Despair Quote by Susan Sontag
“Instead of expecting all and being lowered into despair each time I get less, I expect nothing now and, occasionally, I get a little, and am more than a little happy.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: On Expectation, Susan Sontag, 1975
Adopting low expectations can protect against disappointment and create modest happiness.
In simple terms: Low expectations can bring small joy.
Key Takeaway
Set realistic hopes to avoid despair.
Themes
expectation management
psychology
contentment
Mood
thoughtful
pragmatic
Type
psychological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- daily setbacks
- financial planning
- relationship dynamics
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
hedonic adaptation
Questions to Reflect On
- When have low expectations helped you?
- When have they held you back?
A Different Perspective
Too low expectations may limit ambition.
![“Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… [The anthropologist] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner alienation as an urban intellectual.” quote by Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fe1/susan-sontag-332_alienation_anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-a_15322.jpg)
