--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The condition of mankind is, and always…" description: "\"The condition of mankind is, and always has been, so miserable and depraved that, if anyone were to say to the poet: \"For God's sake stop singing and d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/w-h-auden-856_bandages_the-condition-of-mankind-is-and-always-h_2147698.png" --- # The condition of mankind is, and always has been, so… ![“The condition of mankind is, and always has been, so miserable and depraved that, if anyone were to say to the poet: "For God's sake stop singing and do something useful like putting on the kettle or fetching bandages," what just reason could he give for refusing?” quote by W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/w-h-auden-856_bandages_the-condition-of-mankind-is-and-always-h_2147698.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/w-h-auden-856_bandages_the-condition-of-mankind-is-and-always-h_2147698.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/w-h-auden-856_bandages_the-condition-of-mankind-is-and-always-h_2147698.png) > “The condition of mankind is, and always has been, so miserable and depraved that, if anyone were to say to the poet: "For God's sake stop singing and do something useful like putting on the kettle or fetching bandages," what just reason could he give for refusing?” [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poets are urged to abandon art for utilitarian tasks, but their role is to illuminate human condition, which is itself valuable. **In simple terms:** Poets should not be forced into practical chores. Key Takeaway Value artistic insight alongside practical work. Themes art purpose humanity creativity societal roles Mood reflective inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - teaching literature - public speaking - community activism - mental health outreach Key Concepts existentialism social criticism role of art Questions to Reflect On - What is the societal benefit of poetry? - Can art and utility coexist? A Different Perspective Art may be seen as non‑productive in crises. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Kettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kettles/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miserable/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) ## Related quotes > [Few things are needful to make the wise man happy, but nothing satisfies the fool; - and this is the reason why so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/few-things-are-needful-to-make-the-wise-man-happy-but-nothing/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [You can give of your talent, you can give of your possessions, or you can give of yourself. For God's sake, give something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleveland-amory/you-can-give-of-your-talent-you-can-give-of-your-possessions-or-you/) [Cleveland Amory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleveland-amory/) > [Nothing, how little so ever it be, if it is suffered for God's sake, can pass without merit in the sight of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/nothing-how-little-so-ever-it-be-if-it-is-suffered-for-god-s-sake-can/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [For nothing, how little soever, that is suffered for God's sake, can pass without merit in the sight of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/for-nothing-how-little-soever-that-is-suffered-for-god-s-sake-can/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [For God's Sake be sure you do not risk the cannon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-churchill-1st-duke-of-marlborough/for-god-s-sake-be-sure-you-do-not-risk-the-cannon/) John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough > [For God's sake, take the religion out of your life or all kind of absurdities will take the reason out of your life! Keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/for-god-s-sake-take-the-religion-out-of-your-life-or-all-kind-of/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [For God's sake (I never was more serious) don't make me ridiculous any more by terming me gentle-hearted in print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/for-god-s-sake-i-never-was-more-serious-don-t-make-me-ridiculous-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [“I want to fuck her, for God’s sake. 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The last little room of dirt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/oh-shame-shame-oh-crying-shame-how-can-we-why-do-we-allow-ourselves/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [Only God is to be loved for His own sake. Everything else is to be loved for God's sake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/only-god-is-to-be-loved-for-his-own-sake-everything-else-is-to-be/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“When the world turns its back on you, for God’s sake, don’t get discouraged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronika-carnaby/when-the-world-turns-its-back-on-you-for-god-s-sake-don-t-get/) [Veronika Carnaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronika-carnaby/) > [For God's sake,' the dog is saying, 'open the universe a little more!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/for-god-s-sake-the-dog-is-saying-open-the-universe-a-little-more/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) ## More by W. H. Auden > [Pleasure is by no means an infallible critical guide, but it is the least fallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/pleasure-is-by-no-means-an-infallible-critical-guide-but-it-is-the/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Why doesn't the United States take over the monarchy and unite with England? England does have important assets. Naturally the longer you wait, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/why-doesn-t-the-united-states-take-over-the-monarchy-and-unite-with/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The commonest ivory tower is that of the average man, the state of passivity towards experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-commonest-ivory-tower-is-that-of-the-average-man-the-state-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Harrow the house of the dead; look shining at New styles of architecture, a change of heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/harrow-the-house-of-the-dead-look-shining-at-new-styles-of/) [W. H. 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Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [“Those to whom evil is done, do evil in return”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/those-to-whom-evil-is-done-do-evil-in-return/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [I and the public know What all schoolchildren learn, Those to whom evil is done Do evil in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/i-and-the-public-know-what-all-schoolchildren-learn-those-to-whom/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [One cannot walk through an assembly factory and not feel that one is in Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/one-cannot-walk-through-an-assembly-factory-and-not-feel-that-one-is/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [How happy the lot of the mathematician. He is judged solely by his peers, and the standard is so high that no colleague or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/how-happy-the-lot-of-the-mathematician-he-is-judged-solely-by-his/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Perhaps there is only one cardinal sin: impatience. Because of impatience we were driven out of Paradise, because of impatience we cannot return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/perhaps-there-is-only-one-cardinal-sin-impatience-because-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The windiest militant trash Important Persons shout Is not so crude as our wish: What mad Nijinsky wrote About Diaghilev Is true of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-windiest-militant-trash-important-persons-shout-is-not-so-crude/) [W. H. 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This power leads to a kind of thinking that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-alexis/in-our-male-oriented-god-phase-it-s-always-about-conquering-and/) [Andre Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-alexis/) > [Money does not corrupt people. What corrupts people is lack of affection ... 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