--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I admit I can't shake the idea that there…" description: "\"I admit I can't shake the idea that there is virtue in suffering, that there is a sort of psychic economy, whereby if you embrace success, happiness an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c01/hugh-laurie-2413_character_i-admit-i-can-t-shake-the-idea-that-ther_3087760.png" --- # I admit I can't shake the idea that there is virtue in… ![“I admit I can't shake the idea that there is virtue in suffering, that there is a sort of psychic economy, whereby if you embrace success, happiness and comfort, these things have to be paid for.” quote by Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c01/hugh-laurie-2413_character_i-admit-i-can-t-shake-the-idea-that-ther_3087760.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c01/hugh-laurie-2413_character_i-admit-i-can-t-shake-the-idea-that-ther_3087760.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c01/hugh-laurie-2413_character_i-admit-i-can-t-shake-the-idea-that-ther_3087760.png) > “I admit I can't shake the idea that there is virtue in suffering, that there is a sort of psychic economy, whereby if you embrace success, happiness and comfort, these things have to be paid for.” [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that comfort and success come at the cost of suffering, implying a hidden moral economy. **In simple terms:** Success may require sacrifice. Key Takeaway Consider the hidden costs of comfort. Themes sacrifice comfort success Mood reflective philosophical Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - personal growth - wealth accumulation Key Concepts psychic economy virtue suffering Questions to Reflect On - What are you willing to sacrifice for success? - Is suffering always necessary for virtue? A Different Perspective The idea of a "psychic economy" is metaphorical and not universally accepted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Economy Embrace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy-embrace-5296141/) [Embrace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embrace/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid/) [Psychic Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychic-economy-5296140/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffering Sort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-sort-4699227/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-suffering-434281/) ## Related quotes > [To a great extent, suffering is a sort of need felt by the organism to make itself familiar with a new state, which makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/to-a-great-extent-suffering-is-a-sort-of-need-felt-by-the-organism-to/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“Fifty out of the 168 hours of my week are spent mad because work is interfering with all the Internet articles I’m trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-irby/fifty-out-of-the-168-hours-of-my-week-are-spent-mad-because-work-is/) [Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) > [Whatever in Christ had the nature of satisfaction, was by virtue of the suffering or humiliation that was in it; but whatever had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/whatever-in-christ-had-the-nature-of-satisfaction-was-by-virtue-of/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [“Those who embrace prejudice doom themselves to live in ignorance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-lintz-sr/those-who-embrace-prejudice-doom-themselves-to-live-in-ignorance/) [John P Lintz Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-p-lintz-sr/) > [Sometimes, Ms. Lane," he said, "one must break with one's past to embrace one's future. 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I could feel his breath on my face our lips were about to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-eglinger/his-hands-on-my-waist-he-gently-pulled-me-n-embrace-i-could-feel-his/) [Nicole Eglinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-eglinger/) > [“A man of power should embrace his Shadow, or if he cannot embrace it, at least accept it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-lampe/a-man-of-power-should-embrace-his-shadow-or-if-he-cannot-embrace-it/) [Katherine Lampe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-lampe/) > [Stop chasing the things you want and embrace all that you already have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-chasing-the-things-you-want-and-embrace-all-that-you-already-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Strong brows is what I have, and I embrace them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-connelly/strong-brows-is-what-i-have-and-i-embrace-them/) [Jennifer Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-connelly/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [I had to get to the point where I just had to embrace carrying the torch for the traditional girls out there. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamera-mowry/i-had-to-get-to-the-point-where-i-just-had-to-embrace-carrying-the/) [Tamera Mowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamera-mowry/) ## More by Hugh Laurie > [“It's a terrible thing, I think, in life to wait until you're ready. I have this feeling now that actually no one is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/it-s-a-terrible-thing-i-think-in-life-to-wait-until-you-re-ready-i/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [Ideas are 10 a penny. It's the execution that's the hard thing to do. House is standing up against a tide of sentiment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/ideas-are-10-a-penny-it-s-the-execution-that-s-the-hard-thing-to-do/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [To be a head boy, you have to be very clever, you have to be a scholar, and I was never a scholar in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/to-be-a-head-boy-you-have-to-be-very-clever-you-have-to-be-a-scholar/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [To me, he's a hero, ... He's not polite. He's not someone you want to take home to meet your mother, necessarily. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/to-me-he-s-a-hero-he-s-not-polite-he-s-not-someone-you-want-to-take/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [People will survive, and they will find happiness. 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And then another.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/we-want-different-things-men-want-to-have-sex-with-a-woman-then-they/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [I travel to work on my motorcycle, so it's jeans, boots and a brown Aero leather jacket that weighs as much as I do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/i-travel-to-work-on-my-motorcycle-so-it-s-jeans-boots-and-a-brown/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [I just read an 800-page history of the Scottish Enlightenment and, honestly, I may as well just start it again now, because I cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/i-just-read-an-800-page-history-of-the-scottish-enlightenment-and/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [The only good thing I've ever noticed about money, the only positive aspect of an otherwise pretty vulgar commodity, is that you can use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/the-only-good-thing-i-ve-ever-noticed-about-money-the-only-positive/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [“Plus laid aussi qu'un parking”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/plus-laid-aussi-qu-un-parking/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [I was too shy, I think, to sing publicly. It takes a particular kind of person. And when I was young, I was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/i-was-too-shy-i-think-to-sing-publicly-it-takes-a-particular-kind-of/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [Acting is largely about putting on masks, and music is about removing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/acting-is-largely-about-putting-on-masks-and-music-is-about-removing/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [“I said no thank you a dozen times, and fuck off once.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/i-said-no-thank-you-a-dozen-times-and-fuck-off-once/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) [Explore all 159 Hugh Laurie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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