--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Madness. I did not get myself born to…" description: "\"Madness. I did not get myself born to die. I have better things to do.\" — Tanith Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/tanith-lee-3374_better-things_madness-i-did-not-get-myself-born-to-die_2110908.jpg" --- # Madness. I did not get myself born to die. I have better… ![“Madness. I did not get myself born to die. I have better things to do.” quote by Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/tanith-lee-3374_better-things_madness-i-did-not-get-myself-born-to-die_2110908.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/tanith-lee-3374_better-things_madness-i-did-not-get-myself-born-to-die_2110908.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/tanith-lee-3374_better-things_madness-i-did-not-get-myself-born-to-die_2110908.jpg) > “Madness. I did not get myself born to die. I have better things to do.” [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker rejects a passive fate, insisting on purposeful living beyond mere existence. **In simple terms:** Life should be purposeful, not just survival. Key Takeaway Choose meaningful actions over mere existence. Themes purpose existence agency Mood determined defiant Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal goals - health choices - creative projects Key Concepts nihilism existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What purpose drives you daily? - How do you balance purpose with necessity? A Different Perspective May overlook practical constraints or responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-things/) [Born to die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born-to-die/) [Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness/) ## Related quotes > [The best thing for a man to do is to be born and, being born, to die at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-aretino/the-best-thing-for-a-man-to-do-is-to-be-born-and-being-born-to-die-at/) [Pietro Aretino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-aretino/) > [Most books, like their authors, are born to die; of only a few books can it be said that death has no dominion over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/most-books-like-their-authors-are-born-to-die-of-only-a-few-books-can/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [Dogs have fleas; people have each other. We are born to die. Life is a continuing tragic comedy. Everything and everyone we love suffers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/dogs-have-fleas-people-have-each-other-we-are-born-to-die-life-is-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We were born to die and we die to live. As seedlings of God, we barely blossom on earth; we fully flower in heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-m-nelson/we-were-born-to-die-and-we-die-to-live-as-seedlings-of-god-we-barely/) [Russell M. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-m-nelson/) > [“Subject to the law(s) of nature, hate is born to die”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/subject-to-the-law-s-of-nature-hate-is-born-to-die/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) > [Born to rise or born to die? Either way, put faith and try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/born-to-rise-or-born-to-die-either-way-put-faith-and-try/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [Since every man who lives is born to die, And none can boast sincere felicity, With equal mind, what happens, let us bear, Nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/since-every-man-who-lives-is-born-to-die-and-none-can-boast-sincere/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [To Live Is Just To Fall Asleep To Die Is To Awake If we are born to die and we all die to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/she-s-gone/to-live-is-just-to-fall-asleep-to-die-is-to-awake-if-we-are-born-to/) She's\_gone > [We are born to love as we are born to die, and between the heartbeats of these two great mysteries lies all the tangled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-farrington/we-are-born-to-love-as-we-are-born-to-die-and-between-the-heartbeats/) [Tim Farrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-farrington/) > [We were born to die; we were born to endure, on the way to death, sorrow-sorrow in manifold shapes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/we-were-born-to-die-we-were-born-to-endure-on-the-way-to-death-sorrow/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [“I'm not afraid of death. We are all born to die. It's the fact that we spend our whole life running from. The inevitable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-ghazi/i-m-not-afraid-of-death-we-are-all-born-to-die-it-s-the-fact-that-we/) Mohamed Ghazi > [“Your best enemy is the right person who has willingly born to die for you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/your-best-enemy-is-the-right-person-who-has-willingly-born-to-die-for/) [P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) > [I we are born to die and we all die to live, then what's the point of living life if it just contradicts?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-we-are-born-to-die-and-we-all-die-to-live-then-what-s-the-point-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What are you worrying about? You are born to die anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saurbh-katyal/what-are-you-worrying-about-you-are-born-to-die-anyway/) [Saurbh Katyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saurbh-katyal/) > [“Man was born to die. It is our promise at birth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/man-was-born-to-die-it-is-our-promise-at-birth/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) ## More by Tanith Lee > [No one more cynical than an idealist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/no-one-more-cynical-than-an-idealist/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [The humble were the elect of God. Did not the priests teach so, in their gemmed, kingly robes, from their towering pulpits?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/the-humble-were-the-elect-of-god-did-not-the-priests-teach-so-in/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Having told of so much beauty, how is it possible to tell of her? There are no words left on the earth in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/having-told-of-so-much-beauty-how-is-it-possible-to-tell-of-her-there/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [As a child, my mother told me lots of fairy stories, many her own invention. She, too, tended to reverse the norm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/as-a-child-my-mother-told-me-lots-of-fairy-stories-many-her-own/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Often misunderstood, Dionysus is far more than a wine deity. He is the Breaker of Chains, who rescues not only the flesh but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/often-misunderstood-dionysus-is-far-more-than-a-wine-deity-he-is-the/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [In the usual way I submitted manuscripts to publishers. 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But to say it's too complex is to insult the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/if-they-had-said-my-writing-wasn-t-good-enough-fair-enough-that-s-an/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Louisa beheld the grounds and house with the calm pleasure of one who has seen nothing, been nowhere, expects everything, and has little imagination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/louisa-beheld-the-grounds-and-house-with-the-calm-pleasure-of-one-who/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Live and let love. Love and let go. Go live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/live-and-let-love-love-and-let-go-go-live/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [Pirates have always fascinated me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/pirates-have-always-fascinated-me/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“All the Scarabae—all but one—were crowded in the garden. They watched her. Their grim old faces gave away nothing. Like elderly kiddies at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/all-the-scarabae-all-but-one-were-crowded-in-the-garden-they-watched/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“She did this not out of fear of him, but out of pity. Because she had come to see the ultimate terrible truth behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/she-did-this-not-out-of-fear-of-him-but-out-of-pity-because-she-had/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [Writing is writing, and stories are stories. Perhaps the only true genres are fiction and nonfiction. And even there, who can be sure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/writing-is-writing-and-stories-are-stories-perhaps-the-only-true/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Tanaquil gently toed the peeve. "I'll unfasten the window. Jump out to the lower roof and run." "Stay and bite," said the peeve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/tanaquil-gently-toed-the-peeve-i-ll-unfasten-the-window-jump-out-to/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) [Explore all 131 Tanith Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) ## More Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. 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However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [Cara Delevingne and I took an eyebrow selfie. We both have prominent eyebrows, but hers are much better than mine. Maybe we should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/cara-delevingne-and-i-took-an-eyebrow-selfie-we-both-have-prominent/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Madness. I did not get myself born to die. 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