--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is said that man is the only beast…" description: "\"“It is said that man is the only beast that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck by the difference between what things are and wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/cindy-brandner-52355_beast_it-is-said-that-man-is-the-only-beast-th_2976733.jpg" --- # It is said that man is the only beast that laughs and… ![“It is said that man is the only beast that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck by the difference between what things are and what they ought to be. Here today we know how things ought to be, we can see the future, it may be a distant light but we can see it.” He paused for…” quote by Cindy Brandner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/cindy-brandner-52355_beast_it-is-said-that-man-is-the-only-beast-th_2976733.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/cindy-brandner-52355_beast_it-is-said-that-man-is-the-only-beast-th_2976733.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/cindy-brandner-52355_beast_it-is-said-that-man-is-the-only-beast-th_2976733.jpg) > ““It is said that man is the only beast that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck by the difference between what things are and what they ought to be. Here today we know how things ought to be, we can see the future, it may be a distant light but we can see it.” He paused for breath as the morning air rippled past his face, chill with the season and thought he felt, in passing, the warmth of his father’s hand upon his head.”” [Cindy Brandner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-brandner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans uniquely experience the gap between reality and ideals, allowing foresight and aspiration toward a distant future. **In simple terms:** We see what is and what should be. Key Takeaway Use the gap to motivate improvement. Themes philosophy human nature future Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical quote When to use this quote - goal setting - creative planning - personal growth Key Concepts existentialism aspiration cognitive dissonance Questions to Reflect On - What ideal drives you? - How do you handle the gap between reality and ideal? A Different Perspective Idealism can cause frustration when reality resists change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) [Morning air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning-air/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Lying in the bed that had once held two, Lisey thought alone never felt more lonely than when you woke up and discovered you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/lying-in-the-bed-that-had-once-held-two-lisey-thought-alone-never/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“The Complete Work is essentially dramatic, thought it takes different forms - prose passages in this first volume, poems and philosophies in other volumes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/the-complete-work-is-essentially-dramatic-thought-it-takes-different/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [You created this moment from what you thought and felt three days ago. 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Rocking the boat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-brandner/the-older-generation-scratched-their-heads-long-comfortable-in-misery/) [Cindy Brandner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-brandner/) > [“Let no man dare, when I am dead, to charge me with dishonor; let no man attaint my memory by believing that I could have engaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-brandner/let-no-man-dare-when-i-am-dead-to-charge-me-with-dishonor-let-no-man/) [Cindy Brandner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-brandner/) > [“When the law makers are the law breakers, there is no law,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-brandner/when-the-law-makers-are-the-law-breakers-there-is-no-law/) [Cindy Brandner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-brandner/) > [“He believed in a system, a world if ye will where a man is not judged by the cut of his clothes or the color of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-brandner/he-believed-in-a-system-a-world-if-ye-will-where-a-man-is-not-judged/) [Cindy Brandner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-brandner/) > [“all of human experience existed as much in this small village as it did in larger towns,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-brandner/all-of-human-experience-existed-as-much-in-this-small-village-as-it/) [Cindy Brandner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-brandner/) [Explore all 7 Cindy Brandner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-brandner/) ## More Beast quotes > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. 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If he is eaten, he no longer functions as an instrument of labour, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/as-a-beast-of-toil-an-ox-is-fixed-capital-if-he-is-eaten-he-no-longer/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [« He squeezed his hands into fists. I picked up a grapefruit-sized rock and handed it to him. It went flying. Home run, Beast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-squeezed-his-hands-into-fists-i-picked-up-a-grapefruit-sized-rock/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Was man made stupid to see his own stupidity? Is God by definition indifferent, beyond us all? Is the eternal truth man's fighting soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eberhart/was-man-made-stupid-to-see-his-own-stupidity-is-god-by-definition/) [Richard Eberhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eberhart/) > [When a man is treated like a beast, he says, 'After all, I'm human.' 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