--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is only one thing that arouses…" description: "\"There is only one thing that arouses animals more than pleasure, and that is pain. Under torture you are as if under the dominion of those grasses that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/umberto-eco-313_animal_there-is-only-one-thing-that-arouses-ani_622442.jpg" --- # There is only one thing that arouses animals more than… ![“There is only one thing that arouses animals more than pleasure, and that is pain. Under torture you are as if under the dominion of those grasses that produce visions. Everything you have heard told, everything you have read returns to your mind, as if you were being transported, not toward…” quote by Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/umberto-eco-313_animal_there-is-only-one-thing-that-arouses-ani_622442.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/umberto-eco-313_animal_there-is-only-one-thing-that-arouses-ani_622442.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/umberto-eco-313_animal_there-is-only-one-thing-that-arouses-ani_622442.jpg) > “There is only one thing that arouses animals more than pleasure, and that is pain. Under torture you are as if under the dominion of those grasses that produce visions. Everything you have heard told, everything you have read returns to your mind, as if you were being transported, not toward heaven, but toward hell. Under torture you say not only what the inquisitor wants, but also what you imagine might please him, because a bond (this, truly, diabolical) is established between you and him.” [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pain can be more compelling than pleasure, especially under duress, leading people to say what they think will satisfy their oppressor. **In simple terms:** Pain can dominate thoughts under torture, making people say what pleases the torturer. Key Takeaway Recognize how fear can distort truth. Themes power psychology truth coercion Mood anxious reflective Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - interrogations - authoritarian regimes - legal testimony - personal relationships Key Concepts philosophy ethics human nature Questions to Reflect On - How does fear shape honesty? - When does self‑preservation become deception? A Different Perspective Pain may not always reveal genuine feelings, only survival tactics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Diabolical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diabolical/) [Dominion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dominion/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Grass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grass/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Hell Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell-torture-1954750/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [One thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thing/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pain Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-torture-1084105/) [Please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Produce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/produce/) [Return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/return/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) [Torture Dominion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture-dominion-3354587/) [Torture Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture-say-2658895/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [“Under torture you are as if under the dominion of those grasses that produce visions. 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