--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It almost seemed as if there must be some…" description: "\"It almost seemed as if there must be some random and of course unfair thrift in the emotional housekeeping of the world, if the great happiness--howeve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52e/alice-munro-1231_emotional_it-almost-seemed-as-if-there-must-be-som_1570156.jpg" --- # It almost seemed as if there must be some random and of… ![“It almost seemed as if there must be some random and of course unfair thrift in the emotional housekeeping of the world, if the great happiness--however temporary, however flimsy--of one person could come out of the great unhappiness of another.” quote by Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52e/alice-munro-1231_emotional_it-almost-seemed-as-if-there-must-be-som_1570156.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52e/alice-munro-1231_emotional_it-almost-seemed-as-if-there-must-be-som_1570156.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52e/alice-munro-1231_emotional_it-almost-seemed-as-if-there-must-be-som_1570156.jpg) > “It almost seemed as if there must be some random and of course unfair thrift in the emotional housekeeping of the world, if the great happiness--however temporary, however flimsy--of one person could come out of the great unhappiness of another.” [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s joy can arise from others’ misfortune, suggesting a paradoxical fairness in emotional exchange. **In simple terms:** Happiness may come from another’s unhappiness. Key Takeaway Seek balance, not exploitation. Themes justice empathy paradox human condition Mood thoughtful philosophical Type literary reflective When to use this quote - charity work - counseling - conflict mediation - personal growth Key Concepts philosophy ethics psychology Questions to Reflect On - Is it ethical to benefit from others’ pain? - How do we reconcile joy with suffering? A Different Perspective Moral comfort can be troubling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Emotional Housekeeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional-housekeeping-394471/) [Great Unhappiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-unhappiness-4110571/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Temporary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-temporary-1366036/) [Housekeeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/housekeeping/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) [Temporary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temporary/) [Thrift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrift/) [Thrift Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrift-emotional-5908545/) [Unfair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfair/) [Unhappiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappiness/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Real optimism is not the pep talk you give yourself. 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While sadness occupies the remaining part!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashutosh-cheulkar/happiness-is-a-temporary-state-in-one-s-life-while-sadness-occupies/) [Ashutosh Cheulkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashutosh-cheulkar/) > [Happiness is temporary, pain is eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m/happiness-is-temporary-pain-is-eternal/) [M](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m/) > [“Everything is temporary. Happiness is temporary, sadness is temporary. Change is temporary, constant is temporary. Time is temporary, speed is temporary. Permanence is temporary;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/everything-is-temporary-happiness-is-temporary-sadness-is-temporary/) [Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/) > [Happiness is TEMPORARY, but if you find happiness with God it's FOREVER.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-marcellin/happiness-is-temporary-but-if-you-find-happiness-with-god-it-s-forever/) [Samuel Marcellin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-marcellin/) > [The saddest people I've ever met in life are the ones who don't care deeply about anything at all. Passion and satisfaction go hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-saddest-people-i-ve-ever-met-in-life-are-the-ones-who-don-t-care-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Alice Munro > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“Not very long ago I was driving with my husband on the back roads of Grey County, which is to the north and east…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/not-very-long-ago-i-was-driving-with-my-husband-on-the-back-roads-of/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“Her silent singing wrapped around the story she was telling herself, which she extended further every night on the deck. (Averill often told herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/her-silent-singing-wrapped-around-the-story-she-was-telling-herself/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“Something happened here. 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You put it away for a little while, and now and again you look in the closet for something else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/this-is-what-happens-you-put-it-away-for-a-little-while-and-now-and/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [She sits in her usual ample armchair, with piles of books and unopened magazines around her. She sips cautiously from the mug of weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/she-sits-in-her-usual-ample-armchair-with-piles-of-books-and-unopened/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [The images, the language, of pornography, and romance are alike; monotonous and mechanically seductive, quickly leading to despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/the-images-the-language-of-pornography-and-romance-are-alike/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I was a grade B housewife, maybe a B minus. But when I got time to write, I would be unable to finish a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/i-was-a-grade-b-housewife-maybe-a-b-minus-but-when-i-got-time-to/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [She would live now, not read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/she-would-live-now-not-read/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“You would think as you get older your mind would fill up with what they call the spiritual side of things, but mine just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/you-would-think-as-you-get-older-your-mind-would-fill-up-with-what/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [Peoples lives, in Jubilee as elsewhere, were dull, simple, amazing, unfathomable-deep caves paved with kitchen linoleum. . . . What I wanted \[to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/peoples-lives-in-jubilee-as-elsewhere-were-dull-simple-amazing/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) [Explore all 261 Alice Munro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) ## More Emotional quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. 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Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [I am emotional, but that's not a negative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franck-ribery/i-am-emotional-but-that-s-not-a-negative/) [Franck Ribery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franck-ribery/) > [I don't get emotional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/i-don-t-get-emotional/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [Nothing is more private than a woman's body; it is her physical, emotional, and moral citadel. She cannot be free at all if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/nothing-is-more-private-than-a-woman-s-body-it-is-her-physical/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) > [I'm an emotional eater. If something's worth celebrating, we're going to grab pizza. If it's going bad, girl, pass me the chocolate. Gotta keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurieann-gibson/i-m-an-emotional-eater-if-something-s-worth-celebrating-we-re-going/) [Laurieann Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurieann-gibson/) > [To invest successfully over a lifetime does not require a stratospheric IQ, unusual business insights, or inside information. What's needed is a sound intellectual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/to-invest-successfully-over-a-lifetime-does-not-require-a/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Male relationships are deeply emotional and hard to talk about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-lord/male-relationships-are-deeply-emotional-and-hard-to-talk-about/) [Phil Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-lord/) > [I'm simply saying that our deepest thoughts, desires and preoccupations manifest themselves in art, whether we intend them to or not. That's what art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/i-m-simply-saying-that-our-deepest-thoughts-desires-and/) [Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/) > [First of all the criteria that I have that goes into any career decision is whether or not I have the life experience, emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/first-of-all-the-criteria-that-i-have-that-goes-into-any-career/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [“I like to see an angry Englishman," said Poirot. "They are very amusing. The more emotional they feel the less command they have of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-like-to-see-an-angry-englishman-said-poirot-they-are-very-amusing/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > ['Heirs' became an emotional experience for me. I had a hard time bringing out my emotions in the series. 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