“Could be worse, as they say.”

“That’s the sum story of human history, isn’t it? Could be worse. As if that’s the very best that we can manage.”
Source: On the Steel Breeze (2013), Chapter 53 (p. 527)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update Jan. 20, 2022. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Could be worse, as they say." by Alastair Reynolds?
Alastair Reynolds photo
Alastair Reynolds 198
British novelist and astronomer 1966

Related quotes

Robert Lynn Asprin photo
James Van Der Beek photo

“If a rumor comes out that I’m gay, I could care less. There are so many worse things that they could be saying.”

James Van Der Beek (1977) actor

CinemaSource: James Van Der Beek Interview: Dan Deevy, January 28, 2008 http://www.thecinemasource.com/blog/interviews/james-van-der-beek-interview-for-the-rules-of-attraction/

David Brin photo

“It could be worse. I can’t think how right now, but I’m sure it could be worse.”

Source: Glory Season (1993), Chapter 4 (p. 74)

William Gibson photo
Mona Van Duyn photo
Suzanne Collins photo

“You could do a lot worse.”

Variant: We could do it, you know.
Source: Catching Fire

Jeffrey R. Holland photo
Maya Angelou photo
Robert Frost photo

“One could do worse than be a swinger of birches.”

General sources
Source: "Birches" (1920)
Context: I’d like to go by climbing a birch tree,
And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk
Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more,
But dipped its top and set me down again.
That would be good both going and coming back.
One could do worse than be a swinger of birches.

David H. Levy photo

“Things could always be worse. In fact, the overwhelming odds are that they will be.”

David H. Levy (1948) Canadian astronomer

Humor in Psychotherapy (2007)