'I can't help it,' I said. 'My soul knows my meat is doing bad things, and is embarrassed. But my meat just keeps right on doing bad, dumb things.' 'You and your what?' he said. 'My soul and my meat,' I said. 'They're separate?' he said. 'I sure hope they are,' I said. I laughed. 'I would hate to be responsible for what my meat does.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Vonnegut illustrates the conflict between soul and body, laughing at the body's persistence.
- In plain terms
- The body does bad things even when the soul is embarrassed.
- What can you take from it?
- Physical impulses often override moral reasoning.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who is responsible for actions?
- How do we control impulses?
Another view
It separates mind and body in an unrealistic way.
More from Kurt Vonnegut
'We're having a celebration, so all sorts of things have been said which are not true,' I said. 'That's how to act at a party.'
Permalink to quote #140 It is a gruesome Disneyland. Nobody is cute there.
Permalink to quote #142 My soul knows my meat is doing bad things, and is embarrassed. But my meat just keeps right on doing bad, dumb things.'
Permalink to quote #139
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