--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Death is a great tragedy…a profound…" description: "\"Death is a great tragedy…a profound loss…I don’t accept it…I think people are kidding themselves when they say they are comfortable with death.\" — Ray ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5de/ray-kurzweil-3529_accepting_death-is-a-great-tragedy-a-profound-loss_1036107.jpg" --- # Death is a great tragedy…a profound loss…I don’t accept… ![“Death is a great tragedy…a profound loss…I don’t accept it…I think people are kidding themselves when they say they are comfortable with death.” quote by Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5de/ray-kurzweil-3529_accepting_death-is-a-great-tragedy-a-profound-loss_1036107.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5de/ray-kurzweil-3529_accepting_death-is-a-great-tragedy-a-profound-loss_1036107.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5de/ray-kurzweil-3529_accepting_death-is-a-great-tragedy-a-profound-loss_1036107.jpg) > “Death is a great tragedy…a profound loss…I don’t accept it…I think people are kidding themselves when they say they are comfortable with death.” [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that accepting death as inevitable is a denial; true comfort comes from confronting mortality honestly. **In simple terms:** He rejects comfort in death, urging honest acceptance. Key Takeaway Face death directly, don’t pretend it’s easy. Themes mortality psychology existential comfort truth Mood serious thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - end‑of‑life planning - mental health counseling - public discourse on death - personal reflection Key Concepts death acceptance philosophical realism Questions to Reflect On - What would change if you accepted death? - How does society’s view of death affect you? A Different Perspective Denial can be a coping mechanism for fear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Profound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profound/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) ## Related quotes > [“Death is the only thing we can know with any certainty. 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To die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sibbes/if-we-desire-to-end-our-days-in-joy-and-comfort-let-us-lay-the/) [Richard Sibbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sibbes/) > [Maybe that's the foundation of my book: how do we come to terms with the death of someone we love when it is impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-pietrzyk/maybe-that-s-the-foundation-of-my-book-how-do-we-come-to-terms-with/) [Leslie Pietrzyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-pietrzyk/) > [“The expectation that we “get over” or “move on” from a profound loss or crisis is not only unrealistic, but it may even be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-presson/the-expectation-that-we-get-over-or-move-on-from-a-profound-loss-or/) [Ramon Presson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-presson/) > [A broken heart is equivalent to a living massacre. Except you get to experience your own after death state of profound loss and confusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hamilton/a-broken-heart-is-equivalent-to-a-living-massacre-except-you-get-to/) Christopher Hamilton > [“The author explores the result of endless choice. It is not only overload, but a profound loss of unity, solidity, and coherence in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/the-author-explores-the-result-of-endless-choice-it-is-not-only/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [As you comprehend this profound loss, let yourself cry knowing each tear is a note of love rising to the heavens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-comprehend-this-profound-loss-let-yourself-cry-knowing-each/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is one of Gods greatest Journeys, But Death is the next great Adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cole/life-is-one-of-gods-greatest-journeys-but-death-is-the-next-great/) [Chris Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cole/) > [Death is but the next great adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-barrie/death-is-but-the-next-great-adventure/) [James M. Barrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-barrie/) > [Sport and death are the two great socializing factors in Ireland ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bowen/sport-and-death-are-the-two-great-socializing-factors-in-ireland/) [Elizabeth Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bowen/) > [Death is the great Maecenas, Death is the great angel of writing. You must write because you are not going to live any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-fuentes/death-is-the-great-maecenas-death-is-the-great-angel-of-writing-you/) [Carlos Fuentes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-fuentes/) > [Love and death are the great gifts that are given to us; mostly they are passed on unopened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/love-and-death-are-the-great-gifts-that-are-given-to-us-mostly-they/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“Death is the great disruptor; it thrusts us opposite life’s mirror, invites our truthful exploration, and reveals the naked truth; from which rebirth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-g-bowers/death-is-the-great-disruptor-it-thrusts-us-opposite-life-s-mirror/) [B.G. Bowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-g-bowers/) > [Perfectionism is the death of a great room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mcdonald/perfectionism-is-the-death-of-a-great-room/) Anne McDonald ## More by Ray Kurzweil > [We are beginning to see intimations of this in the implantation of computer devices into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-are-beginning-to-see-intimations-of-this-in-the-implantation-of/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [The telephone is virtual reality in that you can meet with someone as if you are together, at least for the auditory sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/the-telephone-is-virtual-reality-in-that-you-can-meet-with-someone-as/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [By 2010 computers will disappear. They'll be so small, they'll be embedded in our clothing, in our environment. Images will be written directly to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/by-2010-computers-will-disappear-they-ll-be-so-small-they-ll-be/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [All different forms of human expression, art, science, are going to become expanded, by expanding our intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/all-different-forms-of-human-expression-art-science-are-going-to/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [Doing real world projects is, I think, the best way to learn and also to engage the world and find out what the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/doing-real-world-projects-is-i-think-the-best-way-to-learn-and-also/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [Take death for example. A great deal of our effort goes into avoiding it. We make extraordinary efforts to delay it, and often consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/take-death-for-example-a-great-deal-of-our-effort-goes-into-avoiding/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [By the time we get to the 2040s, we'll be able to multiply human intelligence a billionfold. That will be a profound change that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/by-the-time-we-get-to-the-2040s-we-ll-be-able-to-multiply-human/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [We're democratizing the tools of creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-re-democratizing-the-tools-of-creativity/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [A Singularitarian is someone who understands the Singularity and has reflected on its meaning for his or her own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/a-singularitarian-is-someone-who-understands-the-singularity-and-has/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [A lot of movies about artificial intelligence envision that AIs will be very intelligent but missing some key emotional qualities of humans and therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/a-lot-of-movies-about-artificial-intelligence-envision-that-ais-will/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [The key issue as to whether or not a non-biological entity deserves rights really comes down to whether or not it's conscious… Does it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/the-key-issue-as-to-whether-or-not-a-non-biological-entity-deserves/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [We'll be able to have very intelligent, little robots with computers going inside our bloodstream, keeping us healthy from inside, destroying cancer at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-ll-be-able-to-have-very-intelligent-little-robots-with-computers/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [The ethical debates are like stones in a stream. The water runs around them. You haven't seen any biological technologies held up for one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/the-ethical-debates-are-like-stones-in-a-stream-the-water-runs-around/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [By the end of this decade, computers will disappear as distinct physical objects, with displays built in our eyeglasses, and electronics woven in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/by-the-end-of-this-decade-computers-will-disappear-as-distinct/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [As you go out to the 2040s, now the bulk of our thinking is out in the cloud. The biological portion of our brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/as-you-go-out-to-the-2040s-now-the-bulk-of-our-thinking-is-out-in-the/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) [Explore all 127 Ray Kurzweil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Death is a great tragedy…a profound loss…I don’t accept it…I think people are kidding themselves when they say they are comfortable with death.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ray Kurzweil" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/death-is-a-great-tragedy-a-profound-loss-i-don-t-accept-it-i-think/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/death-is-a-great-tragedy-a-profound-loss-i-don-t-accept-it-i-think/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5de/ray-kurzweil-3529_accepting_death-is-a-great-tragedy-a-profound-loss_1036107.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5de/ray-kurzweil-3529_accepting_death-is-a-great-tragedy-a-profound-loss_1036107.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5de/ray-kurzweil-3529_accepting_death-is-a-great-tragedy-a-profound-loss_1036107.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Death is a great tragedy…a profound loss…I don’t accept it…I think people are kidding themselves when they…” — Ray Kurzweil", "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": "Ray Kurzweil", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Death is a great tragedy…a profound...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/death-is-a-great-tragedy-a-profound-loss-i-don-t-accept-it-i-think/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/death-is-a-great-tragedy-a-profound-loss-i-don-t-accept-it-i-think/#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 } } ] } ```