--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To physically overcome death – is that…" description: "\"“To physically overcome death – is that not the goal? – we must think the unthinkable thoughts and ask unanswerable questions. Yet we must not lose our..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/tom-robbins-169_death_to-physically-overcome-death-is-that-not_1198545.jpg" --- # To physically overcome death – is that not the goal? – we… ![“To physically overcome death – is that not the goal? – we must think the unthinkable thoughts and ask unanswerable questions. Yet we must not lose ourselves in abstract vapors of philosophy. Death ahs his concrete allies, we must enlist ours. Never underestimate how much assistance, how much…” quote by Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/tom-robbins-169_death_to-physically-overcome-death-is-that-not_1198545.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/tom-robbins-169_death_to-physically-overcome-death-is-that-not_1198545.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/tom-robbins-169_death_to-physically-overcome-death-is-that-not_1198545.jpg) > ““To physically overcome death – is that not the goal? – we must think the unthinkable thoughts and ask unanswerable questions. Yet we must not lose ourselves in abstract vapors of philosophy. Death ahs his concrete allies, we must enlist ours. Never underestimate how much assistance, how much satisfaction, how much comfort, how much soul and transcendence there might be in a well-made taco and a cold bottle of beer. The solution to the ultimate problem may prove to be elemental and quite practical. Philosophers have argued for centuries about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but materialists have known all along that it depends on whether they are jitterbugging or dancing cheek to cheek.”” [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We must confront death with concrete, sensory experiences and simple pleasures rather than abstract philosophy. **In simple terms:** Face death with real, enjoyable moments. Key Takeaway Find comfort in everyday pleasures. Themes mortality materialism pleasure philosophy practicality Mood reflective comforting Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - grief counseling - daily rituals - food and drink enjoyment - creative problem solving Key Concepts existentialism hedonism mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What simple pleasure grounds you in difficult times? - Can sensory experiences replace philosophical speculation? A Different Perspective Practical comforts may not resolve deeper existential dread. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-goal-3585270/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Overcome Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcome-death-1441772/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Philosophy Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-death-1481580/) [Physically Overcome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physically-overcome-3585269/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Transcendence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendence/) ## Related quotes > [If you get tough mentally, you can get tough physically and overcome fatigue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/if-you-get-tough-mentally-you-can-get-tough-physically-and-overcome/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [I shall venture to affirm, that there never was a popular religion, which represented the state of departed souls in such a light,as would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/i-shall-venture-to-affirm-that-there-never-was-a-popular-religion/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“He had refused fancy clothes or makeup for this interview. His philosophy was that death should to be embarrassing; he was not about to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-had-refused-fancy-clothes-or-makeup-for-this-interview-his/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [If there is no destiny, there is no design. There's only life and death. My goal is to learn about life by living it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/if-there-is-no-destiny-there-is-no-design-there-s-only-life-and-death/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [Life runs to death as its goal, and we should go towards that next stage of experience either carelessly as to what must be,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/life-runs-to-death-as-its-goal-and-we-should-go-towards-that-next/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [“Easter? We’re paying more attention to dying than to death. We’re more concerned to get over the act of dying than to overcome death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/easter-we-re-paying-more-attention-to-dying-than-to-death-we-re-more/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“If you can overcome love, you can overcome fear. If you can overcome fear, you can overcome death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/if-you-can-overcome-love-you-can-overcome-fear-if-you-can-overcome/) [Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/) > [“Moreover, most faiths turned death into the main source of meaning in life. Try to imagine Islam, Christianity or the ancient Egyptian religion in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/moreover-most-faiths-turned-death-into-the-main-source-of-meaning-in/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [You must overcome death by finding God in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/you-must-overcome-death-by-finding-god-in-it/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [“We don’t need to wait for the Second Coming in order to overcome death. A couple of geeks in a lab can do it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/we-don-t-need-to-wait-for-the-second-coming-in-order-to-overcome/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [The last to be overcome is death, and the knowledge of life is the knowledge of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/the-last-to-be-overcome-is-death-and-the-knowledge-of-life-is-the/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Literature is the best way to overcome death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilan-stavans/literature-is-the-best-way-to-overcome-death/) [Ilan Stavans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilan-stavans/) > [“There are landscapes in which we feel above us not sky but space. Something larger, deeper than sky is sensed, is seen, although in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-landscapes-in-which-we-feel-above-us-not-sky-but-space/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Wit and playfulness represent a desperately serious transcendence of evil. Humor is both a form of wisdom and a means of survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/wit-and-playfulness-represent-a-desperately-serious-transcendence-of/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Never underestimate how much assistance, how much satisfaction, how much comfort, how much soul and transcendence there might be in a well-made taco and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/never-underestimate-how-much-assistance-how-much-satisfaction-how/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## More by Tom Robbins > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/love-is-the-ultimate-outlaw-it-just-won-t-adhere-to-any-rules-the/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Anyone who maintains absolute standards of good and evil is dangerous. As dangerous as a maniac with a loaded revolver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/anyone-who-maintains-absolute-standards-of-good-and-evil-is-dangerous/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“I believe in everything; nothing is sacred. I believe in nothing; everything is sacred. Ha Ha Ho Ho Hee Hee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/i-believe-in-everything-nothing-is-sacred-i-believe-in-nothing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [A sense of humor...is superior to any religion so far devised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/a-sense-of-humor-is-superior-to-any-religion-so-far-devised/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/love-is-the-ultimate-outlaw-it-just-won-t-adhere-to-any-rules-the-2/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“The glue that holds the natural world together appears to be a harmonious balance of opposites: day and night, light and dark, winter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-glue-that-holds-the-natural-world-together-appears-to-be-a/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Zippers are primal and modern at the very same time. On the one hand, your zipper is primitive and reptilian, on the other, mechanical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/zippers-are-primal-and-modern-at-the-very-same-time-on-the-one-hand/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“religion is a paramount contributor to human misery. It is not merely the opium of the masses, it is the cyanide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/religion-is-a-paramount-contributor-to-human-misery-it-is-not-merely/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [She continued weeping until the heat of her tear water, the sheer velocity of its flow, finally obscured the already vague circumstances of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/she-continued-weeping-until-the-heat-of-her-tear-water-the-sheer/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The bottom line is that (a) people are never perfect, but love can be, (b) that is the one and only way that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-bottom-line-is-that-a-people-are-never-perfect-but-love-can-be-b/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Virtually every advancement made by our species since civilization first peeked out of its nest of stone has been initiated by lone individuals, mavericks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/virtually-every-advancement-made-by-our-species-since-civilization/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [When we accept small wonders, we qualify ourselves to imagine great wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/when-we-accept-small-wonders-we-qualify-ourselves-to-imagine-great/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) [Explore all 994 Tom Robbins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) [J. Anthony Torino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-anthony-torino/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) [Alan W. Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-powers/) > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To physically overcome death – is that not the goal? – we must think the unthinkable thoughts and ask unanswerable questions. Yet we must not lose ourselves in abstract vapors of philosophy. Death ahs his concrete allies, we must enlist ours. Never underestimate how much assistance, how much satisfaction, how much comfort, how much soul and transcendence there might be in a well-made taco and a cold bottle of beer. The solution to the ultimate problem may prove to be elemental and quite practical. Philosophers have argued for centuries about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but materialists have known all along that it depends on whether they are jitterbugging or dancing cheek to cheek.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Robbins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/to-physically-overcome-death-is-that-not-the-goal-we-must-think-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/to-physically-overcome-death-is-that-not-the-goal-we-must-think-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/tom-robbins-169_death_to-physically-overcome-death-is-that-not_1198545.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/tom-robbins-169_death_to-physically-overcome-death-is-that-not_1198545.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/tom-robbins-169_death_to-physically-overcome-death-is-that-not_1198545.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To physically overcome death – is that not the goal? – we must think the unthinkable thoughts and ask…” — Tom Robbins", "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": "Tom Robbins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“To physically overcome death – is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/to-physically-overcome-death-is-that-not-the-goal-we-must-think-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/to-physically-overcome-death-is-that-not-the-goal-we-must-think-the/#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 } } ] } ```