--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone must decide for himself whether…" description: "\"Everyone must decide for himself whether it is better to have a brief but more intensely felt existence or to live a long and ordinary life.\" — Rainer ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/rainer-werner-fassbinder-25537_existence_everyone-must-decide-for-himself-whether_2179389.jpg" --- # Everyone must decide for himself whether it is better to… ![“Everyone must decide for himself whether it is better to have a brief but more intensely felt existence or to live a long and ordinary life.” quote by Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/rainer-werner-fassbinder-25537_existence_everyone-must-decide-for-himself-whether_2179389.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/rainer-werner-fassbinder-25537_existence_everyone-must-decide-for-himself-whether_2179389.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/rainer-werner-fassbinder-25537_existence_everyone-must-decide-for-himself-whether_2179389.jpg) > “Everyone must decide for himself whether it is better to have a brief but more intensely felt existence or to live a long and ordinary life.” [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choose between an intense, short life and a long, ordinary one, reflecting on personal values. **In simple terms:** Decide if you prefer a short, intense life or a long, ordinary one. Key Takeaway Reflect on what you value most in life. Themes life choices intensity longevity values Mood contemplative reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - relationship decisions - health choices Key Concepts existential trade‑offs personal fulfillment temporal perspective Questions to Reflect On - What does an intense life mean to you? - How do you balance depth and duration? A Different Perspective Intensity may bring regret; longevity may feel mundane. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Ordinary life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-life/) ## Related quotes > [In short: I felt my existence was tainted, in some subtle but essential way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/in-short-i-felt-my-existence-was-tainted-in-some-subtle-but-essential/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [For most of my life, I’ve felt that there must be more to our existence than meets the eye. This is who I am,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/for-most-of-my-life-i-ve-felt-that-there-must-be-more-to-our/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Never ask an elf for help; they might decide your better off dead, eh?" (Orik) (Eldest) (Page 207)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/never-ask-an-elf-for-help-they-might-decide-your-better-off-dead-eh-2/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [“You can decide to get bitter, or you can decide to get better. The choice is yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-gill/you-can-decide-to-get-bitter-or-you-can-decide-to-get-better-the/) Gabriella Gill > [I couldn’t decide whether it was better to be the art, or the artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-campanioni/i-couldn-t-decide-whether-it-was-better-to-be-the-art-or-the-artist/) [Chris Campanioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-campanioni/) > [“They asked Abboud of Omdurman: 'Which is better, to be young or to be old?' He said: 'To be old is to have less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/they-asked-abboud-of-omdurman-which-is-better-to-be-young-or-to-be/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [When the tears are too many and the love is too little, when you want to smile but you have to sigh and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-the-tears-are-too-many-and-the-love-is-too-little-when-you-want/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Decide you can be better than your abuser, more self controlled, more positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/decide-you-can-be-better-than-your-abuser-more-self-controlled-more/) Senoraroy > [Never ask an elf for help; they might decide your better off dead, eh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-ask-an-elf-for-help-they-might-decide-your-better-off-dead-eh/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Eventually you have to decide what to do with this desire. Do you tamp it down in yourself, or do you chase after it?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-koenig/eventually-you-have-to-decide-what-to-do-with-this-desire-do-you-tamp/) John Koenig > [My work involves the physical manifestation of emotional reality. Thus, the invisible becomes visible; the normal, abnormal; and the familiar, unfamiliar. Ordinary life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandy-skoglund/my-work-involves-the-physical-manifestation-of-emotional-reality-thus/) [Sandy Skoglund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandy-skoglund/) > [“Extraordinary magic is woven through ordinary life. Look around!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-leigh-mercree/extraordinary-magic-is-woven-through-ordinary-life-look-around/) [Amy Leigh Mercree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-leigh-mercree/) > [For writing a first draft requires from the writer a peculiar internal state which ordinary life does not induce. ... how to set yourself spinning?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/for-writing-a-first-draft-requires-from-the-writer-a-peculiar/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [All writers are obviously neurotic... For various reasons, writers retreat into an imaginary world because they find ordinary life rather difficult or boring or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-koch/all-writers-are-obviously-neurotic-for-various-reasons-writers/) [Christopher Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-koch/) > [Holidays are in no sense an alternative to the congestion and bustle of the cities and work. Quite the contrary. People look to escape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/holidays-are-in-no-sense-an-alternative-to-the-congestion-and-bustle/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) ## More by Rainer Werner Fassbinder > [I detest the idea that love between two persons can lead to salvation. All my life I have fought against this oppressive type of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/i-detest-the-idea-that-love-between-two-persons-can-lead-to-salvation/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [The more real things get, the more like myths they become. There have always been myths, but the myths of earlier times were, Im…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/the-more-real-things-get-the-more-like-myths-they-become-there-have/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [For all of us it’s the things that won’t work that keep our interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/for-all-of-us-it-s-the-things-that-won-t-work-that-keep-our-interest/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [Since I'm not a second Marx or Freud who can offer people alternatives, I have to let them keep their own wrong feelings. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/since-i-m-not-a-second-marx-or-freud-who-can-offer-people/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [People are terrible. They can bear anything. Anything! People are hard and brutal. And everyone is disposable. Everyone! That's the lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/people-are-terrible-they-can-bear-anything-anything-people-are-hard/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [I'd like to be for cinema what Shakespeare was for theatre, Marx for politics and Freud for psychology: someone after whom nothing is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/i-d-like-to-be-for-cinema-what-shakespeare-was-for-theatre-marx-for/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [People often criticize my films for being pessimistic; there are certainly many reasons for being pessimistic but I don’t see my films that way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/people-often-criticize-my-films-for-being-pessimistic-there-are/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [ Women think in \[Douglas\] Sirk’s films. Something which has never struck me with other directors. None of them. Usually women are always reacting, doing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/women-think-in-douglas-sirk-s-films-something-which-has-never-struck/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [So certainly, if we can tell evil stories to make people sick, we can also tell good myths that make them well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/so-certainly-if-we-can-tell-evil-stories-to-make-people-sick-we-can/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [The best thing I can think of would be to create a union between something as beautiful and powerful and wonderful as Hollywood films…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/the-best-thing-i-can-think-of-would-be-to-create-a-union-between/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [Yes, actually ever since I saw his films and tried to write about them, Sirk's been in everything I've done. Not Sirk himself, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/yes-actually-ever-since-i-saw-his-films-and-tried-to-write-about-them/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [The Jews have never been ashamed of being Jews, whereas homosexuals have been stupid enough to be ashamed of their homosexuality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/the-jews-have-never-been-ashamed-of-being-jews-whereas-homosexuals/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [And I don't believe that melodramatic feelings are laughable - they should be taken absolutely seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/and-i-don-t-believe-that-melodramatic-feelings-are-laughable-they/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [In the last analysis, terrorism is an idea generated by capitalism to justify better defense measures to safeguard capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/in-the-last-analysis-terrorism-is-an-idea-generated-by-capitalism-to/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) > [Love is the best, most insidious, most effective instrument of social repression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/love-is-the-best-most-insidious-most-effective-instrument-of-social/) [Rainer Werner Fassbinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) [Explore all 23 Rainer Werner Fassbinder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) Randy C. Dockens > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everyone must decide for himself whether it is better to have a brief but more intensely felt existence or to live a long and ordinary life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rainer Werner Fassbinder" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/everyone-must-decide-for-himself-whether-it-is-better-to-have-a-brief/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/everyone-must-decide-for-himself-whether-it-is-better-to-have-a-brief/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/rainer-werner-fassbinder-25537_existence_everyone-must-decide-for-himself-whether_2179389.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/rainer-werner-fassbinder-25537_existence_everyone-must-decide-for-himself-whether_2179389.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/rainer-werner-fassbinder-25537_existence_everyone-must-decide-for-himself-whether_2179389.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everyone must decide for himself whether it is better to have a brief but more intensely felt existence or…” — Rainer Werner Fassbinder", "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": "Rainer Werner Fassbinder", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-werner-fassbinder/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Everyone must decide for himself whether...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/everyone-must-decide-for-himself-whether-it-is-better-to-have-a-brief/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-werner-fassbinder/everyone-must-decide-for-himself-whether-it-is-better-to-have-a-brief/#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 } } ] } ```