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About this quote

What does it mean?
It questions which is worse: dying without knowing or living with the anticipation of ruin.
In plain terms
Is it harder to die unaware or to watch your downfall coming for years?
What can you take from it?
Anticipation of doom can be more torturous than the event itself.

Where it applies

  • terminal illness
  • impending disaster
  • existential crisis

Putting it to work

  • reflect on fear of the unknown
  • prepare mentally for bad news

Questions to consider

  • Which would you choose if given the option?
  • How does knowing change the experience of loss?

Another view

The quote assumes suffering is measurable across different experiences.

More from Orson Scott Card

  1. I no longer tell anyone half of what I know, because if I told the whole truth there would be fear, hatred, brutality, murder, war.

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  2. Maybe they didn't have to discuss things like this. Maybe they had spent so many years together that they knew how to cooperate so smooth things for other peop…

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  3. I have too many secrets.

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