--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Confront a corpse at least once. The…" description: "\"“Confront a corpse at least once. The absolute absence of life is the most disturbing and challenging confrontation you will ever have. David Bowie”\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/david-bowie-508_death_confront-a-corpse-at-least-once-the-abso_1394182.jpg" --- # Confront a corpse at least once. The absolute absence of… ![“Confront a corpse at least once. The absolute absence of life is the most disturbing and challenging confrontation you will ever have. David Bowie” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/david-bowie-508_death_confront-a-corpse-at-least-once-the-abso_1394182.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/david-bowie-508_death_confront-a-corpse-at-least-once-the-abso_1394182.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/david-bowie-508_death_confront-a-corpse-at-least-once-the-abso_1394182.jpg) > ““Confront a corpse at least once. The absolute absence of life is the most disturbing and challenging confrontation you will ever have. David Bowie”” [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing death forces confronting life's fragility, a profound challenge. **In simple terms:** Death confronts us with life's fragility. Key Takeaway Embrace mortality to value life. Themes mortality challenge selfreflection Mood reflective somber Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - grief counseling - creative inspiration - personal growth Key Concepts existentialism psychology art Questions to Reflect On - What does confronting mortality teach you? - How can this perspective shape your actions? A Different Perspective Some may find the metaphor unsettling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confront Corpse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confront-corpse-4867370/) [Confrontation David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confrontation-david-4867372/) [Corpse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corpse/) [Corpse Absolute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corpse-absolute-4867371/) [David bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/david-bowie/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [Confront a corpse at least once. The absolute absence of life is the most disturbing and challenging confrontation you will ever have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/confront-a-corpse-at-least-once-the-absolute-absence-of-life-is-the-2/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [ \[David\] Bowie's last album "Blackstar" featured him backed by a jazz quartet. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/david-bowie-s-last-album-blackstar-featured-him-backed-by-a-jazz/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [ \[David\] Bowie had a genius for continual change himself, reinventing his sound and his image throughout the decades. Each album seemed to find Bowie… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/david-bowie-had-a-genius-for-continual-change-himself-reinventing-his/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Look out my window, what do I see? A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me. All the nightmares came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/look-out-my-window-what-do-i-see-a-crack-in-the-sky-and-a-hand/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [David Bowie emerged as a rock star in the late '60s. And as Ken Tucker wrote, "In the face of the hippy era's sincerity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/david-bowie-emerged-as-a-rock-star-in-the-late-60s-and-as-ken-tucker/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [ \[David\] Bowie went on to make best-selling music - funk, dance music, electronic music, while also being influenced by cabaret and jazz. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/david-bowie-went-on-to-make-best-selling-music-funk-dance-music/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [This is a mad planet," David Bowie said in 1971. "It's doomed to madness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/this-is-a-mad-planet-david-bowie-said-in-1971-it-s-doomed-to-madness/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“I always had a repulsive need to be something more than human. I felt very puny as a human. I thought, 'Fuck that. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-always-had-a-repulsive-need-to-be-something-more-than-human-i-felt/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe Put your ray gun to my head Press your space face close to mine, love Freak out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/keep-your-lectric-eye-on-me-babe-put-your-ray-gun-to-my-head-press/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“The bravest thing David Bowie ever did was to go on stage after Queen at Live Aid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-stafford/the-bravest-thing-david-bowie-ever-did-was-to-go-on-stage-after-queen/) [Stewart Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-stafford/) > [David Bowie worked with Brian Eno and dressed up in extraordinary clothes, but he was also a brilliant songwriter who captured the thoughts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/david-bowie-worked-with-brian-eno-and-dressed-up-in-extraordinary/) [Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/) > [I do not use the word 'genius' lightly, but if David Bowie is not a genius, then there is no such thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-rock/i-do-not-use-the-word-genius-lightly-but-if-david-bowie-is-not-a/) [Mick Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-rock/) > [The problem is that the internet IS some kid in a basement with an opinion. The fact that David Bowie and Elton John told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/page-hamilton/the-problem-is-that-the-internet-is-some-kid-in-a-basement-with-an/) [Page Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/page-hamilton/) > [ If I say something about David \[Bowie\], I get 1000 tweets, if I say something about my business just a few! The more personal,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iman-abdulmajid/if-i-say-something-about-david-bowie-i-get-1000-tweets-if-i-say/) [Iman Abdulmajid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iman-abdulmajid/) > [I was David Bowie-thin up to about 28, and then I discovered food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-was-david-bowie-thin-up-to-about-28-and-then-i-discovered-food/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) ## More by David Bowie > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [No more free steps to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/no-more-free-steps-to-heaven/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm not sure whether it is me changing my mind, or whether I lie a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-not-sure-whether-it-is-me-changing-my-mind-or-whether-i-lie-a-lot/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I do some kind of work, whether writing or painting or recording, on a daily basis. And it's so essential that when I'm involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-do-some-kind-of-work-whether-writing-or-painting-or-recording-on-a/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [To not be modest about it, you'll find that with only a couple of exceptions, most of the musicians that I've worked with have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/to-not-be-modest-about-it-you-ll-find-that-with-only-a-couple-of/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I went mainstream in a major way with the song "Let's Dance." And what I found I had done was put a box around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-went-mainstream-in-a-major-way-with-the-song-let-s-dance-and-what-i/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe Put your ray gun to my head Press your space face close to mine, love Freak out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/keep-your-lectric-eye-on-me-babe-put-your-ray-gun-to-my-head-press/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm in awe of the universe, but I don't necessarily believe there's an intelligence or agent behind it. I do have a passion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-in-awe-of-the-universe-but-i-don-t-necessarily-believe-there-s-an/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [TV has eaten up everything else, and Warhol films are all that are left, which is fabulous. Pork could become the next I Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/tv-has-eaten-up-everything-else-and-warhol-films-are-all-that-are/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“My brain hurt like a warehouse It had no room to spare I had to cram so many things to store everything in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/my-brain-hurt-like-a-warehouse-it-had-no-room-to-spare-i-had-to-cram/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't always just about expressing my work; I really wanted, more than anything else, to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-suppose-for-me-as-an-artist-it-wasn-t-always-just-about-expressing/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [... And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They're quite aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/and-these-children-that-you-spit-on-as-they-try-to-change-their/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I think the first song I ever wrote ... was called "Can't Help Thinking About Me." That's an illuminating little piece, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-think-the-first-song-i-ever-wrote-was-called-can-t-help-thinking/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I've come to the realizations that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-ve-come-to-the-realizations-that-i-have-absolutely-no-idea-what-i-m/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I never really felt like a rock singer or a rock star or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-really-felt-like-a-rock-singer-or-a-rock-star-or-whatever/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) [Explore all 508 David Bowie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## More Corpse quotes > [“WORDS ARE TEETH. AND THEY EAT ME ALIVE. FEED ON MY CORPSE INSTEAD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-giles/words-are-teeth-and-they-eat-me-alive-feed-on-my-corpse-instead/) [Gail Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-giles/) > [“So I should not hate Adolin Kholin for wielding a corpse!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/so-i-should-not-hate-adolin-kholin-for-wielding-a-corpse/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [ René of Anjou \[(1409-80)\] painted a picture of his mistress's corpse as he found it eaten by worms on having it \[her tomb\] openedon… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-walpole/ren-of-anjou-1409-80-painted-a-picture-of-his-mistress-s-corpse-as-he/) [Horace Walpole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-walpole/) > [“such is their image of man’s nature: the battleground of a struggle between a corpse and a ghost,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/such-is-their-image-of-man-s-nature-the-battleground-of-a-struggle/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“She was dry, dry inside like a ten-thousand-year-old tomb, with the last of her life barely dampening the dirt underneath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-rosenfield/she-was-dry-dry-inside-like-a-ten-thousand-year-old-tomb-with-the/) [Kat Rosenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-rosenfield/) > [The government increasingly resembles somebody who is trying to give the kiss of life to a corpse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-cable/the-government-increasingly-resembles-somebody-who-is-trying-to-give/) [Vince Cable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-cable/) > [I never change, I'm like a corpse in a coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-cole/i-never-change-i-m-like-a-corpse-in-a-coffin/) [J Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-cole/) > [“You and I are victims of the same disease. We're fighting the same war, just different battles in different theaters, and it's way too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-marion/you-and-i-are-victims-of-the-same-disease-we-re-fighting-the-same-war/) [Isaac Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-marion/) > [Alas, poor Yorick! How surprised he would be to see how his counterpart of today is whisked off to a funeral parlor and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mitford/alas-poor-yorick-how-surprised-he-would-be-to-see-how-his-counterpart/) [Jessica Mitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mitford/) > [Well, my friend, this earth will one day be that cold corpse; it will become uninhabitable and uninhabited like the moon, which has long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/well-my-friend-this-earth-will-one-day-be-that-cold-corpse-it-will/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“Bagpipe Music' It's no go the merrygoround, it's no go the rickshaw, All we want is a limousine and a ticket for the peepshow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-macneice/bagpipe-music-it-s-no-go-the-merrygoround-it-s-no-go-the-rickshaw-all/) [Louis MacNeice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-macneice/) > [“Now, feel free to call me what I am-call me a corpse, call me dead, call me a killer if you want. I've killed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia-habel/now-feel-free-to-call-me-what-i-am-call-me-a-corpse-call-me-dead-call/) [Lia Habel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lia-habel/) > [“I’ve heard that sometimes a version of you must die before another more enlightened version can be born. I think that’s true after watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-flygare/i-ve-heard-that-sometimes-a-version-of-you-must-die-before-another/) [Julie Flygare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-flygare/) > [“In some warped way, having an embalmed body with us made perfect sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-shah/in-some-warped-way-having-an-embalmed-body-with-us-made-perfect-sense/) [Tahir Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-shah/) > [Memory heaps dead leaves on corpse-like deeds, from under which they do but vaguely offend the sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galsworthy/memory-heaps-dead-leaves-on-corpse-like-deeds-from-under-which-they/) [John Galsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galsworthy/) [Browse all 240 Corpse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corpse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Confront a corpse at least once. 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