Instincts Quotes

“The following proposition seems to me in a high degree probable—namely, that any animal whatever, endowed with well-marked social instincts, the parental and filial affections being here included, would inevitably acquire a moral sense or conscience, as soon as its intellectual powers had become as well, or nearly as well developed, as in man. For, firstly, the social instincts lead an animal to take pleasure in the society of its fellows, to feel a certain amount of sympathy with them, and to perform various services for them.”
― Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man

“One thing we should not forget: if we don’t guard against those trying to sell justifications for letting the gory constructions of their criminal instincts run wild and concoct pretexts for their malicious acts, we might miss out on the moments they are stealing the appropriate junctures, impersonate a god and usurp the spirit of religious beliefs. (“No longer in the middle?”)”
― Erik Pevernagie

“I can honestly say that I have never gone into any business purely to make money. If that is the sole motive then I believe you are better off not doing it. A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.”
― Richard Branson, Losing My Virginity: How I've Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way

“Man has no automatic code of survival. His particular distinction from all other living species is the necessity to act in the face of alternatives by means of volitional choice. He has no automatic knowledge of what is good for him or evil, what values his life depends on, what course of action it requires. Are you prattling about an instinct of self-preservation? An instinct of self-preservation is precisely what man does not possess. An 'instinct' in as unerring and automatic form of knowledge. A desire is not an instinct. A desire to live does not give you the knowledge required for living. And even man's desire to live is not automatic: your secret evil today is that that is the desire you do not hold. Your fear of death is not a love of life and will not give you the knowledge needed to keep it. Man must obtain his knowledge and choose his actions by a process of thinking, which nature will not force him to perform. Man has the power to act as his own destroyer--and that is the way he has acted through most of history.”
― Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

“Art, as I see it, is any human activity which doesn’t grow out of either of our species’ two basic instincts: survival and reproduction.”
― Scott McCloud, Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

“[On Schopenhauer in Black and White] Schopenhauer's views of love are flawed. Love can't be merely an illusion of the mind to aid in procreation, but the path to redemption for an otherwise violently selfish species. Past human greatness has proven that when challenged, love can overpower impulsive instinct, and in essence, the vilest aspects of our nature.”
― Tiffany Madison

“Freed from the thoughts of winning, I instantly play better. I stop thinking, start feeling. My shots become a half-second quicker, my decisions become the product of instinct rather than logic.”
― Andre Agassi

“The Moral Law isn't any one instinct or any set of instincts: it is something which makes a kind of tune (the tune we call goodness or right conduct) by directing the instincts. (...) The most dangerous thing you can do is to take any one impulse of your own nature and set it up as the thing you ought to follow at all costs. There's not one of them which won't make us into devils if we set it up as an absolute guide. You might think love of humanity in general was safe, but it isn't. If you leave out justice you'll find yourself breaking agreements and faking evidence in trials 'for the sake of humanity,' and become in the end a cruel and treacherous man.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Case for Christianity

“Except Allyson doesn't know about Saba (yet) or about kishkes (officially speaking, though she knows what they are and how to listen to them and she will never ever stop doing this). And she doesn't have the words to tell Willem what she needs to tell him.
So she doesn't use words. She licks her thumb and rubs it against he wrist.
Stained.
Willem grabs her wrist, rubs his own thumb against it. Does the same to his own wrist, just to make it clear.
Stained.”
― Gayle Forman, Just One Night

“I would advise a stupid woman always to follow her hsuband - however, a smart woman should rely on her own instincts.”
― Peter Prange, The Philosopher's Kiss

“In the name of being social, we learn to ignore our natural instinct.
Society keeps dictating do's and don'ts which we keep obeying day in and day out.”
― Chitralekha Paul, Delayed Monsoon

“Every characteristic absence of spirituality, every piece of common vulgarity, is due to an inability to resist a stimulus - you have to react, you follow every impulse.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche, The Anti-Christ, Ecce Homo, Twilight of the Idols, and Other Writings

“It does no good to run. And it does no good to hide. But I know what it's like. Your brain shuts down, and you follow your instincts. Or, at least, you think you do. But you know what you're really doing? When you flee through the night, or crawl into your little bolt-hole? You know what's really guiding you? Controlling you? Pushing you on? Genre conventions.”
― Mike Carey & Peter Gross, The Unwritten, Vol. 1: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity

“See, I was never a guy who had a whole heap of friends to belong to. Besides Greg Fienni, I never really had friends. I kind of stayed on my own. I hated it, but I was proud of it too. Cameron Wolfe needed no one. He didn't need to be amongst a pack. Not all of us roam like that. No, all he needed was his instincts. All he needed was himself.”
― Markus Zusak, Underdog

“Satisfying a savage instinct is incomparably more pleasurable than satisfying a civilized one.”
― Jed Rubenfeld, The Interpretation of Murder

“It's hard to learn to listen to your instincts. It's easier for some who have a natural ability to follow that little voice inside, but for others it takes practice.”
― Judith Victoria Douglas, Ariel's Cottage

“Good instincts usually tell you what to do long before your head has figured it out.”
― Michael Burke

“Don’t believe negative voices. Listen to the divine-instinct of awaken soul.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita, Think Great: Be Great!

“The first source of advice you should listen to is your instinct. ”
― Mitta Xinindlu

“It was like he was a caveman grunting, "You woman. Me man. Let’s make babies together.”
― Missy Lyons, Alien Promise

“Моята консерватория е улицата. А разумът ми - инстинктът.”
― Edit Piaf

“Not everyone is attuned to their instincts. Some choose to ignore them, while some ignore them because of trauma.”
― Mitta Xinindlu

“There are certain factors that can easily distort your basic instincts . Such as your health status, the people around you, or your mood swings. Therefore, be mindful of your situation before taking decisions based off on your instincts alone.”
― Mitta Xinindlu

“The topic of instincts is tough to dissect. But one can gain an understanding by observing the behaviour of animals.”
― Mitta Xinindlu

“Your instincts are your gift of survival from your Creator.”
― Mitta Xinindlu

“There are beautiful doors to which your curiosity could lead you. Use your instincts when choosing which one to open.”
― Mitta Xinindlu

“Never trust appearances, promises without actions, and unchecked assumptions.
Always trust your instincts, earned credibility, and genuine connections with others.”
― Monika Ajay Kaul

“Amelia, in other words, was not following me because she loved me; she followed me because some dumb drive urged her to do so, the drive itself as wild as wings or water.”
― Lauren Slater

“Sometimes, the line between right and wrong is blurred, and all we can do is follow our instincts.”
― Sharyn McCrumb, The Ballad of Frankie Silver

“Instincts were everything.
Not emotions, mind you, he'd say. But instincts. If a man smiles and it makes you want to run, then by all means... run as fast and as far as your legs will take you.”
― Maggie Dallen, Miss Sally's Unsuitable Soldier