--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The end of a dissolute life is a…" description: "\"The end of a dissolute life is a desperate death.\" — Wilfred Bion" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/wilfred-bion-30513_death_the-end-of-a-dissolute-life-is-a-despera_2007819.jpg" --- # The end of a dissolute life is a desperate death. ![“The end of a dissolute life is a desperate death.” quote by Wilfred Bion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/wilfred-bion-30513_death_the-end-of-a-dissolute-life-is-a-despera_2007819.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/wilfred-bion-30513_death_the-end-of-a-dissolute-life-is-a-despera_2007819.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/wilfred-bion-30513_death_the-end-of-a-dissolute-life-is-a-despera_2007819.jpg) > “The end of a dissolute life is a desperate death.” [Wilfred Bion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-bion/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A life of excess leads inevitably to a tragic, desperate end, warning against self-destructive habits. **In simple terms:** Excess leads to desperate death. Key Takeaway Avoid self-destructive excess. Themes self-destruction mortality warning Mood cautionary somber Type psychology philosophical When to use this quote - addiction recovery - financial ruin - health crises - relationship breakdowns Key Concepts addiction impulsivity life choices Questions to Reflect On - What excesses are harming you? - How can you redirect destructive patterns? A Different Perspective Not all excesses end tragically; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Desperate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [The end of a dissolute life is most commonly a desperate death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bion-of-smyrna/the-end-of-a-dissolute-life-is-most-commonly-a-desperate-death/) [Bion of Smyrna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bion-of-smyrna/) > [Sometimes that's all life is... One desperate act after another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/sometimes-that-s-all-life-is-one-desperate-act-after-another/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [I'd say exercising self-control is very important for a dissolute life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-doherty/i-d-say-exercising-self-control-is-very-important-for-a-dissolute-life/) [Pete Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-doherty/) > [A man who wants to die feels angry and full of life and desperate and bored and exhausted, all at the same time; he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/a-man-who-wants-to-die-feels-angry-and-full-of-life-and-desperate-and/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [The term itself--my life--is a desperate overstatement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-term-itself-my-life-is-a-desperate-overstatement/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [If all we seek is an escape, what does that say about the world we live in? That village, that city, that life? We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/if-all-we-seek-is-an-escape-what-does-that-say-about-the-world-we/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [There was a combination of not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, but also really not wanting to be stuck in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-astin/there-was-a-combination-of-not-wanting-to-look-a-gift-horse-in-the/) [Sean Astin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-astin/) > [“But we kind of know that turning life into a desperate race for more stuff is only going to shorten it. Not in years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-haig/but-we-kind-of-know-that-turning-life-into-a-desperate-race-for-more/) [Matt Haig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-haig/) > [There is no death. The thing that we call death Is but another, sadder name for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-stoddard/there-is-no-death-the-thing-that-we-call-death-is-but-another-sadder/) [Richard Henry Stoddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-henry-stoddard/) > [If you want to endure life, prepare yourself for death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/if-you-want-to-endure-life-prepare-yourself-for-death/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Life is the saddest thing there is, next to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/life-is-the-saddest-thing-there-is-next-to-death/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [Setting is preliminary to brighter rising; decay is a process of advancement; death is the condition of higher and more fruitful life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/setting-is-preliminary-to-brighter-rising-decay-is-a-process-of/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [He who does not want to die should not want to live. For life is tendered to us with the proviso of death. Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/he-who-does-not-want-to-die-should-not-want-to-live-for-life-is/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Birth, life, death is a cycle. And they're all beautiful, you celebrate all of them. Animals do grieve, but they move on. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-millan/birth-life-death-is-a-cycle-and-they-re-all-beautiful-you-celebrate/) [Cesar Millan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-millan/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) ## More by Wilfred Bion > [Wealth is the sinews of affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-bion/wealth-is-the-sinews-of-affairs/) [Wilfred Bion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-bion/) > [To be unable to bear an ill is itself a great ill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-bion/to-be-unable-to-bear-an-ill-is-itself-a-great-ill/) [Wilfred Bion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-bion/) > [Misers take care of property as if it belonged to them, but derive no more benefit from it than if it belonged to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-bion/misers-take-care-of-property-as-if-it-belonged-to-them-but-derive-no/) [Wilfred Bion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-bion/) > [Old age is the harbor of all ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-bion/old-age-is-the-harbor-of-all-ills/) [Wilfred Bion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-bion/) > [It is too often forgotten that the gift of speech, so centrally employed, has been elaborated as much for the purpose of concealing thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-bion/it-is-too-often-forgotten-that-the-gift-of-speech-so-centrally/) [Wilfred Bion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-bion/) > [Every session attended by the analyst must have no history and no future. What is 'known' about the patient is of no further consequence:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-bion/every-session-attended-by-the-analyst-must-have-no-history-and-no/) [Wilfred Bion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-bion/) > [It is very important to be aware that you may never be satistied with your analytic career if you feel that you are restricted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-bion/it-is-very-important-to-be-aware-that-you-may-never-be-satistied-with/) [Wilfred Bion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-bion/) > [We ought not to heap reproaches on old age, seeing that we all hope to reach it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-bion/we-ought-not-to-heap-reproaches-on-old-age-seeing-that-we-all-hope-to/) [Wilfred Bion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-bion/) > [It is likely enough that the patient will say, Why don't you say something? 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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. 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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 > [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 > [“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": "The end of a dissolute life is a desperate death.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wilfred Bion" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-bion/the-end-of-a-dissolute-life-is-a-desperate-death/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-bion/the-end-of-a-dissolute-life-is-a-desperate-death/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/wilfred-bion-30513_death_the-end-of-a-dissolute-life-is-a-despera_2007819.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/wilfred-bion-30513_death_the-end-of-a-dissolute-life-is-a-despera_2007819.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/wilfred-bion-30513_death_the-end-of-a-dissolute-life-is-a-despera_2007819.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The end of a dissolute life is a desperate death.” — Wilfred Bion", "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": "Wilfred Bion", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-bion/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The end of a dissolute life...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-bion/the-end-of-a-dissolute-life-is-a-desperate-death/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-bion/the-end-of-a-dissolute-life-is-a-desperate-death/#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 } } ] } ```