---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's catastrophies which turn wise and…"
description: "\"It's catastrophies which turn wise and strong people into philosophers.\" — Honore de Balzac"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/honor-de-balzac-197_people_it-s-catastrophies-which-turn-wise-and-s_2840228.png"
---

#  It's catastrophies which turn wise and strong people into…

![“It's catastrophies which turn wise and strong people into philosophers.” quote by Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/honor-de-balzac-197_people_it-s-catastrophies-which-turn-wise-and-s_2840228.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/honor-de-balzac-197_people_it-s-catastrophies-which-turn-wise-and-s_2840228.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/honor-de-balzac-197_people_it-s-catastrophies-which-turn-wise-and-s_2840228.png)

> “It's catastrophies which turn wise and strong people into philosophers.”

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Adversities transform resilient individuals into deep thinkers, turning hardship into philosophical insight.

**In simple terms:** Hardship makes philosophers of the strong.

Key Takeaway

Embrace challenges for growth.

Themes

adversity resilience philosophy

Mood

thoughtful inspirational

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- overcoming obstacles
- personal development
- creative writing

Key Concepts

psychology literature

Questions to Reflect On

- What conditions foster philosophical insight?
- How does resilience affect thinking?

A Different Perspective

Not all hardships lead to philosophy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Catastrophies Turn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catastrophies-turn-3719861/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Philosophers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-philosophers-3032245/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosophers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophers/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Strong people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-people/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-strong-396927/)

## Related quotes

> [These are fashionable people who call themselves philosophers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/these-are-fashionable-people-who-call-themselves-philosophers/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [I know a lot of people who are philosophers and they sit by the river and talk about what that underwater world might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stana-katic/i-know-a-lot-of-people-who-are-philosophers-and-they-sit-by-the-river/)

[Stana Katic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stana-katic/)

> [I could never teach people to be philosophers - and if I did, you could never make a gardener out of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/i-could-never-teach-people-to-be-philosophers-and-if-i-did-you-could/)

[Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/)

> [“Whenever I’m with her, I feel wise and strong—simply because she’s not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-iossel/whenever-i-m-with-her-i-feel-wise-and-strong-simply-because-she-s-not/)

[Mikhail Iossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-iossel/)

> [If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more new ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/if-this-nation-is-to-be-wise-as-well-as-strong-if-we-are-to-achieve-3/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

> [My mother was a very wise and strong person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/my-mother-was-a-very-wise-and-strong-person/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [Be thankful to all those people who have hurt you or disappointed you. Because they are the one who made you wise and strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/be-thankful-to-all-those-people-who-have-hurt-you-or-disappointed-you/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

> [“One day, you will see that the heart is not always as wise as it is strong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/one-day-you-will-see-that-the-heart-is-not-always-as-wise-as-it-is/)

[Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/)

> ['live long my friend,be wise and strong, but do not take from any man his song'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruskin-bond/live-long-my-friend-be-wise-and-strong-but-do-not-take-from-any-man/)

[Ruskin Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruskin-bond/)

> [Letting go of things that you cannot handle doesn't mean your weak. It is just being wise and strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/letting-go-of-things-that-you-cannot-handle-doesn-t-mean-your-weak-it/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Live long, my friend, be wise and strong. But do not from any man his song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruskin-bond/live-long-my-friend-be-wise-and-strong-but-do-not-from-any-man-his/)

[Ruskin Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruskin-bond/)

> [The wise say that it is not an iron, wooden or fiber fetter which is a strong one, but the besotted hankering after trinkets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-wise-say-that-it-is-not-an-iron-wooden-or-fiber-fetter-which-is-a/)

[Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/)

> [No problem come to break us but to make us better, wise and strong. It all depends on our attitude how we handle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/no-problem-come-to-break-us-but-to-make-us-better-wise-and-strong-it/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

> [The more you get hurt, the more you become wise and strong. You may not feeling happy now, but someday somewhere TRUE LOVE will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhunna-rebusora/the-more-you-get-hurt-the-more-you-become-wise-and-strong-you-may-not/)

[Jhunna Rebusora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhunna-rebusora/)

> [may I be I is the only prayer--not may I be great or good or beautiful or wise or strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-i-be-i-is-the-only-prayer-not-may-i-be-great-or-good-or-beautiful-2/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Honore de Balzac

> [“Oh, my friend, when you love, love a woman whom you are sure that you can love always. Never forsake a woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/oh-my-friend-when-you-love-love-a-woman-whom-you-are-sure-that-you/)

[Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [“You have broken the ice, though you have not even scratched its glossy surface: you have placed your hand upon the croup of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/you-have-broken-the-ice-though-you-have-not-even-scratched-its-glossy/)

[Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [In a world of hunchbacks, a fine figure becomes a monstrosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/in-a-world-of-hunchbacks-a-fine-figure-becomes-a-monstrosity/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [It is quite right what they say: the three most beautiful sights in the world are a ship in full sail, a galloping horse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/it-is-quite-right-what-they-say-the-three-most-beautiful-sights-in/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [My writing table has seen all my wretchedness, knows all my plans, has overheard all my thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/my-writing-table-has-seen-all-my-wretchedness-knows-all-my-plans-has/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [Foppery, being the chronic condition of women, is not so much noticed as it is when it breaks out on the person of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/foppery-being-the-chronic-condition-of-women-is-not-so-much-noticed/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [A married woman is a slave you must know how to seat upon a throne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/a-married-woman-is-a-slave-you-must-know-how-to-seat-upon-a-throne/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [Rich men are resolved to be astonished at nothing. When they see a masterpiece, they must needs at one glance recognize some flaw to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/rich-men-are-resolved-to-be-astonished-at-nothing-when-they-see-a/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [I am a galley slave to pen and ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/i-am-a-galley-slave-to-pen-and-ink/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [One can imagine the look the two lovers exchanged; it was like a flame, for virtuous lovers have not a shred of hypocrisy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/one-can-imagine-the-look-the-two-lovers-exchanged-it-was-like-a-flame/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [White and shining virgin of all human virtues, ark of the covenant between earth and heaven, tender and strong companion partaking of the lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/white-and-shining-virgin-of-all-human-virtues-ark-of-the-covenant/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [All men can bear a familiar, definite misfortune better than the cruel alternations of a fate which, from one moment to another, brings excessive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-men-can-bear-a-familiar-definite-misfortune-better-than-the-cruel/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [The mind, too, has its regimen. It needs gymnastics, just like the body does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/the-mind-too-has-its-regimen-it-needs-gymnastics-just-like-the-body/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [Hatred like love feeds on the merest trifles. Everything adds to it. Just as the being we love can do no wrong, so the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/hatred-like-love-feeds-on-the-merest-trifles-everything-adds-to-it/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

> [All human power is a compound of time and patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-human-power-is-a-compound-of-time-and-patience/)

[Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

[Explore all 793 Honore de Balzac quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/)

## More People quotes

> [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/)

[Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/)

[Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/)

> [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/)

[Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/)

> [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/)

[Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/)

> [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/)

[John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/)

> [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/)

[Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/)

> [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/)

[Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/)

> [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/)

[Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/)

> [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/)

[David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/)

> [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/)

[Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/)

> [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/)

[Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/)

[Browse all 211,607 People quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It's catastrophies which turn wise and strong people into philosophers.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Honore de Balzac"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/it-s-catastrophies-which-turn-wise-and-strong-people-into-philosophers/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "People"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/it-s-catastrophies-which-turn-wise-and-strong-people-into-philosophers/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/honor-de-balzac-197_people_it-s-catastrophies-which-turn-wise-and-s_2840228.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/honor-de-balzac-197_people_it-s-catastrophies-which-turn-wise-and-s_2840228.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/honor-de-balzac-197_people_it-s-catastrophies-which-turn-wise-and-s_2840228.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's catastrophies which turn wise and strong people into philosophers.” — Honore de Balzac",
                "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": "Honore de Balzac",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It's catastrophies which turn wise and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/it-s-catastrophies-which-turn-wise-and-strong-people-into-philosophers/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/it-s-catastrophies-which-turn-wise-and-strong-people-into-philosophers/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
