--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Living, just by itself --what a dirge…" description: "\"Living, just by itself --what a dirge that is! Life is a classroom and Boredom's the usher, there all the time to spy on you...\" — Louis-Ferdinand Celine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_boredom_living-just-by-itself-what-a-dirge-that_1528887.jpg" --- # Living, just by itself --what a dirge that is! Life is a… ![“Living, just by itself --what a dirge that is! Life is a classroom and Boredom's the usher, there all the time to spy on you...” quote by Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_boredom_living-just-by-itself-what-a-dirge-that_1528887.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_boredom_living-just-by-itself-what-a-dirge-that_1528887.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_boredom_living-just-by-itself-what-a-dirge-that_1528887.jpg) > “Living, just by itself --what a dirge that is! Life is a classroom and Boredom's the usher, there all the time to spy on you...” [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is portrayed as a bleak classroom where boredom constantly watches, making existence feel like a dirge. **In simple terms:** Life is a dull classroom with boredom as a constant watcher. Key Takeaway Seek meaning beyond monotonous routine. Themes existentialism boredom nihilism literature Mood somber philosophical Type literary existential When to use this quote - daily work - educational settings - personal introspection Key Concepts absurdity social critique Questions to Reflect On - What can boredom teach us about ourselves? - How might we transform monotony into purpose? A Different Perspective Boredom can also inspire creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boredom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boredom/) [Boredom Usher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boredom-usher-2943805/) [Classroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classroom/) [Classroom Boredom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classroom-boredom-2943804/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Classroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-classroom-611180/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Living Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-just-779745/) [Spy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spy/) ## Related quotes > [Living, just by itself - what a dirge that is! Life is a classroom and Boredom's the usher, there all the time to spy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/living-just-by-itself-what-a-dirge-that-is-life-is-a-classroom-and-2/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [I was home-schooled my entire life and never been in a classroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ren/i-was-home-schooled-my-entire-life-and-never-been-in-a-classroom/) [Alexis Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ren/) > [This planet is a divine school, and daily life a classroom. Our choice of teachers depends on what we need to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/this-planet-is-a-divine-school-and-daily-life-a-classroom-our-choice/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [In life, the classroom is everywhere. The exam comes at the very end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/in-life-the-classroom-is-everywhere-the-exam-comes-at-the-very-end/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [“Since no two days are the same,we must be entering life's classroom when we wake up each morning”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/since-no-two-days-are-the-same-we-must-be-entering-life-s-classroom/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [“If life is a classroom then you’re still in the learning process part. In the learning process part, if you make a mistake you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-giles/if-life-is-a-classroom-then-you-re-still-in-the-learning-process-part/) [Kimberly Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-giles/) > [I travel a lot with my students. We go on the road and even learn about things like doing your laundry and managing your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafe-esquith/i-travel-a-lot-with-my-students-we-go-on-the-road-and-even-learn/) [Rafe Esquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafe-esquith/) > [Life is a classroom -- only those who are willing to be lifelong learners will move to the head of the class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/life-is-a-classroom-only-those-who-are-willing-to-be-lifelong/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“We look for happiness in every other thing and being around us. We live in an “if and then” model of happiness. If that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-sethi/we-look-for-happiness-in-every-other-thing-and-being-around-us-we-2/) [Rakesh Sethi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-sethi/) > [“life is a classroom. we are both student and teacher. each day is a test. and each day we receive a passing or failing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philosophy/life-is-a-classroom-we-are-both-student-and-teacher-each-day-is-a/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philosophy/) > [“Because there’s a difference in living and just being alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-l-johnson/because-there-s-a-difference-in-living-and-just-being-alive/) [Amber L. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-l-johnson/) > [“Don't think you're living when you just exist!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-mostafa/don-t-think-you-re-living-when-you-just-exist/) [Ahmed Mostafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-mostafa/) > [The living are just the dead on holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/the-living-are-just-the-dead-on-holiday/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [There is always a reason for that you are living for it just takes time to understand what it is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/there-is-always-a-reason-for-that-you-are-living-for-it-just-takes/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [“I wasn't living, just existing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-spry/i-wasn-t-living-just-existing/) [Victoria Spry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-spry/) ## More by Louis-Ferdinand Celine > [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“All our misery comes from wanting at all costs to go on being Tom, Dick, or Harry, year in, year out. This body of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/all-our-misery-comes-from-wanting-at-all-costs-to-go-on-being-tom/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“Now I know... we have at least two friends!... Cillie von Leiden and the hunchback... not bad in our situation... or, come right down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/now-i-know-we-have-at-least-two-friends-cillie-von-leiden-and-the/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [I hadn't found out yet that mankind consists of two very different races, the rich and the poor. It took me ... and plenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/i-hadn-t-found-out-yet-that-mankind-consists-of-two-very-different/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“Lie, copulate, and die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/lie-copulate-and-die/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Since life consists of madness spiked with lies, the farther you are from each other the more lies you can put into it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/since-life-consists-of-madness-spiked-with-lies-the-farther-you-are/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [In my room I'd barely closed my eyes when the blonde from the movie house came along and sang her whole song of sorrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/in-my-room-i-d-barely-closed-my-eyes-when-the-blonde-from-the-movie/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [There's a point of poverty at which the spirit isn't with the body all the time. It finds the body really too unbearable. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/there-s-a-point-of-poverty-at-which-the-spirit-isn-t-with-the-body/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“You can be a virgin in horror the same as in sex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/you-can-be-a-virgin-in-horror-the-same-as-in-sex/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [You can lose your way groping among the shadows of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/you-can-lose-your-way-groping-among-the-shadows-of-the-past/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“People cling to their rotten memories, to all their misfortunes, and you can't pry them loose. These things keep them busy. They avenge themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/people-cling-to-their-rotten-memories-to-all-their-misfortunes-and/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“He couldn't have explained this misery of his, it exceeded his education.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/he-couldn-t-have-explained-this-misery-of-his-it-exceeded-his/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“Hurry hurry, cram yourself full of dreams to carry you through the life that's waiting for you outside, when you leave here, to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/hurry-hurry-cram-yourself-full-of-dreams-to-carry-you-through-the/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [The poetry of heroism appeals irresistibly to those who don't go to a war, and even more to those whom the war is making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-poetry-of-heroism-appeals-irresistibly-to-those-who-don-t-go-to-a/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“While he was cautiously preambling, I tried to form a picture of all he did each day to earn his calories, all his grimaces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/while-he-was-cautiously-preambling-i-tried-to-form-a-picture-of-all/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) [Explore all 212 Louis-Ferdinand Celine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) ## More Boredom quotes > [I am fairly tired--bored beyond endurance--by the world we live in, and its ideals, and am ready to say so, not violently, but kindly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/i-am-fairly-tired-bored-beyond-endurance-by-the-world-we-live-in-and/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Life is what you make it¦If one refuses to use ones imagination..it will be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-what-you-make-it-if-one-refuses-to-use-ones-imagination-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Boredom is vastly underrated. Boredom means that nothing is trying to kill you every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/boredom-is-vastly-underrated-boredom-means-that-nothing-is-trying-to/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [I'm bored of being bored because being bored is very boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachithra/i-m-bored-of-being-bored-because-being-bored-is-very-boring/) [Sachithra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachithra/) > [When people look in the mirror, sometimes they see are their shells in the mirror, nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-people-look-in-the-mirror-sometimes-they-see-are-their-shells-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't think anyone wants to do the same thing over and over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bachmann/i-don-t-think-anyone-wants-to-do-the-same-thing-over-and-over-again/) [Eric Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bachmann/) > [“A car is one of the most interesting inventions, but driving is one of the most boring activities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-car-is-one-of-the-most-interesting-inventions-but-driving-is-one-of/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The most total opposite of pleasure is not pain but boredom, for we are willing to risk pain to make a boring life interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/the-most-total-opposite-of-pleasure-is-not-pain-but-boredom-for-we/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [We shop out of boredom, for release, for excitement, for a sense of achievement, for a sense of control over our unruly existences. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gunn/we-shop-out-of-boredom-for-release-for-excitement-for-a-sense-of/) [Tim Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-gunn/) > [That human life must be some kind of mistake is sufficiently proved by the simple observation that man is a compound of needs which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/that-human-life-must-be-some-kind-of-mistake-is-sufficiently-proved/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Isn’t ‘not to be bored’ one of the principal goals of life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/isn-t-not-to-be-bored-one-of-the-principal-goals-of-life/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [The worst sin, the ultimate sin for me, in anything, is to be bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/the-worst-sin-the-ultimate-sin-for-me-in-anything-is-to-be-bored/) [Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/) > [Exploitation and manipulation produce boredom and triviality; they cripple man, and all factors that make man into a psychic cripple turn him also into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/exploitation-and-manipulation-produce-boredom-and-triviality-they/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“To me, at least in retrospect, the really interesting question is why dullness proves to be such a powerful impediment to attention. Why we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/to-me-at-least-in-retrospect-the-really-interesting-question-is-why/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Listen deeply. Meditate on that which is arising. Even if it's boredom or difficulty or maybe a feeling of being stuck, that in itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-yee/listen-deeply-meditate-on-that-which-is-arising-even-if-it-s-boredom/) [Rodney Yee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-yee/) [Browse all 1,505 Boredom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boredom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Living, just by itself --what a dirge that is! 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