Death Quote by Erich Maria Remarque
““Such things are real problems, they are serious matters to us, they cannot be otherwise. Here, on the borders of death, life follows an amazingly simply course, it is limited to what is most necessary, all else lies buried in gloomy sleep;—in that besides our primitiveness and our survival. Were we more subtly differentiated we must long since have gone mad, have deserted, or have fallen. As in a polar expedition, every expression of life must serve only the preservation of existence, and is absolutely focused on that. All else is banished because it would consume””
About This Quote
Source Novel: All Quiet on the Western Front (paraphrased)
In extreme conditions, life reduces to essential survival, shedding all non‑essential concerns.
In simple terms: Survival strips life to basics.
Key Takeaway
Focus on essentials when resources are scarce.
Themes
survival
minimalism
existential
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- war zones
- natural disasters
- remote expeditions
Key Concepts
resource scarcity
psychology of stress
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- What essential needs dominate your life?
- How do you balance survival with meaning?
A Different Perspective
Over‑focus on essentials can ignore long‑term wellbeing.
![“For many years the stakes were clear. There were the Arabs attacking us and us defending ourselves, so basically there were no real problems [between the United States and Israel]. Now there are many small cells, and each of them can destroy on their own. Some can arrive at New York and kill…” quote by Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/92a/shimon-peres-1970_arabs_for-many-years-the-stakes-were-clear-the_45612.jpg)
