--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What men classify as living is often but…" description: "\"“What men classify as living is often but the discontentment of making oneself itch just to enjoy the scratch.”\" — Criss Jami" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/criss-jami-320_ambitions_what-men-classify-as-living-is-often-but_1915211.jpg" --- # What men classify as living is often but the… ![“What men classify as living is often but the discontentment of making oneself itch just to enjoy the scratch.” quote by Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/criss-jami-320_ambitions_what-men-classify-as-living-is-often-but_1915211.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/criss-jami-320_ambitions_what-men-classify-as-living-is-often-but_1915211.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/criss-jami-320_ambitions_what-men-classify-as-living-is-often-but_1915211.jpg) > ““What men classify as living is often but the discontentment of making oneself itch just to enjoy the scratch.”” [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often create unnecessary discomfort to experience fleeting pleasure. **In simple terms:** Avoid self‑inflicted suffering for short‑term joy. Key Takeaway Seek lasting fulfillment, not temporary thrills. Themes contentment self‑awareness pleasure discontent Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily routines - habit formation - mindfulness - stress management Key Concepts philosophy psychology human nature Questions to Reflect On - Why do we sometimes enjoy our own discomfort? - How can we find joy without pain? A Different Perspective Self‑induced discomfort may become a habit hard to break. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitions/) [Classification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classification/) [Contentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Discontentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discontentment/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Enjoyment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyment/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lifestyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifestyle/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Meaninglessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaninglessness/) [Passions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passions/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) ## Related quotes > [A good book is like an unreachable itch. You just can't leave it alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bush/a-good-book-is-like-an-unreachable-itch-you-just-can-t-leave-it-alone/) [Laura Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bush/) > [“Writing is an itch I just have to scratch”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-l-probert/writing-is-an-itch-i-just-have-to-scratch/) Terry L Probert > [“It's a huge disservice to classify all minds as either closed or open. I find the best minds are closed by openable windows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-s-a-huge-disservice-to-classify-all-minds-as-either-closed-or-open/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“It was not desirable for the proles to have strong political feelings. All that was required of them was a primitive patriotism which could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/it-was-not-desirable-for-the-proles-to-have-strong-political-feelings/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“Discontentment happens when I don’t have what I want. Contentment happens when I realize that I have so much more than I deserve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-altrogge/discontentment-happens-when-i-don-t-have-what-i-want-contentment/) [Stephen Altrogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-altrogge/) > [But I am all for love, and I am against marriage, particularly the arranged kind, because the arranged marriage gives you satisfaction. And love?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/but-i-am-all-for-love-and-i-am-against-marriage-particularly-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“When a man is discontented with himself, it has one advantage however, that it puts him into an excellent frame of mind for making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-sterne/when-a-man-is-discontented-with-himself-it-has-one-advantage-however/) Lawrence Sterne > [“Real happiness, however, comes from who we are—from who we’ve become. Real happiness comes from within. Likewise, discontentment is also a result of who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-fields-millburn/real-happiness-however-comes-from-who-we-are-from-who-we-ve-become/) [Joshua Fields Millburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-fields-millburn/) > [I've always been dissatisfied, I know that. But lately I find that I reek of discontentment. It fills my throat, and it floods my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/i-ve-always-been-dissatisfied-i-know-that-but-lately-i-find-that-i/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“The deep rumbling of discontent that we hear today is the thunder of disinherited masses rising from dungeons of oppression to the bright hills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/the-deep-rumbling-of-discontent-that-we-hear-today-is-the-thunder-of/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“How can one explain this trend towards a more colorless and shallow life? Well, the work was easier, if less healthy, and it brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-junger/how-can-one-explain-this-trend-towards-a-more-colorless-and-shallow/) [Ernst Jünger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-junger/) > [“The reality is that stuff does not bring happiness. Instead, buying more than we need breeds nothing but discontentment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-soukup/the-reality-is-that-stuff-does-not-bring-happiness-instead-buying/) [Ruth Soukup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-soukup/) > [“So much of me longs to run after him and cry, 'Yes, yes, yes!' A few hours ago, when I wrote I could never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/so-much-of-me-longs-to-run-after-him-and-cry-yes-yes-yes-a-few-hours/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [If we are to say no to covetousness, we must learn to say yes to contentment. This involves learning to be content with what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/if-we-are-to-say-no-to-covetousness-we-must-learn-to-say-yes-to/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [Without discontentment, without revolt, you can never attain harmony. It is a necessary stage, which must be gone through by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/without-discontentment-without-revolt-you-can-never-attain-harmony-it/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) ## More by Criss Jami > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Religion, like science, is only noteworthy when it emphasizes a matter of what is true rather than whose belief is greater or lesser or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/religion-like-science-is-only-noteworthy-when-it-emphasizes-a-matter/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Slander does to a soul what cancer does to a cell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/slander-does-to-a-soul-what-cancer-does-to-a-cell/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [The hated man is the result of his hater's pride rather than his hater's conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-hated-man-is-the-result-of-his-hater-s-pride-rather-than-his/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [What is a genius? A person who demands little to nothing from others, but is often found extremely difficult to have around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/what-is-a-genius-a-person-who-demands-little-to-nothing-from-others/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [A man does not have to feel less than human to realize his sin; oppositely, he has to realize that he gets no special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/a-man-does-not-have-to-feel-less-than-human-to-realize-his-sin/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I would rather my descendants have greater abilities and a greater knowledge of the love of Christ than I do, much like standing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-would-rather-my-descendants-have-greater-abilities-and-a-greater/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/create-with-the-heart-build-with-the-mind/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Peace is more of an internal settlement rather than what is visible on the external.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/peace-is-more-of-an-internal-settlement-rather-than-what-is-visible/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Our entire lives we witness individuals, the ones who break some of the most culturally sensitive moral codes, ruined permanently by the media -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/our-entire-lives-we-witness-individuals-the-ones-who-break-some-of/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Senses of humor define people, as factions, deeper rooted than religious or political opinions. When carrying out everyday tasks, opinions are rather easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/senses-of-humor-define-people-as-factions-deeper-rooted-than/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I believe in evolution in the sense that a short-tempered man is the successor of a crybaby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-believe-in-evolution-in-the-sense-that-a-short-tempered-man-is-the/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“God speaks of his children shining best in ways that only he can provide. The heavens lift one as a golden child while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/god-speaks-of-his-children-shining-best-in-ways-that-only-he-can/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [It is never just disagreement but always intellectual dishonesty that is the apologist's worst enemy. And its apprentice is ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-is-never-just-disagreement-but-always-intellectual-dishonesty-that/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Always work towards a dream or you'll always dream of working elsewhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/always-work-towards-a-dream-or-you-ll-always-dream-of-working/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) [Explore all 684 Criss Jami quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## More Ambitions quotes > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Coaching Netherlands remains one of my ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/coaching-netherlands-remains-one-of-my-ambitions/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [“Why should some foul word-slinging curb my ambitions?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronika-carnaby/why-should-some-foul-word-slinging-curb-my-ambitions/) [Veronika Carnaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronika-carnaby/) > [I don't know what my ambitions are until they turn up really but I'd love to work with Shane Meadows, I know that much!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kaye/i-don-t-know-what-my-ambitions-are-until-they-turn-up-really-but-i-d/) [Paul Kaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kaye/) > [It's interesting when you wind up distilling all your ambitions and your goals and dreams into one single person. It's giving that person a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/it-s-interesting-when-you-wind-up-distilling-all-your-ambitions-and/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [I hope I can fulfill all my ambitions at Everton. But you never know in this game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-moyes/i-hope-i-can-fulfill-all-my-ambitions-at-everton-but-you-never-know/) [David Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-moyes/) > [There are a lot of goals and ambitions that I have in life, things I want to accomplish. Who knows? I mean - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/there-are-a-lot-of-goals-and-ambitions-that-i-have-in-life-things-i/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [Success needs to be measured according to the ambitions and the resources of each designer. And many aren't interested in being a megabrand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gunn/success-needs-to-be-measured-according-to-the-ambitions-and-the/) [Tim Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-gunn/) > [I have no screen ambitions whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-princess-of-hanover/i-have-no-screen-ambitions-whatsoever/) [Caroline, Princess of Hanover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-princess-of-hanover/) > [Some players have ambitions, and therefore, they leave and want to experience something new, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/some-players-have-ambitions-and-therefore-they-leave-and-want-to/) [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/) > [When you've accomplished a certain amount in your career, you're not so focused on your ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/when-you-ve-accomplished-a-certain-amount-in-your-career-you-re-not/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [“Beware of those who steer you away from your heart’s true happiness. It would make them happy to see you steer yourself right next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/beware-of-those-who-steer-you-away-from-your-heart-s-true-happiness/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [My ambitions have ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/behdad-sami/my-ambitions-have-ambitions/) [Behdad Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/behdad-sami/) > [Do what in your heart you know is right. It is easy to get caught up in your ambitions, but no job is worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-rosenfeld/do-what-in-your-heart-you-know-is-right-it-is-easy-to-get-caught-up/) [Irene Rosenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irene-rosenfeld/) > [There are points in your life, especially if you have creative ambitions, where selfishness is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/there-are-points-in-your-life-especially-if-you-have-creative/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) [Browse all 312 Ambitions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What men classify as living is often but the discontentment of making oneself itch just to enjoy the scratch.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Criss Jami" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/what-men-classify-as-living-is-often-but-the-discontentment-of-making/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambitions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/what-men-classify-as-living-is-often-but-the-discontentment-of-making/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/criss-jami-320_ambitions_what-men-classify-as-living-is-often-but_1915211.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/criss-jami-320_ambitions_what-men-classify-as-living-is-often-but_1915211.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/criss-jami-320_ambitions_what-men-classify-as-living-is-often-but_1915211.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What men classify as living is often but the discontentment of making oneself itch just to enjoy the scratch.” — Criss Jami", "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": "Criss Jami", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“What men classify as living is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/what-men-classify-as-living-is-often-but-the-discontentment-of-making/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/what-men-classify-as-living-is-often-but-the-discontentment-of-making/#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 } } ] } ```