--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a great deal to fight while…" description: "\"“It is a great deal to fight while despising war, to accept losing everything while still preferring happiness, to face destruction while cherishing th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/410/albert-camus-47_albert-camus_it-is-a-great-deal-to-fight-while-despis_1011651.jpg" --- # It is a great deal to fight while despising war, to accept… ![“It is a great deal to fight while despising war, to accept losing everything while still preferring happiness, to face destruction while cherishing the idea of a higher civilization.” quote by Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/410/albert-camus-47_albert-camus_it-is-a-great-deal-to-fight-while-despis_1011651.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/410/albert-camus-47_albert-camus_it-is-a-great-deal-to-fight-while-despis_1011651.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/410/albert-camus-47_albert-camus_it-is-a-great-deal-to-fight-while-despis_1011651.jpg) > ““It is a great deal to fight while despising war, to accept losing everything while still preferring happiness, to face destruction while cherishing the idea of a higher civilization.”” [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects the paradox of valuing peace while being compelled to fight, and seeking happiness amid loss and destruction, yearning for a higher civilization. **In simple terms:** War and peace conflict, seeking meaning amid destruction; Key Takeaway Embrace peace, reject war, pursue higher ideals. Themes war peace meaning civilization paradox Mood conflicted reflective Type philosophical existential When to use this quote - political activism - personal growth - philosophical reflection Key Concepts Existentialism absurdism humanism Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile personal peace with societal conflict? - What higher purpose guides your actions? A Different Perspective The desire for higher ideals may clash with harsh realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Albert-camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/albert-camus-2/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Letters-to-a-german-friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letters-to-a-german-friend/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The powerful have invoked God at their side in this war, so that we will accept their power and our weakness as something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subcomandante-marcos/the-powerful-have-invoked-god-at-their-side-in-this-war-so-that-we/) [Subcomandante Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subcomandante-marcos/) > [“Having been, not only mutilated in our country, wounded in our very flesh, but also divested of our most beautiful images, for you gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/having-been-not-only-mutilated-in-our-country-wounded-in-our-very/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“You never believed in the meaning of this world, and you therefore deduced the idea that everything was equivalent and that good and evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-never-believed-in-the-meaning-of-this-world-and-you-therefore/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“This land on which so many centuries have left their mark is merely an obligatory retreat for you, whereas it has always been our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/this-land-on-which-so-many-centuries-have-left-their-mark-is-merely/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“A city deprived of everything, devoid of light and devoid of heat, starved, and still not crushed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/a-city-deprived-of-everything-devoid-of-light-and-devoid-of-heat/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“In raining bullets on those silent faces, already turned away from this world, you think you are disfiguring the face of our truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/in-raining-bullets-on-those-silent-faces-already-turned-away-from/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“For all those landscapes, those flowers and those plowed fields, the oldest of lands, show you every spring that there are things you cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/for-all-those-landscapes-those-flowers-and-those-plowed-fields-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Yes, their reasons are overwhelming. They are as big as hope and as deep as revolt. They are the reasons of the future for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/yes-their-reasons-are-overwhelming-they-are-as-big-as-hope-and-as/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Words always take on the color of the deeds or sacrifices they evoke.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/words-always-take-on-the-color-of-the-deeds-or-sacrifices-they-evoke/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“For their heroism was that they had to conquer themselves first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/for-their-heroism-was-that-they-had-to-conquer-themselves-first/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“The hopeless hope is what sustains us in difficult moments; our comrades will be more patient than the executioners and more numerous than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-hopeless-hope-is-what-sustains-us-in-difficult-moments-our/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“We are fighting for the distinction between sacrifice and mysticism, between energy and violence, between strength and cruelty, for that even finer distinction between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/we-are-fighting-for-the-distinction-between-sacrifice-and-mysticism/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“And for five years it was no longer possible to enjoy the call of birds in the cool of the evening. We were forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/and-for-five-years-it-was-no-longer-possible-to-enjoy-the-call-of/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“You were satisfied to serve the power of your nation and we dreamed of giving ours her truth. It was enough for you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-were-satisfied-to-serve-the-power-of-your-nation-and-we-dreamed/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“I cannot believe that everything must be subordinated to a single end. There are means which cannot be excused.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-cannot-believe-that-everything-must-be-subordinated-to-a-single-end/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## More by Albert Camus > [“The whole town rushed outside to celebrate this crowded minute when the time of suffering had ended and the time of forgetting had not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-whole-town-rushed-outside-to-celebrate-this-crowded-minute-when/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Generally, I like all islands. There, it is easier to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/generally-i-like-all-islands-there-it-is-easier-to-rule/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Being is good, but getting rich is better… If the gods had only the riches of men's adoration, they would be as poor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/being-is-good-but-getting-rich-is-better-if-the-gods-had-only-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The more I produce, the less I am certain. On the road along which the artist walks, night falls ever more densely. Finally, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-more-i-produce-the-less-i-am-certain-on-the-road-along-which-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Having been, not only mutilated in our country, wounded in our very flesh, but also divested of our most beautiful images, for you gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/having-been-not-only-mutilated-in-our-country-wounded-in-our-very/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I've seen of enough of people who die for an idea. I don't believe in heroism; I know it's easy and I've learned it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-ve-seen-of-enough-of-people-who-die-for-an-idea-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The best are led to make greater demands upon themselves. As for those who succumb, they did not deserve to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-best-are-led-to-make-greater-demands-upon-themselves-as-for-those/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Then he asked me if I wasn’t interested in a change of life. I said that people never change their lives, that in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/then-he-asked-me-if-i-wasn-t-interested-in-a-change-of-life-i-said/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Life is meaningless, but worth living, provided you recognize it's meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/life-is-meaningless-but-worth-living-provided-you-recognize-it-s/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Thinking of the future, establishing aims for oneself, having preferences-all this presupposes a belief in freedom, even if one occasionally ascertains that one doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/thinking-of-the-future-establishing-aims-for-oneself-having/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I explained to him, however, that my nature was such that my physical needs often got in the way of my feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-explained-to-him-however-that-my-nature-was-such-that-my-physical/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-only-way-to-deal-with-an-unfree-world-is-to-become-so-absolutely/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“We love people not because for good they did for us, but for good we did for them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/we-love-people-not-because-for-good-they-did-for-us-but-for-good-we/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [You have so much inside you, and the noblest happiness of all. Don’t just wait for a man to come along. That’s the mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-have-so-much-inside-you-and-the-noblest-happiness-of-all-don-t/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The desire for possession is insatiable, to such a point that it can survive even love itself. To love, therefore, is to sterilize the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-desire-for-possession-is-insatiable-to-such-a-point-that-it-can/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) [Explore all 1,600 Albert Camus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## More Albert-camus quotes > [“Having been, not only mutilated in our country, wounded in our very flesh, but also divested of our most beautiful images, for you gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/having-been-not-only-mutilated-in-our-country-wounded-in-our-very/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“You were satisfied to serve the power of your nation and we dreamed of giving ours her truth. It was enough for you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-were-satisfied-to-serve-the-power-of-your-nation-and-we-dreamed/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“It's only artists who know how to use their eyes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-albert-camus/it-s-only-artists-who-know-how-to-use-their-eyes/) Grant Albert Camus > [“I was at ease in everything, to be sure, but at the same time satisfied with nothing. Each joy made me desire another. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-was-at-ease-in-everything-to-be-sure-but-at-the-same-time-satisfied/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“The people are under arms tonight because they hope for justice for tomorrow, Some go about saying that it is not worthwhile…But this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-people-are-under-arms-tonight-because-they-hope-for-justice-for/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“And for five years it was no longer possible to enjoy the call of birds in the cool of the evening. We were forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/and-for-five-years-it-was-no-longer-possible-to-enjoy-the-call-of/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Mother used to say that however miserable one is, there’s always something to be thankful for. And each morning, when the sky brightened and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/mother-used-to-say-that-however-miserable-one-is-there-s-always/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Despite men's suffering, despite the blood and wrath, despite the dead who can never be replaced, the unjust wounds, and the wild bullets, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/despite-men-s-suffering-despite-the-blood-and-wrath-despite-the-dead/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“We are fighting for the distinction between sacrifice and mysticism, between energy and violence, between strength and cruelty, for that even finer distinction between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/we-are-fighting-for-the-distinction-between-sacrifice-and-mysticism/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“The hopeless hope is what sustains us in difficult moments; our comrades will be more patient than the executioners and more numerous than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-hopeless-hope-is-what-sustains-us-in-difficult-moments-our/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“For their heroism was that they had to conquer themselves first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/for-their-heroism-was-that-they-had-to-conquer-themselves-first/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“The loves we share with a city are often secret loves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-loves-we-share-with-a-city-are-often-secret-loves/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“They were silent, humiliated by this return of the defeated, furious at their own silence, but the more it was prolonged the less capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/they-were-silent-humiliated-by-this-return-of-the-defeated-furious-at/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Words always take on the color of the deeds or sacrifices they evoke.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/words-always-take-on-the-color-of-the-deeds-or-sacrifices-they-evoke/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Yes, their reasons are overwhelming. They are as big as hope and as deep as revolt. They are the reasons of the future for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/yes-their-reasons-are-overwhelming-they-are-as-big-as-hope-and-as/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) [Browse all 35 Albert-camus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/albert-camus-2/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is a great deal to fight while despising war, to accept losing everything while still preferring happiness, to face destruction while cherishing the idea of a higher civilization.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Albert Camus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/it-is-a-great-deal-to-fight-while-despising-war-to-accept-losing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Albert-camus" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/it-is-a-great-deal-to-fight-while-despising-war-to-accept-losing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/410/albert-camus-47_albert-camus_it-is-a-great-deal-to-fight-while-despis_1011651.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/410/albert-camus-47_albert-camus_it-is-a-great-deal-to-fight-while-despis_1011651.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/410/albert-camus-47_albert-camus_it-is-a-great-deal-to-fight-while-despis_1011651.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is a great deal to fight while despising war, to accept losing everything while still preferring…” — Albert Camus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Albert Camus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is a great deal to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/it-is-a-great-deal-to-fight-while-despising-war-to-accept-losing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/it-is-a-great-deal-to-fight-while-despising-war-to-accept-losing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```