--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Survivor—under what conditions?” “Any…" description: "\"“Survivor—under what conditions?” “Any conditions. Adaptability, toughness, quickness—those are the things that count most.” “I think kindness means a ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/poul-anderson-11424_kindness_survivor-under-what-conditions-any-condi_487961.png" --- # Survivor—under what conditions?” “Any conditions… ![“Survivor—under what conditions?” “Any conditions. Adaptability, toughness, quickness—those are the things that count most.” “I think kindness means a lot,” said Sheila timidly. “It’s a luxury, I’m afraid, though of course it’s such luxuries that make us human,” said Mandelbaum. “Kindness to whom?…” quote by Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/poul-anderson-11424_kindness_survivor-under-what-conditions-any-condi_487961.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/poul-anderson-11424_kindness_survivor-under-what-conditions-any-condi_487961.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/poul-anderson-11424_kindness_survivor-under-what-conditions-any-condi_487961.png) > ““Survivor—under what conditions?” “Any conditions. Adaptability, toughness, quickness—those are the things that count most.” “I think kindness means a lot,” said Sheila timidly. “It’s a luxury, I’m afraid, though of course it’s such luxuries that make us human,” said Mandelbaum. “Kindness to whom? Sometimes you just have to cut loose and get violent. Some wars are necessary.”” [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Survival hinges on adaptability, toughness, and speed, yet kindness remains a human luxury that can be compromised in conflict. **In simple terms:** Adaptability and kindness both matter, but conflict may demand harshness. Key Takeaway Balance resilience with compassion. Themes survival adaptability kindness conflict Mood thoughtful contemplative Type ethical psychological When to use this quote - war zones - disaster response - personal crises Key Concepts human nature ethical dilemmas psychological resilience Questions to Reflect On - When should compassion be set aside? - How can one retain humanity in harsh conditions? A Different Perspective Kindness may be suppressed under pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) ## Related quotes > [Be kind to yourself as you proceed along this journey. This kindness, in itself, is a means of awakening the spark of love within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tsoknyi-rinpoche/be-kind-to-yourself-as-you-proceed-along-this-journey-this-kindness/) [Tsoknyi Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tsoknyi-rinpoche/) > [“carrying out kindness means doing a small act of generosity for someone else; overcoming our tendency to be selfish, inattentive, busy, impatient, or focused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaunti-feldhahn/carrying-out-kindness-means-doing-a-small-act-of-generosity-for/) [Shaunti Feldhahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaunti-feldhahn/) > [“Simple kindness as a means to no other end than itself is not something that springs up and flourishes on its own. Compassion is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-parent/simple-kindness-as-a-means-to-no-other-end-than-itself-is-not/) [Marc Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-parent/) > [We're told compassion comes not from generosity but from compliance. We're told kindness means raiding a man's hard-earned wages and sending them off to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-west/we-re-told-compassion-comes-not-from-generosity-but-from-compliance/) [Allen West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-west/) > [I think kindness is actually under-rated. Especially with Silicon Valley - and probably in business in general - it's seen as being a pushover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-tsai/i-think-kindness-is-actually-under-rated-especially-with-silicon/) [Christine Tsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-tsai/) > [I think kindness is a sort of gateway virtue - having that simple aspiration can get you into deep water very quickly - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-think-kindness-is-a-sort-of-gateway-virtue-having-that-simple/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“I think kindness, out of all virtues, is the best quality to have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-de-la-cruz/i-think-kindness-out-of-all-virtues-is-the-best-quality-to-have/) [Melissa de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-de-la-cruz/) > [I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-hope-you-will-have-a-wonderful-year-that-you-ll-dream-dangerously/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I think the associations people have with kindness are often things like meekness and sweetness and maybe sickly sweetness; whereas I do think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/i-think-the-associations-people-have-with-kindness-are-often-things/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [“I have no idea of eternity but I think kindness keeps the spirit young. I am thus asking you to be kind and feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhuwan-thapaliya/i-have-no-idea-of-eternity-but-i-think-kindness-keeps-the-spirit/) [Bhuwan Thapaliya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhuwan-thapaliya/) > [God loves his children more than any earthly parent, so think what your kindness to his children means to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/god-loves-his-children-more-than-any-earthly-parent-so-think-what/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [“Every person you meet is carrying a version of themselves they don’t show. The loud person might be trying to outrun loneliness. The quiet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaylee-schueller/every-person-you-meet-is-carrying-a-version-of-themselves-they-don-t/) Jaylee Schueller > [“If I learned one thing in life it's: Some people think kindness is a weakness and will always try to take advantage of kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/if-i-learned-one-thing-in-life-it-s-some-people-think-kindness-is-a/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [“I think kindness if my number one attribute in a human being. I’ll put it before any of the other things like courage or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raold-dahl/i-think-kindness-if-my-number-one-attribute-in-a-human-being-i-ll-put/) Raold Dahl > [It really shocks me when I encounter people who think kindness doesn't matter. Because I think it's pretty much the only thing that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/it-really-shocks-me-when-i-encounter-people-who-think-kindness-doesn/) [Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/) ## More by Poul Anderson > [Heaven is not as narrowly literal-minded as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/heaven-is-not-as-narrowly-literal-minded-as-hell/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“I’ve yet to see any problem, however complicated, which when you looked at it the right way didn’t become still more complicated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/i-ve-yet-to-see-any-problem-however-complicated-which-when-you-looked/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [Happier are all men than the dwellers in Faerie – or the gods, for that matter…Better a life like a falling star, bright across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/happier-are-all-men-than-the-dwellers-in-faerie-or-the-gods-for-that/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [He had seen too much of the cosmos to have any great faith in man's ability to understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/he-had-seen-too-much-of-the-cosmos-to-have-any-great-faith-in-man-s/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“Happier are all men than the beings of faerie – or the gods, for that matter,’ he said. ‘Better a life like a falling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/happier-are-all-men-than-the-beings-of-faerie-or-the-gods-for-that/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [Colonization means potential immortality for the human genus. Man's safety on Earth was never great, and it dwindles hourly. Disarmament, even world government, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/colonization-means-potential-immortality-for-the-human-genus-man-s/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“And if you were not trained, the lesser members of the galaxy that had become visible were so many as to drown the familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/and-if-you-were-not-trained-the-lesser-members-of-the-galaxy-that-had/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [If we knew exactly what to expect throughout the Solar System, we would have no reason to explore it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/if-we-knew-exactly-what-to-expect-throughout-the-solar-system-we/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [A fanatic's willingness to kill or be killed in the service of a cause cannot prove the rightness of that cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/a-fanatic-s-willingness-to-kill-or-be-killed-in-the-service-of-a/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“You simply do not understand the human condition,” said the robot. Hah! Do you think you do, you conceited hunk of animated tin?” Yes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/you-simply-do-not-understand-the-human-condition-said-the-robot-hah/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [So much American science fiction is parochial -- not as true now as it was years ago, but the assumption is one culture in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/so-much-american-science-fiction-is-parochial-not-as-true-now-as-it/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [Better a life like a falling star, brief bright across the dark, than the long, long waiting of the immortals, loveless and cheerlessly wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/better-a-life-like-a-falling-star-brief-bright-across-the-dark-than/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“And the Milky Way belted heaven with ice and silver, and the Magellanic Clouds were not vague shimmers but roiling and glowing; and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/and-the-milky-way-belted-heaven-with-ice-and-silver-and-the/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [Machines can only find what ignorant men have programmed them to find.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/machines-can-only-find-what-ignorant-men-have-programmed-them-to-find/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“he claimed to be one of the last true conservatives—only, to conserve, you had to prune and graft and adjust.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/he-claimed-to-be-one-of-the-last-true-conservatives-only-to-conserve/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) [Explore all 58 Poul Anderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) ## More Kindness quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Each of our acts makes a statement as to our purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/each-of-our-acts-makes-a-statement-as-to-our-purpose/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Kindness unlocks doors that were thought to be closed forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/kindness-unlocks-doors-that-were-thought-to-be-closed-forever/) Unkown > [“You are very kind and very intelligent and those elements are not always found together. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-are-very-kind-and-very-intelligent-and-those-elements-are-not/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Praise will come to those whose kindness leaves you without debt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-finn/praise-will-come-to-those-whose-kindness-leaves-you-without-debt/) [Neil Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-finn/) > [“A little bit of kindness goes a long way with women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-unsworth/a-little-bit-of-kindness-goes-a-long-way-with-women/) [Barry Unsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-unsworth/) > [The smartest people are the ones who can bring a little bit of heaven to earth by using there kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isiahnunn/the-smartest-people-are-the-ones-who-can-bring-a-little-bit-of-heaven/) IsiahNunn > [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) Talib al Habib > [“A man full of warm, speculative benevolence may wish his society otherwise constituted than he finds it; but a good patriot, and a true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-man-full-of-warm-speculative-benevolence-may-wish-his-society/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 6,600 Kindness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Survivor—under what conditions?” “Any conditions. 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