--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is something terribly morbid in the…" description: "\"There is something terribly morbid in the modern sympathy with pain. One should sympathise with the colour, the beauty, the joy of life. The less said ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/oscar-wilde-16_joy_there-is-something-terribly-morbid-in-th_593575.jpg" --- # There is something terribly morbid in the modern sympathy… ![“There is something terribly morbid in the modern sympathy with pain. One should sympathise with the colour, the beauty, the joy of life. The less said about life's sores the better.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/oscar-wilde-16_joy_there-is-something-terribly-morbid-in-th_593575.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/oscar-wilde-16_joy_there-is-something-terribly-morbid-in-th_593575.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/oscar-wilde-16_joy_there-is-something-terribly-morbid-in-th_593575.jpg) > “There is something terribly morbid in the modern sympathy with pain. One should sympathise with the colour, the beauty, the joy of life. The less said about life's sores the better.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wilde critiques how society romanticizes suffering, urging focus on life's beauty instead of its wounds. **In simple terms:** Don't glorify pain; celebrate life's colors. Key Takeaway Seek joy, not sorrow. Themes beauty life pain sympathy Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - art criticism - personal reflection - mental health discussions Key Concepts aestheticism social critique Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance acknowledging pain with appreciating beauty? - What harms arise from romanticizing suffering? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on positivity can ignore genuine suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Joy of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy-of-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Sympathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathy/) ## Related quotes > [There is something very morbid about modern sympathy with pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-is-something-very-morbid-about-modern-sympathy-with-pain/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“The less said about life's sores the better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-less-said-about-life-s-sores-the-better/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The modern sympathy with invalids is morbid. Illness of any kind is hardly a thing to be encouraged in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-modern-sympathy-with-invalids-is-morbid-illness-of-any-kind-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Nor do I in any way approve of the modern sympathy with invalids.  I consider it morbid.  Illness of any kind is hardly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/nor-do-i-in-any-way-approve-of-the-modern-sympathy-with-invalids-i/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Sympathy with joy intensifies the sum of sympathy in the world, sympathy with pain does not really diminish the amount of pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/sympathy-with-joy-intensifies-the-sum-of-sympathy-in-the-world/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“I can sympathise with everything, except suffering", cried Lord Harry, Shrugging his shoulders. "I cannot sympathise with that. It is too ugly, too horrible,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-can-sympathise-with-everything-except-suffering-cried-lord-harry/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“It must be remembered that while sympathy with joy intensifies the sum of joy in the world, sympathy with pain does not really diminish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-must-be-remembered-that-while-sympathy-with-joy-intensifies-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Despite all their fears, we ask very little of the ones who never loved us. We do not ask for sympathy or pain or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sean-greer/despite-all-their-fears-we-ask-very-little-of-the-ones-who-never/) [Andrew Sean Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sean-greer/) > [“Experience, or what we call experience, is not the inventory of our pains, but rather the learned sympathy towards the pain of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-gabriel-v-squez/experience-or-what-we-call-experience-is-not-the-inventory-of-our-2/) [Juan Gabriel Vásquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-gabriel-v-squez/) > [I have pleasures, and passions, but the joy of life is gone. I am going under: the morgue yawns for me. I go and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-have-pleasures-and-passions-but-the-joy-of-life-is-gone-i-am-going/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aron-ralston/so-many-people-live-within-unhappy-circumstances-and-yet-will-not-2/) [Aron Ralston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aron-ralston/) > [A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle; ...they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-myriad-of-men-are-born-they-labor-and-sweat-and-struggle-they/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [We only need to open our eyes to see the gifts that abound all around us. These are the simple joys in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-only-need-to-open-our-eyes-to-see-the-gifts-that-abound-all-around/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The joy of life consists in the inevitable, continual triumph of new values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wassily-kandinsky/the-joy-of-life-consists-in-the-inevitable-continual-triumph-of-new/) [Wassily Kandinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wassily-kandinsky/) > [“One had heard and read a great deal about death, and even seen a little of it, and knew by heart the thousand commonplaces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/one-had-heard-and-read-a-great-deal-about-death-and-even-seen-a/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Joy quotes > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“When you finally realize your gifts and talents, joy and satisfaction come as you walk in your purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanya-richards-ross/when-you-finally-realize-your-gifts-and-talents-joy-and-satisfaction/) [Sanya Richards-Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanya-richards-ross/) > [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Of everything I have done, 'The Archers' always gets the most excitement; there's a sort of uncontrollable joy from fans of the program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/of-everything-i-have-done-the-archers-always-gets-the-most-excitement/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [Safin, in his way, is very talented. It is a joy to watch them play; it is tennis of a very high quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-krajicek/safin-in-his-way-is-very-talented-it-is-a-joy-to-watch-them-play-it/) [Richard Krajicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-krajicek/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) Daniel K Judd > [“Start the daily practice of joyful living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/start-the-daily-practice-of-joyful-living/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have touched with a sense of art some people-they felt the love and the life. Can you offer me anything to compare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-cassatt/i-have-touched-with-a-sense-of-art-some-people-they-felt-the-love-and/) [Mary Cassatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-cassatt/) > [“Reverend Veronica Goines sums this up as, “Peace is joy at rest, and joy is peace on its feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/reverend-veronica-goines-sums-this-up-as-peace-is-joy-at-rest-and-joy/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Be in a state of gratitude for everything that shows up in your life. Be thankful for the storms as well as the smooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/be-in-a-state-of-gratitude-for-everything-that-shows-up-in-your-life/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Spiritually, life is a festival, a celebration. Joy is of the essence of life;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnivesh/spiritually-life-is-a-festival-a-celebration-joy-is-of-the-essence-of/) [Agnivesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnivesh/) [Browse all 15,003 Joy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is something terribly morbid in the modern sympathy with pain. One should sympathise with the colour, the beauty, the joy of life. 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