the-first-is-to-strip-people-of-all/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [“But on Kwajalein, the guards sought to deprive them of something that had sustained them even as all else had been lost: dignity. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/but-on-kwajalein-the-guards-sought-to-deprive-them-of-something-that/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [I look at is as one single entity. I dehumanize the audience. This way, I don't get nervous, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-hickey/i-look-at-is-as-one-single-entity-i-dehumanize-the-audience-this-way/) [Kenny Hickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-hickey/) > [When we deny the EVIL within ourselves, we dehumanize ourselves, and we deprive ourselves not only of our own destiny but of any possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/when-we-deny-the-evil-within-ourselves-we-dehumanize-ourselves-and-we/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [We cannot expect to move forward or win anyone over to our side if we dehumanize the people we speak to. Productivity requires civility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-johnson/we-cannot-expect-to-move-forward-or-win-anyone-over-to-our-side-if-we/) [Mike Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-johnson/) > [Segregation is evil; there is no pattern of life which can dehumanize men as can the way of segregation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-smith/segregation-is-evil-there-is-no-pattern-of-life-which-can-dehumanize/) [Lillian Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-smith/) > [It's interesting to see the more femme that you present yourself, the more people sort of dehumanize you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tranter/it-s-interesting-to-see-the-more-femme-that-you-present-yourself-the/) [Justin Tranter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tranter/) > [ It \[culture\] invites people to diminish themselves, and dehumanize themselves by behaving like machines, meme processors of memes passed down from Madison Avenue, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/it-culture-invites-people-to-diminish-themselves-and-dehumanize/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The instant people specialize, it's in their interest to dehumanize the people their specialized function operates upon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/the-instant-people-specialize-it-s-in-their-interest-to-dehumanize/) [William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/) > [When you dehumanize a group, there's lasting consequences because they know that they're being dehumanized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/when-you-dehumanize-a-group-there-s-lasting-consequences-because-they/) [James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/) > [Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coretta-scott-king/homophobia-is-like-racism-and-anti-semitism-and-other-forms-of-2/) [Coretta Scott King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coretta-scott-king/) > [There is a tendency to dehumanize kids that commit crimes. The system is focused on punishment, not on rehabilitation. These kids are the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/there-is-a-tendency-to-dehumanize-kids-that-commit-crimes-the-system/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [If we treat another person as essentially bad, we dehumanize him or her. If we take the view that every human being has some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/if-we-treat-another-person-as-essentially-bad-we-dehumanize-him-or/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) [Browse all 38 Dehumanize quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dehumanize/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The obsessions of others embarrass and repel because they seem to dehumanize, to make the obsessed one robotic and alien and unavailable.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Castle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-castle/the-obsessions-of-others-embarrass-and-repel-because-they-seem-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dehumanize" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-castle/the-obsessions-of-others-embarrass-and-repel-because-they-seem-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/terry-castle-70037_quote_the-obsessions-of-others-embarrass-and-r_912156.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/terry-castle-70037_quote_the-obsessions-of-others-embarrass-and-r_912156.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/terry-castle-70037_quote_the-obsessions-of-others-embarrass-and-r_912156.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The obsessions of others embarrass and repel because they seem to dehumanize, to make the obsessed one…” — Terry Castle", "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": "Terry Castle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-castle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The obsessions of others embarrass and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-castle/the-obsessions-of-others-embarrass-and-repel-because-they-seem-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-castle/the-obsessions-of-others-embarrass-and-repel-because-they-seem-to/#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 } } ] } ```