--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who say that life is worth living…" description: "\"Those who say that life is worth living at any cost have already written an epitaph of infamy, for there is no cause and no person that they will not b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/sidney-hook-19261_alive_those-who-say-that-life-is-worth-living_2103203.jpg" --- # Those who say that life is worth living at any cost have… ![“Those who say that life is worth living at any cost have already written an epitaph of infamy, for there is no cause and no person that they will not betray to stay alive.” quote by Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/sidney-hook-19261_alive_those-who-say-that-life-is-worth-living_2103203.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/sidney-hook-19261_alive_those-who-say-that-life-is-worth-living_2103203.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/sidney-hook-19261_alive_those-who-say-that-life-is-worth-living_2103203.jpg) > “Those who say that life is worth living at any cost have already written an epitaph of infamy, for there is no cause and no person that they will not betray to stay alive.” [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Valuing life at any cost leads to betrayal and loss of moral integrity. **In simple terms:** Living at all costs can cause betrayal and loss of integrity. Key Takeaway Beware of sacrificing ethics for mere survival. Themes ethics survival betrayal Mood serious thoughtful Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - war ethics - political activism - personal decision making Key Concepts moral philosophy existential risk political theory Questions to Reflect On - When is compromise justified? - How do we balance survival with moral duty? A Different Perspective May be too absolutist about complex choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Epitaph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epitaph/) [Infamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infamy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Staying alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staying-alive/) [Worth living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-living/) ## Related quotes > [“He also told me he'd just written the epitaph for his tomb: LO PEOR YA PASO. PEOR HUMILLACION QUE LA DE EXISTIR NO HAY.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicanor-parra/he-also-told-me-he-d-just-written-the-epitaph-for-his-tomb-lo-peor-ya/) [Nicanor Parra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicanor-parra/) > [I haven't written my own epitaph, and I'm not sure I should. Whatever it is, I hope it will be simple, and that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/i-haven-t-written-my-own-epitaph-and-i-m-not-sure-i-should-whatever/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/believe-that-life-is-worth-living-and-your-belief-will-help-create/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Dont be afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/dont-be-afraid-of-life-believe-that-life-is-worth-living-and-your/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [This life is worth living, we can say, since it is what we make it. --William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/this-life-is-worth-living-we-can-say-since-it-is-what-we-make-it/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I'm a hypocrite. I tell my friends they have to eat when I don't. I tell them they shouldn't listen to what other say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ream/i-m-a-hypocrite-i-tell-my-friends-they-have-to-eat-when-i-don-t-i/) [Ream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ream/) > [Treat every moment as a gift, that is why it is called the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/treat-every-moment-as-a-gift-that-is-why-it-is-called-the-present/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“There are six canons of conservative thought: 1) Belief in a transcendent order, or body of natural law, which rules society as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/there-are-six-canons-of-conservative-thought-1-belief-in-a/) [Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) > [The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." "This life is worth living, we can say, since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-great-use-of-life-is-to-spend-it-for-something-that-will-outlast/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [LIFE is WORTH LIVING when you find PURPOSE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/life-is-worth-living-when-you-find-purpose/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [“Is life worth living? Like everybody else, I have many times asked that question, usually deciding negatively, because I am most likely to ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fort/is-life-worth-living-like-everybody-else-i-have-many-times-asked-that/) [Charles Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fort/) > [“Life is worth living when God throws His Divine dice in your favor. HE has slow-stirred my life with Wisdom and discernment about all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-bond/life-is-worth-living-when-god-throws-his-divine-dice-in-your-favor-he/) [Tracey Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-bond/) > [The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living-for-a-human-being/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Hardship in daily & routine life may hurt you but monotony will kill you. I can & I will is the moment when miracle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/hardship-in-daily-routine-life-may-hurt-you-but-monotony-will-kill/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [The people on the QVC shopping channel convince me that life is worth living. They see the good in everything. People who go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-vegas/the-people-on-the-qvc-shopping-channel-convince-me-that-life-is-worth/) [Johnny Vegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-vegas/) ## More by Sidney Hook > [To deny me the right to err is therefore to deny me the right to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/to-deny-me-the-right-to-err-is-therefore-to-deny-me-the-right-to/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [Life has meaning for anyone who takes an interest in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/life-has-meaning-for-anyone-who-takes-an-interest-in-it/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [Wisdom is an affair of values, and of value judgments. It is intelligent conduct of human affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/wisdom-is-an-affair-of-values-and-of-value-judgments-it-is/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [A liberal education will impart an awareness of the amazing and precious complexity of human relationships. Since those relationships are violated more often out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/a-liberal-education-will-impart-an-awareness-of-the-amazing-and/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [The easiest rationalization for the refusal to seek the truth is the denial that truth exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/the-easiest-rationalization-for-the-refusal-to-seek-the-truth-is-the/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [Before impugning an opponent's motives, even when they legitimately may be impugned, answer his arguments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/before-impugning-an-opponent-s-motives-even-when-they-legitimately/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [The difference between science and religion is that the former wishes to get rid of mysteries whereas the latter worships them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/the-difference-between-science-and-religion-is-that-the-former-wishes/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [Everyone recognizes a distinction between knowledge and wisdom. . . Wisdom is a kind of knowledge. It is knowledge of the nature, career, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/everyone-recognizes-a-distinction-between-knowledge-and-wisdom-wisdom/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [ \[A\]nti-Semitism was rife in almost all varieties of socialism. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/a-nti-semitism-was-rife-in-almost-all-varieties-of-socialism/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [Noam Chomsky skittles and skithers all over the political landscape to distract the reader’s attention from the plain truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/noam-chomsky-skittles-and-skithers-all-over-the-political-landscape/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [To serve the public interest is not the same as being a servant of public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/to-serve-the-public-interest-is-not-the-same-as-being-a-servant-of/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [I was guilty of judging capitalism by its operations and socialism by its hopes and aspirations; capitalism by its works and socialism by its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/i-was-guilty-of-judging-capitalism-by-its-operations-and-socialism-by/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [Idealism, alas, does not protect one from ignorance, dogmatism, and foolishness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/idealism-alas-does-not-protect-one-from-ignorance-dogmatism-and/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [“Everyone who remembers their own educational experience remembers teachers, not methods and techniques.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/everyone-who-remembers-their-own-educational-experience-remembers/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [Everyone who remembers his own education remembers teachers, not methods and techniques. The teacher is the heart of the educational system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/everyone-who-remembers-his-own-education-remembers-teachers-not/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) [Explore all 33 Sidney Hook quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Those who say that life is worth living at any cost have already written an epitaph of infamy, for there is no cause and no person that they will not betray to stay alive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sidney Hook" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/those-who-say-that-life-is-worth-living-at-any-cost-have-already/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/those-who-say-that-life-is-worth-living-at-any-cost-have-already/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/sidney-hook-19261_alive_those-who-say-that-life-is-worth-living_2103203.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/sidney-hook-19261_alive_those-who-say-that-life-is-worth-living_2103203.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/sidney-hook-19261_alive_those-who-say-that-life-is-worth-living_2103203.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Those who say that life is worth living at any cost have already written an epitaph of infamy, for there is…” — Sidney Hook", "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": "Sidney Hook", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Those who say that life is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/those-who-say-that-life-is-worth-living-at-any-cost-have-already/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/those-who-say-that-life-is-worth-living-at-any-cost-have-already/#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 } } ] } ```