--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That’s the thing about living…" description: "\"That’s the thing about living vicariously; it’s so much faster than actual living. In a few minutes we’ll be worrying about names for the children.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/audrey-niffenegger-1298_children_that-s-the-thing-about-living-vicariousl_2680350.jpg" --- # That’s the thing about living vicariously; it’s so much… ![“That’s the thing about living vicariously; it’s so much faster than actual living. In a few minutes we’ll be worrying about names for the children.” quote by Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/audrey-niffenegger-1298_children_that-s-the-thing-about-living-vicariousl_2680350.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/audrey-niffenegger-1298_children_that-s-the-thing-about-living-vicariousl_2680350.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/audrey-niffenegger-1298_children_that-s-the-thing-about-living-vicariousl_2680350.jpg) > “That’s the thing about living vicariously; it’s so much faster than actual living. In a few minutes we’ll be worrying about names for the children.” [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living through others' experiences feels more exciting than authentic living, but it can detach us from reality. **In simple terms:** Vicarious living feels faster but shallow. Key Takeaway Balance imagination with real experience. Themes media vicariousness reality Mood contemplative nostalgic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - social media - storytelling - travel - personal growth Key Concepts psychology existentialism culture Questions to Reflect On - What do you gain from living vicariously? - When does it become harmful? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on vicariousness may cause disengagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Faster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faster/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living Vicariously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-vicariously-472536/) [Minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minutes/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Names Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names-children-762810/) [Vicariously Faster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vicariously-faster-2574787/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Worrying Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worrying-names-2574788/) ## Related quotes > [“That’s the thing about living vicariously; it’s so much faster than actual living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/that-s-the-thing-about-living-vicariously-it-s-so-much-faster-than/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“You call your child by the names of all your other children and finally the dog before you get to his.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/you-call-your-child-by-the-names-of-all-your-other-children-and/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [My grandparents never understood why my mother Noreen chose such exotic names for her children: Damon and me. My granny insisted on calling my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natascha-mcelhone/my-grandparents-never-understood-why-my-mother-noreen-chose-such/) [Natascha McElhone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natascha-mcelhone/) > [People are interested in living vicariously through others because there is always something instrumental that can be gleaned from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ridloff/people-are-interested-in-living-vicariously-through-others-because/) [Lauren Ridloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ridloff/) > [Such a woman is called "Mother's FRIEND" always ready to give judicious Parental advice and living vicariously on the experience of others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-berne/such-a-woman-is-called-mother-s-friend-always-ready-to-give-judicious/) [Eric Berne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-berne/) > [“Live your life to the fullest...you never know who is living vicariously through you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-sad/live-your-life-to-the-fullest-you-never-know-who-is-living/) [Natalie Sadè](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-sad/) > [“Too many people live vicariously through popular performers, arrogant actors, and obnoxious athletes, instead of living vicariously living through their children as God intended.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/too-many-people-live-vicariously-through-popular-performers-arrogant/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Learning to enjoy being single involves the ability to experience everything through your own essence, instead of living vicariously through a spouse or partner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-j-zelinski/learning-to-enjoy-being-single-involves-the-ability-to-experience/) [Ernie J Zelinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-j-zelinski/) > [We've become accustomed to repurposing and living vicariously through other people's work instead of going out and making our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-levy/we-ve-become-accustomed-to-repurposing-and-living-vicariously-through/) [Dan Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-levy/) > [As for the piano, the faster her fingers flew over it, the more he marveled. She struck the keys with aplomb and ran from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/as-for-the-piano-the-faster-her-fingers-flew-over-it-the-more-he/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [MOST TIMES WHEN WE ARE TOO FASTER THAN GOD,WE END UP PAYING OUR TRANSPORT BACK TO WAIT FOR HIM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffery-iyonawan/most-times-when-we-are-too-faster-than-god-we-end-up-paying-our/) [JEFFERY IYONAWAN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffery-iyonawan/) > [Spirituality does not have to be serious. You are spirituality. Fun laughter heal you faster than anything. Introduce fun back into your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-moorjani/spirituality-does-not-have-to-be-serious-you-are-spirituality-fun/) [Anita Moorjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-moorjani/) > [The average condition of the people improving or deteriorating, depends upon whether population is advancing faster than improvement, or improvement than population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-average-condition-of-the-people-improving-or-deteriorating/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [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 faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Audrey Niffenegger > [But you know: you know that if I could have stayed, if I could have gone on, that I would have clutched every second:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/but-you-know-you-know-that-if-i-could-have-stayed-if-i-could-have/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [I look at him, look at the book, remember, this book, this moment, the first book I ever loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/i-look-at-him-look-at-the-book-remember-this-book-this-moment-the/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“When I was young I didn't understand, but now, I know, how absence can be present, like a damaged nerve, like a dark bird.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/when-i-was-young-i-didn-t-understand-but-now-i-know-how-absence-can/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [Everything seems simple until you think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/everything-seems-simple-until-you-think-about-it/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [I place my hands over her ears and tip her head back, and kiss her, and try to put my heart into hers, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/i-place-my-hands-over-her-ears-and-tip-her-head-back-and-kiss-her-and/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“Sister Carmelita says animals don't have souls" "Of course animals have souls, where did she get that idea?" "She said the Pope says." "The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/sister-carmelita-says-animals-don-t-have-souls-of-course-animals-have/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [We didn't think the library was funny looking in it's faux- Greek splendor, nor did we find the cuisine limited or bland, or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/we-didn-t-think-the-library-was-funny-looking-in-it-s-faux-greek/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [He said something interesting: he said that he thinks there is only free will when you are in time, in the present. He says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/he-said-something-interesting-he-said-that-he-thinks-there-is-only/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“Dead is the most alone you can be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/dead-is-the-most-alone-you-can-be/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [What are you doing?" Nothing. Breaking and entering. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/what-are-you-doing-nothing-breaking-and-entering-pay-no-attention-to/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [I won't ever leave you, even though you're always leaving me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/i-won-t-ever-leave-you-even-though-you-re-always-leaving-me/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“It seems like we're going to collide, and we laugh, and laugh, and nothing can ever be sad, no one can be lost, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/it-seems-like-we-re-going-to-collide-and-we-laugh-and-laugh-and/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“We were royally miserable together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/we-were-royally-miserable-together/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“No.” Valentina closed her eyes. Of course not. “It’ll be great, Mouse. 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