Life Quote by Charles Fort
““Is life worth living? Like everybody else, I have many times asked that question, usually deciding negatively, because I am most likely to ask myself whether life is worth living, at times when I am convinced it isn't. One day, in one of my frequent, and probably incurable, scientific moments, it occurred to me to find out. For a month, at the end of each day, I set down a plus sign, or a minus sign, indicating that, in my opinion, life had, or had not, been worth living, that day. At the end of the month, I totted up, and I can't say that I was altogether pleased to learn that the pluses had won the game. It is not dignified to be optimistic.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Book of the Damned, 1919
The author tracks daily mood by marking days as positive or negative, finding more positive days overall, yet still doubts the value of optimism.
In simple terms: He records daily feelings, sees more good days, but questions optimism.
Key Takeaway
Recognize patterns in your mood and question assumptions about positivity.
Themes
psychology
self‑reflection
optimism
existentialism
Mood
introspective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- daily journaling
- mental health tracking
- therapy sessions
- personal growth
- stress management
Key Concepts
subjective well‑being
cognitive bias
life evaluation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you define a “good” day?
- What factors influence your daily rating?
A Different Perspective
The method may oversimplify complex emotions and ignore underlying causes.
![“[Wise men] have tried to understand our state of being, by grasping at its stars, or its arts, or its economics. But, if there is an underlying oneness of all things, it does not matter where we begin, whether with stars, or laws of supply and demand, or frogs, or Napoleon Bonaparte. One measures…” quote by Charles Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1e7/charles-fort-11887_art_wise-men-have-tried-to-understand-our-st_19788.jpg)
