Agony Quote by H. P. Lovecraft
“As human beings, our only sensible scale of values is one based on lessening the agony of existence.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Philosophical musings, 1920
Advocates minimizing suffering as the primary moral metric for humanity
In simple terms: Reduce suffering to define values
Prioritize alleviating pain in ethical decisions
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- policy making
- medical ethics
- charitable work
- personal conduct
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies objectively assess suffering?
- What alternatives exist to a suffering‑centered ethic?
Measuring suffering can be subjective and complex