--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As for himself, however hateful life was…" description: "\"As for himself, however hateful life was, it was hateful in a home and not in the gutter. Many Americans hated their homes. The number of homeless in A..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/687/philip-roth-681_america_as-for-himself-however-hateful-life-was_999708.jpg" --- # As for himself, however hateful life was, it was hateful… ![“As for himself, however hateful life was, it was hateful in a home and not in the gutter. Many Americans hated their homes. The number of homeless in America couldn't touch the number of Americans who had homes and families and hated the whole thing.” quote by Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/687/philip-roth-681_america_as-for-himself-however-hateful-life-was_999708.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/687/philip-roth-681_america_as-for-himself-however-hateful-life-was_999708.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/687/philip-roth-681_america_as-for-himself-however-hateful-life-was_999708.jpg) > “As for himself, however hateful life was, it was hateful in a home and not in the gutter. Many Americans hated their homes. The number of homeless in America couldn't touch the number of Americans who had homes and families and hated the whole thing.” [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights that discontent can exist even in comfortable homes, not just among the homeless. **In simple terms:** Even safe homes can breed hatred. Key Takeaway Examine personal dissatisfaction. Themes discontent home life social critique Mood reflective critical Type social commentary philosophical When to use this quote - family gatherings - urban neighborhoods - political debates - therapy sessions Key Concepts Existentialism American society Questions to Reflect On - Why do people resent their own comfort? - How does this affect societal cohesion? A Different Perspective Not all readers may see the connection to homelessness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Home and family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-and-family/) [Homeless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homeless/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“I hated the homes, the families, all the places where man thinks to find rest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/i-hated-the-homes-the-families-all-the-places-where-man-thinks-to/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“Americans, in being hated, were simply paying the normal penalty for being people, and that they were foolish to think they should somehow be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/americans-in-being-hated-were-simply-paying-the-normal-penalty-for/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) > [The goal of our life should not be to find joy in marriage, but to bring more love and truth into the world. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-goal-of-our-life-should-not-be-to-find-joy-in-marriage-but-to-2/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Conventional show-biz savvy held that Americans hated to be the objects of satire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/conventional-show-biz-savvy-held-that-americans-hated-to-be-the/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [ Now even if I die, no one will be so grieved as to do himself bodily harm. No \[...\] I know just how much… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/now-even-if-i-die-no-one-will-be-so-grieved-as-to-do-himself-bodily/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [The notion of looking on at life has always been hateful to me. What am I if I am not a participant? In order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/the-notion-of-looking-on-at-life-has-always-been-hateful-to-me-what/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“Do you really enjoy living a life that's so hateful? 'Cause there's a hole where your soul should be, you're losing control of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-allen/do-you-really-enjoy-living-a-life-that-s-so-hateful-cause-there-s-a/) [Lily Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-allen/) > [“Envy, bitter envy, was permeating his soul drop by drop, like a poison that tainted all his pleasures and made his life hateful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/envy-bitter-envy-was-permeating-his-soul-drop-by-drop-like-a-poison/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [It is our homes and families that need reforming in this increasingly materialistic and secular world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-russell-ballard/it-is-our-homes-and-families-that-need-reforming-in-this-increasingly/) [M. Russell Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-russell-ballard/) > [“I fooled myself. I had to. Everybody has to. If the good had been twice as good and the bad only half as bad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-mayer/i-fooled-myself-i-had-to-everybody-has-to-if-the-good-had-been-twice/) [Milton Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-mayer/) > [“It is in a home and with a family that values are usually acquired, traditions are fostered, and commitments to others are established. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/it-is-in-a-home-and-with-a-family-that-values-are-usually-acquired/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) > [God's extraordinary work is most often done by ordinary people in the seeming obscurity of a home and family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/god-s-extraordinary-work-is-most-often-done-by-ordinary-people-in-the/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [For each human being there is an optimum ratio between change and stasis. Too little change, he grows bored. Too little stability, he panics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-niven/for-each-human-being-there-is-an-optimum-ratio-between-change-and/) [Larry Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-niven/) > [“I have said that women are like lionesses at the gate of the home. Whatever happens in a woman's home and family happens because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-b-beck/i-have-said-that-women-are-like-lionesses-at-the-gate-of-the-home/) [Julie B. Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-b-beck/) > [I've worked with David Lynch since I was 17, and working with him is home and family; being around Alexander Payne is home and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/i-ve-worked-with-david-lynch-since-i-was-17-and-working-with-him-is/) [Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/) ## More by Philip Roth > [“The old intergenerational give-and-take of the country-that-used-to-be, when everyone knew his role and took the rules dead seriously, the acculturating back-and-forth that all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-old-intergenerational-give-and-take-of-the-country-that-used-to/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [You be greater than your feelings. I don't demand this of you - life does. Otherwise you'll be washed away by feelings. You'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/you-be-greater-than-your-feelings-i-don-t-demand-this-of-you-life/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Nothing bad can happen to a writer. Everything is material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/nothing-bad-can-happen-to-a-writer-everything-is-material/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [The only way to have a funeral is to invite everyone who ever knew the person and just wait for the accident to happen-somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-only-way-to-have-a-funeral-is-to-invite-everyone-who-ever-knew/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/to-become-a-celebrity-is-to-become-a-brand-name-there-is-ivory-soap/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“There are no reasons. She is obliged to be as she is. We all are. Reasons are in books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/there-are-no-reasons-she-is-obliged-to-be-as-she-is-we-all-are/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“As far as I can see there is no conquering or exorcising the past with words - words born either of imagination or forthrightness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/as-far-as-i-can-see-there-is-no-conquering-or-exorcising-the-past/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [The book really comes to life in the rewriting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-book-really-comes-to-life-in-the-rewriting/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“What is astonishing is that we, who had no idea how anything was going to turn out, now know exactly what happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/what-is-astonishing-is-that-we-who-had-no-idea-how-anything-was-going/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“Good Christ, a Jewish man with parents alive is a fifteen-year-old boy, and will remain a fifteen-year-old boy till they die!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/good-christ-a-jewish-man-with-parents-alive-is-a-fifteen-year-old-boy/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [I am the Raskolnikov of jerking off – the sticky evidence is everywhere!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/i-am-the-raskolnikov-of-jerking-off-the-sticky-evidence-is-everywhere/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“Better for real things to be uncontrollable, better for one's life to be undecipherable and intellectually impenetrable than to attempt to make casual sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/better-for-real-things-to-be-uncontrollable-better-for-one-s-life-to/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“Doctor Spielvogel, it alleviates nothing fixing the blame - blaming is still ailing, of course, of course - but nonetheless, what was it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/doctor-spielvogel-it-alleviates-nothing-fixing-the-blame-blaming-is/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [My God! The English language is a form of communication! Conversation isn't just crossfire where you shoot and get shot at! Where you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/my-god-the-english-language-is-a-form-of-communication-conversation/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [You asked if I thought my fiction had changed anything in the culture and the answer is no. Sure, there's been some scandal, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/you-asked-if-i-thought-my-fiction-had-changed-anything-in-the-culture/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) [Explore all 388 Philip Roth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As for himself, however hateful life was, it was hateful in a home and not in the gutter. Many Americans hated their homes. The number of homeless in America couldn't touch the number of Americans who had homes and families and hated the whole thing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip Roth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/as-for-himself-however-hateful-life-was-it-was-hateful-in-a-home-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/as-for-himself-however-hateful-life-was-it-was-hateful-in-a-home-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/687/philip-roth-681_america_as-for-himself-however-hateful-life-was_999708.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/687/philip-roth-681_america_as-for-himself-however-hateful-life-was_999708.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/687/philip-roth-681_america_as-for-himself-however-hateful-life-was_999708.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As for himself, however hateful life was, it was hateful in a home and not in the gutter. Many Americans…” — Philip Roth", "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": "Philip Roth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As for himself, however hateful life...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/as-for-himself-however-hateful-life-was-it-was-hateful-in-a-home-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/as-for-himself-however-hateful-life-was-it-was-hateful-in-a-home-and/#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 } } ] } ```