--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People always say things like, Oh, well…" description: "\"People always say things like, Oh, well, he was suffering so much that he was better off dying. But that's not true. You're always better off living.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ee/dashiell-hammett-3863_always_people-always-say-things-like-oh-well-he_1867049.png" --- # People always say things like, Oh, well, he was suffering… ![“People always say things like, Oh, well, he was suffering so much that he was better off dying. But that's not true. You're always better off living.” quote by Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ee/dashiell-hammett-3863_always_people-always-say-things-like-oh-well-he_1867049.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ee/dashiell-hammett-3863_always_people-always-say-things-like-oh-well-he_1867049.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ee/dashiell-hammett-3863_always_people-always-say-things-like-oh-well-he_1867049.png) > “People always say things like, Oh, well, he was suffering so much that he was better off dying. But that's not true. You're always better off living.” [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is inherently valuable; choosing death is never a solution to suffering. **In simple terms:** Living is always better than dying. Key Takeaway Choose life despite pain. Themes value of life resilience mental health Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - mental health treatment - end‑of‑life decisions Key Concepts existentialism ethical choice Questions to Reflect On - What makes life worth living in your darkest moments? - How can you support someone who feels hopeless? A Different Perspective Life’s challenges can be overwhelming, making the advice feel simplistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Better Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-dying-2551090/) [Better off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-off/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying/) [Dying True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying-true-2551091/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/much/) [Off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/off/) [Oh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oh/) [Oh well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oh-well/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffering Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-better-317243/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true/) [Well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [“We all got to die," she said. "But dying as your true self is always better. God'll take you however you come to Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/we-all-got-to-die-she-said-but-dying-as-your-true-self-is-always/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [Dying fOr ¥ (LOVE) Is BeTter tHan Dying WiThout ¥ (LOVE)..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tailor-jay/dying-for-love-is-better-than-dying-without-love/) [Tailor Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tailor-jay/) > [Suffering is better than sinning. There is more evil in a drop of sin than in an ocean of affliction. Better, burn for Christ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/suffering-is-better-than-sinning-there-is-more-evil-in-a-drop-of-sin/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [To be good we must needs have suffered; but perhaps it is necessary to have caused suffering before we can become better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/to-be-good-we-must-needs-have-suffered-but-perhaps-it-is-necessary-to/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [“...hurting was better than dying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/hurting-was-better-than-dying/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“Then you'll die in the midst of trying to realize your Personal Legend. That's a lot better than dying like millions of other people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/then-you-ll-die-in-the-midst-of-trying-to-realize-your-personal/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [We have to go through pain and suffering to be better and become stronger like a seed dropped in dirt covered with darkness it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-vasquez/we-have-to-go-through-pain-and-suffering-to-be-better-and-become/) [Christian Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-vasquez/) > [“As stone suffers of stoniness, As light of its shiningness, As birds of their wingedness, So I of my whoness. And what the cure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-riding-jackson/as-stone-suffers-of-stoniness-as-light-of-its-shiningness-as-birds-of/) [Laura Riding Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-riding-jackson/) > [I mean,he decided we'd be better apart,you know?it wasn't a joint decision.like, if your gonna make a decision about me and my life without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/i-mean-he-decided-we-d-be-better-apart-you-know-it-wasn-t-a-joint/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [“I'm now asking an idle question of my own: which is better--cheap happiness, or lofty suffering? Well, which is better?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-m-now-asking-an-idle-question-of-my-own-which-is-better-cheap/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“apologizing for something you didn’t do is better than dying for it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/apologizing-for-something-you-didn-t-do-is-better-than-dying-for-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whereas in the past optimism had been regarded as rather shallow - because 'oh well, it's just your temperament, you happen to be just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-wilson/whereas-in-the-past-optimism-had-been-regarded-as-rather-shallow/) [Colin Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-wilson/) > [Of course, Minneapolis, we think, 'Oh well, it's cold there, lethally cold.' But the reality is you adapt to weather... Humans are consummately adaptable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-buettner/of-course-minneapolis-we-think-oh-well-it-s-cold-there-lethally-cold/) [Dan Buettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-buettner/) > [I have days where I feel like crap and I look at my body and I'm like, 'I haven't been able to work out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-keibler/i-have-days-where-i-feel-like-crap-and-i-look-at-my-body-and-i-m-like/) [Stacy Keibler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-keibler/) > [Market society is a game where you win by making sure other people are better off with you than without you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schmidtz/market-society-is-a-game-where-you-win-by-making-sure-other-people/) [David Schmidtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-schmidtz/) ## More by Dashiell Hammett > [It's sometimes better to pretend I don't hear the sound of somebody in the nearby woods with a shotgun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/it-s-sometimes-better-to-pretend-i-don-t-hear-the-sound-of-somebody/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [“This damned burg's getting me. If I don't get away soon I'll be going blood-simple like the natives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/this-damned-burg-s-getting-me-if-i-don-t-get-away-soon-i-ll-be-going/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [“You know Quinn?" Macaulay asked me. "Ten minutes ago I was putting him to bed." Macaulay grinned. "I hope you keep his acquaintance like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/you-know-quinn-macaulay-asked-me-ten-minutes-ago-i-was-putting-him-to/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [“Gutman smiled benignly at him and said: “Well, Wilmer, I’m sorry indeed to lose you, and I want you to know that I couldn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/gutman-smiled-benignly-at-him-and-said-well-wilmer-i-m-sorry-indeed/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [“...I guess I can put two and two together." "Sometimes the answer's four," I said, "and sometimes it's twenty-two...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/i-guess-i-can-put-two-and-two-together-sometimes-the-answer-s-four-i/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Nora: "How do you feel?" Nick: "Terrible. I must've gone to bed sober.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/nora-how-do-you-feel-nick-terrible-i-must-ve-gone-to-bed-sober/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [A lot of fancier yarns come from people trying to tell the truth. It’s not easy once you’re out of the habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/a-lot-of-fancier-yarns-come-from-people-trying-to-tell-the-truth-it-s/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Three times I have been mistaken for a prohibition agent, but never had any trouble clearing myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/three-times-i-have-been-mistaken-for-a-prohibition-agent-but-never/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Listen, Dundy, it's been a long time since I burst into tears because a policeman didn't like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/listen-dundy-it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-burst-into-tears-because-a/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [“...What do people think about my staying with Harrison with him chasing everything that's hot and hollow?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/what-do-people-think-about-my-staying-with-harrison-with-him-chasing/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [“Don't be so damned patronizing. Your performance so far has been a little less than dazzling." "I didn't mean no harm," I said and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/don-t-be-so-damned-patronizing-your-performance-so-far-has-been-a/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [...What disturbed him was the discovery that in sensibly ordering his affairs he had got out of step, and not into step, with Life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/what-disturbed-him-was-the-discovery-that-in-sensibly-ordering-his/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [I haven't any sort of plans for the future but I reckon things will work out in some manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/i-haven-t-any-sort-of-plans-for-the-future-but-i-reckon-things-will/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [To get what he wanted, a man had to give other people what they wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/to-get-what-he-wanted-a-man-had-to-give-other-people-what-they-wanted/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [He felt like somebody had taken the lid off life and let him see the works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/he-felt-like-somebody-had-taken-the-lid-off-life-and-let-him-see-the/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) [Explore all 119 Dashiell Hammett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. 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If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People always say things like, Oh, well, he was suffering so much that he was better off dying. 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