--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In general, life is better than it has…" description: "\"In general, life is better than it has ever been, and if you think that, in the past, there was some golden age of pleasure and plenty to which you wou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3d/p-j-o-rourke-184_able_in-general-life-is-better-than-it-has-ev_2831019.png" --- # In general, life is better than it has ever been, and if… ![“In general, life is better than it has ever been, and if you think that, in the past, there was some golden age of pleasure and plenty to which you would, if you were able, transport yourself, let me say one single word : Dentistry.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3d/p-j-o-rourke-184_able_in-general-life-is-better-than-it-has-ev_2831019.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3d/p-j-o-rourke-184_able_in-general-life-is-better-than-it-has-ev_2831019.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3d/p-j-o-rourke-184_able_in-general-life-is-better-than-it-has-ev_2831019.png) > “In general, life is better than it has ever been, and if you think that, in the past, there was some golden age of pleasure and plenty to which you would, if you were able, transport yourself, let me say one single word : Dentistry.” [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues that modern life, especially advances in dentistry, surpasses any nostalgic “golden age”. **In simple terms:** Modern life, especially dental care, is better than any imagined past. Key Takeaway Appreciate current comforts, especially health advances. Themes progress health nostalgia comfort technology Mood optimistic reflective Type observational humorous When to use this quote - personal health decisions - healthcare policy discussions - historical comparisons - marketing of dental services Key Concepts public health medical advancement cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - How does dental health influence overall quality of life? - What other modern advances rival dentistry in improving life? A Different Perspective The claim may overstate dental impact compared to broader societal issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Age Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age-pleasure-2527167/) [Dentistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dentistry/) [Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden/) [Golden age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden-age/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Let me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-me/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-better/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Plenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plenty/) [Single word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/single-word/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tooth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tooth/) [Transport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transport/) [Word Dentistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-dentistry-3657201/) ## Related quotes > [When you think of the good old days, think one word: dentistry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/when-you-think-of-the-good-old-days-think-one-word-dentistry/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [An aching tooth is better out than in. To lose a rotting member is a gain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/an-aching-tooth-is-better-out-than-in-to-lose-a-rotting-member-is-a/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [“If you want to be heard, become a dentist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neel-burton/if-you-want-to-be-heard-become-a-dentist/) [Neel Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neel-burton/) > [Show people tend to treat their finances like their dentistry. They assume the people who handle it know what they are doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/show-people-tend-to-treat-their-finances-like-their-dentistry-they-2/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [A dentist at work in his vocation always looks down in the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-d-prentice/a-dentist-at-work-in-his-vocation-always-looks-down-in-the-mouth/) [George D. Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-d-prentice/) > [Show people tend to treat their finances like their dentistry. They assume the man handling it knows what he is doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/show-people-tend-to-treat-their-finances-like-their-dentistry-they/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [L.A. is wonderful. They have something called sleep dentistry. You just go there, and they put you to sleep and go, 'Drrrrrr,' and by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preity-zinta/l-a-is-wonderful-they-have-something-called-sleep-dentistry-you-just/) [Preity Zinta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preity-zinta/) > [Dentist: a prestidigitator who, putting metal into your mouth, pulls coin out of your pocket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/dentist-a-prestidigitator-who-putting-metal-into-your-mouth-pulls/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [If you enjoy shaming people, I suggest dentistry as a profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-mcfarlane/if-you-enjoy-shaming-people-i-suggest-dentistry-as-a-profession/) [Bonnie McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-mcfarlane/) > [Dentistry is more impressive in town-what the rural man calls cleaning the teeth is called "prophylaxis" in New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white/dentistry-is-more-impressive-in-town-what-the-rural-man-calls/) [E. 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We absolutely must push for more holistic biological dentistry ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/had-a-filling-done-yesterday-with-no-freezing-natural-materials/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [“It seemed far more reasonable to belong to a species that had evolved natural tooth replacement than to belong to one that had developed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-tova-bailey/it-seemed-far-more-reasonable-to-belong-to-a-species-that-had-evolved/) [Elisabeth Tova Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-tova-bailey/) > [It would help not to treat age as if it were any less of a pleasure than it was when we were six and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/it-would-help-not-to-treat-age-as-if-it-were-any-less-of-a-pleasure/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [I do not agree that an age of pleasure is no compensation for a moment of pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-do-not-agree-that-an-age-of-pleasure-is-no-compensation-for-a/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Let us cherish and love old age; for it is full of pleasure, if you know how to use it. The best morsel is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/let-us-cherish-and-love-old-age-for-it-is-full-of-pleasure-if-you/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## More by P. J. O'Rourke > [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The Democrats said, "We don't know what's wrong with America, but we can fix it." 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They are all funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-whole-family-can-talk-they-are-all-car-salesmen-they-are-all-funny/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [It was Ronald Reagan who used to say that the 10 most frightening words in the English language are, "I'm from the federal government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/it-was-ronald-reagan-who-used-to-say-that-the-10-most-frightening/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a 'learning experience.' Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-like-to-think-of-my-behavior-in-the-sixties-as-a-learning/) [P. J. 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O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) [Explore all 983 P. J. 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If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. 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To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. 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