---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gomers are human beings who have lost…"
description: "\"“Gomers are human beings who have lost what goes into being human beings. They want to die, and we will not let them.”\" — Samuel Shem"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/samuel-shem-28474_beings_gomers-are-human-beings-who-have-lost-wh_965670.png"
---

#  Gomers are human beings who have lost what goes into being…

![“Gomers are human beings who have lost what goes into being human beings. They want to die, and we will not let them.” quote by Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/samuel-shem-28474_beings_gomers-are-human-beings-who-have-lost-wh_965670.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/samuel-shem-28474_beings_gomers-are-human-beings-who-have-lost-wh_965670.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/samuel-shem-28474_beings_gomers-are-human-beings-who-have-lost-wh_965670.png)

> ““Gomers are human beings who have lost what goes into being human beings. They want to die, and we will not let them.””

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People who have lost empathy and purpose become detached from humanity and may seek death, but society must intervene.

**In simple terms:** Lost humanity leads to self‑destructive desire; we must help.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and support those who feel hopeless.

Themes

empathy purpose mental health intervention

Mood

compassionate urgent

Type

ethical motivational

When to use this quote

- healthcare workers
- family members
- community support
- mental health services

Key Concepts

existential crisis nihilism social responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we identify hidden despair?
- What role does community play in preventing suicide?

A Different Perspective

Not all who seem detached are beyond help; some need professional care.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings/) [Beings Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings-lost-720067/) [End-of-life-care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-life-care-55532/) [Goes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes/) [Gomers Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gomers-human-1820333/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/)

## Related quotes

> [“But gomers are not just dear old people,” said Fats. “Gomers are human beings who have lost what goes into being human beings. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/but-gomers-are-not-just-dear-old-people-said-fats-gomers-are-human/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [“Our health care approaches squander billions on extravagant treatment regimes that end up accomplishing little, as a society we refuse to adopt the small,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-martensen/our-health-care-approaches-squander-billions-on-extravagant-treatment/)

[Robert Martensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-martensen/)

> [The awareness that we are all human beings together has become lost in war and through politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/the-awareness-that-we-are-all-human-beings-together-has-become-lost/)

[Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/)

> [“In our narrow, confined existence, we tend to forget the essence of life ... All of us, whatever our occupation or class, are equally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jaur-s/in-our-narrow-confined-existence-we-tend-to-forget-the-essence-of/)

[Jean Jaures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jaur-s/)

> [“I believe it’s imperative to bring the light of support and knowledge to patients and families when death is approaching.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/i-believe-it-s-imperative-to-bring-the-light-of-support-and-knowledge/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“If I had you, I would have never worried about the end of life; I don’t know why you do then.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-i-had-you-i-would-have-never-worried-about-the-end-of-life-i-don-t/)

[M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/)

> [“I entered the picture in the eleventh hour as a guide to the exit of his life. I navigated as best I could the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/i-entered-the-picture-in-the-eleventh-hour-as-a-guide-to-the-exit-of/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“I felt myself in a sticky spot as a daughter and desperately needed a third party, such as a doctor, to address his declining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/i-felt-myself-in-a-sticky-spot-as-a-daughter-and-desperately-needed-a/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“The window of opportunity to plan and prepare for the end of his life had closed gradually. Any cracks left open to talk candidly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/the-window-of-opportunity-to-plan-and-prepare-for-the-end-of-his-life/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“A paradigm shift of viewing palliative care or hospice as a gift instead of seeing it as giving up has the potential to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/a-paradigm-shift-of-viewing-palliative-care-or-hospice-as-a-gift/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“When I reflect on the stories of death supported by hospice care and contrast it with our story depicting an absence of support, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/when-i-reflect-on-the-stories-of-death-supported-by-hospice-care-and/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [Every kid goes to school full of questions about meaning. You know, 'What's my place in the universe? What does it mean to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-christian/every-kid-goes-to-school-full-of-questions-about-meaning-you-know/)

[David Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-christian/)

> [The key for me with historical characters is they're interesting because they're human beings. A little bit of Hemingway goes a long way here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/the-key-for-me-with-historical-characters-is-they-re-interesting/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

> [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/)

[Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/)

## More by Samuel Shem

> [“We were putting into these gomers our fear of death, but who knew if they feared death? Perhaps they welcomed death like a dear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/we-were-putting-into-these-gomers-our-fear-of-death-but-who-knew-if/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [“Paranoia's OK," said Berry, "it's just a more primitive defense. If you think someone's watching you, you think you're not alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/paranoia-s-ok-said-berry-it-s-just-a-more-primitive-defense-if-you/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [The delivery of medical care is to do as much nothing as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/the-delivery-of-medical-care-is-to-do-as-much-nothing-as-possible/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [“Law XIII. THE DELIVERY OF MEDICAL CARE IS TO DO AS MUCH NOTHING AS POSSIBLE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/law-xiii-the-delivery-of-medical-care-is-to-do-as-much-nothing-as/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [Yes, last year in interviewing. Empathy is when you repeat the last three words the patient says and nod your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/yes-last-year-in-interviewing-empathy-is-when-you-repeat-the-last/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [“Basch: So why don't you ask her out? The Runt: I'm scared she wouldn't like me and say no. -So what? What have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/basch-so-why-don-t-you-ask-her-out-the-runt-i-m-scared-she-wouldn-t/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [“Every intern makes mistakes. The important thing is neither to make the same mistakes twice nor to make a whole bunch of mistakes all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/every-intern-makes-mistakes-the-important-thing-is-neither-to-make/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [There is no body cavity that cannot be reached with a number fourteen needle and a good strong arm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/there-is-no-body-cavity-that-cannot-be-reached-with-a-number-fourteen/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [“I found myself thinking of Potts as a tragic figure, a guy who'd been a happy towheaded kid you'd love to take fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/i-found-myself-thinking-of-potts-as-a-tragic-figure-a-guy-who-d-been/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [The patient is the one with the disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/the-patient-is-the-one-with-the-disease/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [“Life's like a penis; When it's soft you can't beat it; When it's hard you get screwed. - The Fat Man, Medical Resident in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/life-s-like-a-penis-when-it-s-soft-you-can-t-beat-it-when-it-s-hard/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [“But gomers are not just dear old people,” said Fats. “Gomers are human beings who have lost what goes into being human beings. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/but-gomers-are-not-just-dear-old-people-said-fats-gomers-are-human/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [“Sometimes, drunk, I ruminate on the state of my liver, and think of all the cirrhotics I have watched turn yellow and die. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/sometimes-drunk-i-ruminate-on-the-state-of-my-liver-and-think-of-all/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [“It's an incredible paradox that being a doctor is so degrading and yet is so valued by society”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/it-s-an-incredible-paradox-that-being-a-doctor-is-so-degrading-and/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [At a cardiac arrest, the first procedure is to take your own pulse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/at-a-cardiac-arrest-the-first-procedure-is-to-take-your-own-pulse/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

[Explore all 19 Samuel Shem quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

## More Beings quotes

> [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/)

[Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/)

> [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

> [“Is there any holy beings like human beings?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/is-there-any-holy-beings-like-human-beings/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [A composer knows that music is written by human beings for human beings and that music is a continuation of life, not something separated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanns-eisler/a-composer-knows-that-music-is-written-by-human-beings-for-human/)

[Hanns Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanns-eisler/)

> [For our purposes as human beings, the mind is the center of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/for-our-purposes-as-human-beings-the-mind-is-the-center-of-everything/)

[Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/)

> [I'm a humanist at heart: at the end of the day, we are all human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-faker/i-m-a-humanist-at-heart-at-the-end-of-the-day-we-are-all-human-beings/)

[Chet Faker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-faker/)

> [My intended audience was everybody. I just want to make cartoons for human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/my-intended-audience-was-everybody-i-just-want-to-make-cartoons-for/)

[John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/)

> [Everyone else on the planet, from the lowest amoebae to the great blue whale, expresses all their component elements in a perfect dance with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-lore/everyone-else-on-the-planet-from-the-lowest-amoebae-to-the-great-blue/)

[Nicholas Lore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-lore/)

> [I have never really been fond of animals. I certainly wasn't an 'animal lover' when I became involved in the movement. I just came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-have-never-really-been-fond-of-animals-i-certainly-wasn-t-an-animal/)

[Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/)

> [As human beings, we aren't as individual as we'd like to believe we are. And I think that's what makes acting possible. Despite the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-human-beings-we-aren-t-as-individual-as-we-d-like-to-believe-we/)

[Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/)

> [We cannot deal with people like human beings, we cannot deal with them on the high level of true humanity, unless we really know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-cannot-deal-with-people-like-human-beings-we-cannot-deal-with-them/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Spiritual beings, either from the beginning or soon thereafter, become what they are to be for ever and ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-pico-della-mirandola/spiritual-beings-either-from-the-beginning-or-soon-thereafter-become/)

[Giovanni Pico della Mirandola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-pico-della-mirandola/)

> [We're human beings trying to love each other. There are constant revelations and room for growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamman-rucker/we-re-human-beings-trying-to-love-each-other-there-are-constant/)

[Lamman Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamman-rucker/)

> [“There are no greater or truer lords, gods, fathers, sons or holy spirits, than the humans. Humans are the highest beings on earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/there-are-no-greater-or-truer-lords-gods-fathers-sons-or-holy-spirits/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [Although we might settle for less, Heavenly Father won't, for he sees us as the glorious beings we are capable of becoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/although-we-might-settle-for-less-heavenly-father-won-t-for-he-sees/)

[Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/)

[Browse all 979 Beings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Gomers are human beings who have lost what goes into being human beings. They want to die, and we will not let them.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Samuel Shem"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/gomers-are-human-beings-who-have-lost-what-goes-into-being-human/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Beings"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/gomers-are-human-beings-who-have-lost-what-goes-into-being-human/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/samuel-shem-28474_beings_gomers-are-human-beings-who-have-lost-wh_965670.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/samuel-shem-28474_beings_gomers-are-human-beings-who-have-lost-wh_965670.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/samuel-shem-28474_beings_gomers-are-human-beings-who-have-lost-wh_965670.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Gomers are human beings who have lost what goes into being human beings. They want to die, and we will not…” — Samuel Shem",
                "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 Shem",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Gomers are human beings who have...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/gomers-are-human-beings-who-have-lost-what-goes-into-being-human/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/gomers-are-human-beings-who-have-lost-what-goes-into-being-human/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
