---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is a disease, sexually transmitted…"
description: "\"Life is a disease, sexually transmitted and fatal.\" — Neil Gaiman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/neil-gaiman-29_disease_life-is-a-disease-sexually-transmitted-a_2458235.jpg"
---

#  Life is a disease, sexually transmitted and fatal.

![“Life is a disease, sexually transmitted and fatal.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/neil-gaiman-29_disease_life-is-a-disease-sexually-transmitted-a_2458235.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/neil-gaiman-29_disease_life-is-a-disease-sexually-transmitted-a_2458235.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/neil-gaiman-29_disease_life-is-a-disease-sexually-transmitted-a_2458235.jpg)

> “Life is a disease, sexually transmitted and fatal.”

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

## 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 contagious, inevitable disease that ends in death.

**In simple terms:** Life is a fatal disease.

Key Takeaway

Accept mortality and cherish moments.

Themes

existential mortality humor philosophy literature

Mood

melancholic wry

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- personal reflection
- creative writing
- therapy sessions
- health awareness campaigns

Key Concepts

Memento mori absurdism dark comedy

Questions to Reflect On

- What does viewing life as a disease change your priorities?
- Can humor help cope with mortality?

A Different Perspective

The metaphor may oversimplify life's richness.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/)

## Related quotes

> [“Life is a disease: sexually transmitted, and invariably fatal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/life-is-a-disease-sexually-transmitted-and-invariably-fatal/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [Life - and I don't suppose I'm the first to make this comparison - is a disease: sexually transmitted, and invariably fatal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/life-and-i-don-t-suppose-i-m-the-first-to-make-this-comparison-is-a/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [Life is a terminal disease, and it is sexually transmitted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/life-is-a-terminal-disease-and-it-is-sexually-transmitted/)

[John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/)

> [The male elites that run most countries are exceedingly uncomfortable with the subject of AIDS because it's a sexually transmitted disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-holbrooke/the-male-elites-that-run-most-countries-are-exceedingly-uncomfortable/)

[Richard Holbrooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-holbrooke/)

> [Life - a sexually transmitted terminal condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/life-a-sexually-transmitted-terminal-condition/)

[Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/)

> [Talent is not sexually transmitted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aj-lee/talent-is-not-sexually-transmitted/)

[AJ Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aj-lee/)

> [Life is a sexually transmitted, terminal condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-a-sexually-transmitted-terminal-condition/)

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

> [Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/life-is-a-sexually-transmitted-disease-and-the-mortality-rate-is-one/)

[R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/)

> [Sexually-transmitted diseases is caused by sexual activity and promiscuity it spreads diseases. That's been known, you know, about 400 or 500 years, that somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/sexually-transmitted-diseases-is-caused-by-sexual-activity-and/)

[Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/)

> [Life is a sexually transmitted disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-a-sexually-transmitted-disease/)

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

> [Ooh good I've got syphilis, the BEST of the sexually transmitted diseases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-clarkson/ooh-good-i-ve-got-syphilis-the-best-of-the-sexually-transmitted/)

[Jeremy Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-clarkson/)

> [Life is a sexually transmitted terminal disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-grizzard/life-is-a-sexually-transmitted-terminal-disease/)

[Lewis Grizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-grizzard/)

> [Life is a disease; and the only difference between on man and another is the stage of the disease at which he lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/life-is-a-disease-and-the-only-difference-between-on-man-and-another/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [Life is a disease, brother, and death begins already at birth. Every breath, every heartbeat, is a moment of dying - a little shove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/life-is-a-disease-brother-and-death-begins-already-at-birth-every/)

[Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/)

> [Life is a disease. The only cure is Rock 'n Roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proudlesbian/life-is-a-disease-the-only-cure-is-rock-n-roll/)

ProudLesbian

## More by Neil Gaiman

> [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/)

[neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

[Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

## More Disease quotes

> [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/)

[Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/)

> [The strains and stresses suffered by the individual in society are grounded in the normal functioning of that society (and of the individual!) rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-strains-and-stresses-suffered-by-the-individual-in-society-are/)

[Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/)

> [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/)

[John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/)

> [If japa is maintained, no useless talk during work will be possible. The mind will always remain peaceful. Modern day diseases are mostly psychosomatic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/if-japa-is-maintained-no-useless-talk-during-work-will-be-possible/)

[Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/)

> [The doctor who diagnosed me with ALS, or motor neuron disease, told me that it would kill me in two or three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-doctor-who-diagnosed-me-with-als-or-motor-neuron-disease-told-me/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [“As a special branch of general philosophy, pathogenesis had never been explored. In my opinion it had never been approached in a strictly scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/as-a-special-branch-of-general-philosophy-pathogenesis-had-never-been/)

[Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/)

> [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/ring-out-false-pride-in-place-and-blood-the-civic-slander-and-the/)

[Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/)

> [My identity shifted when I got into # recovery . That's who I am now, and it actually gives me greater pleasure to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/my-identity-shifted-when-i-got-into-recovery-that-s-who-i-am-now-and/)

[Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/)

> [If you are a white male, you don't deserve to live. You are a cancer, you're a disease, white males have never contributed anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-ignatiev/if-you-are-a-white-male-you-don-t-deserve-to-live-you-are-a-cancer/)

[Noel Ignatiev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-ignatiev/)

> [Jesus never met a disease he could not cure, a birth defect he could not reverse, a demon he could not exorcise. But he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/jesus-never-met-a-disease-he-could-not-cure-a-birth-defect-he-could/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [Religion is a disease. It is born of fear; it compensates through hate in the guise of authority, revelation. Religion, enthroned in a powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-amos-dorsey/religion-is-a-disease-it-is-born-of-fear-it-compensates-through-hate/)

[George Amos Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-amos-dorsey/)

> [To some degree Satanism is purely a kind of disease of Christianity. You've got to really be Christian to believe in Satan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/to-some-degree-satanism-is-purely-a-kind-of-disease-of-christianity/)

[Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/)

> [People do not realize that Alzheimer's is not old age. It is a progressive and fatal disease, and staggering amounts of people develop Alzheimer's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-kanakaredes/people-do-not-realize-that-alzheimer-s-is-not-old-age-it-is-a/)

[Melina Kanakaredes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-kanakaredes/)

> [Religious work is one of the best ways to keep from facing your reality if you are Christian, if you are using it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-miller/religious-work-is-one-of-the-best-ways-to-keep-from-facing-your/)

[Keith Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-miller/)

[Browse all 3,549 Disease quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Life is a disease, sexually transmitted and fatal.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Neil Gaiman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/life-is-a-disease-sexually-transmitted-and-fatal/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Disease"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/life-is-a-disease-sexually-transmitted-and-fatal/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/neil-gaiman-29_disease_life-is-a-disease-sexually-transmitted-a_2458235.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/neil-gaiman-29_disease_life-is-a-disease-sexually-transmitted-a_2458235.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/neil-gaiman-29_disease_life-is-a-disease-sexually-transmitted-a_2458235.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Life is a disease, sexually transmitted and fatal.” — Neil Gaiman",
                "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": "Neil Gaiman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Life is a disease, sexually transmitted...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/life-is-a-disease-sexually-transmitted-and-fatal/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/life-is-a-disease-sexually-transmitted-and-fatal/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
