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Happiness is pure kitch; we come into the world to suffer and learn.
Isabel Allende
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote suggests that happiness is superficial and that life is about enduring suffering and gaining wisdom through our experiences.

Isabel Allende's quote reflects a philosophical perspective on the nature of existence, implying that while happiness may appear appealing, it is ultimately fleeting and shallow. Instead, she emphasizes that the true essence of life lies in facing challenges and learning from the inevitable suffering we encounter, which contributes to our growth and understanding of the world.

Themes

HappinessSufferingLearningLifeWisdom

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a motivational speech about overcoming life's challenges.

More from Isabel Allende

I don't think the world will destroy itself in a nuclear cataclysm. On the contrary, we have the capacity to save ourselves and save the planet, and we will use it.
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My mother is a great artist, but she always treated her paintings like minor postcards. Had she pursued it, she would have been a great artist. Instead, she looked down on her art.
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I never try to convey a message, I just want to tell a story. Why that story in particular? I have no idea, but I have learned to surrender to the muse. I become obsessed with a theme or with certain stories; they haunt me for years, and finally, I write them.
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My life is about ups and downs, great joys and great losses.
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I'm interested in people who have to overcome obstacles, people who are not sheltered by the umbrella of the establishment, marginals.
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I'm a writer. In Latin America, they say I'm a Latin-American writer because I also write in Spanish and my books are translated, but I am an American citizen and my books are published here, so I'm also an American writer.
Isabel AllendeRead

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A little wisdom, now and then

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