--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know what’s coming you see. I know no…" description: "\"“I know what’s coming you see. I know no one beats these odds and I know it’s a matter of getting used to that and realizing that you are expelled from..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/christopher-hitchens-117_getting-used_i-know-what-s-coming-you-see-i-know-no-o_756176.jpg" --- # I know what’s coming you see. I know no one beats these… ![“I know what’s coming you see. I know no one beats these odds and I know it’s a matter of getting used to that and realizing that you are expelled from your mother’s uterus as if shot from a cannon towards a barn door studded with old nail files and rusty hooks. It’s a matter of how you use up the…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/christopher-hitchens-117_getting-used_i-know-what-s-coming-you-see-i-know-no-o_756176.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/christopher-hitchens-117_getting-used_i-know-what-s-coming-you-see-i-know-no-o_756176.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad2/christopher-hitchens-117_getting-used_i-know-what-s-coming-you-see-i-know-no-o_756176.jpg) > ““I know what’s coming you see. I know no one beats these odds and I know it’s a matter of getting used to that and realizing that you are expelled from your mother’s uterus as if shot from a cannon towards a barn door studded with old nail files and rusty hooks. It’s a matter of how you use up the intervening time in an intelligent and ironic way; and try not to do anything ghastly to your fellow creatures.”” [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes life's harsh randomness and the need to navigate it intelligently, using irony and compassion while avoiding cruelty. **In simple terms:** Life is chaotic; act wisely. Key Takeaway Navigate chaos wisely. Themes existential irony compassion Mood thoughtful serious Type existential ethical When to use this quote - personal crises - social interactions - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts human condition mortality ethical behavior Questions to Reflect On - How do you find meaning amid absurdity? - What responsibilities do we have to others? A Different Perspective Humor may not ease suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Expelled Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expelled-mother-5873129/) [Getting used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-used/) [Ironic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ironic/) [Ironic Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ironic-way-2046917/) [Know Coming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-coming/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Uterus Shot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uterus-shot-5873128/) ## Related quotes > [“Destiny has an ironic way of manifesting itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-cenker/destiny-has-an-ironic-way-of-manifesting-itself/) [Dave Cenker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-cenker/) > [Maybe you've got the patience to work out some complicated, long-term, ironic way to get back at the people who've wronged you, but that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/maybe-you-ve-got-the-patience-to-work-out-some-complicated-long-term/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) > [“It's ironic, in a way. I've spent a lifetime controlling the emotions of others. Now I'm so afraid, I can't even function.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/it-s-ironic-in-a-way-i-ve-spent-a-lifetime-controlling-the-emotions/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [None of the cartoons that I ever did are basically, if they're about sex, they're about sex in sort of this, you know, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mankoff/none-of-the-cartoons-that-i-ever-did-are-basically-if-they-re-about/) [Robert Mankoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mankoff/) > [The struggle for a free intelligence has always been a struggle between the ironic and the literal mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-struggle-for-a-free-intelligence-has-always-been-a-struggle/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Our weapons are the ironic mind against the literal: the open mind against the credulous; the courageous pursuit of truth against the fearful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/our-weapons-are-the-ironic-mind-against-the-literal-the-open-mind/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“There's the waiting for something you don't know is coming. You don't even know what it is exactly, but you're hoping for it. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martine-murray/there-s-the-waiting-for-something-you-don-t-know-is-coming-you-don-t/) [Martine Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martine-murray/) > [You have to work on your stand-up to know what's coming, but jiu-jitsu is enough to win the fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royce-gracie/you-have-to-work-on-your-stand-up-to-know-what-s-coming-but-jiu-jitsu/) [Royce Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/royce-gracie/) > [I'm going to die one day. I know it's coming for me, too. I'll be a mountain, I'll be a stone on the beach.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/i-m-going-to-die-one-day-i-know-it-s-coming-for-me-too-i-ll-be-a/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“There is something horrible in life. We don’t know what it is, but it is coming toward us whether fast or slow, from in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-booth/there-is-something-horrible-in-life-we-don-t-know-what-it-is-but-it/) [Mark Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-booth/) > [“The moon. Even though we know it’s coming. Every time we see it, it makes us pause, and hush.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-moon-even-though-we-know-it-s-coming-every-time-we-see-it-it/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The truth is, as you know, people like us look at what's happening in the world, and then we project it forward. We think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/the-truth-is-as-you-know-people-like-us-look-at-what-s-happening-in/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [With everything happening today, You dont know whether you're coming or going, But you think that you're on your way, Life lined up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/with-everything-happening-today-you-dont-know-whether-you-re-coming/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [When you know what's coming, you can not get caught off guard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-know-what-s-coming-you-can-not-get-caught-off-guard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ The real preparation for \[Christ's\] return is not to act like we know it's coming right now and do something different. It's to do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/the-real-preparation-for-christ-s-return-is-not-to-act-like-we-know/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) ## More by Christopher Hitchens > [“The spirit of our accurate and exact philosophy is outraged by conclusions that contradict each other so glaringly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-spirit-of-our-accurate-and-exact-philosophy-is-outraged-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/many-governments-employ-torture-but-this-was-the-first-time-that-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ It's \[Los Angeles\] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ \[Religion\] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integrity-the-core-of-our-self/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“In the very recent past, we have seen the Church of Rome befouled by its complicity with the unpardonable sin of child rape, or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-the-very-recent-past-we-have-seen-the-church-of-rome-befouled-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's surprising to me how many of my friends send Christmas cards, or holiday cards, including my atheist and secular friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-surprising-to-me-how-many-of-my-friends-send-christmas-cards-or/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Suppose there were groups of secularists at hospitals who went round the terminally ill and urged them to adopt atheism: 'Don't be a mug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/suppose-there-were-groups-of-secularists-at-hospitals-who-went-round/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“It isn’t so long since a test of Anglican orthodoxy was applied to anyone seeking to study or teach at Oxford and Cambridge universities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-isn-t-so-long-since-a-test-of-anglican-orthodoxy-was-applied-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Gullibility and credulity are considered undesireable qualities in every department of human life - except religion ... Why are we praised by godly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/gullibility-and-credulity-are-considered-undesireable-qualities-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's much worse to see a woman drunk than a man: I don't know quite why this is true but it just is. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-much-worse-to-see-a-woman-drunk-than-a-man-i-don-t-know-quite/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's true that obscenity is a matter of taste and in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-true-that-obscenity-is-a-matter-of-taste-and-in-the-eye-of-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I worked out early on to give up things I couldn't do well at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-worked-out-early-on-to-give-up-things-i-couldn-t-do-well-at-all/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Writing is what's important to me, and anything that helps me do that - or enhances and prolongs and deepens and sometimes intensifies argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/writing-is-what-s-important-to-me-and-anything-that-helps-me-do-that/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Explore all 1,241 Christopher Hitchens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## More Getting used quotes > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [“It’s just taking some getting used to. The snarling, the hissing, the purring. Then I have to deal with it from the baby….” “Ha,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-laurenston/it-s-just-taking-some-getting-used-to-the-snarling-the-hissing-the/) [Shelly Laurenston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-laurenston/) > [To be disappointed too much that I think I'm getting used to being let down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-disappointed-too-much-that-i-think-i-m-getting-used-to-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like the communication and trust that comes from a long-term relationship. When you really know people as musicians and as people, you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-liebman/i-like-the-communication-and-trust-that-comes-from-a-long-term/) [Dave Liebman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-liebman/) > [Get used to me, I am not getting used to anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/get-used-to-me-i-am-not-getting-used-to-anyone/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [One of the things I had a hard time getting used to when I came to California in '78 was Santa Claus in shorts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-franz/one-of-the-things-i-had-a-hard-time-getting-used-to-when-i-came-to/) [Dennis Franz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-franz/) > [Different directors have different things, so when I left Mike Leigh, as it were, and I went into other projects after 'All or Nothing,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-hawkins/different-directors-have-different-things-so-when-i-left-mike-leigh/) [Sally Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-hawkins/) > [The sound was my greatest concern. There were certain difficulties getting used to the way every musician can hear his or herself, the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sound-was-my-greatest-concern-there-were-certain-difficulties/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In this country, you look at a person, and you know them. It is the inside-out way the people of this country wear their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-beneba-clarke/in-this-country-you-look-at-a-person-and-you-know-them-it-is-the/) [Maxine Beneba Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-beneba-clarke/) > [I recently have had a full hip replacement and a liver transplant, and I'm getting used to the medication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evel-knievel/i-recently-have-had-a-full-hip-replacement-and-a-liver-transplant-and/) [Evel Knievel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evel-knievel/) > ['Adrift With Geoff Lloyd and Annabel Port' features Absolute Radio escapee Geoff and erstwhile colleague Annabel doing something similar. All are appealing individuals with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hepworth/adrift-with-geoff-lloyd-and-annabel-port-features-absolute-radio/) [David Hepworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hepworth/) > [I think people are getting more and more comfortable - watching content at home is blurring that line, because people are getting used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-scott/i-think-people-are-getting-more-and-more-comfortable-watching-content/) [Adam Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-scott/) > [People who don't do jazz think it's black magic. But really, it's just a matter of getting used to it. 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