--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best care on earth cannot prevent us…" description: "\"The best care on earth cannot prevent us all dying in the end.\" — Polly Toynbee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/polly-toynbee-21635_care_the-best-care-on-earth-cannot-prevent-us_1235442.jpg" --- # The best care on earth cannot prevent us all dying in the… ![“The best care on earth cannot prevent us all dying in the end.” quote by Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/polly-toynbee-21635_care_the-best-care-on-earth-cannot-prevent-us_1235442.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/polly-toynbee-21635_care_the-best-care-on-earth-cannot-prevent-us_1235442.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/polly-toynbee-21635_care_the-best-care-on-earth-cannot-prevent-us_1235442.jpg) > “The best care on earth cannot prevent us all dying in the end.” [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even the finest medical care cannot prevent death, reminding us of mortality’s inevitability. **In simple terms:** Medicine can’t stop death. Key Takeaway Accept mortality, cherish life. Themes mortality humility human limits Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - healthcare planning - end‑of‑life discussions - personal legacy Key Concepts medical ethics existential reflection Questions to Reflect On - What does this mean for how you live? - How do you balance medical hope with reality? A Different Perspective Advances may extend life but not guarantee survival. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-care-358979/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Care Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care-earth-683799/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Earth Prevent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth-prevent-3837833/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Prevent Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prevent-dying-1908668/) ## Related quotes > [Few people know death, we only endure it, usually from determination, and even from stupidity and custom; and most men only die because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/few-people-know-death-we-only-endure-it-usually-from-determination/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A doctor is a person who kills you today to prevent you from dying tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-doctor-is-a-person-who-kills-you-today-to-prevent-you-from-dying/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I paint flowers to prevent them from dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-paint-flowers-to-prevent-them-from-dying/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Some well-to-do parents may say, "I have a right to have as many children as I want because I can take care of them."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/some-well-to-do-parents-may-say-i-have-a-right-to-have-as-many/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [“take out the best, take care the rest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toge-aprilianto/take-out-the-best-take-care-the-rest/) [Toge Aprilianto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toge-aprilianto/) > [I'm not one of those people that takes the best, best care of myself. I try to do better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-la-anthony/i-m-not-one-of-those-people-that-takes-the-best-best-care-of-myself-i/) [La La Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/la-la-anthony/) > [The most popular health care plan in the country is Medicare. It delivers the best care at the lowest cost - it's better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/the-most-popular-health-care-plan-in-the-country-is-medicare-it/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [Our veterans deserve nothing less than the best care. Period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sununu/our-veterans-deserve-nothing-less-than-the-best-care-period/) [Chris Sununu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sununu/) > [“Please promise to take the very best care of my only girl. With so much love my heart might split in two...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/please-promise-to-take-the-very-best-care-of-my-only-girl-with-so/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [I firmly believe that in order to take the best care of our children, we need to be sure that we take care of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chambers/i-firmly-believe-that-in-order-to-take-the-best-care-of-our-children/) [Elizabeth Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chambers/) > [“But to serve the world best, we have to take care of ourselves first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debora-geary/but-to-serve-the-world-best-we-have-to-take-care-of-ourselves-first/) [Debora Geary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debora-geary/) > [“The best you can do is to take care of your life. No one is going to do it for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/the-best-you-can-do-is-to-take-care-of-your-life-no-one-is-going-to/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [“Never thank me for taking care of you. I was put on this earth to do it and you know it, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-foor/never-thank-me-for-taking-care-of-you-i-was-put-on-this-earth-to-do/) [Jennifer Foor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-foor/) > [The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-care-of-the-earth-is-our-most-ancient-and-most-worthy-and-after/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“If you were put on this earth to take care of me, what was I put on this earth to do for you?” ……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/if-you-were-put-on-this-earth-to-take-care-of-me-what-was-i-put-on/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) ## More by Polly Toynbee > [Most people come to fear not death itself, but the many terrible ways of dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/most-people-come-to-fear-not-death-itself-but-the-many-terrible-ways/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [Could a government dare to set out with happiness as its goal? Now that there are accepted scientific proofs, it would be easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/could-a-government-dare-to-set-out-with-happiness-as-its-goal-now/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [Openness about death has led to greater care about all aspects of dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/openness-about-death-has-led-to-greater-care-about-all-aspects-of/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [Working lives are for the state to influence. Unemployment makes people unhappy. So does instability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/working-lives-are-for-the-state-to-influence-unemployment-makes/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [Islam, Christianity and Judaism all define themselves through disgust of women's bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/islam-christianity-and-judaism-all-define-themselves-through-disgust/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [Inequality makes everyone unhappy, the poor most of all, and that is well within the remit of the state. More money gives less extra…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/inequality-makes-everyone-unhappy-the-poor-most-of-all-and-that-is/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [“The strain of engaging emotionally with all that misery was exhausting. The kindness and hard work of the care assistants here was worth far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/the-strain-of-engaging-emotionally-with-all-that-misery-was/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [Nothing keeps people together like the exalted conviction that they alone are to be spared that eternal anguish of hell fire to which everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/nothing-keeps-people-together-like-the-exalted-conviction-that-they/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [One in six people suffer depression or a chronic anxiety disorder. These are not the worried well but those in severe mental pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/one-in-six-people-suffer-depression-or-a-chronic-anxiety-disorder/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [But instead of standing up for reason, our government is handing education over to the world of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/but-instead-of-standing-up-for-reason-our-government-is-handing/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [The strongest predictor of unhappiness is anyone who has had a mental illness in the last 10 years. It is an even stronger predictor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/the-strongest-predictor-of-unhappiness-is-anyone-who-has-had-a-mental/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [People want the right to die at a time of their own choosing. Too many families have watched helplessly as a relative dies slowly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/people-want-the-right-to-die-at-a-time-of-their-own-choosing-too-many/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [This is indeed a clash of civilisations, not between Islam and Christendom but between reason and superstition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/this-is-indeed-a-clash-of-civilisations-not-between-islam-and/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [Feminism is the most revolutionary idea there has ever been. Equality for women demands a change in the human psyche, more profound than anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/feminism-is-the-most-revolutionary-idea-there-has-ever-been-equality/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) > [So what really works? Treatments in jail do some good, but it's mostly too late: finding a family and a job or just growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/so-what-really-works-treatments-in-jail-do-some-good-but-it-s-mostly/) [Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) [Explore all 29 Polly Toynbee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/) ## More Care quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [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/) > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [What makes you care about nature, about the planet? Is it really that you're afraid of what's going to happen if you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/what-makes-you-care-about-nature-about-the-planet-is-it-really-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Browse all 19,019 Care quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best care on earth cannot prevent us all dying in the end.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Polly Toynbee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/the-best-care-on-earth-cannot-prevent-us-all-dying-in-the-end/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Care" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/the-best-care-on-earth-cannot-prevent-us-all-dying-in-the-end/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/polly-toynbee-21635_care_the-best-care-on-earth-cannot-prevent-us_1235442.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/polly-toynbee-21635_care_the-best-care-on-earth-cannot-prevent-us_1235442.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/polly-toynbee-21635_care_the-best-care-on-earth-cannot-prevent-us_1235442.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The best care on earth cannot prevent us all dying in the end.” — Polly Toynbee", "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": "Polly Toynbee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The best care on earth cannot...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/the-best-care-on-earth-cannot-prevent-us-all-dying-in-the-end/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/the-best-care-on-earth-cannot-prevent-us-all-dying-in-the-end/#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 } } ] } ```