--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: …in that moment, as he saw and smelled…" description: "\"“…in that moment, as he saw and smelled how irresistible its effect was and how with lightning speed it spread and made captives of the people all arou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/137/patrick-s-skind-5195_disgust_in-that-moment-as-he-saw-and-smelled-how_176773.jpg" --- # …in that moment, as he saw and smelled how irresistible… ![“…in that moment, as he saw and smelled how irresistible its effect was and how with lightning speed it spread and made captives of the people all around him—in that moment his whole disgust for humankind rose up again within him and completely soured his triumph, so that he felt not only no joy…” quote by Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/137/patrick-s-skind-5195_disgust_in-that-moment-as-he-saw-and-smelled-how_176773.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/137/patrick-s-skind-5195_disgust_in-that-moment-as-he-saw-and-smelled-how_176773.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/137/patrick-s-skind-5195_disgust_in-that-moment-as-he-saw-and-smelled-how_176773.jpg) > ““…in that moment, as he saw and smelled how irresistible its effect was and how with lightning speed it spread and made captives of the people all around him—in that moment his whole disgust for humankind rose up again within him and completely soured his triumph, so that he felt not only no joy, but not even the least bit of satisfaction. What he had always longed for—that other people should love him—became at the moment of his achievement unbearable, because he did not love them himself, he hated them. And suddenly he knew that he had never found gratification in love, but always only in hatred—in hating and in being hated.”” [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker realizes that his desire for love is hollow; he finds only satisfaction in hatred, which corrupts his triumph. **In simple terms:** He discovers his triumph is rooted in hatred, not love. Key Takeaway Recognize that seeking love without giving it leads to emptiness. Themes self‑awareness human nature emotions Mood conflicted melancholic Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal crisis - achievement celebration - relationship failure Key Concepts existentialism psychology self‑deception Questions to Reflect On - Do you seek validation from others without offering it? - How does hatred shape your sense of success? A Different Perspective Happiness cannot be built on hatred; it erodes fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disgust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disgust/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Misanthropy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misanthropy/) [Perfumery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfumery/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“I prefer perfumery, it’s the language of love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-moran/i-prefer-perfumery-it-s-the-language-of-love/) [Jan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-moran/) > [“True artistry in perfumery is the marriage of notes that may juxtapose each other but become harmonious in a blend. Born of pure creativity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-bendeth-global-fragrance-expert-sixth-scents/true-artistry-in-perfumery-is-the-marriage-of-notes-that-may/) Marian Bendeth Global Fragrance Expert Sixth Scents > [“They ask me what kind of perfume I wear or how I choose a signature scent or what to wear to what occasion. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/they-ask-me-what-kind-of-perfume-i-wear-or-how-i-choose-a-signature/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [“While the indecisive customer hovered over an array of perfumes that Nettle had brought out for her, the American girls browsed among the shelves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/while-the-indecisive-customer-hovered-over-an-array-of-perfumes-that/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“Perfume is like cocktails without the hangover, like chocolate without the calories, like an affair without tears, like a vacation from which you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-bendeth/perfume-is-like-cocktails-without-the-hangover-like-chocolate-without/) Marian Bendeth > [“The Louis XIII style in perfumery, composed of the elements dear to that period - orris-powder, musk, civet and myrtle-water, already known by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joris-karl-huysmans/the-louis-xiii-style-in-perfumery-composed-of-the-elements-dear-to/) [Joris-Karl Huysmans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joris-karl-huysmans/) > [The future does not really lie in discovering new fragrant raw materials… In order to endure, haute perfumery is therefore condemned to inventing new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-ellena/the-future-does-not-really-lie-in-discovering-new-fragrant-raw/) [Jean-Claude Ellena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-ellena/) > [“Fragrance should never be worn like a thick scented choker, where the scent emanates from the neck in strong blasts like a foghorn! Rather,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-bendeth/fragrance-should-never-be-worn-like-a-thick-scented-choker-where-the/) Marian Bendeth > [I'm really interested in smells. I think I'd like to own a perfumery someday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-m-really-interested-in-smells-i-think-i-d-like-to-own-a-perfumery/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [Very well, but remember this... I'll be looking at you when you're laid on the cross and the twelve blows are crashing down on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/very-well-but-remember-this-i-ll-be-looking-at-you-when-you-re-laid/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [It’s a story of love, of hatred, and of the dreams that live in the shadow of the wind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/it-s-a-story-of-love-of-hatred-and-of-the-dreams-that-live-in-the/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“Hatred and bitterness can never cure the disease of fear; only love can do that. Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/hatred-and-bitterness-can-never-cure-the-disease-of-fear-only-love/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [The more the love, the more the hatred, when love is gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-the-love-the-more-the-hatred-when-love-is-gone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love and hatred don't take turns; they exist side by side at the same time. And one's duty, one's obligation every day, is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/love-and-hatred-don-t-take-turns-they-exist-side-by-side-at-the-same/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [Do you know that every great thing in the history of art and every beautiful thing in life is actually what you call nasty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/do-you-know-that-every-great-thing-in-the-history-of-art-and-every/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) ## More by Patrick Süskind > [“He had no use for sensual gratification, unless that gratification consisted of pure, incorporeal odors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/he-had-no-use-for-sensual-gratification-unless-that-gratification/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“...if you could not close a door behind you to take a shit in the city - even if it was just the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/if-you-could-not-close-a-door-behind-you-to-take-a-shit-in-the-city/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [With one glance he had got himself trapped in the brown fundament of her eyes, he was in danger of sinking, as if into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/with-one-glance-he-had-got-himself-trapped-in-the-brown-fundament-of/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“People even travelled to Lapland, up there in the North, with its eternal ice and savages who gorged themselves on raw fish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/people-even-travelled-to-lapland-up-there-in-the-north-with-its/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [When they finally did dare it, at first with stolen glances and then candid ones, they had to smile. They were uncommonly proud. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/when-they-finally-did-dare-it-at-first-with-stolen-glances-and-then/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [For people could close their eyes to greatness, to horrors, to beauty, and their ears to melodies or deceiving words. But they couldn't escape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/for-people-could-close-their-eyes-to-greatness-to-horrors-to-beauty/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“The wind blew cold, and he was freezing, but he did not notice that he was freezing, for within him was a counterfrost, fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/the-wind-blew-cold-and-he-was-freezing-but-he-did-not-notice-that-he/) [Patrick Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“Something was happening while you waited. The most essential thing was happening. And even if he himself was doing nothing, it was happening through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/something-was-happening-while-you-waited-the-most-essential-thing-was/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“Although he had used it very sparingly, the perfume that he had mixed in Montpellier was slowly was slowly running out. He created a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/although-he-had-used-it-very-sparingly-the-perfume-that-he-had-mixed/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [He had withdrawn solely for his own personal pleasure, only to be near to himself. No longer distracted by anything external, he basked in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/he-had-withdrawn-solely-for-his-own-personal-pleasure-only-to-be-near/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“This scent had a freshness, but not the freshness of limes or pomegranates, not the freshness of myrrh or cinnamon bark or curly mint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/this-scent-had-a-freshness-but-not-the-freshness-of-limes-or/) [Patrick Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [And because people are stupid and use their noses only for blowing, but believe absolutely anything they see with their eyes, they will say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/and-because-people-are-stupid-and-use-their-noses-only-for-blowing/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [It was good, really, that this external world still existed, if only as a place of refuge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/it-was-good-really-that-this-external-world-still-existed-if-only-as/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [“And the awful thing was that Grenouille, although he knew that this odour was his odour, could not smell it. Virtually drowning in himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/and-the-awful-thing-was-that-grenouille-although-he-knew-that-this/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [He decided in favor of life out of sheer spite and malice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/he-decided-in-favor-of-life-out-of-sheer-spite-and-malice/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) [Explore all 72 Patrick Süskind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) ## More Disgust quotes > [“Joe!” he groaned, attempting to speak clearly. “Joe! Good ol’ Joe!” “Captain, you’re drunk!” Lofflin said, stating the obvious while trying to keep his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/joe-he-groaned-attempting-to-speak-clearly-joe-good-ol-joe-captain/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-shelley/but-now-that-i-had-finished-the-beauty-of-the-dream-vanished-and/) [Mary Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-shelley/) > [“in my afterword, which discusses the ugliest of all ugly feelings: disgust. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/in-my-afterword-which-discusses-the-ugliest-of-all-ugly-feelings/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [Unless an entire row of people got up in the middle of a performance and left the theater in disgust, I felt as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-piven/unless-an-entire-row-of-people-got-up-in-the-middle-of-a-performance/) [Jeremy Piven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-piven/) > [Good God, man, what is that smell?" He eyed with disgust the doctor's filthy cloak. "Life," answered the doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/good-god-man-what-is-that-smell-he-eyed-with-disgust-the-doctor-s/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [Of all facial expressions, which is the worst to have aimed at you? Wouldn't you agree it's disgust?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leif-enger/of-all-facial-expressions-which-is-the-worst-to-have-aimed-at-you/) [Leif Enger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leif-enger/) > [“He has the look of someone whose soul got up and walked away in disgust a long time ago.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-kidd/he-has-the-look-of-someone-whose-soul-got-up-and-walked-away-in/) [Jess Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-kidd/) > [Love turns, with a little indulgence, to indifference or disgust; hatred alone is immortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/love-turns-with-a-little-indulgence-to-indifference-or-disgust-hatred/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [He made a sound of disgust in the back of his throat. "Oh thank you so much. That's what every man wants to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/he-made-a-sound-of-disgust-in-the-back-of-his-throat-oh-thank-you-so/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The reason that last-ditch political maneuvering has become business as usual in Washington is that the actors involved are drunk on blame and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/the-reason-that-last-ditch-political-maneuvering-has-become-business/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [“His excuse made the corners of my mouth turn up. “You think I’m beautiful?” He frowned with disgust. “You’re gorgeous and you know it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/his-excuse-made-the-corners-of-my-mouth-turn-up-you-think-i-m/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [“I don't like animals. It's a strange thing, I don't like men and I don't like animals. As for God, he is beginning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/i-don-t-like-animals-it-s-a-strange-thing-i-don-t-like-men-and-i-don/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“Because of the size of this body, I must concentrate much harder than I usually do. Even the small things -- my foot on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/because-of-the-size-of-this-body-i-must-concentrate-much-harder-than/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [That man has missed something who has never left a brothel at sunrise feeling like throwing himself into the river out of pure disgust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/that-man-has-missed-something-who-has-never-left-a-brothel-at-sunrise/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [That moment of pure disgust when you stick your hand under your desk and you touch someone else's old gum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-moment-of-pure-disgust-when-you-stick-your-hand-under-your-desk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 274 Disgust quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disgust/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“…in that moment, as he saw and smelled how irresistible its effect was and how with lightning speed it spread and made captives of the people all around him—in that moment his whole disgust for humankind rose up again within him and completely soured his triumph, so that he felt not only no joy, but not even the least bit of satisfaction. What he had always longed for—that other people should love him—became at the moment of his achievement unbearable, because he did not love them himself, he hated them. And suddenly he knew that he had never found gratification in love, but always only in hatred—in hating and in being hated.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patrick Süskind" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/in-that-moment-as-he-saw-and-smelled-how-irresistible-its-effect-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disgust" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/in-that-moment-as-he-saw-and-smelled-how-irresistible-its-effect-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/137/patrick-s-skind-5195_disgust_in-that-moment-as-he-saw-and-smelled-how_176773.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/137/patrick-s-skind-5195_disgust_in-that-moment-as-he-saw-and-smelled-how_176773.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/137/patrick-s-skind-5195_disgust_in-that-moment-as-he-saw-and-smelled-how_176773.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“…in that moment, as he saw and smelled how irresistible its effect was and how with lightning speed it…” — Patrick Süskind", "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": "Patrick Süskind", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“…in that moment, as he saw...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/in-that-moment-as-he-saw-and-smelled-how-irresistible-its-effect-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/in-that-moment-as-he-saw-and-smelled-how-irresistible-its-effect-was/#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 } } ] } ```