--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In these days in which we live, when…" description: "\"“In these days in which we live, when existence has become a thing of infinite complexity and fate, if it slips us a bit of goose with one hand, is pre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c45/p-g-wodehouse-723_bitter_in-these-days-in-which-we-live-when-exis_19631.jpg" --- # In these days in which we live, when existence has become… ![“In these days in which we live, when existence has become a thing of infinite complexity and fate, if it slips us a bit of goose with one hand, is pretty sure to give us the sleeve across the windpipe with the other, it is rarely that we find a human being that is unmixedly happy. Always the…” quote by P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c45/p-g-wodehouse-723_bitter_in-these-days-in-which-we-live-when-exis_19631.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c45/p-g-wodehouse-723_bitter_in-these-days-in-which-we-live-when-exis_19631.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c45/p-g-wodehouse-723_bitter_in-these-days-in-which-we-live-when-exis_19631.jpg) > ““In these days in which we live, when existence has become a thing of infinite complexity and fate, if it slips us a bit of goose with one hand, is pretty sure to give us the sleeve across the windpipe with the other, it is rarely that we find a human being that is unmixedly happy. Always the bitter will be blended with the sweet, and in this mélange one can be reasonably certain that it is the former that will predominate. A severe indictment of our modern civilization, but it can't say it didn't ask for it.”” [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s complexity intertwines joy and suffering, making pure happiness rare; the bitter often outweighs the sweet, reflecting societal contradictions. **In simple terms:** Happiness is mixed with hardship. Key Takeaway Pure joy is elusive in modern life. Themes existential complexity dualism modern society human condition suffering optimism Mood melancholic reflective cynical Type philosophical observational critical When to use this quote - reflecting on personal setbacks - analyzing societal trends - discussing mental health - examining cultural paradoxes Key Concepts complexity fate happiness suffering Practical Applications - philosophical essays - motivational speaking Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance acceptance of hardship with pursuit of joy? - What role does societal structure play in shaping personal happiness? A Different Perspective Some argue that despite challenges, individuals can cultivate lasting happiness through mindset and community support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [If we meet and I say, "Hi," That's a salutation. If you ask me how I feel, That's a consideration. 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But then this is the civilisation that took us to debt, environmental crisis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/civilization-has-given-us-enormous-successes-going-to-the-moon/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [ The first essential character \[of civilization\], I should say, is forethought. This, indeed, is what mainly distinguishes men from brutes and adults from children. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-first-essential-character-of-civilization-i-should-say-is/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I invite all brats to throw their cookies at the baker's head if they're not sweet, winos to chuck their wine if it's bad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/i-invite-all-brats-to-throw-their-cookies-at-the-baker-s-head-if-they/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. 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The smell of coalsmoke in the air at night. Old times, dead years. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-cooler-days-have-brought-a-wistful-mood-upon-him-the-smell-of/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) ## More by P.G. Wodehouse > [“Love, Miss Halliday, is a delicate plant. It needs tending, nurturing, assiduous fostering. This cannot be done by throwing the breakfast bacon at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/love-miss-halliday-is-a-delicate-plant-it-needs-tending-nurturing/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [ “\[A\]lways get to the dialogue as soon as possible. I always feel the thing to go for is speed. Nothing puts the reader off… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/a-lways-get-to-the-dialogue-as-soon-as-possible-i-always-feel-the/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Good Lord, Jeeves! Is there anything you don’t know?’ ‘I couldn’t say, sir.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/good-lord-jeeves-is-there-anything-you-don-t-know-i-couldn-t-say-sir/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Ask the first lion cub you meet, and it will tell you that, once you’ve tasted blood, there is no pulling up, and it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/ask-the-first-lion-cub-you-meet-and-it-will-tell-you-that-once-you-ve/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“He will lunch with you at your flat tomorrow at one-thirty. Please remember that he drinks no wine, strongly disapproves of smoking, and can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/he-will-lunch-with-you-at-your-flat-tomorrow-at-one-thirty-please/) [P.G. 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Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Conversationally, I am like a clockwork toy. I have to be set going.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/conversationally-i-am-like-a-clockwork-toy-i-have-to-be-set-going/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“One of the advantages a sister has when arguing with a brother is that she is under no obligation to be tactful. If she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/one-of-the-advantages-a-sister-has-when-arguing-with-a-brother-is/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Liz," said Mr. Cootes, lost in admiration, "when it comes to doping out a scheme, you're the snake's eyebrows!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/liz-said-mr-cootes-lost-in-admiration-when-it-comes-to-doping-out-a/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“a chap who's supposed to stop chaps pinching things from chaps having a chap come along and pinch something from him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/a-chap-who-s-supposed-to-stop-chaps-pinching-things-from-chaps-having/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Bertie, do you read Tennyson?" "Not if I can help.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/bertie-do-you-read-tennyson-not-if-i-can-help/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“It seems to be one of Nature’s laws that the most attractive girls should have the least attractive brothers. Fillmore Nicholas had not worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/it-seems-to-be-one-of-nature-s-laws-that-the-most-attractive-girls/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“I ordered another. If this was going to be a fish-story, I needed stimulants. 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