--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Through neglect, ignorance, or inability…" description: "\"Through neglect, ignorance, or inability, the new intellectual Borgias cram hairballs down our throats and refuse us the convulsion that could make us ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/ray-bradbury-75_ancient_through-neglect-ignorance-or-inability-t_2986389.jpg" --- # Through neglect, ignorance, or inability, the new… ![“Through neglect, ignorance, or inability, the new intellectual Borgias cram hairballs down our throats and refuse us the convulsion that could make us well. They have forgotten, if they ever knew, the ancient knowledge that only by being truly sick can one regain health. Even beasts know when it…” quote by Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/ray-bradbury-75_ancient_through-neglect-ignorance-or-inability-t_2986389.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/ray-bradbury-75_ancient_through-neglect-ignorance-or-inability-t_2986389.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/ray-bradbury-75_ancient_through-neglect-ignorance-or-inability-t_2986389.jpg) > “Through neglect, ignorance, or inability, the new intellectual Borgias cram hairballs down our throats and refuse us the convulsion that could make us well. They have forgotten, if they ever knew, the ancient knowledge that only by being truly sick can one regain health. Even beasts know when it is good and proper to throw up. Teach me how to be sick then, in the right time and place, so that I may again walk in the fields and with the wise and smiling dogs know enough to chew sweet grass.” [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques modern society’s avoidance of necessary suffering, suggesting illness can lead to true health. **In simple terms:** Avoiding pain hinders healing. Key Takeaway Embrace necessary discomfort for growth. Themes health suffering wisdom society Mood reflective serious Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - medical recovery - personal transformation - spiritual renewal Key Concepts Philosophy of medicine existentialism Questions to Reflect On - When is discomfort beneficial? - How to balance suffering and health? A Different Perspective Too much suffering can be destructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Hairballs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hairballs/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Neglect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neglect/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [“They have forgotten, if they ever knew, the ancient knowledge that only by being truly sick can one regain health. Even beasts know when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/they-have-forgotten-if-they-ever-knew-the-ancient-knowledge-that-only/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I don't know whether these feelings - this thing growing inside of me - is something horrible and sick or the best thing that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-don-t-know-whether-these-feelings-this-thing-growing-inside-of-me/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [I'm afraid I have to expel a rather ferocious hairball. You're on your own, girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheshire-cat/i-m-afraid-i-have-to-expel-a-rather-ferocious-hairball-you-re-on-your/) [Cheshire Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheshire-cat/) > [It's the way you look whenever she mentions her fiance. My cat looks like that before he hacks up a hairball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-oppel/it-s-the-way-you-look-whenever-she-mentions-her-fiance-my-cat-looks/) [Kenneth Oppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-oppel/) > [Kissing Mother Superior, incompetent, hairball, poppy seeds, on the can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/kissing-mother-superior-incompetent-hairball-poppy-seeds-on-the-can/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [My family suffered. My hair turned up in every corner, every drawer, every meal. Even in the rice puddings Tessie made, covering each little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/my-family-suffered-my-hair-turned-up-in-every-corner-every-drawer/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [But why diminish your soul being run-of-the-mill at something? Mediocrity: now there is ugliness for you. Mediocrity's a hairball coughed up on the Persian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/but-why-diminish-your-soul-being-run-of-the-mill-at-something/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [A part of her wanted to tell him she still loved him, and that even though this love was hopeless and long over, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/a-part-of-her-wanted-to-tell-him-she-still-loved-him-and-that-even/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [The lady across the hall tried to rob a department store . . . with a pricing gun. She said, "Give me all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/the-lady-across-the-hall-tried-to-rob-a-department-store-with-a/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [“Those who lack a sense of humor are destined to be life's hacked up hairballs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-a-garcia/those-who-lack-a-sense-of-humor-are-destined-to-be-life-s-hacked-up/) S.A. Garcia > [Slipknot sounds like Tre choking on a hairball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-joe-armstrong/slipknot-sounds-like-tre-choking-on-a-hairball/) [Billie Joe Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-joe-armstrong/) > [I auditioned for 'Cats' - I didn't sing but I was able to cough up a hairball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-miller/i-auditioned-for-cats-i-didn-t-sing-but-i-was-able-to-cough-up-a/) [Stephanie Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-miller/) > [All of the people in my building are insane. The guy above me designs synthetic hairballs for ceramic cats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/all-of-the-people-in-my-building-are-insane-the-guy-above-me-designs/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [This Windows 95 hairball has become so big, so unmanageable, so hard to use, so hard to configure, so hard to keep up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcnealy/this-windows-95-hairball-has-become-so-big-so-unmanageable-so-hard-to/) [Scott McNealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcnealy/) > [Hope is like a hairball trembling from its birth...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-rossetti/hope-is-like-a-hairball-trembling-from-its-birth/) [Christina Rossetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-rossetti/) ## More by Ray Bradbury > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [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/) > [Do you ever read any of the books you burn?" He laughed. "That's against the law!" "Oh. Of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/do-you-ever-read-any-of-the-books-you-burn-he-laughed-that-s-against/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There's no reason to burn books if you don't read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-s-no-reason-to-burn-books-if-you-don-t-read-them/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Remember, with writing, what you’re looking for is just one person to come up and tell you, 'I love you for what you do.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/remember-with-writing-what-you-re-looking-for-is-just-one-person-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“You can’t learn to write in college. It’s a very bad place for writers because the teachers always think they know more than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-can-t-learn-to-write-in-college-it-s-a-very-bad-place-for-writers/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We're going to become the martians when we land there. When we explore and build communities, we become the martians. That's a wonderful destiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-re-going-to-become-the-martians-when-we-land-there-when-we-explore/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. ... I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-wish-you-a-wrestling-match-with-your-creative-muse-that-will-last-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The library is the biggest cracker box factory in the world. The more you eat, the more you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-library-is-the-biggest-cracker-box-factory-in-the-world-the-more/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We travel for romance, we travel for architecture, and we travel to be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-travel-for-romance-we-travel-for-architecture-and-we-travel-to-be/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I spent three days a week for 10 years educating myself in the public library, and it's better than college. People should educate themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-spent-three-days-a-week-for-10-years-educating-myself-in-the-public/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [If we try to deny the darkness in our souls then we'll become completely dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/if-we-try-to-deny-the-darkness-in-our-souls-then-we-ll-become/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-remember-that-the-captain-belongs-to-the-most-dangerous-enemy-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Explore all 1,520 Ray Bradbury quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. 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