--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let's assume there really is no such…" description: "\"Let's assume there really is no such thing as happiness, no such thing as peace, and no freedom either. But there are kind of attacks of senseless ecst..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/sergei-dovlatov-42132_assuming_let-s-assume-there-really-is-no-such-thi_2840632.png" --- # Let's assume there really is no such thing as happiness… ![“Let's assume there really is no such thing as happiness, no such thing as peace, and no freedom either. But there are kind of attacks of senseless ecstasy. Can this be me?” quote by Sergei Dovlatov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/sergei-dovlatov-42132_assuming_let-s-assume-there-really-is-no-such-thi_2840632.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/sergei-dovlatov-42132_assuming_let-s-assume-there-really-is-no-such-thi_2840632.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/sergei-dovlatov-42132_assuming_let-s-assume-there-really-is-no-such-thi_2840632.png) > “Let's assume there really is no such thing as happiness, no such thing as peace, and no freedom either. But there are kind of attacks of senseless ecstasy. Can this be me?” [Sergei Dovlatov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-dovlatov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker doubts the existence of happiness, peace, and freedom, yet feels moments of intense, irrational joy, questioning identity. **In simple terms:** Questioning existence of joy while feeling ecstatic. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and explore what drives those ecstatic moments. Themes existentialism identity joy Mood conflicted curious Type reflective philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - creative burnout - spiritual searching - artistic inspiration Key Concepts philosophy psychology paradox Questions to Reflect On - What does the ecstatic feeling reveal about you? - Can you find value beyond conventional happiness? A Different Perspective Happiness may be fleeting and not essential for meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ecstasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecstasy/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) ## Related quotes > [Well, it's not really the right word, but freedom is kind of a hobby with me, and I have disposable income that I'll spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/well-it-s-not-really-the-right-word-but-freedom-is-kind-of-a-hobby/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [But there are all different kinds of freedom, and the kind that is most precious you will not hear much talked about in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/but-there-are-all-different-kinds-of-freedom-and-the-kind-that-is/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [A teacher in search of his/her own freedom may be the only kind of teacher who can arouse young persons to go in search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-greene/a-teacher-in-search-of-his-her-own-freedom-may-be-the-only-kind-of/) [Maxine Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-greene/) > [If the freedom is not 100%, then its not freedom, its kind of...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hayek/if-the-freedom-is-not-100-then-its-not-freedom-its-kind-of/) [Joe Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hayek/) > [In the Islamic government all people have complete freedom to have any kind of opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruhollah-khomeini/in-the-islamic-government-all-people-have-complete-freedom-to-have/) [Ruhollah Khomeini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruhollah-khomeini/) > [If you have no inner freedom, what kind of freedom do you expect?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arturo-graf/if-you-have-no-inner-freedom-what-kind-of-freedom-do-you-expect/) Arturo Graf > [“There are all different kinds of freedom, and the kind that is most precious you will not hear much talk about much in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/there-are-all-different-kinds-of-freedom-and-the-kind-that-is-most-2/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [But of course there are all kinds of freedom, and the kind that is most precious you will not hear much talked about in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/but-of-course-there-are-all-kinds-of-freedom-and-the-kind-that-is/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Any existence deprived of freedom is a kind of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gen-michel-aoun/any-existence-deprived-of-freedom-is-a-kind-of-death/) Gen Michel Aoun > [“There are all different kinds of freedom, and the kind that is most precious you will not hear much talked about in the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/there-are-all-different-kinds-of-freedom-and-the-kind-that-is-most/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [ \[W\]e must first experience the kingdom if we are even to know what kind of freedom and what kind of equality we should desire.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/w-e-must-first-experience-the-kingdom-if-we-are-even-to-know-what/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [Freedom, that's the kind of power I'm interested in. When we help each other get free, then it's not about anybody being on top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/freedom-that-s-the-kind-of-power-i-m-interested-in-when-we-help-each/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Freedom is the kind of essence of being a pirate: You're away from land-locked Europe. You're not part of the society. You're part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-rush/freedom-is-the-kind-of-essence-of-being-a-pirate-you-re-away-from/) [Geoffrey Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-rush/) > [If we look to our responsibility to the generations yet unborn who will come after us, how can we fail to recognize that peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/if-we-look-to-our-responsibility-to-the-generations-yet-unborn-who/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [A truly free society must not include a peace which oppresses us. We must learn on our own terms what peace and freedom mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-kelly/a-truly-free-society-must-not-include-a-peace-which-oppresses-us-we/) [Petra Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-kelly/) ## More by Sergei Dovlatov > [We are not better than native born Americans, and of course not smarter. We’ve just been to the last stop of this bus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-dovlatov/we-are-not-better-than-native-born-americans-and-of-course-not/) [Sergei Dovlatov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-dovlatov/) > [“I had three long conversations with Marusya over a cup of coffee. She told me her whole rather silly story. To some degree we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-dovlatov/i-had-three-long-conversations-with-marusya-over-a-cup-of-coffee-she/) [Sergei Dovlatov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-dovlatov/) > [Sales were lukewarm. Back home there was no freedom, but there were readers. Here there was freedom enough, but readers were missing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-dovlatov/sales-were-lukewarm-back-home-there-was-no-freedom-but-there-were/) [Sergei Dovlatov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-dovlatov/) > [Our life is but a grain of sand in the indifferent ocean of infinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-dovlatov/our-life-is-but-a-grain-of-sand-in-the-indifferent-ocean-of-infinity/) [Sergei Dovlatov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-dovlatov/) > [If people are rude in Moscow, at least it's in Russian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-dovlatov/if-people-are-rude-in-moscow-at-least-it-s-in-russian/) [Sergei Dovlatov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-dovlatov/) > [There is no greater tragedy for a man than a total lack of character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-dovlatov/there-is-no-greater-tragedy-for-a-man-than-a-total-lack-of-character/) [Sergei Dovlatov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-dovlatov/) > [There's a reason every book, even one that isn't very serious, is shaped like a suitcase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-dovlatov/there-s-a-reason-every-book-even-one-that-isn-t-very-serious-is/) [Sergei Dovlatov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-dovlatov/) [Explore all 8 Sergei Dovlatov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-dovlatov/) ## More Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [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/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. We make clothes, but we have the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/we-can-use-our-art-to-become-political-to-become-something-you-want/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let's assume there really is no such thing as happiness, no such thing as peace, and no freedom either. But there are kind of attacks of senseless ecstasy. 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