"One should either be sad or joyful. Contentment is a warm sty for eaters and sleepers"

This quote by Eugene O'Neill recommends that contentment is not a preferable state of being. He suggests that a person should make every effort to be either sad or joyful, as these are more meaningful and engaging feelings. Satisfaction is a passive emotion, and O'Neill compares it to a warm sty, which is a place where animals are kept for reproducing or fattening. This comparison indicates that contentment is a dull, uninspiring state of being, and that it is just appropriate for those who are content to just eat and sleep. O'Neill's quote motivates us to pursue more meaningful feelings, and to not choose a life of contentment. He suggests that we should strive to experience the highs and lows of life, and to not be content with a life of mediocrity.