Every day Quote by Samuel Beckett
““The old thing where it always was, back again. As when a man, having found at last what he sought, a woman, for example, or a friend, loses it, or realises what it is. And yet it is useless not to seek, not to want, for when you cease to seek you start to find, and when you cease to want, then life begins to ram her fish and chips down your gullet until you puke, and then the puke down your gullet until you puke the puke, and then the puked puke until you begin to like it. The glutton castaway, the drunkard in the desert, the lecher in prison, they are the happy ones. To hunger, thirst, lust, every day afresh and every day in vain, after the old prog, the old booze, the old whores, that's the nearest we'll ever get to felicity, the new porch and the very latest garden. I pass on the tip for what it is worth.””
About This Quote
Source Play: Endgame (adapted), 1960
The passage satirically explores the futility of desire and the paradox that seeking and wanting can lead to suffering, yet cessation of both may bring a twisted form of contentment.
In simple terms: Chasing wants causes pain; stopping may oddly bring peace.
Key Takeaway
Question the value of endless desire.
Themes
existentialism
absurdity
human condition
Mood
cynical
thought‑provoking
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- mental health
- philosophical inquiry
Key Concepts
desire
satiation
paradox
nihilism
Questions to Reflect On
- Can we find meaning without desire?
- Is contentment possible without longing?
A Different Perspective
The absurdity may obscure practical advice for real life.
