When we say look about you we infer to look for those things that may impede progress. That which impedes progress are known by the effects they wield on the being.
Inasmuch as we would say all beings respond similarly this is not the case for all have specific makeup characteristics that infuse different things into the being, as it were, known for the fact that these obstacles are endured by the being itself and seen through the eyes of misanthropy where one sees one thing and one sees another.
When taking apart that which binds something together it is important to consider what method was used to incorporate the bond in the first place. So we say, when looking for excuses as to why one cannot escape the bonds of self denial, one only has to look at the bonds themselves which will tell the story outright.