10 Times Kurt Vonnegut Gave The Best Advice You'll Ever Need | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

10 Times Kurt Vonnegut Gave The Best Advice You'll Ever Need

Although Vonnegut has shared years and years worth of life advice, here are ten times he hit it spot on.

189
10 Times Kurt Vonnegut Gave The Best Advice You'll Ever Need

Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was an American author who gave the world 50 years of amazing words. Vonnegut published fourteen novels, three short story collections, five plays, and five works of non-fiction. Although Vonnegut has shared years and years worth of life advice, here are ten times he hit it spot on.


1." Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward. "

2. " So it goes. "
Three words Vonnegut uses throughout his classic novel Slaughterhouse-Five which remain notable not for the wording as much as the emotion - and dismissal of emotion. The three words which show a small sign of acceptance, as well as dismissal. Vonnegut was able to pack a way of life into three words, telling the world that things happen but it's also okay .. we deal with it because we have to.

3." We must be careful about what we pretend to be. "
In Vonnegut's novel Mother Night, the iconic line " We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be " was written. Many interpretations are able to be made about this line but when it comes down to it really relates to the "be careful what you wish for" quote one grows up hearing.
"Sure, it sounds harmless enough when you're five years old and pretending to be an astronaut, but when you start pretending to be a Nazi propagandist...needless to say things could get a little dicey."

4." All persons, living and dead, are purely coincidental. "

5." That is my principal objection to life, I think: It's too easy, when alive, to make perfectly horrible mistakes. "

6." If you can do no good, at least do no harm. "

7." I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center. "
Take risks. Try new things. Do something you normally wouldn't do because that could be your new favorite thing in life. You'll never know until you try.

8."Go into the arts. I'm not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something. "

9." We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down. "

10." Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone."
Vonnegut's last novel, Timequake, asks the questions - "Why bother?". Many times people will believe that the few people around them are the only ones out there .. but there are so many people in the world that in fact could be feeling the same way. Don't be down on yourself about a certain feeling you may be experiencing, you aren't alone.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

3005
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

449522
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

21683
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

44700
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments