--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is that of an unsatisfied desire which…" description: "\"It is that of an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction.\" — C. S. Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/c-s-lewis-2-132_desirable_it-is-that-of-an-unsatisfied-desire-whic_600030.png" --- # It is that of an unsatisfied desire which is itself more… ![“It is that of an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/c-s-lewis-2-132_desirable_it-is-that-of-an-unsatisfied-desire-whic_600030.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/c-s-lewis-2-132_desirable_it-is-that-of-an-unsatisfied-desire-whic_600030.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/c-s-lewis-2-132_desirable_it-is-that-of-an-unsatisfied-desire-whic_600030.png) > “It is that of an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction.” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire for something unattainable can feel more appealing than achieving any other satisfaction. **In simple terms:** Unfulfilled longing can seem more attractive than fulfilled desire. Key Takeaway Beware of chasing impossible cravings. Themes desire temptation psychology Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - relationships - career goals - spiritual pursuits Key Concepts human nature satisfaction paradox Questions to Reflect On - Why do we value what we cannot have? - Can unfulfilled desire motivate growth? A Different Perspective The idea may romanticize unfulfilling longing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desirable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desirable/) [Desirable Satisfaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desirable-satisfaction-3757370/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Desirable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-desirable-3841757/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Love and friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-friendship/) [Satisfaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfaction/) [Unsatisfied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unsatisfied/) [Unsatisfied Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unsatisfied-desire-2307129/) ## Related quotes > [Unsatisfied desire is in itself more desirable than any other satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/unsatisfied-desire-is-in-itself-more-desirable-than-any-other/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The range of socially permissible and desirable satisfaction is greatly enlarged, but through this satisfaction, the Pleasure Principle is reduced deprived of the claims…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-range-of-socially-permissible-and-desirable-satisfaction-is/) [Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/) > [The strongest of all psychic forces in the world is unsatisfied desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/the-strongest-of-all-psychic-forces-in-the-world-is-unsatisfied-desire/) [John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/) > [She had never experienced the pain of unsatisfied desire before. It hurt. It hurt like nothing she'd ever felt, and there seemed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/she-had-never-experienced-the-pain-of-unsatisfied-desire-before-it/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [Unsatisfied desire is the characteristic feature of human life. That is the common fact out of which both pessimism and optimism are constructed. Dwell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dewitt-hyde/unsatisfied-desire-is-the-characteristic-feature-of-human-life-that/) [William DeWitt Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dewitt-hyde/) > [I have an unsatisfied desire to shoot well with a bow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/i-have-an-unsatisfied-desire-to-shoot-well-with-a-bow/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [“All she had was the desire to be desirable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-marcos/all-she-had-was-the-desire-to-be-desirable/) [Michelle Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-marcos/) > [I wonder what it feels like to have no desires left because you have satisfied them all, smothered them with money even before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-swarup/i-wonder-what-it-feels-like-to-have-no-desires-left-because-you-have/) [Vikas Swarup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-swarup/) > [“I call it Joy. 'Animal-Land' was not imaginative. But certain other experiences were... The first is itself the memory of a memory. As I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/i-call-it-joy-animal-land-was-not-imaginative-but-certain-other/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“The wise pleasure seeker, having realised they are "different degrees of desire" and never desirable, gives up both Virtue and Vice and becomes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare-2/the-wise-pleasure-seeker-having-realised-they-are-different-degrees/) [Austin Osman, Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare-2/) > [A noble hunger, long unsatisfied, met at last its proper food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-noble-hunger-long-unsatisfied-met-at-last-its-proper-food/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [You Too? I thought I was the only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/you-too-i-thought-i-was-the-only-one/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [You can give men food and leisure and amusements and good conditions of work, and still they will remain unsatisfied. You can deny them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/you-can-give-men-food-and-leisure-and-amusements-and-good-conditions/) [Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/) > [Beauty is not a need but an ecstasy. It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth, But rather a heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/beauty-is-not-a-need-but-an-ecstasy-it-is-not-a-mouth-thirsting-nor/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [There is nothing so carking as the pangs of unsatisfied curiosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/there-is-nothing-so-carking-as-the-pangs-of-unsatisfied-curiosity/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) ## More by C. S. Lewis > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More Desirable quotes > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I'm happy to be considered desirable. I love it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/i-m-happy-to-be-considered-desirable-i-love-it/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [It was both necessary and desirable for us to be so strong at sea that no Sea Power could attack us without risk, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-von-bulow/it-was-both-necessary-and-desirable-for-us-to-be-so-strong-at-sea/) [Bernhard von Bulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-von-bulow/) > [Things to be done offer themselves, I suppose, because they are in themselves desirable; not because it is desirable to have something to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/things-to-be-done-offer-themselves-i-suppose-because-they-are-in/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [The goal in raising one's child is to enable him, first, to discover who he wants to be, and then to become a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-bettelheim/the-goal-in-raising-one-s-child-is-to-enable-him-first-to-discover/) [Bruno Bettelheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-bettelheim/) > [“The great thing about facts is that you don't have to ponder whether they're desirable or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-nesb/the-great-thing-about-facts-is-that-you-don-t-have-to-ponder-whether/) [Jo Nesbø](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-nesb/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I don't just live to work because I don't think that's healthy or desirable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harris-dickinson/i-don-t-just-live-to-work-because-i-don-t-think-that-s-healthy-or/) [Harris Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harris-dickinson/) > [Common sense is both more rare and more desirable in leaders than mere intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/common-sense-is-both-more-rare-and-more-desirable-in-leaders-than/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [When the desirable jobs are spending other people's money, reporting on spending other people's money and lobbying to spend other people's money then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-worstall/when-the-desirable-jobs-are-spending-other-people-s-money-reporting/) [Tim Worstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-worstall/) > [Social and cultural change, however desirable, should not be effected by the engines of national power. Let us, through persuasion and education, seek to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/social-and-cultural-change-however-desirable-should-not-be-effected/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [To me the function of politics is to make possible the desirable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/to-me-the-function-of-politics-is-to-make-possible-the-desirable/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [It is the common calamity of old age to lose whatever might have rendered it desirable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/it-is-the-common-calamity-of-old-age-to-lose-whatever-might-have/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Desire itself is movement Not in itself desirable; Love is itself unmoving, Only the cause and end of movement, Timeless, and undesiring Except in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/desire-itself-is-movement-not-in-itself-desirable-love-is-itself/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [Rhythm is born in all of us. To be a desirable dancing partner, you don't have to do all the intricate fancy steps that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginger-rogers/rhythm-is-born-in-all-of-us-to-be-a-desirable-dancing-partner-you-don/) [Ginger Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginger-rogers/) [Browse all 509 Desirable quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desirable/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is that of an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C. S. 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