---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is pleasant, when the sea runs high…"
description: "\"It is pleasant, when the sea runs high, to view from land the great distress of another.\" — Lucretius"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/lucretius-1632_distress_it-is-pleasant-when-the-sea-runs-high-to_1949560.png"
---

#  It is pleasant, when the sea runs high, to view from land…

![“It is pleasant, when the sea runs high, to view from land the great distress of another.” quote by Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/lucretius-1632_distress_it-is-pleasant-when-the-sea-runs-high-to_1949560.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/lucretius-1632_distress_it-is-pleasant-when-the-sea-runs-high-to_1949560.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/lucretius-1632_distress_it-is-pleasant-when-the-sea-runs-high-to_1949560.png)

> “It is pleasant, when the sea runs high, to view from land the great distress of another.”

[Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Observing others' suffering from a safe distance can be oddly satisfying, revealing human tendency toward schadenfreude.

**In simple terms:** Finding pleasure in others' distress is a human flaw.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate compassion over schadenfreude.

Themes

schadenfreude human nature compassion ethics

Mood

cynical reflective

Type

ethical psychological

When to use this quote

- news consumption
- social media
- personal relationships

Key Concepts

empathy deficit psychology of envy moral development

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we sometimes relish others' misfortunes?
- How can we shift to supportive attitudes?

A Different Perspective

Such enjoyment can erode empathy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Distress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/) [High View](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-view-3156240/) [Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land/) [Land Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land-great-510062/) [Pleasant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasant/) [Pleasant Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasant-sea-3156238/) [River](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) [View Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/view-land-3156239/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/)

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## More by Lucretius

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