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Great Benefactor! How absurd- to want pain! Can there be…

“Great Benefactor! How absurd- to want pain! Can there be anyone who doesn't know that pain is a negative quality, and that if you add them up it reduces the sum we call happiness? so it follows... But...nothing follows. The slate is clean. Naked.” quote by Yevgeny Zamyatin
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““Great Benefactor! How absurd- to want pain! Can there be anyone who doesn't know that pain is a negative quality, and that if you add them up it reduces the sum we call happiness? so it follows... But...nothing follows. The slate is clean. Naked.””

Yevgeny Zamyatin

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker argues that pain is a negative element that reduces happiness, yet acknowledges that eliminating pain leaves emptiness.

In simple terms: Pain reduces happiness; its removal leaves void.

Key Takeaway

Consider the role of pain.

Themes

philosophy psychology existence

Mood

thoughtful melancholic

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

  • mental health
  • ethical decisions
  • creative expression

Key Concepts

happiness pain meaning

Questions to Reflect On

  • Is a life without pain truly fulfilling?
  • How does suffering shape purpose?
A Different Perspective

Pain can be necessary for growth.

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