--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's an inherent limit to the stress…" description: "\"There's an inherent limit to the stress that any material can bear. Water has its boiling point, metals their melting points. The elements of the spiri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/stefan-zweig-811_add_there-s-an-inherent-limit-to-the-stress_2223609.jpg" --- # There's an inherent limit to the stress that any material… ![“There's an inherent limit to the stress that any material can bear. Water has its boiling point, metals their melting points. The elements of the spirit behave the same way. Happiness can reach a pitch so great that any further happiness can't be felt. Pain, despair, humiliation, disgust, and fear…” quote by Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/stefan-zweig-811_add_there-s-an-inherent-limit-to-the-stress_2223609.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/stefan-zweig-811_add_there-s-an-inherent-limit-to-the-stress_2223609.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/stefan-zweig-811_add_there-s-an-inherent-limit-to-the-stress_2223609.jpg) > “There's an inherent limit to the stress that any material can bear. Water has its boiling point, metals their melting points. The elements of the spirit behave the same way. Happiness can reach a pitch so great that any further happiness can't be felt. Pain, despair, humiliation, disgust, and fear are no different. Once the vessel is full, the world can't add to it.” [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human capacity for emotions has limits; once a feeling reaches its maximum intensity, additional stimuli cannot increase it. **In simple terms:** Emotions have a ceiling. Key Takeaway Recognize emotional saturation. Themes psychology limits human experience Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - stress management - mental health counseling - creative writing about extremes Key Concepts emotional capacity psychological thresholds Questions to Reflect On - How do you know when you’ve reached emotional saturation? - Can intense joy coexist with underlying pain? A Different Perspective Emotional limits can be subjective and vary across individuals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Boiling point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boiling-point/) [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Humiliation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humiliation/) [Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits/) [Metals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metals/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I know how to choke. Given even a splinter-thin opportunity to let my side down and destroy my own score, I will seize it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-know-how-to-choke-given-even-a-splinter-thin-opportunity-to-let-my/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I came to New York and started doing stand-up and improv, and started auditioning for commercials and voiceovers and stuff. My first job was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/i-came-to-new-york-and-started-doing-stand-up-and-improv-and-started/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [“Suddenly Einstein jumped up. “What are you doing?” he demanded. “Are you boiling the liver in water?” Mrs. Frank allowed that was indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/suddenly-einstein-jumped-up-what-are-you-doing-he-demanded-are-you/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [Pressure cookers are relatively inexpensive, they're in every kitchen store, your grandma probably had one, but a lot of people don't. A pressure cooker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/pressure-cookers-are-relatively-inexpensive-they-re-in-every-kitchen/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [There are so many different kinds of people in America, with so many different boiling points, that we don't know how to fight with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-king/there-are-so-many-different-kinds-of-people-in-america-with-so-many/) [Florence King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-king/) > [The jobs crisis has reached a boiling point, which is why we see Occupy Wall Street protestors crying out for an America that lets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-garamendi/the-jobs-crisis-has-reached-a-boiling-point-which-is-why-we-see/) [John Garamendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-garamendi/) > [ All my life I've been dealing with my race because of where I grew up \[Detroit\] and being in the rap game. I'm at… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/all-my-life-i-ve-been-dealing-with-my-race-because-of-where-i-grew-up/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [The temperatures required for caramelization and browning almost always far exceed the boiling point of water. So the presence of water on the surface…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samin-nosrat/the-temperatures-required-for-caramelization-and-browning-almost/) [Samin Nosrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samin-nosrat/) > ["Only the pots know the boiling points of the broths," she says as Tita weeps into the wedding batter she is making to celebrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-esquivel/only-the-pots-know-the-boiling-points-of-the-broths-she-says-as-tita/) [Laura Esquivel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-esquivel/) > [As you get older and as your situation changes, it becomes different. Yes, I have to provide for my family, so if there's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-hawkins/as-you-get-older-and-as-your-situation-changes-it-becomes-different/) [Andrew Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-hawkins/) > [I don't know why some people prefer their bath water close to boiling point. They are more sweaty when they get out than before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/i-don-t-know-why-some-people-prefer-their-bath-water-close-to-boiling/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [My first job. I got fired from this MTV prank show, or I didn't make the cut of what ended up being, as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-kroll/my-first-job-i-got-fired-from-this-mtv-prank-show-or-i-didn-t-make/) [Nick Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-kroll/) > [Certainly there's a huge appeal to the '60s, because it was such a big turning point to everyone. It was the era of change,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/certainly-there-s-a-huge-appeal-to-the-60s-because-it-was-such-a-big/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [Things seem to be at a boiling point all the time. In fact, it has been that way my whole life. I find it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/things-seem-to-be-at-a-boiling-point-all-the-time-in-fact-it-has-been/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [Three things about water affect almost all of cooking. First are the hydrogen bonds, which is why it has an incredibly high boiling point.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/three-things-about-water-affect-almost-all-of-cooking-first-are-the/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) ## More by Stefan Zweig > [“Madness,” he exclaimed to himself, in astonishment, faltering. “Madness! What do they want? Once again, once again!” War once again, war that had so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/madness-he-exclaimed-to-himself-in-astonishment-faltering-madness/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [It is never until one realizes that one means something to others that one feels there is any point or purpose in one's own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/it-is-never-until-one-realizes-that-one-means-something-to-others/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“And if I am asked today to advise a young writer who has not yet made up his mind what way to go, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/and-if-i-am-asked-today-to-advise-a-young-writer-who-has-not-yet-made/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“Live and let live” was the famous Viennese motto, which today still seems to me to be more humane than all the categorical imperatives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/live-and-let-live-was-the-famous-viennese-motto-which-today-still/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“Değerli olan her zaman için gerçeğin yarısı değil, tamamıdır.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/de-erli-olan-her-zaman-i-in-ger-e-in-yar-s-de-il-tamam-d-r/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [One never gets to know a person's character better than by watching his behavior during decisive moments… It is always only danger which forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/one-never-gets-to-know-a-person-s-character-better-than-by-watching/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [Names have a mysterious transforming power. Like a ring on a finger, a name may at first seem merely accidental, committing you to nothing;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/names-have-a-mysterious-transforming-power-like-a-ring-on-a-finger-a/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [There is no sense to a sacrifice after you come to feel that it is a sacrifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/there-is-no-sense-to-a-sacrifice-after-you-come-to-feel-that-it-is-a/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [No guilt is forgotten so long as the conscience still knows of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/no-guilt-is-forgotten-so-long-as-the-conscience-still-knows-of-it/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [Nothing that has ever been thought and said with a clear mind and pure ethical strength is totally in vain; even if it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/nothing-that-has-ever-been-thought-and-said-with-a-clear-mind-and/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [It is the way of youth that each fresh piece of knowledge of life should go to its head, and that once uplifted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/it-is-the-way-of-youth-that-each-fresh-piece-of-knowledge-of-life/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“The truths that he finds may in the coming months or even the coming years be truths no more. He must be forever searching.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-truths-that-he-finds-may-in-the-coming-months-or-even-the-coming/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [The union of opposites, in so far as they are really complementary, always results in the most perfect harmony; and the seemingly incongruous is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-union-of-opposites-in-so-far-as-they-are-really-complementary/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [The sight of a wedding always has a disturbing effect on young girls; at such moments a mysterious sense of solidarity with their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-sight-of-a-wedding-always-has-a-disturbing-effect-on-young-girls/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“Lightly, caressingly, Marie Antoinette picked up the crown as a gift. She was still too young to know that life never gives anything for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/lightly-caressingly-marie-antoinette-picked-up-the-crown-as-a-gift-2/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) [Explore all 267 Stefan Zweig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) ## More Add quotes > [Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/most-marriages-don-t-add-two-people-together-they-subtract-one-from/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [A 'modern' man has nothing to add to modernism, if only because he has nothing to oppose it with. The well-adapted drop off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/a-modern-man-has-nothing-to-add-to-modernism-if-only-because-he-has/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [Observation and theory get on best when they are mixed together, both helping one another in the pursuit of truth. It is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/observation-and-theory-get-on-best-when-they-are-mixed-together-both/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [I may add that we have more than once stated our willingness to conclude nonaggression pacts with the states neighboring our own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-may-add-that-we-have-more-than-once-stated-our-willingness-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Thirty days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit or subtract a habit - like watching the news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cutts/thirty-days-is-just-about-the-right-amount-of-time-to-add-a-new-habit/) [Matt Cutts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cutts/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The Greeks said grandly in their tragic phrase, 'Let no one be called happy till his death;' to which I would add, 'Let no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-greeks-said-grandly-in-their-tragic-phrase-let-no-one-be-called/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Mostly we just add to the piles of rainbow glass that's been blown off the exteriors of the cany-colored buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/mostly-we-just-add-to-the-piles-of-rainbow-glass-that-s-been-blown/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Global is a unifying bond for people. Once they get outside their own heads and their own communities and see themselves in a broader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-calvin/global-is-a-unifying-bond-for-people-once-they-get-outside-their-own/) [Kathy Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-calvin/) Browse all 2,710 Add quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's an inherent limit to the stress that any material can bear. Water has its boiling point, metals their melting points. The elements of the spirit behave the same way. Happiness can reach a pitch so great that any further happiness can't be felt. Pain, despair, humiliation, disgust, and fear are no different. Once the vessel is full, the world can't add to it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stefan Zweig" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/there-s-an-inherent-limit-to-the-stress-that-any-material-can-bear/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Add" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/there-s-an-inherent-limit-to-the-stress-that-any-material-can-bear/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/stefan-zweig-811_add_there-s-an-inherent-limit-to-the-stress_2223609.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/stefan-zweig-811_add_there-s-an-inherent-limit-to-the-stress_2223609.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/stefan-zweig-811_add_there-s-an-inherent-limit-to-the-stress_2223609.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's an inherent limit to the stress that any material can bear. Water has its boiling point, metals…” — Stefan Zweig", "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": "Stefan Zweig", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's an inherent limit to the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/there-s-an-inherent-limit-to-the-stress-that-any-material-can-bear/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/there-s-an-inherent-limit-to-the-stress-that-any-material-can-bear/#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 } } ] } ```