--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As men are not able to fight against…" description: "\"As men are not able to fight against death, misery, ignorance, they have taken it into their heads, in order to be happy, not to think of them at all.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/blaise-pascal-167_able_as-men-are-not-able-to-fight-against-dea_431793.jpg" --- # As men are not able to fight against death, misery… ![“As men are not able to fight against death, misery, ignorance, they have taken it into their heads, in order to be happy, not to think of them at all.” quote by Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/blaise-pascal-167_able_as-men-are-not-able-to-fight-against-dea_431793.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/blaise-pascal-167_able_as-men-are-not-able-to-fight-against-dea_431793.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/blaise-pascal-167_able_as-men-are-not-able-to-fight-against-dea_431793.jpg) > “As men are not able to fight against death, misery, ignorance, they have taken it into their heads, in order to be happy, not to think of them at all.” [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans avoid confronting death and suffering by focusing on happiness and distraction. **In simple terms:** Avoid death thoughts by seeking joy. Key Takeaway Embrace reality, not just distraction. Themes existential psychology mortality Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal coping - mental health - philosophical reflection - life planning Key Concepts nihilism comfort mindset Questions to Reflect On - What does confronting mortality change your priorities? - How can you balance joy with awareness of life's limits? A Different Perspective Distraction can lead to denial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) ## Related quotes > [“Death is a misery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/death-is-a-misery/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“The whole world is indeed trapped by misery. What is the misery about? Due to ignorance of one’s own Real Self (agnanta). Due to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-whole-world-is-indeed-trapped-by-misery-what-is-the-misery-about/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Anything we do to fight misery and ignorance and poverty, no matter how imperfect it may be, is still better than doing nothing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-prange/anything-we-do-to-fight-misery-and-ignorance-and-poverty-no-matter/) [Peter Prange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-prange/) > [Misery and ignorance are always the cause of great evils. Misery is easily excited to anger, and ignorance soon yields to perfidious counsels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/misery-and-ignorance-are-always-the-cause-of-great-evils-misery-is/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [We live in a world which is full of misery and ignorance, and the plain duty of each and all of us is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-live-in-a-world-which-is-full-of-misery-and-ignorance-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wise men are able to make a fitting use even of their enmities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/wise-men-are-able-to-make-a-fitting-use-even-of-their-enmities/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [First all men must be able to become men by the improvement of their conditions of existence, so that a universal morality can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/first-all-men-must-be-able-to-become-men-by-the-improvement-of-their/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [Women, unlike most men, are able to accept mystery, accept whatever comes to them - even if it's not logical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cher/women-unlike-most-men-are-able-to-accept-mystery-accept-whatever/) [Cher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cher/) > [Men are able to trust one another, knowing the exact degree of dishonesty they are entitled to expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/men-are-able-to-trust-one-another-knowing-the-exact-degree-of/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [Men are able to assist fortune but not to thwart her. They can weave her designs, but they cannot destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-able-to-assist-fortune-but-not-to-thwart-her-they-can-weave/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Thousands of important and intelligent men have never been able to grasp the principle of comparative advantage or believe it even after it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/thousands-of-important-and-intelligent-men-have-never-been-able-to/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [When men are able to influence so many others through their life and their example, they do not die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleida-guevara/when-men-are-able-to-influence-so-many-others-through-their-life-and/) [Aleida Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleida-guevara/) > [He dons are too busy educating the young men to be able to teach them anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/he-dons-are-too-busy-educating-the-young-men-to-be-able-to-teach-them/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Not houses finely roofed or the stones of walls well builded, nay nor canals and dockyards make the city, but men able to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alcaeus/not-houses-finely-roofed-or-the-stones-of-walls-well-builded-nay-nor/) [Alcaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alcaeus/) > [In a few years, men will be able to communicate more effectively through a machine than face to face. That is a rather startling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-r-licklider/in-a-few-years-men-will-be-able-to-communicate-more-effectively/) [J. C. R. Licklider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-r-licklider/) ## More by Blaise Pascal > [“Do they think that they have given us great pleasure by telling us that they hold our soul to be no more than wind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/do-they-think-that-they-have-given-us-great-pleasure-by-telling-us/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [There should be in eloquence that which is pleasing and that which is real; but that which is pleasing should itself be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/there-should-be-in-eloquence-that-which-is-pleasing-and-that-which-is/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The method of not erring is sought by all the world. The logicians profess to guide it, the geometricians alone attain it, and apart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-method-of-not-erring-is-sought-by-all-the-world-the-logicians/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [When we read too fast or too slowly, we understand nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/when-we-read-too-fast-or-too-slowly-we-understand-nothing/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Mahomet established a religion by putting his enemies to death; Jesus Christ by commanding his followers to lay down their lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/mahomet-established-a-religion-by-putting-his-enemies-to-death-jesus/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Reflect on death as in Jesus Christ, not as without Jesus Christ. Without Jesus Christ it is dreadful, it is alarming, it is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/reflect-on-death-as-in-jesus-christ-not-as-without-jesus-christ/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The Stoics say, "Retire within yourselves; it is there you will find your rest." And that is not true. Others say, "Go out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-stoics-say-retire-within-yourselves-it-is-there-you-will-find/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Happiness can be found neither in ourselves nor in external things, but in God and in ourselves as united to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/happiness-can-be-found-neither-in-ourselves-nor-in-external-things/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Amusement that is excessive and followed only for its own sake, allures and deceives us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/amusement-that-is-excessive-and-followed-only-for-its-own-sake/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Rivers are highways that move on and bear us whither we wish to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/rivers-are-highways-that-move-on-and-bear-us-whither-we-wish-to-go/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [We desire truth, and find within ourselves only uncertainty. We seek happiness, and find only misery and death. We cannot but desire truth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/we-desire-truth-and-find-within-ourselves-only-uncertainty-we-seek/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Vanity is illustrated in the cause and effect of love, as in the case of Cleopatra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/vanity-is-illustrated-in-the-cause-and-effect-of-love-as-in-the-case/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“There is no denying it; one must admit that there is something astonishing about Christianity. 'It is because you were born in it,' they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/there-is-no-denying-it-one-must-admit-that-there-is-something/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Imagination is the deceptive part in man, the mistress of error and falsehood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/imagination-is-the-deceptive-part-in-man-the-mistress-of-error-and/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The majority is the best way, because it is visible, and has strength to make itself obeyed. Yet it is the opinion of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-majority-is-the-best-way-because-it-is-visible-and-has-strength/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) [Explore all 988 Blaise Pascal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As men are not able to fight against death, misery, ignorance, they have taken it into their heads, in order to be happy, not to think of them at all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Blaise Pascal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/as-men-are-not-able-to-fight-against-death-misery-ignorance-they-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/as-men-are-not-able-to-fight-against-death-misery-ignorance-they-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/blaise-pascal-167_able_as-men-are-not-able-to-fight-against-dea_431793.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/blaise-pascal-167_able_as-men-are-not-able-to-fight-against-dea_431793.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/blaise-pascal-167_able_as-men-are-not-able-to-fight-against-dea_431793.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As men are not able to fight against death, misery, ignorance, they have taken it into their heads, in order…” — Blaise Pascal", "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": "Blaise Pascal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As men are not able to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/as-men-are-not-able-to-fight-against-death-misery-ignorance-they-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/as-men-are-not-able-to-fight-against-death-misery-ignorance-they-have/#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 } } ] } ```