--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But there's the rub. The present can…" description: "\"But there's the rub. The present can never deliver one thing: meaning. The way of happiness and meaning are not the same. To find happiness, a man need..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/jed-rubenfeld-24968_dark_but-there-s-the-rub-the-present-can-neve_1182878.jpg" --- # But there's the rub. The present can never deliver one… ![“But there's the rub. The present can never deliver one thing: meaning. The way of happiness and meaning are not the same. To find happiness, a man need only live in the moment; he need only live for the moment. But if he wants meaning--the meaning of his dreams, his secrets, his life--a man must…” quote by Jed Rubenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/jed-rubenfeld-24968_dark_but-there-s-the-rub-the-present-can-neve_1182878.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/jed-rubenfeld-24968_dark_but-there-s-the-rub-the-present-can-neve_1182878.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4c/jed-rubenfeld-24968_dark_but-there-s-the-rub-the-present-can-neve_1182878.jpg) > “But there's the rub. The present can never deliver one thing: meaning. The way of happiness and meaning are not the same. To find happiness, a man need only live in the moment; he need only live for the moment. But if he wants meaning--the meaning of his dreams, his secrets, his life--a man must reinhabit his past, however dark, and live for the future, however uncertain. Thus nature dangles happiness and meaning before us all, insisting only that we choose between them.” [Jed Rubenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-rubenfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness comes from living in the moment; meaning requires engaging with past and future, creating a tension between the two. **In simple terms:** Happiness is now; meaning needs past and future. Key Takeaway Balance present enjoyment with purposeful reflection on past and future. Themes happiness meaning temporal balance Mood thoughtful balanced Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - personal reflection Key Concepts Existentialism psychology purpose Questions to Reflect On - Do you prioritize happiness or meaning? - How can you integrate both in daily life? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on one can neglect the other. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Finding happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-happiness/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-meaning-3242021/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Insisting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insisting/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Live for the moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-for-the-moment/) [Live futures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-futures/) [Live in the moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-in-the-moment/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) [Meaning Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-happiness-1045215/) [Meaning Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-meaning-311139/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [One thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thing/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Uncertain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertain/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“The ways of happiness and meaning are not the same. 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The other, it drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariam-maarouf/life-that-complicated-thing-one-day-it-took-you-to-the-perfection-of/) [Mariam Maarouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariam-maarouf/) > [There is within every soul a thirst for happiness and meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/there-is-within-every-soul-a-thirst-for-happiness-and-meaning/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [If happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, then we must be happy for all that comes into our life, for even misfortune…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meera-lester/if-happiness-is-the-meaning-and-purpose-of-life-then-we-must-be-happy/) [Meera Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meera-lester/) > [I really do live for the future, because when I'm eating a box of candy, I can't wait to taste the last piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-really-do-live-for-the-future-because-when-i-m-eating-a-box-of/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Tomorrow and plans for tomorrow can have no significance at all unless you are in full contact with the reality of the present, since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/tomorrow-and-plans-for-tomorrow-can-have-no-significance-at-all/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [I believe it is the duty of each of us to act as if the fate of the world depended on him. 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We should live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/every-tomorrow-has-two-handles-we-can-take-hold-of-it-with-the-handle/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More by Jed Rubenfeld > [“Satisfying a savage instinct is incomparably more pleasurable than satisfying a civilized one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-rubenfeld/satisfying-a-savage-instinct-is-incomparably-more-pleasurable-than/) [Jed Rubenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-rubenfeld/) > [THERE IS NO mystery to happiness. Unhappy men are alike. Some wound they suffered long ago, some wish denied, some blow to pride, some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-rubenfeld/there-is-no-mystery-to-happiness-unhappy-men-are-alike-some-wound/) [Jed Rubenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-rubenfeld/) > [What i literally cannot describe is the hollowness in my lungs when i am out of her presence. 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Some wound they suffered long ago, some wish denied, some blow to pride,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-rubenfeld/there-is-no-mystery-to-happiness-unhappy-men-are-all-alike-some-wound/) [Jed Rubenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-rubenfeld/) > [“I know he is--sensitive--on some points, Detective, but you must bear in mind how hard it is for an honest man to do his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-rubenfeld/i-know-he-is-sensitive-on-some-points-detective-but-you-must-bear-in/) [Jed Rubenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-rubenfeld/) > [“I am the deepest of unbelievers. Every neurosis is a religion to its owner and religions is the universal neurosis of mankind. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-rubenfeld/i-am-the-deepest-of-unbelievers-every-neurosis-is-a-religion-to-its/) [Jed Rubenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-rubenfeld/) > [“Wrong way to think about it. Don't try to figure it out all at once.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-rubenfeld/wrong-way-to-think-about-it-don-t-try-to-figure-it-out-all-at-once/) [Jed Rubenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-rubenfeld/) > [“For society, marriage is undoubtedly beneficial. But the burdens of civilized morality are too heavy for many to bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-rubenfeld/for-society-marriage-is-undoubtedly-beneficial-but-the-burdens-of/) [Jed Rubenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-rubenfeld/) > [There is a condition into which many young women fall. They attach themselves to violent men. They forgive any mistreatment. They think it love;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-rubenfeld/there-is-a-condition-into-which-many-young-women-fall-they-attach/) [Jed Rubenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-rubenfeld/) > [“No man can keep a secret. 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