Community Quote by William Dean Howells
“Each one of us must suffer long to himself before he can learn that he is but one in a great community of wretchedness which has been pitilessly repeating itself from the foundation of the world.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Rise of the City, 1887
Individuals must endure personal suffering before understanding their place in a shared, flawed humanity.
In simple terms: Suffering reveals communal humanity.
Key Takeaway
Embrace shared human struggle.
Themes
suffering
community
human condition
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- literary analysis
- philosophical discourse
- education
Key Concepts
existential awareness
social empathy
collective history
Questions to Reflect On
- What lessons arise from personal hardship?
- How does shared suffering foster connection?
A Different Perspective
Suffering alone may not lead to insight.
![“The purpose of the whole [the Comedy] and of this portion [the Paradiso] is to remove those who are living in this life from the state of wretchedness, and to lead them to the state of blessedness.” quote by Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e05/dante-alighieri-590_blessedness_the-purpose-of-the-whole-the-comedy-and_145640.jpg)
![“The social [media channel] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection, and community. That's what there's too little of in today's mediascape, despite all the hoopla surrounding social tools. The promise…” quote by Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c85/umair-haque-25881_beauty_the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-bea_1270.jpg)
