--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If all the misfortunes of mankind were…" description: "\"If all the misfortunes of mankind were cast into a public stack in order to be equally distributed among the whole species, those who now think themsel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a4/socrates-405_casts_if-all-the-misfortunes-of-mankind-were-c_642467.jpg" --- # If all the misfortunes of mankind were cast into a public… ![“If all the misfortunes of mankind were cast into a public stack in order to be equally distributed among the whole species, those who now think themselves the most unhappy would prefer the share they are already possessed of before that which would fall to them by such a division.” quote by Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a4/socrates-405_casts_if-all-the-misfortunes-of-mankind-were-c_642467.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a4/socrates-405_casts_if-all-the-misfortunes-of-mankind-were-c_642467.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a4/socrates-405_casts_if-all-the-misfortunes-of-mankind-were-c_642467.jpg) > “If all the misfortunes of mankind were cast into a public stack in order to be equally distributed among the whole species, those who now think themselves the most unhappy would prefer the share they are already possessed of before that which would fall to them by such a division.” [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If misfortune were shared equally, the currently unhappy would rather keep their existing share than risk a worse one. **In simple terms:** People fear unknown loss more than current dissatisfaction. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and seek fairness. Themes justice inequality human nature Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - social policy - resource allocation - personal decisions Key Concepts ethical distribution risk aversion Questions to Reflect On - What risks are you willing to take? - How do you define fairness? A Different Perspective Ideal equal distribution may be impractical. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Misfortunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortunes/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy/) ## Related quotes > [It is a celebrated thought of Socrates, that if all the misfortunes of mankind were cast into a public stock, in order to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/it-is-a-celebrated-thought-of-socrates-that-if-all-the-misfortunes-of/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“History is little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind." --- Edward Gibbon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sebag-montefiore/history-is-little-more-than-the-register-of-the-crimes-follies-and/) [Simon Sebag Montefiore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sebag-montefiore/) > [History is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/history-is-indeed-little-more-than-the-register-of-the-crimes-follies/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [The misfortunes of mankind are of varied plumage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-misfortunes-of-mankind-are-of-varied-plumage/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [History is little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/history-is-little-more-than-the-register-of-the-crimes-follies-and-2/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Everyone has equal wisdom. 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Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/when-you-re-unhappy-you-get-to-pay-a-lot-of-attention-to-yourself-and/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“What is politics, after all, but the compulsion to preside over property and make other peoples' decisions for them? Liberty, the very opposite of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/what-is-politics-after-all-but-the-compulsion-to-preside-over/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## More by Socrates > [By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/by-all-means-marry-if-you-get-a-good-wife-you-ll-be-happy-if-you-get/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Falling down is not a failure. Failure comes when you stay where you have fallen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/falling-down-is-not-a-failure-failure-comes-when-you-stay-where-you/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Do not go through life like leaf blown from here to there believing whatever you are told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/do-not-go-through-life-like-leaf-blown-from-here-to-there-believing/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [If the whole world depends on today's youth, I can't see the world lasting another 100 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-the-whole-world-depends-on-today-s-youth-i-can-t-see-the-world/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“I only know, I know nothing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-only-know-i-know-nothing/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-cannot-teach-anybody-anything-i-can-only-make-them-think/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [If measure and symmetry are absent from any composition in any degree, ruin awaits both the ingredients and the composition... 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