--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a great paradox and a great…" description: "\"“It's a great paradox and a great injustice that writers write because we fear death and want to leave something indestructable in our wake, and at the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d01/ariel-gore-16108_death_it-s-a-great-paradox-and-a-great-injusti_1877871.jpg" --- # It's a great paradox and a great injustice that writers… ![“It's a great paradox and a great injustice that writers write because we fear death and want to leave something indestructable in our wake, and at the same time, are drawn to things that kill: whiskey and cigarette, unprotected sex and deep fried burritos. It's true that you can get away with…” quote by Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d01/ariel-gore-16108_death_it-s-a-great-paradox-and-a-great-injusti_1877871.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d01/ariel-gore-16108_death_it-s-a-great-paradox-and-a-great-injusti_1877871.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d01/ariel-gore-16108_death_it-s-a-great-paradox-and-a-great-injusti_1877871.jpg) > ““It's a great paradox and a great injustice that writers write because we fear death and want to leave something indestructable in our wake, and at the same time, are drawn to things that kill: whiskey and cigarette, unprotected sex and deep fried burritos. It's true that you can get away with drinking and smoking and sunbathing when you're in your teens and twenties, and it's true that rock stars are free to die at twenty-nine, but a lit star needs a long life.”” [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers chase immortality through their work while simultaneously gravitating toward self‑destructive habits that threaten longevity. **In simple terms:** Creative drive collides with self‑destruction. Key Takeaway Balance creative ambition with healthy living. Themes creativity self‑destruction legacy Mood cautionary inspirational Type essay motivational When to use this quote - writing career - health choices - lifestyle design - career planning Key Concepts psychology artistic motivation risk behavior Questions to Reflect On - How can writers protect their health while pursuing lasting work? - What habits support both longevity and artistic vigor? A Different Perspective The paradox may lead to burnout or premature loss of creative voice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-want-1084356/) [Fear Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-death-249352/) [Inspirational attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-attitude/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Kill Whiskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill-whiskey-2633825/) [Long life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-life/) [Rock stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-stars/) [Write Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-fear-657808/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [It is a great paradox and a great injustice that writers write because we fear death and want to leave something indestructible in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/it-is-a-great-paradox-and-a-great-injustice-that-writers-write/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [Not one has shown an iota of fear of death. They want to end this agony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kevorkian/not-one-has-shown-an-iota-of-fear-of-death-they-want-to-end-this-agony/) [Jack Kevorkian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kevorkian/) > [So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-live-your-life-that-the-fear-of-death-can-never-enter-your-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When I stand before myself in death, I want to look at myself only and know I fell in love with every detail I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-riccitello/when-i-stand-before-myself-in-death-i-want-to-look-at-myself-only-and/) [Dominic Riccitello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-riccitello/) > [Death is not something any one of us want to dwell on, but we must all confront it at some point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-giddings/death-is-not-something-any-one-of-us-want-to-dwell-on-but-we-must-all/) [Lara Giddings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-giddings/) > [If I was dead, I wouldn't know I was dead. That's the only thing I have against death. I want to enjoy my death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/if-i-was-dead-i-wouldn-t-know-i-was-dead-that-s-the-only-thing-i-have/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [I am not afraid of death, but would not want to die in some obscure or pointless way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabelle-eberhardt/i-am-not-afraid-of-death-but-would-not-want-to-die-in-some-obscure-or/) [Isabelle Eberhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabelle-eberhardt/) > [The house you live your life in any twenty-four hours after death, you do not want to stop, are so strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-house-you-live-your-life-in-any-twenty-four-hours-after-death-you/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [“You’re right about something else,” he said, his voice ragged. “I’m scared to death of you. Because I want you, when common sense and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-stuart/you-re-right-about-something-else-he-said-his-voice-ragged-i-m-scared/) [Anne Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-stuart/) > [“That someone would mourn her death made her want to live in the fiercest way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-burke-2/that-someone-would-mourn-her-death-made-her-want-to-live-in-the/) [H. L. Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-burke-2/) > [“And where does that minute go, that minute that separates life from death? I want those sixty seconds back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-rodrigues/and-where-does-that-minute-go-that-minute-that-separates-life-from/) [Carmen Rodrigues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-rodrigues/) > [I mean, it is the perfect situation to really love someone to death and to want to rip their clothes off at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-mean-it-is-the-perfect-situation-to-really-love-someone-to-death/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [“You can 'if' yourself to death - if you want - but I'd advise against it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-mcbride/you-can-if-yourself-to-death-if-you-want-but-i-d-advise-against-it/) [Kristina McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-mcbride/) > [If I were to die a slow death, I'd want music to be the cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-were-to-die-a-slow-death-i-d-want-music-to-be-the-cause/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dear God, I dont want a sudden death, I want to die slowly, slowly with pain, beacuse they say In the end this life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/dear-god-i-dont-want-a-sudden-death-i-want-to-die-slowly-slowly-with/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) ## More by Ariel Gore > [“When we strike a balance between the challenge of an activity and our skill at performing it, when the rhythm of the work itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/when-we-strike-a-balance-between-the-challenge-of-an-activity-and-our/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [When you study postpartum depression, there is a very clear understanding that in communities where you see more support, there is less depression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/when-you-study-postpartum-depression-there-is-a-very-clear/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [I don't know if my mother was a narcissist - or bi-polar or borderline. Those were words she tossed around over the years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/i-don-t-know-if-my-mother-was-a-narcissist-or-bi-polar-or-borderline/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [“No one ever does the last thing on their list.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/no-one-ever-does-the-last-thing-on-their-list/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [Conventional wisdom tells us we'll only be happier after a divorce if the marriage itself was a war zone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/conventional-wisdom-tells-us-we-ll-only-be-happier-after-a-divorce-if/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [My own habit had always been to write about the things that ticked me off in a given day. If I kept a journal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/my-own-habit-had-always-been-to-write-about-the-things-that-ticked-me/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [I think there are different kinds of happiness. We know when we're happy a lot of the time, but then there are those moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/i-think-there-are-different-kinds-of-happiness-we-know-when-we-re/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [Some caregivers want to reciprocate the care they themselves received as children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/some-caregivers-want-to-reciprocate-the-care-they-themselves-received/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [“I wanted to be a writer, so I became one. How? I wrote things down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/i-wanted-to-be-a-writer-so-i-became-one-how-i-wrote-things-down/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [ “Poet' had always sounded like a profession to me, or a talent. But the dead American \[Muriel Rukeyser, The Life of Poetry\] made it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/poet-had-always-sounded-like-a-profession-to-me-or-a-talent-but-the/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [In my experience, staying in a marriage that my ex and I both agreed had all its best moments behind it was epically depressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/in-my-experience-staying-in-a-marriage-that-my-ex-and-i-both-agreed/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [I always do like seeing other people dance in their cars. It's one of the things that makes me happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/i-always-do-like-seeing-other-people-dance-in-their-cars-it-s-one-of/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [Maybe it goes without saying that if you want to become a famous writer before you’re dead, you’ll have to write something. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/maybe-it-goes-without-saying-that-if-you-want-to-become-a-famous/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [Your heart is the size of your fist; keep loving, keep fighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/your-heart-is-the-size-of-your-fist-keep-loving-keep-fighting/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [New Agers have always told us that we create our own realities. Mind over matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/new-agers-have-always-told-us-that-we-create-our-own-realities-mind/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) [Explore all 41 Ariel Gore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) [J. Anthony Torino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-anthony-torino/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) [Alan W. Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-powers/) > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's a great paradox and a great injustice that writers write because we fear death and want to leave something indestructable in our wake, and at the same time, are drawn to things that kill: whiskey and cigarette, unprotected sex and deep fried burritos. It's true that you can get away with drinking and smoking and sunbathing when you're in your teens and twenties, and it's true that rock stars are free to die at twenty-nine, but a lit star needs a long life.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ariel Gore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/it-s-a-great-paradox-and-a-great-injustice-that-writers-write-because/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/it-s-a-great-paradox-and-a-great-injustice-that-writers-write-because/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d01/ariel-gore-16108_death_it-s-a-great-paradox-and-a-great-injusti_1877871.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d01/ariel-gore-16108_death_it-s-a-great-paradox-and-a-great-injusti_1877871.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d01/ariel-gore-16108_death_it-s-a-great-paradox-and-a-great-injusti_1877871.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's a great paradox and a great injustice that writers write because we fear death and want to leave…” — Ariel Gore", "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": "Ariel Gore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It's a great paradox and a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/it-s-a-great-paradox-and-a-great-injustice-that-writers-write-because/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/it-s-a-great-paradox-and-a-great-injustice-that-writers-write-because/#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 } } ] } ```