--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: such was the way with people—they loved…" description: "\"“such was the way with people—they loved the things that made them miserable. She”\" — Nathan Hill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bb/nathan-hill-11918_miserable_such-was-the-way-with-people-they-loved_822511.jpg" --- # such was the way with people—they loved the things that… ![“such was the way with people—they loved the things that made them miserable. She” quote by Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bb/nathan-hill-11918_miserable_such-was-the-way-with-people-they-loved_822511.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bb/nathan-hill-11918_miserable_such-was-the-way-with-people-they-loved_822511.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bb/nathan-hill-11918_miserable_such-was-the-way-with-people-they-loved_822511.jpg) > ““such was the way with people—they loved the things that made them miserable. She”” [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People cling to suffering because it defines them. **In simple terms:** People love painful things. Key Takeaway Seek joy beyond self‑inflicted misery. Themes suffering identity self‑destruction Mood melancholic introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - mental health - addiction - creative expression Key Concepts psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - Why do we romanticize pain? - How can we find healthier identity sources? A Different Perspective Changing this pattern can be painful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Loved Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-things-485855/) [Miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miserable/) [People Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-loved/) [Things Miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-miserable-485854/) [Way People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-people/) ## Related quotes > [“But such was the way with people – they loved the things that made them miserable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/but-such-was-the-way-with-people-they-loved-the-things-that-made-them/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [I think people have always loved things that are bigger than life, things that are imaginative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-think-people-have-always-loved-things-that-are-bigger-than-life/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [People are made to be loved & things are made to be used, But the confusion in this world is that people are used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz/people-are-made-to-be-loved-things-are-made-to-be-used-but-the/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz/) > [No one can ruin shows, but Internet trolls sure can make things miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-biegel/no-one-can-ruin-shows-but-internet-trolls-sure-can-make-things/) [Kevin Biegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-biegel/) > [If you commit to too many things, they become miserable experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-ruhle/if-you-commit-to-too-many-things-they-become-miserable-experiences/) [Stephanie Ruhle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-ruhle/) > [I have never looked into my sister's eyes. I have never bathed alone. I have never stood in the grass at night and raised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lansens/i-have-never-looked-into-my-sister-s-eyes-i-have-never-bathed-alone-i/) [Lori Lansens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lansens/) > [“From the time I was very small, I felt no resistance whatsoever to the feeling of love. I loved Marie, and I loved many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moto-hagio/from-the-time-i-was-very-small-i-felt-no-resistance-whatsoever-to-the/) [Moto Hagio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moto-hagio/) > [“The death of a loved one may be many things, but work is certainly one of them. She”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-death-of-a-loved-one-may-be-many-things-but-work-is-certainly-one/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Persons are to be loved; things are to be used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuel-howe/persons-are-to-be-loved-things-are-to-be-used/) [Reuel Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuel-howe/) > [Someone has said, 'To be a saint is to have loved many things' —many things — the tree, the dog, the sky, the flowers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/someone-has-said-to-be-a-saint-is-to-have-loved-many-things-many/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [Man will do many things to get himself loved, he will do all things to get himself envied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/man-will-do-many-things-to-get-himself-loved-he-will-do-all-things-to/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“He loved the sun too much. He loved fire, like me. He saw the light and he loved it more than anyone. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-zhang/he-loved-the-sun-too-much-he-loved-fire-like-me-he-saw-the-light-and/) [Amy Zhang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-zhang/) > [I found there were things about religion that I really loved; things like the sense of gratefulness that it brings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-jacobs-2/i-found-there-were-things-about-religion-that-i-really-loved-things/) [A. J. Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-jacobs-2/) > [“I closed my eyes and I thought of the lash of her skirt snapping around her as she danced one evening in a bar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/i-closed-my-eyes-and-i-thought-of-the-lash-of-her-skirt-snapping/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Yet, in reality, Ted loved things more than he loved people. He could find life in an abandoned bicycle or an old car, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-rule/yet-in-reality-ted-loved-things-more-than-he-loved-people-he-could/) [Ann Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-rule/) ## More by Nathan Hill > [“In the story of the blind men and the elephant, what’s usually ignored is the fact that each man’s description was correct. What Faye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/in-the-story-of-the-blind-men-and-the-elephant-what-s-usually-ignored/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“There are some mysteries of the universe that ought to remain mysteries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/there-are-some-mysteries-of-the-universe-that-ought-to-remain/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“But now? Being a sellout is the authentic thing. When”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/but-now-being-a-sellout-is-the-authentic-thing-when/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“He’s like the most dangerous species of American there is: heterosexual white male who didn’t get what he wanted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/he-s-like-the-most-dangerous-species-of-american-there-is/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“Whereas if you choose to see people as puzzles, and if you see yourself as a puzzle, then you will be constantly delighted, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/whereas-if-you-choose-to-see-people-as-puzzles-and-if-you-see/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“But such was the way with people – they loved the things that made them miserable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/but-such-was-the-way-with-people-they-loved-the-things-that-made-them/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“He’s looking for people he can be himself around. Aren’t we all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/he-s-looking-for-people-he-can-be-himself-around-aren-t-we-all/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“Empathy. Most people think empathy is like understanding someone else or relating to them. But it's more than that. Real empathy is the actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/empathy-most-people-think-empathy-is-like-understanding-someone-else/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“I saw the northern lights once. In upper Alberta. I booked a trip with this outfit called See the Northern Lights! I had wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/i-saw-the-northern-lights-once-in-upper-alberta-i-booked-a-trip-with/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“A dormitory was a hopeless idea. Whoever thought of encasing two hundred girls in a concrete box?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/a-dormitory-was-a-hopeless-idea-whoever-thought-of-encasing-two/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“There is not one true self hidden by many false ones. Rather, there is one true self hidden by many other true ones”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/there-is-not-one-true-self-hidden-by-many-false-ones-rather-there-is/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [ “Everyone loves a prodigy \[...\]. Prodigies get us off the hook for living ordinary lives. We can tell ourselves we're not special because we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/everyone-loves-a-prodigy-prodigies-get-us-off-the-hook-for-living/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“In case you haven't noticed, the word has pretty much given up on the old Enlightenment idea of piecing together the truth based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/in-case-you-haven-t-noticed-the-word-has-pretty-much-given-up-on-the/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“What do you do when you discover your adult life is a sham?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/what-do-you-do-when-you-discover-your-adult-life-is-a-sham/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“he functionally remembered the desire to quit Elfscape, but there was no part of his brain actively telling him to do so, plus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/he-functionally-remembered-the-desire-to-quit-elfscape-but-there-was/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) [Explore all 57 Nathan Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) ## More Miserable quotes > [If it was making me miserable, I'd get out, but it doesn't! It fuels me! That's why I'm taking on more things, because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morrissey/if-it-was-making-me-miserable-i-d-get-out-but-it-doesn-t-it-fuels-me/) [David Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morrissey/) > [The more I read about feeding times, sleep times and waking-up times, the more inadequate and miserable I felt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-porter/the-more-i-read-about-feeding-times-sleep-times-and-waking-up-times/) [Gail Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-porter/) > [Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don’t really have or avoid feelings that you do have. If you are miserable you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buddhism-advises-you-not-to-implant-feelings-that-you-don-t-really/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is such unutterable hell, solely because it is sometimes beautiful. If we could only be miserable all the time, if there could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-such-unutterable-hell-solely-because-it-is-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nobody ever wins by the cavalry coming to rescue you. It isn't a question of you're happy if you get married, or you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/nobody-ever-wins-by-the-cavalry-coming-to-rescue-you-it-isn-t-a/) [Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) > [“As has been said, the truth will set you free - but first it will make you miserable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-watts/as-has-been-said-the-truth-will-set-you-free-but-first-it-will-make/) [Malcolm Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-watts/) > [When you're "East Coast" person, you are so insufferable, and you have no idea. And I was. One, because I was miserable, and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/when-you-re-east-coast-person-you-are-so-insufferable-and-you-have-no/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [I didn't fit into the Christian college my parents sent me to. I felt tarnished by tragedy, between my brother's death and Escuela Caribe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/i-didn-t-fit-into-the-christian-college-my-parents-sent-me-to-i-felt/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [Miserable being must find more miserable being, then he is happy...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/miserable-being-must-find-more-miserable-being-then-he-is-happy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You've got to make a person aware of how miserable they really are and show them how happy they can be. Otherwise, why should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-ve-got-to-make-a-person-aware-of-how-miserable-they-really-are/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [There comes a point when you either embrace who and what you are, or condemn yourself to be miserable all your days. Other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/there-comes-a-point-when-you-either-embrace-who-and-what-you-are-or/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [A lover goes toward his beloved as enthusiastically as a schoolboy leaving his books, but when he leaves his girlfriend, he feels as miserable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-lover-goes-toward-his-beloved-as-enthusiastically-as-a-schoolboy/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Not forgiving prolongs hurt and anger and leads to smoldering resentment, which will make us miserable until it kills us. Resentment destroys the perception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-walters/not-forgiving-prolongs-hurt-and-anger-and-leads-to-smoldering/) [Richard Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-walters/) > [If I were to be stuck in New York, I would be miserable. I love N.Y.C. but it's not enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-morgan/if-i-were-to-be-stuck-in-new-york-i-would-be-miserable-i-love-n-y-c/) [Sonja Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-morgan/) [Browse all 1,983 Miserable quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miserable/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“such was the way with people—they loved the things that made them miserable. 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