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Then we should find some artificial inoculation against love, as with smallpox.
Leo Tolstoy
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote suggests that love can be harmful and that we might need a way to protect ourselves from its pains.

In this quote, Tolstoy compares love to a disease, proposing the idea that just as we create vaccines to protect ourselves from smallpox, we should also find a way to shield ourselves from the emotional turmoil that love can bring. This reflects the complex nature of love, where its potential for joy is often accompanied by suffering, highlighting the human desire to avoid heartbreak and longing.

Themes

LoveInoculationProtectionEmotionSuffering

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a discussion about the pains of romantic relationships.

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