--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is only one prospect worse than…" description: "\"There is only one prospect worse than being chained to an intolerable existence: The nightmare of a botched attempt to end it.\" — Arthur Koestler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/arthur-koestler-1903_chained_there-is-only-one-prospect-worse-than-be_2699449.jpg" --- # There is only one prospect worse than being chained to an… ![“There is only one prospect worse than being chained to an intolerable existence: The nightmare of a botched attempt to end it.” quote by Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/arthur-koestler-1903_chained_there-is-only-one-prospect-worse-than-be_2699449.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/arthur-koestler-1903_chained_there-is-only-one-prospect-worse-than-be_2699449.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/arthur-koestler-1903_chained_there-is-only-one-prospect-worse-than-be_2699449.jpg) > “There is only one prospect worse than being chained to an intolerable existence: The nightmare of a botched attempt to end it.” [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) ## 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 warns that the fear of a failed suicide attempt can be more terrifying than the suffering itself, highlighting existential dread. **In simple terms:** Fear of a botched suicide can dominate existence. Key Takeaway Seek help before despair deepens. Themes existential despair mental health suicide Mood somber urgent Type cautionary philosophical When to use this quote - counseling - crisis hotlines - support groups Key Concepts philosophy psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - What coping strategies can replace suicidal thoughts? - How can society better support those in existential crisis? A Different Perspective Stigma may prevent seeking help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chained/) [Chained Intolerable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chained-intolerable-2722614/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Existence Nightmare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-nightmare-523228/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nightmare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmare/) [Nightmare Botched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmare-botched-2722613/) [Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) [Suicidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicidal/) [Worse Chained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse-chained-2128377/) ## Related quotes > [“What is worse? To be chained all day with a bowl of water, or to be free and die of thirst?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-levy/what-is-worse-to-be-chained-all-day-with-a-bowl-of-water-or-to-be/) [Deborah Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-levy/) > [Death, that final evil, is one of the paths to eternity. Endless life in the conditions of our existence would be a nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/death-that-final-evil-is-one-of-the-paths-to-eternity-endless-life-in/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [“How could you have bought that girl, chained her up and yet still have managed to persuade her to give you a chance? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-scott/how-could-you-have-bought-that-girl-chained-her-up-and-yet-still-have/) [Kylie Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-scott/) > [Free verse is chained in sentence-to-sentence links and breaks free in line breaks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/free-verse-is-chained-in-sentence-to-sentence-links-and-breaks-free/) [Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/) > [One of us is chained, none of us is free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-burke/one-of-us-is-chained-none-of-us-is-free/) [Solomon Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-burke/) > [“Beat me instead," she cried, "It's not Darren's fault! 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Those freeborn too lazy or lacking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ryan/your-realm-is-an-insane-place-in-volaria-no-one-goes-hungry-slaves/) [Anthony Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ryan/) > [A man in love ... is the master, so it seems, but only if his lady friend permits it! The need to interchange the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-desclos/a-man-in-love-is-the-master-so-it-seems-but-only-if-his-lady-friend/) [Anne Desclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-desclos/) > [We are chained to that which we do not forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/we-are-chained-to-that-which-we-do-not-forgive/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [“But heroin was my air. It had a hold of me like we were chained together. And those shackles weren't just around my wrists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marni-mann/but-heroin-was-my-air-it-had-a-hold-of-me-like-we-were-chained/) [Marni Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marni-mann/) ## More by Arthur Koestler > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [The temptations of God were always more dangerous for mankind than those of Satan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-temptations-of-god-were-always-more-dangerous-for-mankind-than/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [The greatest temptation for the like of us is: to renounce violence, to repent, to make peace with oneself. 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The catastrophe consisted in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/as-modern-physics-started-with-the-newtonian-revolution-so-modern/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [If one looks with a cold eye at the mess man has made of history, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/if-one-looks-with-a-cold-eye-at-the-mess-man-has-made-of-history-it/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [The ultimate truth is penultimately always a falsehood. He who will be proved right in the end appears to be wrong and harmful before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-ultimate-truth-is-penultimately-always-a-falsehood-he-who-will-be/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [The real achievement in discoveries... is seeing an analogy where no one saw one before... The essence of discovery is that unlikely marriage of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-real-achievement-in-discoveries-is-seeing-an-analogy-where-no-one/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [The jester is brother to the sage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-jester-is-brother-to-the-sage/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) [Explore all 199 Arthur Koestler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) ## More Chained quotes > [“But heroin was my air. It had a hold of me like we were chained together. And those shackles weren't just around my wrists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marni-mann/but-heroin-was-my-air-it-had-a-hold-of-me-like-we-were-chained/) [Marni Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marni-mann/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [We are chained to that which we do not forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/we-are-chained-to-that-which-we-do-not-forgive/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [A man in love ... is the master, so it seems, but only if his lady friend permits it! The need to interchange the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-desclos/a-man-in-love-is-the-master-so-it-seems-but-only-if-his-lady-friend/) [Anne Desclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-desclos/) > [“Your realm is an insane place. In Volaria, no-one goes hungry, slaves are no use when they starve. Those freeborn too lazy or lacking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ryan/your-realm-is-an-insane-place-in-volaria-no-one-goes-hungry-slaves/) [Anthony Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ryan/) > [“We who are immortal, we are chained to this life by a chain of gold, and we dare not sever it for fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/we-who-are-immortal-we-are-chained-to-this-life-by-a-chain-of-gold/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Until our mission becomes our obsession, we'll be chained to the realm of average.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/until-our-mission-becomes-our-obsession-we-ll-be-chained-to-the-realm/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [“maybe he fought it off and forgot about it, and he wasn’t afraid, because he knew he’d never carry it out. Right, but now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanis-aw-lem/maybe-he-fought-it-off-and-forgot-about-it-and-he-wasn-t-afraid/) [Stanisław Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanis-aw-lem/) > [My life is like a music-hall,Where, in the impotence of rage,Chained by enchantment to my stall,I see myself upon the stageDance to amuse a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-symons/my-life-is-like-a-music-hall-where-in-the-impotence-of-rage-chained/) [Arthur Symons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-symons/) > [“Beat me instead," she cried, "It's not Darren's fault! 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-scott/how-could-you-have-bought-that-girl-chained-her-up-and-yet-still-have/) [Kylie Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-scott/) > [“It is time for us to join the line of your madmen all chained together. Time to be totally free, and estranged. 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