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Affection Quote by Yamamoto Tsunetomo

“In China there was once a man who liked pictures of dragons, and his clothing and furnishings were all designed accordingly. His deep affection for dragons was brought to the attention of the dragon god, and onde day a real dragon appeared before his window. It is said that he died of fright. He…” quote by Yamamoto Tsunetomo
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“In China there was once a man who liked pictures of dragons, and his clothing and furnishings were all designed accordingly. His deep affection for dragons was brought to the attention of the dragon god, and onde day a real dragon appeared before his window. It is said that he died of fright. He was probably a man who always spoke big words but acted differently when facing the real thing.”

Yamamoto Tsunetomo

About This Quote

Source Fable: Traditional Chinese tale, unknown source

A man’s obsession with dragons leads to his downfall when confronted with a real one, highlighting the gap between talk and action.

In simple terms: Obsessed with dragons, he feared the real thing and died.

Key Takeaway

Beware letting fantasies dictate actions.

Themes

pride illusion hubris

Mood

anxious reflective

Type

cautionary parabolic

When to use this quote

  • personal ambition
  • risk assessment
  • leadership decisions

Key Concepts

mythology selfdelusion cognitive dissonance

Questions to Reflect On

  • Do you ever act differently when faced with reality versus imagination?
  • How can you align words with deeds?
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