--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We may not be, as we used to boast, the…" description: "\"“We may not be, as we used to boast, the only ones who can deploy vocal communication for sheer pleasure and recreation, combining it with our two othe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be8/christopher-hitchens-117_boast_we-may-not-be-as-we-used-to-boast-the-on_299553.jpg" --- # We may not be, as we used to boast, the only ones who can… ![“We may not be, as we used to boast, the only ones who can deploy vocal communication for sheer pleasure and recreation, combining it with our two other boasts of reason and humor to produce higher syntheses. To lose this ability is to be deprived of an entire range of faculty. It is assuredly to…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be8/christopher-hitchens-117_boast_we-may-not-be-as-we-used-to-boast-the-on_299553.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be8/christopher-hitchens-117_boast_we-may-not-be-as-we-used-to-boast-the-on_299553.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be8/christopher-hitchens-117_boast_we-may-not-be-as-we-used-to-boast-the-on_299553.jpg) > ““We may not be, as we used to boast, the only ones who can deploy vocal communication for sheer pleasure and recreation, combining it with our two other boasts of reason and humor to produce higher syntheses. To lose this ability is to be deprived of an entire range of faculty. It is assuredly to die more than a little.”” [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. Losing the capacity for playful, rational, and humorous speech diminishes our mental richness and leads to a metaphorical death of creativity. **In simple terms:** Without wit and reason in speech, we lose part of ourselves. Key Takeaway Cultivate playful, thoughtful conversation. Themes creativity language humor reason humanity Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - social gatherings - educational settings - creative workshops - online forums Key Concepts philosophy communication cognitive diversity Questions to Reflect On - How does humor shape your identity? - Can reason and wit coexist in serious discourse? A Different Perspective Not all cultures value humor equally, limiting its universal applicability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability Deprived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-deprived-2865220/) [Boast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boast/) [Boast Ones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boast-ones-2865219/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Lose Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose-ability-465707/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Vocal Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocal-communication-2865221/) ## Related quotes > [Let others pride themselves about how many pages they have written; I'd rather boast about the ones I've read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/let-others-pride-themselves-about-how-many-pages-they-have-written-i/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [If I'm in a political argument, I think I can, with reasonable accuracy and without boasting, put the other person's side of the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/if-i-m-in-a-political-argument-i-think-i-can-with-reasonable-accuracy/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [When you consider how many millions of workdays begin with hangovers great and small, it is mildly ­surprising to find how few real descriptions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/when-you-consider-how-many-millions-of-workdays-begin-with-hangovers/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“In general, poor is polite and rich is rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/in-general-poor-is-polite-and-rich-is-rude/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Everyone can draw when they're five. Most of us lose the ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-browne/everyone-can-draw-when-they-re-five-most-of-us-lose-the-ability/) [Anthony Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-browne/) > [“...a man’s ability to dream is the most sincere form of ambition he has in his arsenal, and the only true glimmer of one’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthes/a-man-s-ability-to-dream-is-the-most-sincere-form-of-ambition-he-has/) [Dave Matthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthes/) > [“When you begin to claim someone as your man or woman, that's normally when you start to lose your ability to overwhelm them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/when-you-begin-to-claim-someone-as-your-man-or-woman-that-s-normally/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [“Most people lose the ability to see silver linings even though they are always there above us almost every day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/most-people-lose-the-ability-to-see-silver-linings-even-though-they/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [So, when you have that experienced knowledge you lose the ability to hurt people and you also lose the ability to be hurt by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/so-when-you-have-that-experienced-knowledge-you-lose-the-ability-to/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“The day you lose your ability to make me laugh, I’ll know that life isn’t worth living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pilkington/the-day-you-lose-your-ability-to-make-me-laugh-i-ll-know-that-life/) [Paul Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pilkington/) > [“If you’re careless and disorganized, you lose your ability to see things clearly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-bascomb/if-you-re-careless-and-disorganized-you-lose-your-ability-to-see/) [Neal Bascomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-bascomb/) > [The older I get, the more I lose my ability to breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-older-i-get-the-more-i-lose-my-ability-to-breathe/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Hey a rant. Haven't done one of those in a while. S'good to stretch out the Longevitus Ranticus section of the brain once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bullock/hey-a-rant-haven-t-done-one-of-those-in-a-while-s-good-to-stretch-out/) [Joseph Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bullock/) > [Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up because you will lose the ability to learn new things. Move forward with your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/aim-for-success-not-perfection-never-give-up-because-you-will-lose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Aim for success, but never give up your right to be wrong. Because when you do, you will also lose your ability to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/aim-for-success-but-never-give-up-your-right-to-be-wrong-because-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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 Boast quotes > [It would be a piece of ingenuousness to accuse the man of today of his lack of moral code. The accusation would leave him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/it-would-be-a-piece-of-ingenuousness-to-accuse-the-man-of-today-of/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [Win without boasting. Lose without excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-payson-terhune/win-without-boasting-lose-without-excuse/) [Albert Payson Terhune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-payson-terhune/) > [Further conceive, I beg, that a stone, while continuing in motion, should be capable of thinking and knowing, that it is endeavoring, as far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/further-conceive-i-beg-that-a-stone-while-continuing-in-motion-should/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [“In general, poor is polite and rich is rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/in-general-poor-is-polite-and-rich-is-rude/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“in other words, his story was part boast, part confession.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mezrich/in-other-words-his-story-was-part-boast-part-confession/) [Ben Mezrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mezrich/) > [We are not saints, but we have kept our appointment. How many people can boast as much?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/we-are-not-saints-but-we-have-kept-our-appointment-how-many-people/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Boast is always a cry of despair, except in the young it is a cry of hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/boast-is-always-a-cry-of-despair-except-in-the-young-it-is-a-cry-of/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) > [“A classic is read not to enjoy but only to be boast about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aman-jassal/a-classic-is-read-not-to-enjoy-but-only-to-be-boast-about-it/) [Aman Jassal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aman-jassal/) > [Buonaparte has often made his boast that our fleet would be worn out by keeping the sea and that his was kept in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/buonaparte-has-often-made-his-boast-that-our-fleet-would-be-worn-out/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [Wisdom can boast no higher attainment than happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-radcliffe/wisdom-can-boast-no-higher-attainment-than-happiness/) [Ann Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-radcliffe/) > [But thou art fair, and at thy birth, dear boy, Nature and Fortune join'd to make thee great: Of Nature's gifts thou mayst with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-thou-art-fair-and-at-thy-birth-dear-boy-nature-and-fortune-join-d/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Science appears but what in truth she is, Not as our glory and our absolute boast, But as a succedaneum, and a prop To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/science-appears-but-what-in-truth-she-is-not-as-our-glory-and-our/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [It has, therefore, been a favorite boast of the people of Wales and Cornwall, that the original British stock flourishes in its unmixed purity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bulfinch/it-has-therefore-been-a-favorite-boast-of-the-people-of-wales-and/) [Thomas Bulfinch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bulfinch/) > [Boasting is only a masked shame; it does not truly believe in itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/boasting-is-only-a-masked-shame-it-does-not-truly-believe-in-itself/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) [Browse all 567 Boast quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boast/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We may not be, as we used to boast, the only ones who can deploy vocal communication for sheer pleasure and recreation, combining it with our two other boasts of reason and humor to produce higher syntheses. 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