--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The safe and general antidote against…" description: "\"The safe and general antidote against sorrow is employment. It is commonly observed, that among soldiers and seamen, though there is much kindness, the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/samuel-johnson-50_antidote_the-safe-and-general-antidote-against-so_1773793.png" --- # The safe and general antidote against sorrow is… ![“The safe and general antidote against sorrow is employment. It is commonly observed, that among soldiers and seamen, though there is much kindness, there is little grief; they see their friend fall without any of that lamentation which is indulged in security and idleness, because they have no…” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/samuel-johnson-50_antidote_the-safe-and-general-antidote-against-so_1773793.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/samuel-johnson-50_antidote_the-safe-and-general-antidote-against-so_1773793.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f2/samuel-johnson-50_antidote_the-safe-and-general-antidote-against-so_1773793.png) > “The safe and general antidote against sorrow is employment. It is commonly observed, that among soldiers and seamen, though there is much kindness, there is little grief; they see their friend fall without any of that lamentation which is indulged in security and idleness, because they have no leisure to spare from the care of themselves; and whoever shall keep his thoughts equally busy will find himself equally unaffected with irretrievable losses.” [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. Busy work shields people from grief; constant engagement prevents deep sorrow over loss. **In simple terms:** Staying occupied lessens emotional pain. Key Takeaway Maintain purposeful activity to cope with loss. Themes grief occupation psychology resilience Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - military life - seafaring - high‑stress jobs - personal crises - creative projects Key Concepts catharsis distraction mental health Questions to Reflect On - Is constant busyness a healthy coping mechanism? - What are the limits of distraction as grief relief? A Different Perspective Overworking can lead to burnout and neglect of true processing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Antidote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antidote/) [Antidote Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antidote-sorrow-454833/) [Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Employment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employment/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Grief Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief-friend-1803348/) [Idleness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idleness/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Lamentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lamentation/) [Leisure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leisure/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe/) [Seamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seamen/) [Seamen Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seamen-kindness-1803349/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Sorrow Employment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow-employment-454832/) [Spares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spares/) ## Related quotes > [The safe and general antidote against sorrow is employment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-safe-and-general-antidote-against-sorrow-is-employment/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“Grief, my friend, forces us to search our souls and find answers to issues that constrain us from becoming better human beings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janvier-chouteu-chando/grief-my-friend-forces-us-to-search-our-souls-and-find-answers-to/) [Janvier Chouteu-Chando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janvier-chouteu-chando/) > [“There is nothing like employment, active, indispensable employment, for relieving sorrow. Employment, even melancholy, may dispel melancholy, and her occupations were hopeful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/there-is-nothing-like-employment-active-indispensable-employment-for/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [There is nothing like employment, active indispensable employment, for relieving sorrow. 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Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mullen/every-sailor-has-the-potential-to-lead-said-mullen-i-don-t-care-if-it/) [Michael Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mullen/) > [The legislature have anxiously provided for those most useful and deserving body of men, the seamen and marines of this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/the-legislature-have-anxiously-provided-for-those-most-useful-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) ## 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. 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J. 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