Some Poor grad student pressing on the flanks of a hamster and out comes a doctorate on the other side
Robert M. SapolskyRead
We live well enough to have the luxury to get ourselves sick with purely social, psychological stress.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Social and psychological stress can lead to adverse health effects despite having a good quality of life.
This quote highlights the paradox of modern living where, despite having the comforts and privileges of life, individuals can still succumb to health problems driven by social and psychological stresses. It suggests that the complexities of our social interactions and mental well-being can ironically harm us in environments that should, in theory, promote health and happiness.
Themes
StressHealthPsychologySocialWell-BeingLuxury
In practice
Example use cases
During a mental health awareness seminar, one might use this quote to discuss the impact of stress on well-being.
More from Robert M. Sapolsky
All quotes →I love science, and it pains me to think that so many are terrified of the subject or feel that choosing science means you cannot also choose compassion, or the arts, or be awed by nature. Science is not meant to cure us of mystery, but to reinvent and reinvigorate it.
Robert M. SapolskyRead
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