--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let me put it this way: You cannot live…" description: "\"“Let me put it this way: You cannot live in the world without being in pain, spiritual and physical pain. We have developed mechanisms to deal with the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/david-foster-wallace-161_american-constitutio_let-me-put-it-this-way-you-cannot-live-i_1354107.jpg" --- # Let me put it this way: You cannot live in the world… ![“Let me put it this way: You cannot live in the world without being in pain, spiritual and physical pain. We have developed mechanisms to deal with these pains, to overcome them somehow. Therapy, religion and spirituality, relationships, material success. All this can work, but also become a…” quote by David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/david-foster-wallace-161_american-constitutio_let-me-put-it-this-way-you-cannot-live-i_1354107.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/david-foster-wallace-161_american-constitutio_let-me-put-it-this-way-you-cannot-live-i_1354107.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/david-foster-wallace-161_american-constitutio_let-me-put-it-this-way-you-cannot-live-i_1354107.jpg) > ““Let me put it this way: You cannot live in the world without being in pain, spiritual and physical pain. We have developed mechanisms to deal with these pains, to overcome them somehow. Therapy, religion and spirituality, relationships, material success. All this can work, but also become a problem itself. The pursuit of happiness has even been put into the American constitution a couple centuries ago. Today we're so rich, we own much more than we need, we have liberties unknown before, even though they are endangered in the current political climate in the US - and we forget how wonderful it nevertheless is, compared to most other political and economic systems. We have a saying that goes: Give a man enough rope and he hangs himself.”” [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life inevitably includes pain; coping mechanisms help, but can become new problems, especially amid excess and political strain. **In simple terms:** Pain is unavoidable; coping can backfire. Key Takeaway Seek balanced coping, not excess. Themes pain coping societal excess Mood thoughtful critical hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal crisis - mental health - political activism - career stress Key Concepts philosophy psychology politics Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate healthy coping from avoidance? - What role does societal context play in personal happiness? A Different Perspective Overreliance on external solutions may ignore inner resilience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-constitution/) [Economic system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-system/) [Man enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-enough/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Physical pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-pain/) [Relief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relief/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you or I ever confront in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/there-is-no-physical-pain-no-spiritual-wound-no-anguish-of-soul-or/) [David A. 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Reach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/pain-is-a-spiritual-wake-up-call-showing-you-that-there-are-oceans/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [“In America, the only way to succeed politically is to contest your opponent at every pass; to attack every weakness, and most importantly, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-moehring/in-america-the-only-way-to-succeed-politically-is-to-contest-your/) Ryan Moehring > [The American Constitution is the greatest governing document, and at some 7,000 words, just about the shortest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-ambrose/the-american-constitution-is-the-greatest-governing-document-and-at/) [Stephen Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-ambrose/) > [Anyone who says the American Constitution is obsolete just because social and economic conditions have changed does not understand the real genius of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-cleon-skousen/anyone-who-says-the-american-constitution-is-obsolete-just-because/) [W. Cleon Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-cleon-skousen/) > [In view of the tide of religiosity engulfing a once secular republic it is refreshing to be reminded by Freethinkers that free thought and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/in-view-of-the-tide-of-religiosity-engulfing-a-once-secular-republic/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Two Soviets . . . were talking to each other. 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Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The American Constitution, one of the few modern political documents drawn up by men who were forced by the sternest circumstances to think out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-american-constitution-one-of-the-few-modern-political-documents/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [For all the great dreams profitlessly invested in the digital computer, it is nonetheless true that not since the framers of the American Constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berlinski/for-all-the-great-dreams-profitlessly-invested-in-the-digital/) [David Berlinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berlinski/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) ## More by David Foster Wallace > [“I felt more solidly composed, now that I was horizontal. I was impossible to knock down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/i-felt-more-solidly-composed-now-that-i-was-horizontal-i-was/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“We all have our little solipsistic delusions, ghastly intuitions of utter singularity: that we are the only one in the house who ever fills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/we-all-have-our-little-solipsistic-delusions-ghastly-intuitions-of/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“It's no accident that in a bureaucracy getting fired is called 'termination,' as in ontological erasure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/it-s-no-accident-that-in-a-bureaucracy-getting-fired-is-called/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Footnote: 79) The anchor is gigantic and must weigh a hundred tons, and -- delightfully -- it really is anchor-shaped, i.e. the same shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/footnote-79-the-anchor-is-gigantic-and-must-weigh-a-hundred-tons-and/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“The paradoxical intercourse of audience and celebrity. 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Why we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/to-me-at-least-in-retrospect-the-really-interesting-question-is-why/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“If you’re subjected to enough great salesmen and salespitches and marketing concepts for long enough—like from your earliest Saturday-morning cartoons, let’s say—it is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/if-you-re-subjected-to-enough-great-salesmen-and-salespitches-and/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“Why is the truth usually not just un- but anti-interesting?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/why-is-the-truth-usually-not-just-un-but-anti-interesting/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“She almost reminds the engineer of certain types in high school whom everyone adored because you sensed it made no difference to them whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/she-almost-reminds-the-engineer-of-certain-types-in-high-school-whom/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [To be, in a word, unborable… It is the key to modern life. If you are immune to boredom, there is literally nothing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/to-be-in-a-word-unborable-it-is-the-key-to-modern-life-if-you-are/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“It is within your power to experience a crowded, loud, slow, consumer-hell-type situation as not only meaningful but sacred, on fire with the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/it-is-within-your-power-to-experience-a-crowded-loud-slow-consumer/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“The happy pleasure of the person alone, yes?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-happy-pleasure-of-the-person-alone-yes/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [There is such a thing as raw, unalloyed, agendaless kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/there-is-such-a-thing-as-raw-unalloyed-agendaless-kindness/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) [Explore all 999 David Foster Wallace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) ## More American constitution quotes > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [For all the great dreams profitlessly invested in the digital computer, it is nonetheless true that not since the framers of the American Constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berlinski/for-all-the-great-dreams-profitlessly-invested-in-the-digital/) [David Berlinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berlinski/) > [The American Constitution, one of the few modern political documents drawn up by men who were forced by the sternest circumstances to think out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-american-constitution-one-of-the-few-modern-political-documents/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [And I should like to assure you, my Islamic friends, that under the American Constitution, under American tradition, and in American hearts, this Center,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/and-i-should-like-to-assure-you-my-islamic-friends-that-under-the/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [ \[quoting someone else\] the American constitution is a document designed by geniuses to be eventually interpreted by idiots ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/quoting-someone-else-the-american-constitution-is-a-document-designed/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [Two Soviets . . . were talking to each other. And one of them asked, "What's the difference between the Soviet Constitution and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/two-soviets-were-talking-to-each-other-and-one-of-them-asked-what-s/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [In view of the tide of religiosity engulfing a once secular republic it is refreshing to be reminded by Freethinkers that free thought and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/in-view-of-the-tide-of-religiosity-engulfing-a-once-secular-republic/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Anyone who says the American Constitution is obsolete just because social and economic conditions have changed does not understand the real genius of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-cleon-skousen/anyone-who-says-the-american-constitution-is-obsolete-just-because/) [W. Cleon Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-cleon-skousen/) > [The American Constitution is the greatest governing document, and at some 7,000 words, just about the shortest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-ambrose/the-american-constitution-is-the-greatest-governing-document-and-at/) [Stephen Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-ambrose/) > [“In America, the only way to succeed politically is to contest your opponent at every pass; to attack every weakness, and most importantly, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-moehring/in-america-the-only-way-to-succeed-politically-is-to-contest-your/) Ryan Moehring > [If someone has a Muslim background and they're willing to reject those tenets and to accept the way of life that we have and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/if-someone-has-a-muslim-background-and-they-re-willing-to-reject/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [“The conscious utterance of thought, by speech or action, to any end, is Art. 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William Domhoff > [The Internet's distinct configuration may have facilitated anonymous threats, copyright infringement, and cyberattacks, but it has also kindled the flame of freedom in ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/the-internet-s-distinct-configuration-may-have-facilitated-anonymous/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) [Browse all 50 American constitution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-constitution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Let me put it this way: You cannot live in the world without being in pain, spiritual and physical pain. We have developed mechanisms to deal with these pains, to overcome them somehow. Therapy, religion and spirituality, relationships, material success. All this can work, but also become a problem itself. The pursuit of happiness has even been put into the American constitution a couple centuries ago. Today we're so rich, we own much more than we need, we have liberties unknown before, even though they are endangered in the current political climate in the US - and we forget how wonderful it nevertheless is, compared to most other political and economic systems. 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