Justice Quote by Ursula K. Le Guin
““Suffering is the condition on which we live. And when it comes you know it. You know it as the truth. Of course it's right to cure diseases, to prevent hunger and injustice, as the social organism does. But no society can change the nature of its existence. We can't prevent suffering. This pain and that pain, yes, but not Pain. A society can only relieve social suffering - unnecessary suffering. The rest remains. The root, the reality.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Language of the Night, 1979
Human existence inevitably includes suffering; societies can alleviate unnecessary pain but cannot eliminate suffering itself.
In simple terms: Suffering is inevitable; societies can only ease excess pain.
Key Takeaway
Focus on reducing unnecessary suffering.
Themes
philosophy
human nature
social responsibility
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- public policy
- healthcare
- education
- community support
Key Concepts
Existentialism
ethics
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we distinguish necessary from unnecessary suffering?
- What limits exist in alleviating pain?
A Different Perspective
Societal change cannot erase fundamental suffering, only its excess.
![“This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day [as a Fairfax Justice of the Peace] since I have been at Home. I wish I knew where to get a good one myself; for I find cold Sheets extreamly disagreeable.” quote by George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b92/george-mason-8435_bedfellows_this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young_3953.jpg)
