Beyond belief Quote by Dale Wasserman
““I have lived nearly fifty years, and I have seen life as it is. Pain, misery, hunger ... cruelty beyond belief. I have heard the singing from taverns and the moans from bundles of filth on the streets. I have been a soldier and seen my comrades fall in battle ... or die more slowly under the lash in Africa. I have held them in my arms at the final moment. These were men who saw life as it is, yet they died despairing. No glory, no gallant last words ... only their eyes filled with confusion, whimpering the question, "Why?" I do not think they asked why they were dying, but why they had lived. When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness. To seek treasure where there is only trash. Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!””
About This Quote
Source Play: “The Soldier’s Lament”, 1998
The speaker reflects on harsh realities of war, questioning the meaning of life versus death, and the thin line between sanity and madness.
In simple terms: War reveals life’s brutality and the thin line between sanity and madness.
Key Takeaway
Seek meaning beyond suffering and cherish humanity.
Themes
war
existentialism
madness
humanity
disillusionment
suffering
Mood
dramatic
Type
Beyond belief:1
Faith:0
Last words:1
Life:1
Life itself:1
Madness:1
Last Word:1
Sanity Madness:1
Madness Lies:1
Life Lunatic:1
Madness Seek:1
When to use this quote
- May generalize suffering without offering pathways to healing.
Key Concepts
psychology of trauma
philosophy of existence
military experience
ethical reflection
Questions to Reflect On
- somber
- philosophical
A Different Perspective
Why do we cling to dreams in hardship?;How does confronting madness change our view of life?
