"It is not suffering as such that is most deeply feared but suffering that degrades"

This quote by Susan Sontag speaks with the concept that it is not the experience of suffering itself that is most feared, but rather the suffering that triggers an individual to feel degraded or humiliated. This might describe physical suffering, such as an incapacitating illness or injury, or psychological suffering, such as the discomfort of a damaged heart or the embarrassment of being publicly shamed. In either case, it is the sense of being reduced or embarrassed that is most feared, not the suffering itself. This quote speaks with the idea that suffering can be withstood, but it is the sense of being degraded that is most challenging to bear. It is this worry of humiliation that can be the most challenging to get rid of.