Insularity: speaks only to insiders or fans, alienating broader audiences.

For example, a critic might say:

“The film collapses under its own self-referential weight, obsessed with referencing itself rather than telling a compelling story.”

God forbid that we Christians devolve into this kind of self-referential vanity. For all his problems, Pope Francis was correct in showing how Christians should get out of their cliques where these exist, and penetrate the entire culture, witnessing for Jesus everywhere, doing the best we can, and not disfiguring this witness by turning the faith into self-referential intellectualism. –sh

Reading the Holy Scriptures Thomas a Kempis, 15th century

Truth is to be sought for in Holy Scripture,
not eloquence.

All Holy Scripture ought to be read with that
spirit with which it was made. We must rather seek for profit in the Scriptures than for subtlety of speech.

We ought as willingly to read devout and
simple books as those that are high and pro-
found.

Let not the authority of the writer offend thee,
whether he was of little or of great learning, but
let the love of pure truth lead thee to read.
Inquire not who said this, but attend to what
is said.

2. Men pass away, “but the truth of the Lord
remaineth forever”-PS. CXVI. 2.

God speaks in many ways to us, without
respect of persons. Our curiosity often hinders us in reading the Scriptures when we attempt to understand and discuss that which should be simply passed over.

If thou wilt receive profit read with humility
simplicity, and faith; and seek not at any time
the fame of being learned.

Willingly inquire after, and hear with silence
the parables of the ancients, for they are not
the words of the saints; and be pleased with
spoken without cause.-ECCLUS. XXX. 9. — The Imitation of Christ – bk.1. ch.5

Updated