--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And there's the fallacy of existence: the…" description: "\"And there's the fallacy of existence: the idea that one could be happy forever and age with a given situation or series of accomplishments.\" — Sylvia P..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/sylvia-plath-149_accomplishment_and-there-s-the-fallacy-of-existence-the_854604.jpg" --- # And there's the fallacy of existence: the idea that one… ![“And there's the fallacy of existence: the idea that one could be happy forever and age with a given situation or series of accomplishments.” quote by Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/sylvia-plath-149_accomplishment_and-there-s-the-fallacy-of-existence-the_854604.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/sylvia-plath-149_accomplishment_and-there-s-the-fallacy-of-existence-the_854604.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/sylvia-plath-149_accomplishment_and-there-s-the-fallacy-of-existence-the_854604.jpg) > “And there's the fallacy of existence: the idea that one could be happy forever and age with a given situation or series of accomplishments.” [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness cannot be sustained by external circumstances; it is fleeting and tied to changing situations. **In simple terms:** Happiness is temporary and depends on circumstances. Key Takeaway Accept impermanence of joy. Themes existence happiness impermanence expectations Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - mental health - career planning - relationship counseling Key Concepts philosophy psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you cultivate inner contentment? - What expectations limit your happiness? A Different Perspective Happiness may be influenced by internal mindset, not just external factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accomplishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishment/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Existence Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-idea-786581/) [Fallacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fallacy/) [Fallacy Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fallacy-existence-786582/) [Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Happy Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-forever-786583/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Series](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/series/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“And there is the fallacy of existence: the idea that one would be happy forever and aye with a given situation or series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/and-there-is-the-fallacy-of-existence-the-idea-that-one-would-be/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“An anxiety with no object or purpose in the present, and in the future nothing but endless sacrifice, by means of which he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/an-anxiety-with-no-object-or-purpose-in-the-present-and-in-the-future/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“Your mind is designed in such a way that you cannot have an idea on the one hand without also having the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/your-mind-is-designed-in-such-a-way-that-you-cannot-have-an-idea-on/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [This perceiving, active being is what I call mind, spirit, soul, or myself. By which words I do not denote any one of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-berkeley/this-perceiving-active-being-is-what-i-call-mind-spirit-soul-or/) [George Berkeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-berkeley/) > [I can make you mad really quick or I can make you happy forever its your choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-make-you-mad-really-quick-or-i-can-make-you-happy-forever-its/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Stop caring and you will be happy forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pratik-akkawar/stop-caring-and-you-will-be-happy-forever/) [Pratik Akkawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pratik-akkawar/) > [Someday, I'm going to be strong enough to hug the whole world, and then everyone could be happy, all at once. Forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someday-i-m-going-to-be-strong-enough-to-hug-the-whole-world-and-then/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I may not be the 'perfect friend', I also may not be the 'best' of them all, but I am the one who wanna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/i-may-not-be-the-perfect-friend-i-also-may-not-be-the-best-of-them/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [What we really want to do is buy businesses that we would be happy to own forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/what-we-really-want-to-do-is-buy-businesses-that-we-would-be-happy-to/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [If you wait for happy moments, You will wait forever. But if you start believing that you are happy, You will be happy forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-wait-for-happy-moments-you-will-wait-forever-but-if-you-start/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm happy that I have you forever, when I'm doing wrong I look at you and you make me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-coleman/i-m-happy-that-i-have-you-forever-when-i-m-doing-wrong-i-look-at-you/) [Damian Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-coleman/) > [I'll just give up, if I saw you smile once again. And know that you're happy forever with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ll-just-give-up-if-i-saw-you-smile-once-again-and-know-that-you-re/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I always pray to god to keep you happy ever and ever forever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-always-pray-to-god-to-keep-you-happy-ever-and-ever-forever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Feel lucky for what you have when you have it. Isn't that the point? Happily ever after doesn't mean happy forever. The ever after,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/feel-lucky-for-what-you-have-when-you-have-it-isn-t-that-the-point/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [I need to know that it's possible that two people can stay happy together forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-need-to-know-that-it-s-possible-that-two-people-can-stay-happy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Sylvia Plath > [“It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/it-was-a-queer-sultry-summer-the-summer-they-electrocuted-the/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I love life. But it is hard and I have so much, so very much to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-love-life-but-it-is-hard-and-i-have-so-much-so-very-much-to-learn/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [... These are my hands My knees. I may be skin and bone, Nevertheless, I am the same, identical woman. ... --Lady Lazarus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/these-are-my-hands-my-knees-i-may-be-skin-and-bone-nevertheless-i-am/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. Now I am living on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/sure-i-m-dramatic-and-sloppily-semi-cynical-and-semi-sentimental-but/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“People were made of nothing so much as dust, and I couldn't see that doctoring all that dust was a bit better than writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/people-were-made-of-nothing-so-much-as-dust-and-i-couldn-t-see-that/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“I couldn't stand the idea of a woman having to have a single pure life and a man being able to have a double…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-couldn-t-stand-the-idea-of-a-woman-having-to-have-a-single-pure/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I saw the gooseflesh on my skin. I did not know what made it. I was not cold. Had a ghost passed over? No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-saw-the-gooseflesh-on-my-skin-i-did-not-know-what-made-it-i-was-not/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I have to live my life, and it is the only one I’ll ever have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-have-to-live-my-life-and-it-is-the-only-one-i-ll-ever-have/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“The city had faded my tan, though. I looked yellow as a Chinaman. Ordinarily, I would have been nervous about my dress and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-city-had-faded-my-tan-though-i-looked-yellow-as-a-chinaman/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [Joy:show joy & enjoy: then others will be joyful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/joy-show-joy-enjoy-then-others-will-be-joyful/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [A million years of evolution, Eric said bitterly, and what are we? Animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/a-million-years-of-evolution-eric-said-bitterly-and-what-are-we/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“I have stitched life into me like a rare organ --from "Three Women: A Poem for Three Voices", written 1962”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-have-stitched-life-into-me-like-a-rare-organ-from-three-women-a/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [It is so much safer not to feel, not to let the world touch me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/it-is-so-much-safer-not-to-feel-not-to-let-the-world-touch-me/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“Flute Notes from a Reedy Pond" Now coldness comes sifting down, layer after layer, To our bower at the lily root. Overhead the old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/flute-notes-from-a-reedy-pond-now-coldness-comes-sifting-down-layer/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“The most saddening thing is to admit that I am not in love. I can only love (if that means self denial - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-most-saddening-thing-is-to-admit-that-i-am-not-in-love-i-can-only/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) [Explore all 1,098 Sylvia Plath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) ## More Accomplishment quotes > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [To accomplish much you must first lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-accomplish-much-you-must-first-lose-everything/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [One of the most important rules for success is this: Every great success is the result of hundreds and thousands of small efforts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/one-of-the-most-important-rules-for-success-is-this-every-great/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [Humility is an elusive virtue. The more we pursue it - and the more we seem to acquire it - the more we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-aquilina/humility-is-an-elusive-virtue-the-more-we-pursue-it-and-the-more-we/) [Mike Aquilina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-aquilina/) > [I'm not always right, but I learn from my mistakes and make it a productive experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-kolhoff/i-m-not-always-right-but-i-learn-from-my-mistakes-and-make-it-a/) [Carson Kolhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-kolhoff/) > [Suffering in life can uncover untold depths of character and unknown strength for service. People who go through life unscathed by sorrow and untouched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/suffering-in-life-can-uncover-untold-depths-of-character-and-unknown/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Research is the live heart of the scientific life ... Greatness of position, respect for past accomplishments, the Nobel Prize itself -- none of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-gornick/research-is-the-live-heart-of-the-scientific-life-greatness-of/) [Vivian Gornick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-gornick/) > [“One man accomplishment Is another mans failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-sargent/one-man-accomplishment-is-another-mans-failure/) [Anthony Sargent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-sargent/) > [I expected college to feel like a major accomplishment. I walked across the stage, eight months pregnant with my almost seven-year-old daughter watching in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-expected-college-to-feel-like-a-major-accomplishment-i-walked/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [Our purpose on this earth is not one single event, an accomplishment we can check off a list. There is no test. No passing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-hand/our-purpose-on-this-earth-is-not-one-single-event-an-accomplishment/) [Cynthia Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-hand/) > [An untrained or uneducated Marine ... deployed to the combat zone is a bigger threat to mission accomplishment ... than the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/an-untrained-or-uneducated-marine-deployed-to-the-combat-zone-is-a/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) [Browse all 1,598 Accomplishment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And there's the fallacy of existence: the idea that one could be happy forever and age with a given situation or series of accomplishments.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sylvia Plath" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/and-there-s-the-fallacy-of-existence-the-idea-that-one-could-be-happy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accomplishment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/and-there-s-the-fallacy-of-existence-the-idea-that-one-could-be-happy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/sylvia-plath-149_accomplishment_and-there-s-the-fallacy-of-existence-the_854604.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/sylvia-plath-149_accomplishment_and-there-s-the-fallacy-of-existence-the_854604.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/sylvia-plath-149_accomplishment_and-there-s-the-fallacy-of-existence-the_854604.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And there's the fallacy of existence: the idea that one could be happy forever and age with a given…” — Sylvia Plath", "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": "Sylvia Plath", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "And there's the fallacy of existence:...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/and-there-s-the-fallacy-of-existence-the-idea-that-one-could-be-happy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/and-there-s-the-fallacy-of-existence-the-idea-that-one-could-be-happy/#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 } } ] } ```