[When Vonnegut tells his wife he's going out to buy an envelope] Oh, she says well, you're not a poor man. You know, why don't you go online and buy a hundred envelopes and put them in the closet? And so I pretend not to hear her. And go out to get an envelope because I'm going to have a hell of a good time in the process of buying one envelope. I meet a lot of people. And, see some great looking babes. And a fire engine goes by. And I give them the thumbs up. And, and ask a woman what kind of dog that is. And, and I don't know. The moral of the story is, is we're here on Earth to fart around. And, of course, the computers will do us out of that. And, what the computer people don't realize, or they don't care, is we're dancing animals. You know, we love to move around. And, we're not supposed to dance at all anymore.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Vonnegut argues that humans thrive on leisurely, aimless activities and social interactions that efficiency-focused technology might eliminate.
- In plain terms
- We are here to enjoy life's small, unnecessary moments, which computers might take away.
- What can you take from it?
- Value unproductive human experiences over pure efficiency.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What small activities bring you joy?
- Is efficiency always the goal?
Another view
Technology often solves real problems that wasting time does not address.
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