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About this quote

What does it mean?
Acknowledging suppressed emotions could have triggered a breakdown or suppression.
In plain terms
If I admitted my anger, my training would have made me shut down or go mad.
What can you take from it?
Emotional suppression can be a survival mechanism.

Where it applies

  • trauma
  • strict upbringing
  • high stress

Putting it to work

  • process feelings
  • seek help
  • recognize patterns

Questions to consider

  • What emotions do you suppress?
  • Why do we hide feelings?

Another view

Suppression often has long-term negative effects.

More from Orson Scott Card

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  2. They gave me powers of thought and memory far beyond anything natural evolution would have given me, but that doesn't give them the right to decide the meaning…

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  3. This is a really terrible dream, and I really ought to wake up and end it. And so I did

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