--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a man has everything and does not…" description: "\"“When a man has everything and does not know what more to do, he tries to teach his donkey to talk.”\" — Asne Seirstad" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/asne-seirstad-101041_books_when-a-man-has-everything-and-does-not-k_1871833.jpg" --- # When a man has everything and does not know what more to… ![“When a man has everything and does not know what more to do, he tries to teach his donkey to talk.” quote by Asne Seirstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/asne-seirstad-101041_books_when-a-man-has-everything-and-does-not-k_1871833.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/asne-seirstad-101041_books_when-a-man-has-everything-and-does-not-k_1871833.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/asne-seirstad-101041_books_when-a-man-has-everything-and-does-not-k_1871833.jpg) > ““When a man has everything and does not know what more to do, he tries to teach his donkey to talk.”” [Asne Seirstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seirstad/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When a man has nothing to do, he may attempt absurd tasks like teaching a donkey to talk, reflecting boredom or a search for purpose. **In simple terms:** Idle minds pursue absurd goals. Key Takeaway Find meaningful pursuits instead of trivialities. Themes boredom absurdity purpose creativity humor Mood ironic lighthearted Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - creative projects - mental health therapy Key Concepts existential crisis comic relief human folly Questions to Reflect On - Why do people engage in pointless endeavors? - What meaningful activities could replace them? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Donkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/donkey/) [Donkey Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/donkey-talk-2587251/) [Man Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-does/) [Teach Donkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach-donkey-2587250/) [Tries Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tries-teach-261902/) ## Related quotes > [When a teacher tries to teach something to the entire class at the same time, chances are, one-third of the kids already know it;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-katz/when-a-teacher-tries-to-teach-something-to-the-entire-class-at-the/) [Lilian Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-katz/) > [No matter who tries to teach you lessons about life; You won't understand it until you go through it on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/no-matter-who-tries-to-teach-you-lessons-about-life-you-won-t-2/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [“If you really want to learn, do not be surprised if someone tries to teach you. And do not lightly reject the method.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/if-you-really-want-to-learn-do-not-be-surprised-if-someone-tries-to/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [No matter who tries to teach you lessons about life, you won't understand it until you have to go through it on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-matter-who-tries-to-teach-you-lessons-about-life-you-won-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/donkeys-live-a-long-time-none-of-you-has-ever-seen-a-dead-donkey/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [If a woman's got nothing but her fair fame to feed on, why, it's thin tack, and a donkey would die of it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/if-a-woman-s-got-nothing-but-her-fair-fame-to-feed-on-why-it-s-thin/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [A donkey a day keeps the tubesocks at bay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-schober/a-donkey-a-day-keeps-the-tubesocks-at-bay/) [Greg Schober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-schober/) > [“as a copy she was not a very good copy. There were differences. She was not one of His best efforts. There is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-morgan/as-a-copy-she-was-not-a-very-good-copy-there-were-differences-she-was/) [Elaine Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-morgan/) > [The whole new Democratic Party is the old Republican Party. We have a whole bunch of elephants running around in donkey's clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-novak/the-whole-new-democratic-party-is-the-old-republican-party-we-have-a/) [Robert Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-novak/) > [Poetry is a dumb Buddha who thinks a donkey is as important as a diamond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/poetry-is-a-dumb-buddha-who-thinks-a-donkey-is-as-important-as-a/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [“An uncomfortable marriage can not bear the strain of the death of a beloved donkey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrie-haskell/an-uncomfortable-marriage-can-not-bear-the-strain-of-the-death-of-a/) [Merrie Haskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrie-haskell/) > [Left to their own devices, men would wear trainers with a pair of stonewashed jeans and would think nothing of throwing on a donkey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-winkleman/left-to-their-own-devices-men-would-wear-trainers-with-a-pair-of/) [Claudia Winkleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-winkleman/) > [Give me the enchilada with the pickle sauce shoved up between the donkey's ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/give-me-the-enchilada-with-the-pickle-sauce-shoved-up-between-the/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) > [“There was once an old but clever donkey, who never liked the sting of any bee, Nor for all the Slung mud, did he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyavrat-thareja/there-was-once-an-old-but-clever-donkey-who-never-liked-the-sting-of/) [Priyavrat Thareja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyavrat-thareja/) ## More by Asne Seirstad > [“In Afghanistan a woman’s longing for love is taboo. It is forbidden by the tribes’ notion of honor and by the mullahs. Young people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seirstad/in-afghanistan-a-woman-s-longing-for-love-is-taboo-it-is-forbidden-by/) [Asne Seirstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seirstad/) [Explore all 2 Asne Seirstad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seirstad/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When a man has everything and does not know what more to do, he tries to teach his donkey to talk.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Asne Seirstad" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seirstad/when-a-man-has-everything-and-does-not-know-what-more-to-do-he-tries/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seirstad/when-a-man-has-everything-and-does-not-know-what-more-to-do-he-tries/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/asne-seirstad-101041_books_when-a-man-has-everything-and-does-not-k_1871833.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/asne-seirstad-101041_books_when-a-man-has-everything-and-does-not-k_1871833.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/asne-seirstad-101041_books_when-a-man-has-everything-and-does-not-k_1871833.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When a man has everything and does not know what more to do, he tries to teach his donkey to talk.” — Asne Seirstad", "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": "Asne Seirstad", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seirstad/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When a man has everything and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seirstad/when-a-man-has-everything-and-does-not-know-what-more-to-do-he-tries/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seirstad/when-a-man-has-everything-and-does-not-know-what-more-to-do-he-tries/#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 } } ] } ```