--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You think death is any better an excuse…" description: "\"You think death is any better an excuse for desertion than any other?\" — Judith Martin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4f/judith-martin-1927_death_you-think-death-is-any-better-an-excuse_2000305.png" --- # You think death is any better an excuse for desertion than… ![“You think death is any better an excuse for desertion than any other?” quote by Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4f/judith-martin-1927_death_you-think-death-is-any-better-an-excuse_2000305.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4f/judith-martin-1927_death_you-think-death-is-any-better-an-excuse_2000305.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4f/judith-martin-1927_death_you-think-death-is-any-better-an-excuse_2000305.png) > “You think death is any better an excuse for desertion than any other?” [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questioning the moral justification of using death as a reason to abandon responsibilities, implying it is no greater excuse than any other. **In simple terms:** Death is not a special excuse to quit duties. Key Takeaway Do not use death to avoid obligations. Themes responsibility ethics mortality Mood reflective serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - military service - family care - work commitments - personal crises Key Concepts moral reasoning accountability Questions to Reflect On - Is it ever acceptable to step back because of loss? - How do we balance duty with personal suffering? A Different Perspective May overlook genuine grief or trauma that impacts ability to fulfill duties. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Desertion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desertion/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“There's something better than an 'excuse' for your mistake, which is 'now you know how to stop it from happening again'.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohith-agadi/there-s-something-better-than-an-excuse-for-your-mistake-which-is-now/) [Mohith Agadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohith-agadi/) > [Dear friend,look in the mirror.Stop pretending.If you can't think of a better excuse,you have no excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianette-carbito/dear-friend-look-in-the-mirror-stop-pretending-if-you-can-t-think-of/) [Marianette Carbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianette-carbito/) > [“Morale still seems reasonably high and, while the desertion rate has risen, it is still limited to those who can walk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/morale-still-seems-reasonably-high-and-while-the-desertion-rate-has/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [She mixes religion with desertion to make it sound noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/she-mixes-religion-with-desertion-to-make-it-sound-noble/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [The desertion of Jesus, by his followers, furnishes an argument in support of the supposition that he attempted to be king of the Jews,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-desertion-of-jesus-by-his-followers-furnishes-an-argument-in/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [“When he had ended, the holy hermit was a moment silent, then said: "My son, I have attended to thy story and I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/when-he-had-ended-the-holy-hermit-was-a-moment-silent-then-said-my/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Leave your bed upon the first desertion of sleep; it being ill for the eye's to read lying, and worse for the mind to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-osborne/leave-your-bed-upon-the-first-desertion-of-sleep-it-being-ill-for-the/) [Frances Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-osborne/) > [“I know I should feel appreciative of Boggs sticking his neck out for me, but really I'm just frustrated. I mean, how can I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-know-i-should-feel-appreciative-of-boggs-sticking-his-neck-out-for/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [I have seldom known a person who deserted the truth in trifles and then could be trusted in matters of importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-paley/i-have-seldom-known-a-person-who-deserted-the-truth-in-trifles-and/) [Babe Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-paley/) > [Desertion is the army's dirty little secret. Since the beginning of the Iraq war, more than 20,000 American soldiers have given up the fight.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wil-s-hylton/desertion-is-the-army-s-dirty-little-secret-since-the-beginning-of/) [Wil S. Hylton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wil-s-hylton/) > [Bachelors alone can travel freely, and without any twinges of their consciences touching desertion of the fire-side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/bachelors-alone-can-travel-freely-and-without-any-twinges-of-their/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [If love can happen online so can desertion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-love-can-happen-online-so-can-desertion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The fundamentalist violence is, so is it, an attempt to increase the stakes, i.e. to discourage the potential desertions by showing that defection will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascal-boyer/the-fundamentalist-violence-is-so-is-it-an-attempt-to-increase-the/) [Pascal Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pascal-boyer/) > [To seduce the enemies soldiers from their allegiance and encourage them to surrender is of special service, for an adversary is more hurt by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-flavius-vegetius-renatus/to-seduce-the-enemies-soldiers-from-their-allegiance-and-encourage/) [Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-flavius-vegetius-renatus/) > [But mayn't desertion be a brave thing? A fine thing? To desert a thing we've gone beyond - to have the courage to desert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/but-mayn-t-desertion-be-a-brave-thing-a-fine-thing-to-desert-a-thing/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) ## More by Judith Martin > [Smart people duck when they hear the dread announcement 'I'm going to be perfectly honest with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/smart-people-duck-when-they-hear-the-dread-announcement-i-m-going-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [If you put together all the ingredients that naturally attract children - sex, violence, revenge, spectacle and vigorous noise - what you have is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/if-you-put-together-all-the-ingredients-that-naturally-attract/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [The one prediction that never comes true is, 'You'll thank me for telling you this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/the-one-prediction-that-never-comes-true-is-you-ll-thank-me-for/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Chaperons, even in their days of glory, were almost never able to enforce morality; what they did was to force immorality to be discreet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/chaperons-even-in-their-days-of-glory-were-almost-never-able-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [There are always proper responses, even to rude questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/there-are-always-proper-responses-even-to-rude-questions/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Perhaps the greatest rudenesses of our time come not from the callousness of strangers, but from the solicitousness of intimates who believe that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/perhaps-the-greatest-rudenesses-of-our-time-come-not-from-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [We are all entitled to our little harmless habits, but we are not entitled to demand approval for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/we-are-all-entitled-to-our-little-harmless-habits-but-we-are-not/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [“Lady” is not used before the lady’s first name unless she is the daughter of a duke, marquess or earl; those who come by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/lady-is-not-used-before-the-lady-s-first-name-unless-she-is-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Greece is a good place for rebirths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/greece-is-a-good-place-for-rebirths/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Adorable children are considered to be the general property of the human race. Rude children belong to their mothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/adorable-children-are-considered-to-be-the-general-property-of-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [I have always believed that the key to a happy marriage was the ability to say with a straight face, 'Why, I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/i-have-always-believed-that-the-key-to-a-happy-marriage-was-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [It is, indeed, a trial to maintain the virtue of humility when one can't help being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/it-is-indeed-a-trial-to-maintain-the-virtue-of-humility-when-one-can/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Honesty is a virtue, but not the only one. If you're in a courtroom you need the whole truth and nothing but the truth;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/honesty-is-a-virtue-but-not-the-only-one-if-you-re-in-a-courtroom-you/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Only a person who considers himself too good for you is good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/only-a-person-who-considers-himself-too-good-for-you-is-good-enough/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Society cannot exist without etiquette ... It never has, and until our own century, everybody knew that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/society-cannot-exist-without-etiquette-it-never-has-and-until-our-own/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) [Explore all 197 Judith Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You think death is any better an excuse for desertion than any other?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Judith Martin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/you-think-death-is-any-better-an-excuse-for-desertion-than-any-other/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/you-think-death-is-any-better-an-excuse-for-desertion-than-any-other/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4f/judith-martin-1927_death_you-think-death-is-any-better-an-excuse_2000305.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4f/judith-martin-1927_death_you-think-death-is-any-better-an-excuse_2000305.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4f/judith-martin-1927_death_you-think-death-is-any-better-an-excuse_2000305.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You think death is any better an excuse for desertion than any other?” — Judith Martin", "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": "Judith Martin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You think death is any better...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/you-think-death-is-any-better-an-excuse-for-desertion-than-any-other/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/you-think-death-is-any-better-an-excuse-for-desertion-than-any-other/#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 } } ] } ```