All our misery comes from wanting at all costs to go on…
““All our misery comes from wanting at all costs to go on being Tom, Dick, or Harry, year in, year out. This body of ours, this disguise put on my common jumping molecules, is in constant revolt against the abominable farce of having to endure. Our molecules, the dears, want to get lost in the universe as fast as they can! It makes them miserable to be nothing but "us," the jerks of infinity. We'd burst if we had the courage, day after day we come very close to it. The atomic torture we love so is locked up inside us by our pride.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage laments the human tendency to cling to identity and ego, causing existential suffering, while yearning for dissolution into the cosmos.
In simple terms: Clinging to self‑identity creates misery.
Key Takeaway
Ego binds us to pain.
Themes
existentialism
identity
nihilism
cosmic longing
human suffering
Mood
melancholic
reflective
despairing
Type
philosophical
literary
existential
When to use this quote
- contemplating personal purpose
- feeling trapped by social roles
- seeking transcendence
- experiencing existential crisis
Key Concepts
self‑identity
ego
existential dread
desire for dissolution
Practical Applications
- philosophical essays
- creative writing exploring alienation
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspects of identity feel most restrictive?
- How might letting go of ego alter one's experience of suffering?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that embracing identity can provide meaning and direction, countering the notion that it solely causes misery.