--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've discovered over the years that the…" description: "\"I've discovered over the years that the simplest explanation is almost always the right one; and that hunger of one kind or another - desire, by anothe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29d/claire-messud-1372_desire_i-ve-discovered-over-the-years-that-the_2080872.jpg" --- # I've discovered over the years that the simplest… ![“I've discovered over the years that the simplest explanation is almost always the right one; and that hunger of one kind or another - desire, by another name - is the source of almost every sorrow.” quote by Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29d/claire-messud-1372_desire_i-ve-discovered-over-the-years-that-the_2080872.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29d/claire-messud-1372_desire_i-ve-discovered-over-the-years-that-the_2080872.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29d/claire-messud-1372_desire_i-ve-discovered-over-the-years-that-the_2080872.jpg) > “I've discovered over the years that the simplest explanation is almost always the right one; and that hunger of one kind or another - desire, by another name - is the source of almost every sorrow.” [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The simplest explanation often proves correct, and desire underlies most suffering. **In simple terms:** Simple explanations are usually right; desire causes sorrow. Key Takeaway Seek simplicity and recognize desire’s role in pain. Themes simplicity desire human nature Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - conflict resolution - mental health - relationship counseling Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How does desire shape your choices? - Can simplicity guide decision making? A Different Perspective Desire can also motivate positive growth, not just sorrow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) ## Related quotes > [“The simplest explanation is usually the right one”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/occam-s-razor/the-simplest-explanation-is-usually-the-right-one/) Occam s Razor > [The simplest explanation is always the most likely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/the-simplest-explanation-is-always-the-most-likely/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [It is better to adopt the simplest explanation, even if it is not simple, even if it does not explain very much. A bright…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/it-is-better-to-adopt-the-simplest-explanation-even-if-it-is-not/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [The simplest explanation is most often the correct one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-child/the-simplest-explanation-is-most-often-the-correct-one/) [Lincoln Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-child/) > [Guilt is the source of sorrow, 'tis the fiend, Th' avenging fiend, that follows us behind, With whips and stings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-rowe/guilt-is-the-source-of-sorrow-tis-the-fiend-th-avenging-fiend-that/) Nicholas Rowe > [I think the source of our sorrow and the source of our joy are intimately entwined. Our sorrow is that we have forgotten who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/i-think-the-source-of-our-sorrow-and-the-source-of-our-joy-are/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“Joy was not the raw material of humor . . . The dark source was sorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-fleischman/joy-was-not-the-raw-material-of-humor-the-dark-source-was-sorrow/) [Sid Fleischman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-fleischman/) > [The source of one's joy is also often the source of one's sorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/the-source-of-one-s-joy-is-also-often-the-source-of-one-s-sorrow/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [Ash Wednesday is full of joy...The source of all sorrow is the illusion that of ourselves we are anything but dust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/ash-wednesday-is-full-of-joy-the-source-of-all-sorrow-is-the-illusion/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Witness, Heaven, how often I lie down in my bed with a wish, and even a hope, that I may never awaken again. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/witness-heaven-how-often-i-lie-down-in-my-bed-with-a-wish-and-even-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“the simplest explanation usually sounds right and is far more convincing than any complicated explanation could hope to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-simplest-explanation-usually-sounds-right-and-is-far-more/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [Truth is like a swirling wind, that swirls easy and free, its easy to explain when saying the truth, cuz it is what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaze-olamiday/truth-is-like-a-swirling-wind-that-swirls-easy-and-free-its-easy-to/) [Blaze Olamiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaze-olamiday/) > [With all things being equal, the simplest explanation tends to be the right one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-of-ockham/with-all-things-being-equal-the-simplest-explanation-tends-to-be-the/) [William of Ockham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-of-ockham/) > [Feminism … I think the simplest explanation, and one that captures the idea, is a song that Marlo Thomas sang, 'Free to be You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/feminism-i-think-the-simplest-explanation-and-one-that-captures-the/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [I believe the simplest explanation is, there is no God. No one created the universe and no one directs our fate. This leads me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-believe-the-simplest-explanation-is-there-is-no-god-no-one-created/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) ## More by Claire Messud > [I'd wish for my work to be remembered rather than myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-d-wish-for-my-work-to-be-remembered-rather-than-myself/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [I have said it somewhere - our literary lived lives are as important as our literally lived lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-have-said-it-somewhere-our-literary-lived-lives-are-as-important-as/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“Life is about deciding what matters. It’s about the fantasy that determines the reality. Have you ever asked yourself whether you’d rather fly or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/life-is-about-deciding-what-matters-it-s-about-the-fantasy-that/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [Life's funny. You have to find a way to keep going, to keep laughing, even after you realize that none of your dreams will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/life-s-funny-you-have-to-find-a-way-to-keep-going-to-keep-laughing/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [It's the strangest thing about being human: to know so much, to communicate so much, and yet always to fall so drastically short of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/it-s-the-strangest-thing-about-being-human-to-know-so-much-to/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [The fictional narratives that television, film, and the news provide for girls and young women are appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/the-fictional-narratives-that-television-film-and-the-news-provide/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“I don't want to sleep,' my mother said. 'I want -- for God's sake, I want to wake up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-don-t-want-to-sleep-my-mother-said-i-want-for-god-s-sake-i-want-to/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“It was supposed to say “Great Artist” on my tombstone, but if I died right now it would say “such a good teacher/​daughter/​friend” instead;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/it-was-supposed-to-say-great-artist-on-my-tombstone-but-if-i-died/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“Live, my dear Nora. Satisfy your hunger. There's food all around you, you know.' 'What kind of food, I'd like to know?' 'Ah'-he smiled-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/live-my-dear-nora-satisfy-your-hunger-there-s-food-all-around-you-you/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [I digress a lot - it's how I experience the world. I would like to write in a way that will convey that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-digress-a-lot-it-s-how-i-experience-the-world-i-would-like-to-write/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [We think that - as kids, you know - that kids make up stories and live in a sort of fictional place, but that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/we-think-that-as-kids-you-know-that-kids-make-up-stories-and-live-in/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“It makes sense that if you stand almost daily in the middle of a perfect crescent of shore, with a vista open to eternity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/it-makes-sense-that-if-you-stand-almost-daily-in-the-middle-of-a/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“Once aware of my isolation, I was afraid not of it but of its interruption.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/once-aware-of-my-isolation-i-was-afraid-not-of-it-but-of-its/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“who I am in my head, very few people really get to see that. Almost none. It’s the most precious gift I can give,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/who-i-am-in-my-head-very-few-people-really-get-to-see-that-almost/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“My everyday Appleton life, my phones calls to my father, my occasional beers with friends, my Saturday-morning jobs around the reservoir - what was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/my-everyday-appleton-life-my-phones-calls-to-my-father-my-occasional/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) [Explore all 249 Claire Messud quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [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/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've discovered over the years that the simplest explanation is almost always the right one; and that hunger of one kind or another - desire, by another name - is the source of almost every sorrow.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Claire Messud" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-ve-discovered-over-the-years-that-the-simplest-explanation-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-ve-discovered-over-the-years-that-the-simplest-explanation-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29d/claire-messud-1372_desire_i-ve-discovered-over-the-years-that-the_2080872.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29d/claire-messud-1372_desire_i-ve-discovered-over-the-years-that-the_2080872.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29d/claire-messud-1372_desire_i-ve-discovered-over-the-years-that-the_2080872.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've discovered over the years that the simplest explanation is almost always the right one; and that hunger…” — Claire Messud", "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": "Claire Messud", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've discovered over the years that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-ve-discovered-over-the-years-that-the-simplest-explanation-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-ve-discovered-over-the-years-that-the-simplest-explanation-is/#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 } } ] } ```