--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hatred the only moving force, a petulant…" description: "\"“Hatred the only moving force, a petulant unhappy striving - childhood the only happiness, and that unknowing; then the continual battle that cannot ev..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/patrick-o-brian-2283_children_hatred-the-only-moving-force-a-petulant_2048976.jpg" --- # Hatred the only moving force, a petulant unhappy striving… ![“Hatred the only moving force, a petulant unhappy striving - childhood the only happiness, and that unknowing; then the continual battle that cannot ever possibly be won; a losing fight against ill-health - poverty for nearly all. Life is a long disease with only one termination and its last years…” quote by Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/patrick-o-brian-2283_children_hatred-the-only-moving-force-a-petulant_2048976.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/patrick-o-brian-2283_children_hatred-the-only-moving-force-a-petulant_2048976.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/patrick-o-brian-2283_children_hatred-the-only-moving-force-a-petulant_2048976.jpg) > ““Hatred the only moving force, a petulant unhappy striving - childhood the only happiness, and that unknowing; then the continual battle that cannot ever possibly be won; a losing fight against ill-health - poverty for nearly all. Life is a long disease with only one termination and its last years are appalling: weak, racked by the stone, rheumatismal pains, senses going, friends, family, occupation gone, a man must pray for imbecility or a heart of stone. All under sentence of death, often ignominious,frequently agonizing: and then the unspeakable levity with which the faint chance of happiness is thrown away for some jealousy, tiff, sullenness, private vanity, mistaken sense of honour, that deadly, weak and silly notion.”” [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) ## 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 a relentless struggle marked by suffering, fleeting joy, and inevitable decline. **In simple terms:** Life is a painful, brief battle. Key Takeaway Find meaning despite hardship. Themes suffering existence philosophy Mood melancholic reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - health crises - poverty - personal loss - aging Key Concepts nihilism human condition mortality Questions to Reflect On - What gives you purpose in hardship? - Can joy be cultivated amid suffering? A Different Perspective Optimism can be undermined by chronic adversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death Ignominious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-ignominious-3851913/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Hatred Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred-moving-3851910/) [Heart of stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-of-stone/) [Stone Sentence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stone-sentence-3851911/) [Unhappy Striving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy-striving-3851912/) ## Related quotes > [She might have melted a heart of stone, but nothing can melt a heart of wood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/she-might-have-melted-a-heart-of-stone-but-nothing-can-melt-a-heart/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Ricky was a young boy, he had a heart of stone./Tequila in his heartbeat, his veins burned gasoline./18 and life you got it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skid-row/ricky-was-a-young-boy-he-had-a-heart-of-stone-tequila-in-his/) [Skid Row](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skid-row/) > [I'm saying the devils are inside the walls. Igor Karkaroff. 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