--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If pleasure was not followed by pain, who…" description: "\"If pleasure was not followed by pain, who would forbear it?\" — Samuel Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/samuel-johnson-50_pain_if-pleasure-was-not-followed-by-pain-who_2024279.png" --- # If pleasure was not followed by pain, who would forbear it? ![“If pleasure was not followed by pain, who would forbear it?” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/samuel-johnson-50_pain_if-pleasure-was-not-followed-by-pain-who_2024279.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/samuel-johnson-50_pain_if-pleasure-was-not-followed-by-pain-who_2024279.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/samuel-johnson-50_pain_if-pleasure-was-not-followed-by-pain-who_2024279.png) > “If pleasure was not followed by pain, who would forbear it?” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pleasure without pain lacks contrast, making it difficult to appreciate or endure. **In simple terms:** Pleasure needs pain for contrast. Key Takeaway Balance pleasure with challenges. Themes pleasure pain contrast philosophy Mood thoughtful analytical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - taste testing - art appreciation - personal growth Key Concepts hedonism dualism human experience Questions to Reflect On - How does discomfort shape your enjoyment? - Can you find value in effortless pleasure? A Different Perspective If pleasure is always easy, it may become meaningless. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) ## Related quotes > [“...another comber of far pleasure followed the first, for his books came suddenly before his eyes, row upon row of volumes, row upon priceless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mervyn-peake/another-comber-of-far-pleasure-followed-the-first-for-his-books-came/) [Mervyn Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mervyn-peake/) > [“Every birth is followed by death, just as every pleasure is also followed by pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/every-birth-is-followed-by-death-just-as-every-pleasure-is-also/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [Desire followed the glance, pleasure followed desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/desire-followed-the-glance-pleasure-followed-desire/) [Leopold von Sacher-Masoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/) > [“I never really wanted to die. But I followed through anyway. The pain in my heart was excruciating, and death was beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-hachton/i-never-really-wanted-to-die-but-i-followed-through-anyway-the-pain/) [Rae Hachton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-hachton/) > [Forbear to lay the guilt of a few on the many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/forbear-to-lay-the-guilt-of-a-few-on-the-many/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [When the risk of failure is too high, the right choice is to forbear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/when-the-risk-of-failure-is-too-high-the-right-choice-is-to-forbear/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Forbear, you things That stand upon the pinnacles of state, To boast your slippery height! when you do fall, You dash yourselves in pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/forbear-you-things-that-stand-upon-the-pinnacles-of-state-to-boast/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [“Bear and forbear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/bear-and-forbear/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [If you have any shame, forbear to pluck the beard of a dead lion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martial/if-you-have-any-shame-forbear-to-pluck-the-beard-of-a-dead-lion/) [Martial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martial/) > [Forbear, thou great good husband, little ant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lovelace/forbear-thou-great-good-husband-little-ant/) [Richard Lovelace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lovelace/) > [Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/forbear-to-judge-for-we-are-sinners-all/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Loose and forbear!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/loose-and-forbear/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“But, O alas! so long, so far, Our bodies why do we forbear?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/but-o-alas-so-long-so-far-our-bodies-why-do-we-forbear/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [I'll forbear; And am fallen out with my more headier will To take the indisposed and sickly fit For the sound man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-ll-forbear-and-am-fallen-out-with-my-more-headier-will-to-take-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I can hardly forbear hurling things at him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-can-hardly-forbear-hurling-things-at-him/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/resolve-not-to-be-poor-whatever-you-have-spend-less-poverty-is-a/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Words are daughters of earth but ideas are sons of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/words-are-daughters-of-earth-but-ideas-are-sons-of-heaven/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-composition-of-shakespeare-is-a-forest-in-which-oaks-extend-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More Pain quotes > [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [It hurts wanting the best for someone you love, even if they feel the best isn't you. That's real love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-hurts-wanting-the-best-for-someone-you-love-even-if-they-feel-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Tryna hide this pain with these pain killers, she said the storms only will last a little while but shit it got me feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/tryna-hide-this-pain-with-these-pain-killers-she-said-the-storms-only/) Myself > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“What is there, in the mention of Time To Come, that is so quick to wrench at the heart, to inflict a pain in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-llewellyn/what-is-there-in-the-mention-of-time-to-come-that-is-so-quick-to/) [Richard Llewellyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-llewellyn/) > [“Where there is doubt (shanka), there is misery. The moment one begins to doubt the knowledge that, 'I am Chandubhai,' misery arises. Once one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-doubt-shanka-there-is-misery-the-moment-one-begins-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Stop trying to give me hope ... I have no room left for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenn-f/stop-trying-to-give-me-hope-i-have-no-room-left-for-it/) [Jenn F](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenn-f/) > [There's only so much for a man to take...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gilchrist/there-s-only-so-much-for-a-man-to-take/) Kirsten Gilchrist > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) [Browse all 17,919 Pain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If pleasure was not followed by pain, who would forbear it?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-pleasure-was-not-followed-by-pain-who-would-forbear-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Pain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-pleasure-was-not-followed-by-pain-who-would-forbear-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/samuel-johnson-50_pain_if-pleasure-was-not-followed-by-pain-who_2024279.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/samuel-johnson-50_pain_if-pleasure-was-not-followed-by-pain-who_2024279.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/samuel-johnson-50_pain_if-pleasure-was-not-followed-by-pain-who_2024279.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If pleasure was not followed by pain, who would forbear it?” — Samuel Johnson", "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": "Samuel Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If pleasure was not followed by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-pleasure-was-not-followed-by-pain-who-would-forbear-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-pleasure-was-not-followed-by-pain-who-would-forbear-it/#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 } } ] } ```