--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes there is no happy choice, Sam…" description: "\"“Sometimes there is no happy choice, Sam, only one less grievous than the others.”\" — George R.R. Martin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/george-r-r-martin-48_choice_sometimes-there-is-no-happy-choice-sam-o_3094209.png" --- # Sometimes there is no happy choice, Sam, only one less… ![“Sometimes there is no happy choice, Sam, only one less grievous than the others.” quote by George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/george-r-r-martin-48_choice_sometimes-there-is-no-happy-choice-sam-o_3094209.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/george-r-r-martin-48_choice_sometimes-there-is-no-happy-choice-sam-o_3094209.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/george-r-r-martin-48_choice_sometimes-there-is-no-happy-choice-sam-o_3094209.png) > ““Sometimes there is no happy choice, Sam, only one less grievous than the others.”” [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When choices are all undesirable, the best option is the one that causes the least harm, acknowledging that perfect solutions rarely exist. **In simple terms:** Choose the least harmful option when all are bad. Key Takeaway Accept imperfect choices and minimize damage. Themes ethics decision making realism trade‑offs consequences Mood somber thoughtful pragmatic Type ethical practical When to use this quote - medical triage - legal judgments - personal dilemmas - business strategy - environmental policy Key Concepts moral philosophy risk assessment pragmatism Questions to Reflect On - What values are you willing to sacrifice? - Can a “least harmful” choice still be morally wrong? A Different Perspective It may ignore deeper values or long‑term impacts, focusing only on immediate harm reduction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes there is no happy choice, Sam, only one less grievous than the others. - Jon Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/sometimes-there-is-no-happy-choice-sam-only-one-less-grievous-than/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/correction-is-grievous-unto-him-that-forsaketh-the-way-and-he-that/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [Nothing, that is say no one, can be such an inexorable tour-conductor as one's own conscience or sense of duty, if one allows either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bowen/nothing-that-is-say-no-one-can-be-such-an-inexorable-tour-conductor/) [Elizabeth Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bowen/) > [How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/how-much-more-grievous-are-the-consequences-of-anger-than-the-causes-2/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“death struggle had been a grievous one. On”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/death-struggle-had-been-a-grievous-one-on/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [More grievous than tears is the sight of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/more-grievous-than-tears-is-the-sight-of-them/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [It is grievous to be caught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/it-is-grievous-to-be-caught/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [To be happy or not is your choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yatz/to-be-happy-or-not-is-your-choice/) Yatz > [Whether your life is happy or not is your own choice. Many people think I can't live a normal life because I don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/whether-your-life-is-happy-or-not-is-your-own-choice-many-people/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [I'm really happy with my choice to be here at Chelsea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorginho/i-m-really-happy-with-my-choice-to-be-here-at-chelsea/) [Jorginho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorginho/) > [I'm single because being Happy is a Choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakii-retondo/i-m-single-because-being-happy-is-a-choice/) [Rakii Retondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakii-retondo/) > [Being happy is a choice. So I choose to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-happy-is-a-choice-so-i-choose-to-be-happy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I really believe that being positive and being happy is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-really-believe-that-being-positive-and-being-happy-is-a-choice/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [You cannot give someone else the responsibility of your joy... being happy is a choice you must make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercy-pheona/you-cannot-give-someone-else-the-responsibility-of-your-joy-being/) [Mercy Pheona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercy-pheona/) > [I am happy with being a tennis player and the choice I took when I was 12. But clearly, if I wouldn't have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-nadal/i-am-happy-with-being-a-tennis-player-and-the-choice-i-took-when-i/) [Rafael Nadal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-nadal/) ## More by George R.R. Martin > [“Neither's the one you get, less you want me to see if your apple's ripe, yet. - Yoren”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/neither-s-the-one-you-get-less-you-want-me-to-see-if-your-apple-s/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“You are the queen, he ought to be begging leave of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-are-the-queen-he-ought-to-be-begging-leave-of-you/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“It is my look they will flinch from now, my frown that they must fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-is-my-look-they-will-flinch-from-now-my-frown-that-they-must-fear/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“A good threat is often more telling than a blow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-good-threat-is-often-more-telling-than-a-blow/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“This wine is very choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/this-wine-is-very-choice/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Everything Syrio Forel had ever taught her vanished in a heartbeat. In that instant of sudden terror, the only lesson Arya could remember was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/everything-syrio-forel-had-ever-taught-her-vanished-in-a-heartbeat-in/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Megga couldn’t sing, but she was mad to be kissed. She and Alla played a kissing game sometimes, she confessed, but it wasn’t the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/megga-couldn-t-sing-but-she-was-mad-to-be-kissed-she-and-alla-played/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“The rain feels good against my face, Sam. It feels like tears. Let me stay a while longer, I pray you. It has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-rain-feels-good-against-my-face-sam-it-feels-like-tears-let-me/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Every man who walks the earth casts a shadow on the world. Some are thin and weak, others long and dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/every-man-who-walks-the-earth-casts-a-shadow-on-the-world-some-are/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“The shy girl she had known at Riverrun had grown into a woman who was by turns proud, fearful, cruel, dreamy, reckless, timid, stubborn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-shy-girl-she-had-known-at-riverrun-had-grown-into-a-woman-who-was/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“He won the war on the battlefield and lost it in a bedchamber, poor fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/he-won-the-war-on-the-battlefield-and-lost-it-in-a-bedchamber-poor/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“On the morning after battle the crows had feasted on victors and vanquished alike. How much can a crown be worth when a crow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/on-the-morning-after-battle-the-crows-had-feasted-on-victors-and/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“The little man gave the big one a look. One of his eyes was green, one was black, and both were cool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-little-man-gave-the-big-one-a-look-one-of-his-eyes-was-green-one/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Jon, could there be honor in a lie, if it were told for a...good purpose? - Samwell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/jon-could-there-be-honor-in-a-lie-if-it-were-told-for-a-good-purpose/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“My mother said my father had a drop of dragon blood.” “Two drops. That, or a cock six feet long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/my-mother-said-my-father-had-a-drop-of-dragon-blood-two-drops-that-or/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) [Explore all 1,761 George R.R. Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) Randy C. Dockens > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sometimes there is no happy choice, Sam, only one less grievous than the others.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George R.R. Martin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/sometimes-there-is-no-happy-choice-sam-only-one-less-grievous-than-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/sometimes-there-is-no-happy-choice-sam-only-one-less-grievous-than-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/george-r-r-martin-48_choice_sometimes-there-is-no-happy-choice-sam-o_3094209.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/george-r-r-martin-48_choice_sometimes-there-is-no-happy-choice-sam-o_3094209.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/george-r-r-martin-48_choice_sometimes-there-is-no-happy-choice-sam-o_3094209.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes there is no happy choice, Sam, only one less grievous than the others.” — George R.R. Martin", "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": "George R.R. Martin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Sometimes there is no happy choice,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/sometimes-there-is-no-happy-choice-sam-only-one-less-grievous-than-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/sometimes-there-is-no-happy-choice-sam-only-one-less-grievous-than-2/#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 } } ] } ```