"Very few beings really seek knowledge in this world. Mortal or immortal, few really ASK. On the contrary, they try to wring from the unknown the answers they have already shaped in their own minds"

Anne Rice's quote delves into the human and, by her addition, supernatural tendency to approach knowledge not as an open-ended mission for understanding, however rather as a way to verify pre-existing beliefs or presumptions. Through this lens, Rice paints an image of the intellectual and existential complacency that defines much of human inquiry.

The expression "really couple of beings truly seek knowledge" suggests that genuine interest and openness to new details are uncommon. In modern-day contexts, this could be analyzed as a review of how individuals frequently gravitate towards info that lines up with their ideologies, a phenomenon observed in echo chambers or confirmation bias. It is not understanding itself that is elusive, however rather the willingness to genuinely pursue it without presumptions.

Rice contrasts "ASK" with the act of trying to "wring from the unidentified the responses they have actually currently formed in their own minds". Here, "ASK" represents a pure, untainted inquiry-- an open dialogue with the unidentified where answers are not predetermined. On the other hand, to "wring" implies forcefulness and adjustment, emphasizing a procedure where outcomes are determined by existing beliefs. This obsession to confirm what one currently believes suppresses true discovery and understanding.

The addition of both "mortal or never-ceasing" broadens the critique from a strictly human defect to a more comprehensive existential condition, suggesting that even beings with probably higher knowledge or viewpoint fall into this trap. It highlights a universal resist intellectual stagnancy or the fear of finding facts that might interfere with recognized worldviews.

Eventually, the quote encourages introspection about our approach to learning and discovery. It suggests that breaking free from this intellectual confinement requires guts and humility-- a desire to welcome unpredictability and the complex, frequently unpleasant truths it may unveil. Rice's words serve as a suggestion that genuine knowledge is not about having all the responses, however about constantly seeking them with an open heart and mind.