--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never believe much in happiness. I…" description: "\"I never believe much in happiness. I never believe in misery either. Those are things you see on the stage or the screen or the printed page, they neve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_believe_i-never-believe-much-in-happiness-i-neve_1510126.jpg" --- # I never believe much in happiness. I never believe in… ![“I never believe much in happiness. I never believe in misery either. Those are things you see on the stage or the screen or the printed page, they never really happen to you in life.” quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_believe_i-never-believe-much-in-happiness-i-neve_1510126.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_believe_i-never-believe-much-in-happiness-i-neve_1510126.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/358/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_believe_i-never-believe-much-in-happiness-i-neve_1510126.jpg) > “I never believe much in happiness. I never believe in misery either. Those are things you see on the stage or the screen or the printed page, they never really happen to you in life.” [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness and misery are portrayed as theatrical, not lived realities, suggesting they are fleeting and external. **In simple terms:** Emotions are stage acts, not daily life. Key Takeaway Recognize deeper depth beyond surface feelings. Themes existentialism perception reality emotions Mood reflective philosophical Type literary analytical When to use this quote - reading literature - watching films - personal reflection - mental health counseling Key Concepts Stoicism nihilism subjectivity Questions to Reflect On - Do you let external narratives shape your inner life? - How can you find authentic emotion? A Different Perspective These feelings can still influence behavior despite being "unreal". ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) ## Related quotes > [“I am glad you are happy--but I never believe much in happiness. I never believe in misery either. 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The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-padura/since-pain-and-misery-are-among-the-few-things-that-when-shared/) Leonardo Padura > [Perfect happiness, I believe, was never intended by the Deity to be the lot of one of his creatures in this world; but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/perfect-happiness-i-believe-was-never-intended-by-the-deity-to-be-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“I Believe people are genuinely kind-hearted and mean no harm to others. I Believe the ultimate desire for all of us is Happiness. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drishti-bablani/i-believe-people-are-genuinely-kind-hearted-and-mean-no-harm-to/) [Drishti Bablani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drishti-bablani/) > [We often think that money, possessions and external conditions bring happiness. I BELIEVE, it is self conciousness that determines true happiness. 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But there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/alone-alone-it-is-a-fact-you-hear-more-acutely-and-you-see-and-think/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## More by F. Scott Fitzgerald > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“There was a ripe mystery about it, a hint of bedrooms upstairs more beautiful and cool than other bedrooms, of gay and radiant activities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/there-was-a-ripe-mystery-about-it-a-hint-of-bedrooms-upstairs-more/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I want you to take a red-hot bath as hot as you can bear it, and just relax your nerves. 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Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Life is a series of successful gestures...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/life-is-a-series-of-successful-gestures/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Another dawn flung itself across the river; a belated taxi hurried along the street, its lamps still shining like burning eyes in a face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/another-dawn-flung-itself-across-the-river-a-belated-taxi-hurried/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“She plucked a twig and broke it, but she found no spring in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/she-plucked-a-twig-and-broke-it-but-she-found-no-spring-in-it/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“I'm one of those people who go through the world giving other people thrills but getting few myself except those I read into men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-m-one-of-those-people-who-go-through-the-world-giving-other-people/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The Montana sunset lay between the mountains like a giant bruise from which darkened arteries spread across a poisoned sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-montana-sunset-lay-between-the-mountains-like-a-giant-bruise-from/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“You loved me too?" he repeated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/you-loved-me-too-he-repeated/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“He was good looking, "sort of distinguished when he wants to be", had a line, and was properly inconstant. In fact, he summed up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/he-was-good-looking-sort-of-distinguished-when-he-wants-to-be-had-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [What are you going to do? "Can't say - run for president, write -" "Greenwich Village?" "Good heavens, no - I said write -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/what-are-you-going-to-do-can-t-say-run-for-president-write-greenwich/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“The latter was considered a good fellow and a fine leader, until a year later, when he disappeared with a mess fund of eleven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-latter-was-considered-a-good-fellow-and-a-fine-leader-until-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-eluded-us-then-but-that-s-no-matter-tomorrow-we-will-run-faster/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Explore all 1,568 F. Scott Fitzgerald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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