---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... But he believed that every great love…"
description: "\"... But he believed that every great love was in some measure a terrible mistake.\" — Michael Chabon"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/michael-chabon-627_failure_but-he-believed-that-every-great-love-wa_2639235.png"
---

#  ... But he believed that every great love was in some…

![“... But he believed that every great love was in some measure a terrible mistake.” quote by Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/michael-chabon-627_failure_but-he-believed-that-every-great-love-wa_2639235.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/michael-chabon-627_failure_but-he-believed-that-every-great-love-wa_2639235.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/michael-chabon-627_failure_but-he-believed-that-every-great-love-wa_2639235.png)

> “... But he believed that every great love was in some measure a terrible mistake.”

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

## About This Quote

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

Great love often carries a painful, destructive side.

**In simple terms:** Love can be both wonderful and harmful.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the risks in intense relationships.

Themes

love mistake paradox

Mood

reflective melancholic

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- romantic relationships
- friendships
- creative collaborations

Key Concepts

emotional complexity human flaw

Questions to Reflect On

- Is every profound love a mistake?
- When does love become harmful?

A Different Perspective

Love's intensity can lead to self‑destruction.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Great love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/)

## Related quotes

> [“These Americans believed that one great male god ruled the world. Sometimes they divided him into three parts, which they called father, son, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/these-americans-believed-that-one-great-male-god-ruled-the-world/)

[James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/)

> [My self-belief, really is what kept me going, I always believed I could be a great champion, a world champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-garcia/my-self-belief-really-is-what-kept-me-going-i-always-believed-i-could/)

[Ryan Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-garcia/)

> [“.. she believed a great happiness awaited her somewhere, and for this reason she remained calm as the days flew by.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyula-kr-dy/she-believed-a-great-happiness-awaited-her-somewhere-and-for-this/)

[Gyula Krúdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyula-kr-dy/)

> [If you think you're going to have an eternity in which you can talk to Mozart and Chopin and Schopenhauer on a cloud and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/if-you-think-you-re-going-to-have-an-eternity-in-which-you-can-talk/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [The invasion of Iraq was, in ways that have since become hard to dispute, a terrible mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/the-invasion-of-iraq-was-in-ways-that-have-since-become-hard-to/)

[Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/)

> [“Compromising your principles, even one time, is a terrible mistake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/compromising-your-principles-even-one-time-is-a-terrible-mistake/)

[Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/)

> [“How could you do it? You have made a terrible mistake—to make me such a shattered wreck before I was out of my youth;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-e-baker/how-could-you-do-it-you-have-made-a-terrible-mistake-to-make-me-such/)

[Wallace E. Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-e-baker/)

> [You know, I've got experiences going back to the wage price controls in the Nixon administration where, in effect, we had what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/you-know-i-ve-got-experiences-going-back-to-the-wage-price-controls/)

[Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/)

> [Taking the arts out of schools is a terrible mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-cusack/taking-the-arts-out-of-schools-is-a-terrible-mistake/)

[Carmen Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-cusack/)

> [What a terrible mistake to let go of something wonderful for something real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-july/what-a-terrible-mistake-to-let-go-of-something-wonderful-for/)

[Miranda July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-july/)

> [This is a terrible mistake, because I used up all of my English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-benigni/this-is-a-terrible-mistake-because-i-used-up-all-of-my-english/)

[Roberto Benigni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-benigni/)

> [When I was younger, I used to write to directors when I was unsure I could play a role. I'd say: 'You've made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-reilly/when-i-was-younger-i-used-to-write-to-directors-when-i-was-unsure-i/)

[Kelly Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-reilly/)

> [Because if we make the wrong choice, then the danger is that we'll get hit again, that we'll be hit in a way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/because-if-we-make-the-wrong-choice-then-the-danger-is-that-we-ll-get/)

[Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/)

> ['LOVE' bit me. It was a marvelous idea, but it was also a terrible mistake. It became too popular; it became too popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-indiana/love-bit-me-it-was-a-marvelous-idea-but-it-was-also-a-terrible/)

[Robert Indiana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-indiana/)

> [I'm not a racist. I made a terrible, terrible mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sterling/i-m-not-a-racist-i-made-a-terrible-terrible-mistake/)

[Donald Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sterling/)

## More by Michael Chabon

> [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [“Anyway, it's a pretty good story," I said. "You have to admit." "Yeah?" He crumpled up the Kleenex, having dispatched the solitary tear. "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/anyway-it-s-a-pretty-good-story-i-said-you-have-to-admit-yeah-he/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [There were so many Pittsburgh poets in my hallway that if, at that instant, a meteorite had come smashing through my roof, there would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/there-were-so-many-pittsburgh-poets-in-my-hallway-that-if-at-that/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [“Badass.'" My grandfather sampled the flavor of the word. It did not seem to revolt him, but it was nothing he needed ever to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/badass-my-grandfather-sampled-the-flavor-of-the-word-it-did-not-seem/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [See you in the funny papers," he said. Jaunty, he reminded himself; always jaunty. In my panache is their hope for salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/see-you-in-the-funny-papers-he-said-jaunty-he-reminded-himself-always/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [“I didn't want to be left alone with Timothy, not because I was afraid of him but because I was afraid that somebody would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/i-didn-t-want-to-be-left-alone-with-timothy-not-because-i-was-afraid/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [“He had already seized this particular day once, but he was prepared, if need be, to go ahead and seize the motherfucker all over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/he-had-already-seized-this-particular-day-once-but-he-was-prepared-if/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [“We figure he must have let him out. The perpetrator, I mean. He's blind and we figure he just wandered off and maybe got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/we-figure-he-must-have-let-him-out-the-perpetrator-i-mean-he-s-blind/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [“Then I reminded myself that I was always willing to listen to arguments in favor of avoiding an unpleasant chore, and I shook my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/then-i-reminded-myself-that-i-was-always-willing-to-listen-to/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [“Love great first lines and paragraphs. From The Yiddish Policemen's Union: Nine months Landsman's been flopping at the Hotel Zamenhof without any of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/love-great-first-lines-and-paragraphs-from-the-yiddish-policemen-s/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [“Life blew in gusts from the hole in the side of the elephant with a rank smell and a comic flatulence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/life-blew-in-gusts-from-the-hole-in-the-side-of-the-elephant-with-a/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [Not only would I never want to belong to any club that would have me for a member--if elected I would wear street shoes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/not-only-would-i-never-want-to-belong-to-any-club-that-would-have-me/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [That's the best thing about writing, when you're in that zone, you're porous, ready to absorb the solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/that-s-the-best-thing-about-writing-when-you-re-in-that-zone-you-re/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [Most science fiction seemed to be written for people who already liked science fiction; I wanted to write stories for anyone, anywhere, living at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/most-science-fiction-seemed-to-be-written-for-people-who-already/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [ “For as long as I could remember, I'd been making vague and confident assurances that any day I would finish the thing \[my book\].… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/for-as-long-as-i-could-remember-i-d-been-making-vague-and-confident/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

[Explore all 436 Michael Chabon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

## More Failure quotes

> [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/)

[Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/)

> [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/)

[Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/)

> [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/)

[Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/)

[Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/)

> [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/)

[Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/)

> [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/)

[Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/)

> [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "... But he believed that every great love was in some measure a terrible mistake.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Chabon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/but-he-believed-that-every-great-love-was-in-some-measure-a-terrible/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Failure"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/but-he-believed-that-every-great-love-was-in-some-measure-a-terrible/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/michael-chabon-627_failure_but-he-believed-that-every-great-love-wa_2639235.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/michael-chabon-627_failure_but-he-believed-that-every-great-love-wa_2639235.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c55/michael-chabon-627_failure_but-he-believed-that-every-great-love-wa_2639235.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“... But he believed that every great love was in some measure a terrible mistake.” — Michael Chabon",
                "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": "Michael Chabon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "... But he believed that every...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/but-he-believed-that-every-great-love-was-in-some-measure-a-terrible/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/but-he-believed-that-every-great-love-was-in-some-measure-a-terrible/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
