--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sobriety diminishes, discriminates, and…" description: "\"Sobriety diminishes, discriminates, and says no; drunkenness expands, unites, and says yes. Not through mere perversity do men run after it.\" — William..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/william-james-228_alcohol_sobriety-diminishes-discriminates-and-sa_2728281.png" --- # Sobriety diminishes, discriminates, and says no… ![“Sobriety diminishes, discriminates, and says no; drunkenness expands, unites, and says yes. Not through mere perversity do men run after it.” quote by William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/william-james-228_alcohol_sobriety-diminishes-discriminates-and-sa_2728281.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/william-james-228_alcohol_sobriety-diminishes-discriminates-and-sa_2728281.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/william-james-228_alcohol_sobriety-diminishes-discriminates-and-sa_2728281.png) > “Sobriety diminishes, discriminates, and says no; drunkenness expands, unites, and says yes. Not through mere perversity do men run after it.” [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts sobriety’s restrictive nature with drunkenness’s expansive, unifying effect, suggesting a paradoxical view of restraint versus indulgence. **In simple terms:** Sobriety limits; drunkenness opens. Key Takeaway Balance restraint and freedom. Themes addiction freedom philosophy Mood reflective philosophical Type personal When to use this quote - social gatherings - personal health - creative work Key Concepts psychology social behavior Questions to Reflect On - When does indulgence become destructive? - How can we find healthy balance? A Different Perspective Excess can be harmful; moderation needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alcohol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alcohol/) [Diminish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diminish/) [Drunkenness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunkenness/) [Drunkenness Expands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunkenness-expands-2936142/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mere/) [Perversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perversity/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Says Drunkenness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says-drunkenness-2936143/) [Sobriety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sobriety/) [Sobriety Diminishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sobriety-diminishes-2936141/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [“My mind may be sober, but my confidence is high!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/habeeb-akande/my-mind-may-be-sober-but-my-confidence-is-high/) [Habeeb Akande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/habeeb-akande/) > [Even after several hospitalizations for alcohol and drug-related nervous breakdowns, poet Edna St. Vincent Millay defined sobriety as restricting her daily intake of liquor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-thurman/even-after-several-hospitalizations-for-alcohol-and-drug-related/) [Judith Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-thurman/) > [Prohibition only drives drunkenness behind doors and into dark places, and does not cure it or even diminish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/prohibition-only-drives-drunkenness-behind-doors-and-into-dark-places/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [The cheapness of wine seems to be a cause, not of drunkenness, but of sobriety. ...People are seldom guilty of excess in what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-cheapness-of-wine-seems-to-be-a-cause-not-of-drunkenness-but-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [In Britain, journalists often view comparisons with our society going back two, three, or seven centuries as more relevant than comparisons going back two,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-daniels/in-britain-journalists-often-view-comparisons-with-our-society-going/) [Anthony Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-daniels/) > [In her memoir, Anne Robinson recounts the wake-up call which motivated her to stop drinking. 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