---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Doesn't our knowledge of death make life…"
description: "\"Doesn't our knowledge of death make life more precious?' What good is a preciousness based on fear and anxiety? It's an anxious quivering thing\" — Don ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60d/don-delillo-294_anxiety_doesn-t-our-knowledge-of-death-make-life_463337.jpg"
---

#  Doesn't our knowledge of death make life more precious?'…

![“Doesn't our knowledge of death make life more precious?' What good is a preciousness based on fear and anxiety? It's an anxious quivering thing” quote by Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60d/don-delillo-294_anxiety_doesn-t-our-knowledge-of-death-make-life_463337.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60d/don-delillo-294_anxiety_doesn-t-our-knowledge-of-death-make-life_463337.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60d/don-delillo-294_anxiety_doesn-t-our-knowledge-of-death-make-life_463337.jpg)

> “Doesn't our knowledge of death make life more precious?' What good is a preciousness based on fear and anxiety? It's an anxious quivering thing”

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Fear of death can make life feel valuable, but that value may be fragile and anxiety‑driven.

**In simple terms:** Preciousness based on fear is shaky.

Key Takeaway

Seek meaning beyond fear.

Themes

mortality value anxiety

Mood

introspective serious

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- grief counseling
- life planning
- mindfulness practice

Key Concepts

existentialism psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- What gives life meaning without fear?
- How can you cultivate appreciation without anxiety?

A Different Perspective

Relying on fear for motivation can lead to chronic stress.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Anxious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxious/) [Anxious Quivering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxious-quivering-4019521/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear And Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-and-anxiety/) [Fear Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-anxiety/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Preciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preciousness-1038495/) [Preciousness Based](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preciousness-based-4019522/)

## Related quotes

> [“Fear and anxiety and sadness are not necessarily always undesirable or unhelpful states of mind; rather, they are often representatives of the necessary pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/fear-and-anxiety-and-sadness-are-not-necessarily-always-undesirable/)

[Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/)

> [“Fear and anxiety many times indicates that we are moving in a positive direction, out of the safe confines of our comfort zone, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-f-glassman/fear-and-anxiety-many-times-indicates-that-we-are-moving-in-a/)

[Charles F. Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-f-glassman/)

> [A lot of the characters I've played before are heroic or invincible in some ways and not tuned into fear and anxiety and pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-statham/a-lot-of-the-characters-i-ve-played-before-are-heroic-or-invincible/)

[Jason Statham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-statham/)

> [“Certainly we want to protect our children from new and painful experiences that are beyond their emotional comprehension and that intensify anxiety; and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/certainly-we-want-to-protect-our-children-from-new-and-painful/)

[Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/)

> [“The odd thing is that fear and anxiety are running away from something, but they don’t know what to run to. They know danger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-t-welch/the-odd-thing-is-that-fear-and-anxiety-are-running-away-from/)

[Edward T. Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-t-welch/)

> [I'm just suggesting that when you're faced with fear and anxiety, don't medicate. Meditate instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/i-m-just-suggesting-that-when-you-re-faced-with-fear-and-anxiety-don/)

[Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/)

> [Problem is that my athletic abilities in my mind are greater than what my body can accomplish. And my level of fear and anxiety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/problem-is-that-my-athletic-abilities-in-my-mind-are-greater-than/)

[Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/)

> [When we go through being rejected and abandoned like I did as a kid, you have a lot of fear and anxiety issues that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-franklin/when-we-go-through-being-rejected-and-abandoned-like-i-did-as-a-kid/)

[Kirk Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-franklin/)

> [A failed personal experience is just fear and anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethenny-frankel/a-failed-personal-experience-is-just-fear-and-anxiety/)

[Bethenny Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethenny-frankel/)

> [It is important to ask ourselves, as citizens, whether a world power can provide global leadership on the basis of fear and anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/it-is-important-to-ask-ourselves-as-citizens-whether-a-world-power/)

[Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/)

> [The wind of divine grace is always blowing. You just need to spread your sail. Whenever you do anything, do it with your whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-wind-of-divine-grace-is-always-blowing-you-just-need-to-spread/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> ['Amusement' is appealing because we don't have to think; it spares us the fear and anxiety that might otherwise prey on our thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/amusement-is-appealing-because-we-don-t-have-to-think-it-spares-us/)

[John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/)

> [“Yeah. I'm sorry I can never talk about it. Fear...and anxiety...all that stuff...it's hard to talk about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuki-midorikawa/yeah-i-m-sorry-i-can-never-talk-about-it-fear-and-anxiety-all-that/)

[Yuki Midorikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuki-midorikawa/)

> [Fear and anxiety are great motivators for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/fear-and-anxiety-are-great-motivators-for-me/)

[David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/)

> [I made things a lot harder than they needed to be out of fear and anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sutton-foster/i-made-things-a-lot-harder-than-they-needed-to-be-out-of-fear-and/)

[Sutton Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sutton-foster/)

## More by Don DeLillo

> [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [Everything is barely weeks. Everything is days. We have minutes to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/everything-is-barely-weeks-everything-is-days-we-have-minutes-to-live/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [The novel is the dream release, the suspension of reality that history needs to escape its own brutal confinements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-novel-is-the-dream-release-the-suspension-of-reality-that-history/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [“As I listened I thought a featureless baggy man was striking me in slow motion with a well-polished stone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/as-i-listened-i-thought-a-featureless-baggy-man-was-striking-me-in/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [“Murray said, 'I don't trust anybody's nostalgia but my own. Nostalgia is a product of dissatisfaction and rage. It´s a settling of grievances between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/murray-said-i-don-t-trust-anybody-s-nostalgia-but-my-own-nostalgia-is/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [“She is beginning to think it is possible that all creation is a spurt of blank matter that chances to make an emerald planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/she-is-beginning-to-think-it-is-possible-that-all-creation-is-a-spurt/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [“Those who have abandoned belief must still believe in us. They are sure that they are right not to believe but they know belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/those-who-have-abandoned-belief-must-still-believe-in-us-they-are/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [“The plane had lost power in all three engines, dropped from thirty-four thousand feet to twelve thousand feet. Something like four miles. When the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-plane-had-lost-power-in-all-three-engines-dropped-from-thirty/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [“Grass: I live in a great steel tower that reflects the blazing sun. People catch fire just walking by. The more bodies that pile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/grass-i-live-in-a-great-steel-tower-that-reflects-the-blazing-sun/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [“What people discard could make a nation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/what-people-discard-could-make-a-nation/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [“Marriage is something we make from available materials. In this sense it’s improvised, it’s almost offhand. Maybe this is why we know so little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/marriage-is-something-we-make-from-available-materials-in-this-sense/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [The true life is not reducible to words spoken or written, not by anyone, ever. The true life takes place when we're alone, thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-true-life-is-not-reducible-to-words-spoken-or-written-not-by/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [I've come to think of Europe as a hardcover book, America as the paperback version.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-ve-come-to-think-of-europe-as-a-hardcover-book-america-as-the/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [There is a set of balances and rhythms to a novel that we can't experience in real life. So I think there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/there-is-a-set-of-balances-and-rhythms-to-a-novel-that-we-can-t/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [“There is no lie in war or preparation of war that can't be defended. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/there-is-no-lie-in-war-or-preparation-of-war-that-can-t-be-defended/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

[Explore all 699 Don DeLillo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

## More Anxiety quotes

> [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/)

[Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/)

> [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/)

[Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/)

> [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/)

[Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/)

> [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/)

[Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/)

> [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/)

[Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/)

> [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/)

[Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/)

> [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/)

[Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/)

> [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/)

[Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/)

> [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

> [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/)

[Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/)

> [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/)

[Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/)

> [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/)

[Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/)

[Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Doesn't our knowledge of death make life more precious?' What good is a preciousness based on fear and anxiety? It's an anxious quivering thing",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Don DeLillo"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/doesn-t-our-knowledge-of-death-make-life-more-precious-what-good-is-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Anxiety"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/doesn-t-our-knowledge-of-death-make-life-more-precious-what-good-is-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60d/don-delillo-294_anxiety_doesn-t-our-knowledge-of-death-make-life_463337.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60d/don-delillo-294_anxiety_doesn-t-our-knowledge-of-death-make-life_463337.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60d/don-delillo-294_anxiety_doesn-t-our-knowledge-of-death-make-life_463337.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Doesn't our knowledge of death make life more precious?' What good is a preciousness based on fear and…” — Don DeLillo",
                "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": "Don DeLillo",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Doesn't our knowledge of death make...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/doesn-t-our-knowledge-of-death-make-life-more-precious-what-good-is-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/doesn-t-our-knowledge-of-death-make-life-more-precious-what-good-is-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
