--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ultimately, loneliness is not the…" description: "\"“Ultimately, loneliness is not the experience of lacking but the experience of living. It is part and parcel of the human condition, and, unless a pers..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/neel-burton-16027_desire_ultimately-loneliness-is-not-the-experie_455754.jpg" --- # Ultimately, loneliness is not the experience of lacking… ![“Ultimately, loneliness is not the experience of lacking but the experience of living. It is part and parcel of the human condition, and, unless a person is resolved, it can only be a matter of time before it resurfaces, often with a vengeance. On this account, loneliness is the manifestation of…” quote by Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/neel-burton-16027_desire_ultimately-loneliness-is-not-the-experie_455754.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/neel-burton-16027_desire_ultimately-loneliness-is-not-the-experie_455754.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/neel-burton-16027_desire_ultimately-loneliness-is-not-the-experie_455754.jpg) > ““Ultimately, loneliness is not the experience of lacking but the experience of living. It is part and parcel of the human condition, and, unless a person is resolved, it can only be a matter of time before it resurfaces, often with a vengeance. On this account, loneliness is the manifestation of the conflict between our desire for meaning and the absence of meaning from the universe, an absence that is all the more glaring in modern societies which have sacrificed traditional and religious structures of meaning on the thin altar of truth.”” [Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Loneliness stems from a clash between our yearning for purpose and the perceived emptiness of modern life, resurfacing when unresolved. The **In simple terms:** Loneliness arises when we lack meaning in a world that feels empty. Key Takeaway Seek meaning to ease loneliness. Themes existential psychology modernity meaning loneliness Mood reflective somber hopeful Type philosophical motivational inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - therapy sessions - creative projects - community building Key Concepts purpose void meaninglessness social alienation Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life meaning? - How can you create purpose in daily routines? A Different Perspective Loneliness can also be a catalyst for growth if embraced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Existentialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existentialism/) [Human condition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-condition/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [Matter of time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-of-time/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Loneliness is the manifestation of the conflict between our desire for meaning and the absence of objective meaning from the universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neel-burton/loneliness-is-the-manifestation-of-the-conflict-between-our-desire/) [Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) > [“Parker soon became familiar with the one certainty of sorrow, that ultimately loneliness trumps logic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-slovin/parker-soon-became-familiar-with-the-one-certainty-of-sorrow-that/) [Abby Slovin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-slovin/) > [There are people who cannot risk loneliness with the experience. They always have to be in a flock and have human contact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-louise-von-franz/there-are-people-who-cannot-risk-loneliness-with-the-experience-they/) [Marie-Louise von Franz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-louise-von-franz/) > [for many people, loneliness was an experience of time. 'Not knowing what to do with yourself' was the way it was usually put.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/for-many-people-loneliness-was-an-experience-of-time-not-knowing-what/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [Nihilism: any aim is lacking, any answer to the question "why" is lacking. What does nihilism mean?--that the supreme values devaluate themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/nihilism-any-aim-is-lacking-any-answer-to-the-question-why-is-lacking/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I mis you so much much ,i know you so far how I wish you were here with me ...how you wish I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iam-winston/i-mis-you-so-much-much-i-know-you-so-far-how-i-wish-you-were-here/) Iam Winston > [Being a display pilot is probably the thing I've been most proud of in my life. Don't really fly anymore now though. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-numan/being-a-display-pilot-is-probably-the-thing-i-ve-been-most-proud-of/) [Gary Numan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-numan/) > [“If you’re subjected to enough great salesmen and salespitches and marketing concepts for long enough—like from your earliest Saturday-morning cartoons, let’s say—it is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/if-you-re-subjected-to-enough-great-salesmen-and-salespitches-and/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Theoretically, there are planets with an environment that can support life. 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And it's just a matter of time before this one snaps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gossip-girl/there-s-a-weak-link-in-every-chain-and-it-s-just-a-matter-of-time/) [Gossip Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gossip-girl/) > [I live a much better life without having to worry about people chasing me. I spent five years in prison from 21 to 26,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/i-live-a-much-better-life-without-having-to-worry-about-people/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) > [Shortly after he became the first Muslim to attend cabinet, I urged Sadiq Khan to be prepared. The Islamophobes, the new McCarthyites, would at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-hasan/shortly-after-he-became-the-first-muslim-to-attend-cabinet-i-urged/) [Mehdi Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-hasan/) > [He's got everything. He' not a great player yet because he hasn't won any major championships, but it's a matter of time. He's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-price/he-s-got-everything-he-not-a-great-player-yet-because-he-hasn-t-won/) Nick Price ## More by Neel Burton > [“Loneliness is the manifestation of the conflict between our desire for meaning and the absence of objective meaning from the universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neel-burton/loneliness-is-the-manifestation-of-the-conflict-between-our-desire/) [Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) > [“Just as Prometheus delivered stolen fire to man, so Eve, and the serpent, delivered man into self-consciousness, setting him up, were it not for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neel-burton/just-as-prometheus-delivered-stolen-fire-to-man-so-eve-and-the/) [Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) > [“Just as we use speech and gestures to communicate, so we use touch. 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By recognizing its various forms in ourselves and reflecting upon them, we may be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neel-burton/self-deception-is-a-defining-part-of-our-human-nature-by-recognizing/) [Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) > [“Wonder begets culture, which begets yet more wonder, and the end of wonder is wisdom, which is the state of perpetual wonder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neel-burton/wonder-begets-culture-which-begets-yet-more-wonder-and-the-end-of/) [Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) > [There are essentially three types of people: those who love life more than they fear it, those who fear life more than they love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neel-burton/there-are-essentially-three-types-of-people-those-who-love-life-more/) [Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) > [“Our life is just as long or short as our remembering: as rich as our imagining, as vibrant as our feeling, and as profound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neel-burton/our-life-is-just-as-long-or-short-as-our-remembering-as-rich-as-our/) [Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) > [“Although selfhood depends causally upon the existence of the brain, it amounts to something far more than the brain. This something is vague and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neel-burton/although-selfhood-depends-causally-upon-the-existence-of-the-brain-it/) [Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) > [“I can't believe I spent 13 years at school and never got taught cooking, gardening, conversation, massage, Latin, or philosophy. What were they thinking?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neel-burton/i-can-t-believe-i-spent-13-years-at-school-and-never-got-taught/) [Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) > [“If you’ve found something in life that's better than sleeping, you’re already a huge success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neel-burton/if-you-ve-found-something-in-life-that-s-better-than-sleeping-you-re/) [Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) > [A man shrinks or expands into the degree and nature of his ambition. Ambition needs to be cultivated and refined, and yet has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neel-burton/a-man-shrinks-or-expands-into-the-degree-and-nature-of-his-ambition/) [Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) [Explore all 41 Neel Burton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. 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He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Ultimately, loneliness is not the experience of lacking but the experience of living. It is part and parcel of the human condition, and, unless a person is resolved, it can only be a matter of time before it resurfaces, often with a vengeance. 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