--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They haven’t an idea what happiness is…" description: "\"“They haven’t an idea what happiness is; they don’t know that without our love, for us there is neither happiness nor unhappiness—no life at all”\" — Le..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/leo-tolstoy-55_anna-karenina_they-haven-t-an-idea-what-happiness-is-t_1814393.png" --- # They haven’t an idea what happiness is; they don’t know… ![“They haven’t an idea what happiness is; they don’t know that without our love, for us there is neither happiness nor unhappiness—no life at all” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/leo-tolstoy-55_anna-karenina_they-haven-t-an-idea-what-happiness-is-t_1814393.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/leo-tolstoy-55_anna-karenina_they-haven-t-an-idea-what-happiness-is-t_1814393.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/leo-tolstoy-55_anna-karenina_they-haven-t-an-idea-what-happiness-is-t_1814393.png) > ““They haven’t an idea what happiness is; they don’t know that without our love, for us there is neither happiness nor unhappiness—no life at all”” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness is defined by love; without love, life lacks both joy and sorrow. **In simple terms:** Love gives life meaning, without it nothing matters. Key Takeaway Cultivate love to find purpose. Themes love meaning existence Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - relationships - family life - personal growth - spiritual seeking Key Concepts existentialism human connection Questions to Reflect On - What does love mean to you? - How can you nurture love in daily life? A Different Perspective Love alone may not guarantee happiness; other factors matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anna-karenina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anna-karenina-2/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Unhappiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappiness/) ## Related quotes > [They've got no idea what happiness is, they don't know that without this love there is no happiness or unhappiness for us--there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/they-ve-got-no-idea-what-happiness-is-they-don-t-know-that-without/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [No matter when, at whatever moment, if she were asked what she was thinking about she could reply quite correctly - one thing, her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/no-matter-when-at-whatever-moment-if-she-were-asked-what-she-was/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/have-you-realized-that-most-of-your-unhappiness-in-life-is-due-to-the-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've had a lot of unhappiness in my life — and a lot of happiness. Who doesn't? Maybe I've learned enough to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-hayworth/i-ve-had-a-lot-of-unhappiness-in-my-life-and-a-lot-of-happiness-who/) [Rita Hayworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-hayworth/) > [“These books were a way of escaping from the unhappiness of my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/these-books-were-a-way-of-escaping-from-the-unhappiness-of-my-life/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I believe half of the unhappiness in life comes from people being afraid to go straight at things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-half-of-the-unhappiness-in-life-comes-from-people-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I didn’t know you were going. What are you coming for?" she said, letting fall the hand with which she had grasped the doorpost.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-didn-t-know-you-were-going-what-are-you-coming-for-she-said-letting/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“The acquisition by dishonest means and cunning,' said Levin, feeling that he was incapable of clearly defining the borderline between honesty and dishonesty. 'Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-acquisition-by-dishonest-means-and-cunning-said-levin-feeling/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“The aim of civilization is to enable us to get enjoyment out of everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-aim-of-civilization-is-to-enable-us-to-get-enjoyment-out-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“With 6 children Darya Alexandrovna could not be calm. One got sick, another might get sick, a third lacked something, a fourth showed signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/with-6-children-darya-alexandrovna-could-not-be-calm-one-got-sick/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I think love, both kinds of love, which you remember Plato defines in his "Symposium" - both kinds of love serve a touchstone for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-think-love-both-kinds-of-love-which-you-remember-plato-defines-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“But that's the whole aim of civilization: to make everything a source of enjoyment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/but-that-s-the-whole-aim-of-civilization-to-make-everything-a-source/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Anna had been preparing herself for this meeting, had thought what she would say to him, but she did not succeed in saying anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/anna-had-been-preparing-herself-for-this-meeting-had-thought-what-she/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Everything was made bright by her. She was the smile that shed light all around her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/everything-was-made-bright-by-her-she-was-the-smile-that-shed-light/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Lord have mercy! Pardon and help us!" he repeated the words that suddenly and unexpectedly sprang to his lips. And he, an unbeliever, repeated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/lord-have-mercy-pardon-and-help-us-he-repeated-the-words-that/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. Selfish, vain, stupid, trivial in everything—that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-you-only-knew-what-those-society-women-are-and-women-in-general-my/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To speak of it would be giving importance to that which has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-speak-of-it-would-be-giving-importance-to-that-which-has-none/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Once we're thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it's only here that the new and the good begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/once-we-re-thrown-off-our-habitual-paths-we-think-all-is-lost-but-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He knew she was there by the rapture and the terror that seized on his heart. She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-idea-shared-by-many-that-life-is-a-vale-of-tears-is-just-as-false/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-say-that-a-work-of-art-is-good-but-incomprehensible-to-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [True life is lived when tiny changes occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/true-life-is-lived-when-tiny-changes-occur/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) [Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More Anna-karenina quotes > [“Lord have mercy! Pardon and help us!" he repeated the words that suddenly and unexpectedly sprang to his lips. And he, an unbeliever, repeated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/lord-have-mercy-pardon-and-help-us-he-repeated-the-words-that/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Everything was made bright by her. She was the smile that shed light all around her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/everything-was-made-bright-by-her-she-was-the-smile-that-shed-light/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Anna had been preparing herself for this meeting, had thought what she would say to him, but she did not succeed in saying anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/anna-had-been-preparing-herself-for-this-meeting-had-thought-what-she/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“But that's the whole aim of civilization: to make everything a source of enjoyment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/but-that-s-the-whole-aim-of-civilization-to-make-everything-a-source/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I think love, both kinds of love, which you remember Plato defines in his "Symposium" - both kinds of love serve a touchstone for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-think-love-both-kinds-of-love-which-you-remember-plato-defines-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“With 6 children Darya Alexandrovna could not be calm. One got sick, another might get sick, a third lacked something, a fourth showed signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/with-6-children-darya-alexandrovna-could-not-be-calm-one-got-sick/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“The aim of civilization is to enable us to get enjoyment out of everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-aim-of-civilization-is-to-enable-us-to-get-enjoyment-out-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Se você tiver qualquer pensamento para mim que você vai me dar de volta a minha paz!'' ''Não pode haver paz para nós, só…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liev-tolst-i/se-voc-tiver-qualquer-pensamento-para-mim-que-voc-vai-me-dar-de-volta/) Liev Tolstói > [“The acquisition by dishonest means and cunning,' said Levin, feeling that he was incapable of clearly defining the borderline between honesty and dishonesty. 'Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-acquisition-by-dishonest-means-and-cunning-said-levin-feeling/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I didn’t know you were going. What are you coming for?" she said, letting fall the hand with which she had grasped the doorpost.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-didn-t-know-you-were-going-what-are-you-coming-for-she-said-letting/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Levin tried to drink a little coffee, and put a piece of roll into his mouth, but his mouth could do nothing with it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/levin-tried-to-drink-a-little-coffee-and-put-a-piece-of-roll-into-his/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He understood that feeling of Levin's so well, knew that for Levin all the girls in the world were divided into two classes: one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-understood-that-feeling-of-levin-s-so-well-knew-that-for-levin-all/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Besides, Oblonsky was fond of a pleasant joke, and sometimes liked to perplex a simple-minded man by observing that if you're going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/besides-oblonsky-was-fond-of-a-pleasant-joke-and-sometimes-liked-to/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I see that my presence is burdensome to you. Painful as it was for me to become convinced of it, I see that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-see-that-my-presence-is-burdensome-to-you-painful-as-it-was-for-me/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Todas as mulheres são mais materialistas do que os homens. Nós fazemos do amor algo enorme, mas elas sempre se mantém ‘terre-à-terre’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/todas-as-mulheres-s-o-mais-materialistas-do-que-os-homens-n-s-fazemos/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) [Browse all 36 Anna-karenina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anna-karenina-2/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They haven’t an idea what happiness is; they don’t know that without our love, for us there is neither happiness nor unhappiness—no life at all”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Tolstoy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/they-haven-t-an-idea-what-happiness-is-they-don-t-know-that-without/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anna-karenina" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/they-haven-t-an-idea-what-happiness-is-they-don-t-know-that-without/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/leo-tolstoy-55_anna-karenina_they-haven-t-an-idea-what-happiness-is-t_1814393.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/leo-tolstoy-55_anna-karenina_they-haven-t-an-idea-what-happiness-is-t_1814393.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/leo-tolstoy-55_anna-karenina_they-haven-t-an-idea-what-happiness-is-t_1814393.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They haven’t an idea what happiness is; they don’t know that without our love, for us there is neither…” — Leo Tolstoy", "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": "Leo Tolstoy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“They haven’t an idea what happiness...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/they-haven-t-an-idea-what-happiness-is-they-don-t-know-that-without/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/they-haven-t-an-idea-what-happiness-is-they-don-t-know-that-without/#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 } } ] } ```