It is in books, poems, paintings which often give us the confidence to take seriously feelings in ourselves that we might otherwise never have thought to acknowledge.
Alain De BottonRead
We depend on our surroundings obliquely to embody the moods and ideas we respect and then to remind us of them. We look to our buildings to hold us, like a kind of psychological mould, to a helpful vision of ourselves. We arrange around us material forms which communicate to us what we need — but are at constant risk of forgetting what we need — within. We turn to wallpaper, benches, paintings and streets to staunch the disappearance of our true selves.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes how our environment influences our emotions and self-perception, reminding us of our ideals.
Alain De Botton's quote expresses the idea that the physical spaces we inhabit—through architecture, design, and art—serve as reflections and reminders of our inner values and aspirations. Our surroundings are like a psychological framework that can either support or distract us from realizing our true selves. Importantly, while these external forms can aid in our self-discovery, there is a constant risk of losing sight of our intrinsic needs and identities amidst the external influences.
Themes
SurroundingsMoodsIdeasPsychologicalIdentity
In practice
Example use cases
During a presentation on mental health, you could use this quote to emphasize the importance of surrounding oneself with positive influences.
More from Alain De Botton
All quotes →Taking architecture seriously therefore makes some singular and strenuous demands upon us...It means conceding that we are inconveniently vulnerable to the colour of our wallpaper and that our sense of purpose may be derailed by an unfortunate bedspread
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The more closely we analyze what we consider 'sexy,' the more clearly we will understand that eroticism is the feeling of excitement we experience at finding another human being who shares our values and our sense of the meaning of existence.
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Good books put a finger on emotions that are deeply our own - but that we could never have described on our own.
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It is the most ambitious and driven among us who are the most sorely in need of having our reckless hopes dampened through immersive dousings in the darkness which religions have explored. This is a particular priority for secular Americans, perhaps the most anxious and disappointed people on earth, for their nation infuses them with the most extreme hopes about what they may be able to achieve in their working lives and relationships.
Alain De BottonRead
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