--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Depend upon it; from every condition of…" description: "\"Depend upon it; from every condition of distress or evil, there is a great reaction, and the greater the distress or evil, the greater the reaction.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/theodore-dreiser-8057_distress_depend-upon-it-from-every-condition-of-d_1480822.jpg" --- # Depend upon it; from every condition of distress or evil… ![“Depend upon it; from every condition of distress or evil, there is a great reaction, and the greater the distress or evil, the greater the reaction.” quote by Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/theodore-dreiser-8057_distress_depend-upon-it-from-every-condition-of-d_1480822.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/theodore-dreiser-8057_distress_depend-upon-it-from-every-condition-of-d_1480822.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/theodore-dreiser-8057_distress_depend-upon-it-from-every-condition-of-d_1480822.jpg) > “Depend upon it; from every condition of distress or evil, there is a great reaction, and the greater the distress or evil, the greater the reaction.” [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Severe hardship often triggers an even stronger response, suggesting that intense challenges can produce powerful outcomes. **In simple terms:** Hardship can cause strong reactions. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges as catalysts. Themes adversity reaction growth Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - social upheaval - economic collapse - natural disaster Key Concepts Resilience psychology cause and effect Questions to Reflect On - How can you channel distress into constructive action? - What limits exist on the magnitude of reaction? A Different Perspective Reaction may be unpredictable and not always positive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Distress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [Depend on it, that from every condition of distress or evil there is a great reaction, and the greater the evil or distress, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/depend-on-it-that-from-every-condition-of-distress-or-evil-there-is-a/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [The best thing about giving of ourselves is that what we get is always better than what we give. The reaction is greater than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/the-best-thing-about-giving-of-ourselves-is-that-what-we-get-is/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [We started very slow in America. 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Chin up Steele, I chide myself. “Oh... by the way, I’m wearing your underwear.” I gave him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james/i-turn-and-gaze-at-him-midway-chin-up-steele-i-chide-myself-oh-by-the/) [E.L. 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Your helplessness is the very thing which opens wide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ole-hallesby/to-pray-is-to-open-the-door-unto-jesus-and-admit-him-into-your/) [Ole Hallesby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ole-hallesby/) > [That toil of growing up; The ignominy of boyhood; the distress Of boyhood changing into man; The unfinished man and his pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/that-toil-of-growing-up-the-ignominy-of-boyhood-the-distress-of/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) ## More by Theodore Dreiser > [A real flame of love is a subtle thing. It burns as a will-o'-the-wisp, dancing onward to fairy lands of delight. It roars as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/a-real-flame-of-love-is-a-subtle-thing-it-burns-as-a-will-o-the-wisp/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“Cowperwood was shocked by the nudity of the Venus which conveyed an atmosphere of European freedom not common to America;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/cowperwood-was-shocked-by-the-nudity-of-the-venus-which-conveyed-an/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“...the past was so painful at any point. It seared and burned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/the-past-was-so-painful-at-any-point-it-seared-and-burned/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“His eyes expressed the difficulty he felt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/his-eyes-expressed-the-difficulty-he-felt/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“Who were these people with money, and what had they done that they should enjoy so much luxury, where others as good seemingly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/who-were-these-people-with-money-and-what-had-they-done-that-they/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [To the untraveled, territory other than their own familiar heath is invariably fascinating. 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Neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/here-were-these-two-bandying-little-phrases-drawing-purses-looking-at/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [Assure a man that he has a soul and then frighten him with old wives' tales as to what is to become of him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/assure-a-man-that-he-has-a-soul-and-then-frighten-him-with-old-wives/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [If we are to extract any joy out of our span, we must think and plan and make things better not only for ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/if-we-are-to-extract-any-joy-out-of-our-span-we-must-think-and-plan/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“In your rocking-chair, by your window dreaming, shall you long, alone. In your rocking- chair, by your window, shall you dream such happiness as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/in-your-rocking-chair-by-your-window-dreaming-shall-you-long-alone-in/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“Carrie felt this as a personal reproof. She read "Dora Thorne," or had a great deal in the past. It seemed only fair to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/carrie-felt-this-as-a-personal-reproof-she-read-dora-thorne-or-had-a/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [You walk into a room, see a woman, and something happens. It's chemical. What are you going to do about it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/you-walk-into-a-room-see-a-woman-and-something-happens-it-s-chemical/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [Theodore Dreiser Should ought to write nicer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/theodore-dreiser-should-ought-to-write-nicer/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) [Explore all 82 Theodore Dreiser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) ## More Distress quotes > [That toil of growing up; The ignominy of boyhood; the distress Of boyhood changing into man; The unfinished man and his pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/that-toil-of-growing-up-the-ignominy-of-boyhood-the-distress-of/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [To pray is to open the door unto Jesus and admit Him into your distress. 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Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-w-firestone/) > [Soothing touch, whether it be applied to a ruffled cat, a crying infant, or a frightened child, has a universally recognized power to ameliorate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deane-juhan/soothing-touch-whether-it-be-applied-to-a-ruffled-cat-a-crying-infant/) [Deane Juhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deane-juhan/) > [When we are in distress we pray genuinely, seeking forgiveness, promise to quit all sin & beg for mercy & protection. Why do we then forget?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-are-in-distress-we-pray-genuinely-seeking-forgiveness-promise/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Want to talk third wave feminism, you could cite Ariel Levy and the idea that women have internalized male oppression. 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