--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Other people may complicate our lives…" description: "\"Other people may complicate our lives, but life without them would be unbearably desolate. None of us can be truly human in isolation. The qualities th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/harold-s-kushner-4877_desolate_other-people-may-complicate-our-lives-bu_586713.png" --- # Other people may complicate our lives, but life without… ![“Other people may complicate our lives, but life without them would be unbearably desolate. None of us can be truly human in isolation. The qualities that make us human emerge only in the ways we relate to other people.” quote by Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/harold-s-kushner-4877_desolate_other-people-may-complicate-our-lives-bu_586713.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/harold-s-kushner-4877_desolate_other-people-may-complicate-our-lives-bu_586713.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/harold-s-kushner-4877_desolate_other-people-may-complicate-our-lives-bu_586713.png) > “Other people may complicate our lives, but life without them would be unbearably desolate. None of us can be truly human in isolation. The qualities that make us human emerge only in the ways we relate to other people.” [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human connection is essential; isolation makes life empty, and our humanity emerges through relationships. **In simple terms:** We need others to be truly human. Key Takeaway Cultivate meaningful relationships. Themes human connection interdependence community Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - friendship - family - teamwork - volunteering Key Concepts social bonds empathy shared experience Questions to Reflect On - What relationships enrich your life? - How do you balance independence and connection? A Different Perspective Over-reliance on others can create dependency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desolate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desolate/) [Human Isolation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-isolation-298397/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Isolation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isolation/) [Isolation Qualities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isolation-qualities-4810953/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Our lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-lives/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Relate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relate/) [Relate People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relate-people-296456/) [Teamwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teamwork/) [Truly Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truly-human-316572/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [Tasmanian history is a study of human isolation unprecedented except in science fiction - namely, complete isolation from other humans for 10,000 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/tasmanian-history-is-a-study-of-human-isolation-unprecedented-except/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [Sex for many has become a sorry business, a mechanical release involving neither discovery nor triumph, stressing human isolation more dishearte-ingly than ever before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/sex-for-many-has-become-a-sorry-business-a-mechanical-release/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [And that enquiring man John Synge comes next, That dying chose the living world for text And never could have rested in the tomb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/and-that-enquiring-man-john-synge-comes-next-that-dying-chose-the/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [I'm not the crazy chick that people think I am. I am truly a human being, I'm not just this suspicious character in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keke-wyatt/i-m-not-the-crazy-chick-that-people-think-i-am-i-am-truly-a-human/) [Keke Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keke-wyatt/) > [Only he is a truly ethical, a truly human being, who has the courage to see through his own religious feelings and needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-feuerbach/only-he-is-a-truly-ethical-a-truly-human-being-who-has-the-courage-to/) [Ludwig Feuerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-feuerbach/) > [Every now and then, a presidential candidate surprises us with a truly human and honest moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/every-now-and-then-a-presidential-candidate-surprises-us-with-a-truly/) [Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/) > [I have discovered the value of psychology and psychiatry, that their teachings can undo knots in us and permit life to flow again and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/i-have-discovered-the-value-of-psychology-and-psychiatry-that-their/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The way to be truly happy is to be truly human, and the way to be truly human is to be truly godly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/the-way-to-be-truly-happy-is-to-be-truly-human-and-the-way-to-be/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [A person is truly a human if he or she learns, and teaches, and inspires others. It is difficult to regard as truly human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/a-person-is-truly-a-human-if-he-or-she-learns-and-teaches-and/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [“The Incarnate One is truly human as well as truly divine, and so properly spoken of as our friend and brother as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-sprinkle/the-incarnate-one-is-truly-human-as-well-as-truly-divine-and-so/) [Preston Sprinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-sprinkle/) > [The warm and radiant yes of the heart is perfect, like the sun, in bringing all things to life and nourishing all that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-welwood/the-warm-and-radiant-yes-of-the-heart-is-perfect-like-the-sun-in/) [John Welwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-welwood/) > [“But he who accomplishes a truly human work, he who does some- 33 thing really great and victorious, is never spurred to his task…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-a-jacobus/but-he-who-accomplishes-a-truly-human-work-he-who-does-some-33-thing/) [Lee A. Jacobus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-a-jacobus/) > [He who is indifferent to the suffering of others is a traitor to that which is truly human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/he-who-is-indifferent-to-the-suffering-of-others-is-a-traitor-to-that/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [I will say this quite plainly, what truly human is -and don't be afraid of this word- love. And I mean it even with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-levinas/i-will-say-this-quite-plainly-what-truly-human-is-and-don-t-be-afraid/) [Emmanuel Levinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-levinas/) > [“To become truly human,one has to try an release oneself from the shackles of race,religion and nationality.The quantum of humanism one acquires is inevitably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashoka-prasad/to-become-truly-human-one-has-to-try-an-release-oneself-from-the/) [Ashoka Prasad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashoka-prasad/) ## More by Harold S. Kushner > [When a mentally retarded child is born, the religious question we often ask is, "Why does God let this happen?" The better question to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/when-a-mentally-retarded-child-is-born-the-religious-question-we/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [Seek something outside your nine-to-five job as an additional source of fulfillment and as a way to feel the joy of helping others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/seek-something-outside-your-nine-to-five-job-as-an-additional-source/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [But at the end, if we are brave enough to love, if we are strong enough to forgive, if we are generous enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/but-at-the-end-if-we-are-brave-enough-to-love-if-we-are-strong-enough/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [Life is like the baseball season, where even the best team loses at least a third of its games, and even the worst team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/life-is-like-the-baseball-season-where-even-the-best-team-loses-at/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [The circumstances of your life have uniquely qualified you to make a contribution. And if you don't make that contribution, nobody else can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/the-circumstances-of-your-life-have-uniquely-qualified-you-to-make-a/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [None of us has the power to make someone else love us. But we all have the power to give away love, to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/none-of-us-has-the-power-to-make-someone-else-love-us-but-we-all-have/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [We teach children how to measure and how to weigh. We fail to teach them how to revere, how to sense wonder and awe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/we-teach-children-how-to-measure-and-how-to-weigh-we-fail-to-teach/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [God, who neither causes nor prevents tragedies, helps by inspiring people to help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/god-who-neither-causes-nor-prevents-tragedies-helps-by-inspiring/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [There seems to be something in the human soul that causes us to think less of ourselves every time we do something wrong... And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/there-seems-to-be-something-in-the-human-soul-that-causes-us-to-think/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [There is a Jewish notion that holiness is found with other people. To understand what life really is, one has to share it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/there-is-a-jewish-notion-that-holiness-is-found-with-other-people-to/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [The path to God is rarely a steady climb upward. We climb, we fall back, and we climb higher again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/the-path-to-god-is-rarely-a-steady-climb-upward-we-climb-we-fall-back/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [You don't have to be religious to have a soul; everybody has one. You don't have to be religious to perfect your soul; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/you-don-t-have-to-be-religious-to-have-a-soul-everybody-has-one-you/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [When your life is filled with the desire to see the holiness in everyday life, something magical happens: Ordinary life becomes extraordinary, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/when-your-life-is-filled-with-the-desire-to-see-the-holiness-in/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [When I talk to people who feel this emptiness and lack of fulfillment, I recommend they find a source of balance in their lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/when-i-talk-to-people-who-feel-this-emptiness-and-lack-of-fulfillment/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [Forgiveness is a favor we do for ourselves, not a favor we do to the other party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/forgiveness-is-a-favor-we-do-for-ourselves-not-a-favor-we-do-to-the/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) [Explore all 105 Harold S. Kushner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) ## More Desolate quotes > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [What people loathe the most is to be orphaned, desolate, unworthy. But this is what princes and kings call themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-people-loathe-the-most-is-to-be-orphaned-desolate-unworthy-but/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Spirit of BEAUTY, that dost consecrate With thine own hues all thou dost shine upon Of human thought or form, where art thou gone?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/spirit-of-beauty-that-dost-consecrate-with-thine-own-hues-all-thou/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [At a time when it's possible for thirty people to stand on the top of Everest in one day, Antarctica still remains a remote,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/at-a-time-when-it-s-possible-for-thirty-people-to-stand-on-the-top-of/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [“Call me crazy, but there is something terribly wrong with this city.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-reese-maher/call-me-crazy-but-there-is-something-terribly-wrong-with-this-city/) [Nathan Reese Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-reese-maher/) > [We live in an era where masses of people come and go across a hostile planet, desolate and violent. Refugees, emigrants, exiles, deportees. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/we-live-in-an-era-where-masses-of-people-come-and-go-across-a-hostile/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [And really, the reason we think of death in celestial terms is that the visible firmament, especially at night (above our blacked-out Paris with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/and-really-the-reason-we-think-of-death-in-celestial-terms-is-that/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“That’s a stupid name! Whirly-gig is much better, I think. Who in their right mind would point at this thing and say, ‘I’m going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-reese-maher/that-s-a-stupid-name-whirly-gig-is-much-better-i-think-who-in-their/) [Nathan Reese Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-reese-maher/) > [He who abhors and shuns the light of the Sun,He who refuses to behold with respect the living creation of God,He who leads the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoroaster/he-who-abhors-and-shuns-the-light-of-the-sun-he-who-refuses-to-behold/) [Zoroaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoroaster/) > [Leaves like rusty tin for the desolate mind that has seen the end- the barest glimmerings. Leaves aswirl with gulls made wild by winter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgos-seferis/leaves-like-rusty-tin-for-the-desolate-mind-that-has-seen-the-end-the/) [Giorgos Seferis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgos-seferis/) > [ I expected the unexpected and went \[on the Moon\] with an open mind. I think the visual scene was described by my words on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-expected-the-unexpected-and-went-on-the-moon-with-an-open-mind-i/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [From an early age she had developed the art of being alone and generally preferred her own company to anyone else’s. She read books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-faulks/from-an-early-age-she-had-developed-the-art-of-being-alone-and/) [Sebastian Faulks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-faulks/) > [Ever since the world began, it has been the belief of mankind that desolate places are the special haunt of supernatural beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jefferies/ever-since-the-world-began-it-has-been-the-belief-of-mankind-that/) [Richard Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jefferies/) > [The story of the universe finally comes to an end. For the first time in its life, the universe will be permanent and unchanging.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-cox/the-story-of-the-universe-finally-comes-to-an-end-for-the-first-time/) [Brian Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-cox/) > [“Desolate’ was the most perfectly beautiful word for how she felt. Sometimes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liane-moriarty/desolate-was-the-most-perfectly-beautiful-word-for-how-she-felt/) [Liane Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liane-moriarty/) [Browse all 126 Desolate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desolate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Other people may complicate our lives, but life without them would be unbearably desolate. None of us can be truly human in isolation. The qualities that make us human emerge only in the ways we relate to other people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harold S. 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