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Nowadays men lead lives of noisy desperation.

Desperation is the raw material of drastic change. Only those who can leave behind everything they have ever believed in can hope to escape.

I do believe that most men live lives of quiet desperation. For despair, optimism is the only practical solution. Hope is practical. Because eliminate that and it's pretty scary. Hope at least gives you the option of living.

There's a real sense of desperation when you grow up in poverty.

Desperation is a fact of life in many poor, overcrowded countries.

Desperation is sometimes as powerful an inspirer as genius.

My interest in desperation lies only in that sometimes I find myself having become desperate. Very seldom do I start out that way. I can see of course that, in the abstract, thinking and all activity is rather desperate.

Men of age object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon, and seldom drive business home to the full period, but content themselves with a mediocrity of success.

Desperation is like stealing from the Mafia: you stand a good chance of attracting the wrong attention.

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation.