--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Basically, I think you need two things to…" description: "\"Basically, I think you need two things to get by in this world: a sense of humor and the ability to laugh when your ego is destroyed.\" — Arlo Guthrie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/arlo-guthrie-11642_ability_basically-i-think-you-need-two-things-to_2275324.png" --- # Basically, I think you need two things to get by in this… ![“Basically, I think you need two things to get by in this world: a sense of humor and the ability to laugh when your ego is destroyed.” quote by Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/arlo-guthrie-11642_ability_basically-i-think-you-need-two-things-to_2275324.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/arlo-guthrie-11642_ability_basically-i-think-you-need-two-things-to_2275324.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/arlo-guthrie-11642_ability_basically-i-think-you-need-two-things-to_2275324.png) > “Basically, I think you need two things to get by in this world: a sense of humor and the ability to laugh when your ego is destroyed.” [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor and the ability to laugh at one's ego help navigate life's challenges and maintain resilience. **In simple terms:** Laugh at ego to stay resilient. Key Takeaway Cultivate humor and humility. Themes humor ego resilience Mood lighthearted encouraging Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - stressful work - personal setbacks - social interactions Key Concepts psychology philosophy coping strategies Questions to Reflect On - How can you use humor without offending? - What helps you detach from ego? A Different Perspective May not apply when humor is inappropriate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Ability Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-laugh-528865/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroyed/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Humor Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor-ability-622645/) [Laugh Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh-ego-5289240/) [Laughing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Sense Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-humor/) [Sense of humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-humor/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [This world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-world/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“To me, the best humor is indeed the ability to laugh at one's self. So I give myself endless opportunities to do so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-althouse/to-me-the-best-humor-is-indeed-the-ability-to-laugh-at-one-s-self-so/) [Tom Althouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-althouse/) > [“Don't underestimate the power of humor and the ability to laugh at yourself to deliver peace and serenity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-glassman/don-t-underestimate-the-power-of-humor-and-the-ability-to-laugh-at/) [Charles Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-glassman/) > [“I have never met leadership without a sense of humor; this ability to stand outside oneself and one’s circumstances, to see things in perspective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders-2/i-have-never-met-leadership-without-a-sense-of-humor-this-ability-to/) [J Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders-2/) > [Along with a sense of humor, my songs have to be sincere, and they have to be sung from a position of inner conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/along-with-a-sense-of-humor-my-songs-have-to-be-sincere-and-they-have/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [A sense of humor is the ability to understand a joke-and that the joke is oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/a-sense-of-humor-is-the-ability-to-understand-a-joke-and-that-the/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [The only thing I can recommend at this stage is a sense of humor, an ability to see things in their ridiculous and absurd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/the-only-thing-i-can-recommend-at-this-stage-is-a-sense-of-humor-an/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Certainly, anyone whom I've witnessed, who has gone through something horrible and life-changing, has a sense of ironic humor, or an ability to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-heyerdahl/certainly-anyone-whom-i-ve-witnessed-who-has-gone-through-something/) [Christopher Heyerdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-heyerdahl/) > [Humor is the ability to see three sides to one coin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-rorem/humor-is-the-ability-to-see-three-sides-to-one-coin/) [Ned Rorem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-rorem/) > [“I'm quite certain that if I lost my sense of humor, it would most definitely need to be replaced by a padded cell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comic-strip-mama/i-m-quite-certain-that-if-i-lost-my-sense-of-humor-it-would-most/) [Comic Strip Mama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/comic-strip-mama/) > [The person who has a sense of humor is not just more relaxed in the face of a potentially stressful situation, but is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-morreall/the-person-who-has-a-sense-of-humor-is-not-just-more-relaxed-in-the/) [John Morreall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-morreall/) > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [A sense of humor...is superior to any religion so far devised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/a-sense-of-humor-is-superior-to-any-religion-so-far-devised/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The most irritating people are those without a sense of humor, amirite?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-irritating-people-are-those-without-a-sense-of-humor-amirite/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think God has a sense of humor, and the way my lessons come from God is very funny. I have to laugh at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvette-nicole-brown/i-think-god-has-a-sense-of-humor-and-the-way-my-lessons-come-from-god/) [Yvette Nicole Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvette-nicole-brown/) > [I love being my silly ole self! Lifes a lot better when you have a good sense of humor and you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-being-my-silly-ole-self-lifes-a-lot-better-when-you-have-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Arlo Guthrie > [If readers understand that they do not understand what they are reading then they must possess an understanding which is superior to the meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/if-readers-understand-that-they-do-not-understand-what-they-are/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [If you do anything for 40 years, you can do it comfortably. And it will always be good. But unless you're willing to risk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/if-you-do-anything-for-40-years-you-can-do-it-comfortably-and-it-will/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [Ostrich is a very lean meat. Bison is a very lean meat. Chicken is a very lean meat. Notice something about my favorite meats?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/ostrich-is-a-very-lean-meat-bison-is-a-very-lean-meat-chicken-is-a/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [Folk music is music that everyday people can play, and it inspired a lot of people to make their own music. That trailed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/folk-music-is-music-that-everyday-people-can-play-and-it-inspired-a/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [I left the entertainment industry part of my life behind in 1983, when we decided not to work with major record companies anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/i-left-the-entertainment-industry-part-of-my-life-behind-in-1983-when/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [Everyone has a responsibility to not only tolerate another person's point of view, but also to accept it eagerly as a challenge to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/everyone-has-a-responsibility-to-not-only-tolerate-another-person-s/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [I thought I would be governor of Massachusetts. I stood on a pile of my old albums and said, 'I'm the only one with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/i-thought-i-would-be-governor-of-massachusetts-i-stood-on-a-pile-of/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [Probably my two biggest musical influences were the Everly Brothers and the Beatles, in chronological order. Both of them have had a very simple-sounding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/probably-my-two-biggest-musical-influences-were-the-everly-brothers/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [People were talking about songs of the common man in order to make the common man. With Woody Guthrie and Lead Belly, they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/people-were-talking-about-songs-of-the-common-man-in-order-to-make/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [My mother had introduced me to a lot of my father's friends because she believed that I would get to know the guy my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/my-mother-had-introduced-me-to-a-lot-of-my-father-s-friends-because/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [Everywhere I go, I see all kinds of people at my shows - conservatives, liberals, new-agers, teen-agers, old pensioners. And for those people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/everywhere-i-go-i-see-all-kinds-of-people-at-my-shows-conservatives/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [I froze in time! And I thought, "My God... I'm free!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/i-froze-in-time-and-i-thought-my-god-i-m-free/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [Along with a sense of humor, my songs have to be sincere, and they have to be sung from a position of inner conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/along-with-a-sense-of-humor-my-songs-have-to-be-sincere-and-they-have/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [Be serious. Folk songs are serious. That's what Pete Seeger told me. Arlo, I only wanna tell you one thing. Folk songs are serious.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/be-serious-folk-songs-are-serious-that-s-what-pete-seeger-told-me/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [Greed and globalization aren't just America's fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/greed-and-globalization-aren-t-just-america-s-fault/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) [Explore all 59 Arlo Guthrie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Basically, I think you need two things to get by in this world: a sense of humor and the ability to laugh when your ego is destroyed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arlo Guthrie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/basically-i-think-you-need-two-things-to-get-by-in-this-world-a-sense/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/basically-i-think-you-need-two-things-to-get-by-in-this-world-a-sense/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/arlo-guthrie-11642_ability_basically-i-think-you-need-two-things-to_2275324.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/arlo-guthrie-11642_ability_basically-i-think-you-need-two-things-to_2275324.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/arlo-guthrie-11642_ability_basically-i-think-you-need-two-things-to_2275324.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Basically, I think you need two things to get by in this world: a sense of humor and the ability to laugh…” — Arlo Guthrie", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Arlo Guthrie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Basically, I think you need two...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/basically-i-think-you-need-two-things-to-get-by-in-this-world-a-sense/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/basically-i-think-you-need-two-things-to-get-by-in-this-world-a-sense/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```