The best consolation in misfortune or affliction of any kind will be the thought of other people who are in a still worse plight than yourself; and this is a form of consolation open to every one. But what an awful fate this means for mankind as a whole! We are like lambs in a field, disporting themselves under the eye of the butcher, who chooses out first one and then another for his prey. Arthur Schopenhauer
About This Quote

When people experience misfortune or great suffering, they often look forward to the day when they can get back to normal or when they can forget about their problems and life can return to normal. This is a type of solace, but it’s a false solace. It does not bring true relief from suffering or help us cope with pain and anguish. It isn’t the best consolation because the only thing that will help us get over our difficulties is to remember that many others are in a worse position than we are.

In other words, we do ourselves a disservice by only looking at our own situation. The best consolation would be for all of us to realize how hard it is for others who have been affected by the same tragedy or misfortune. We must remember that everyone is in this situation together, and that everyone must work together to find relief.

Source: On The Suffering Of The World

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