--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...Because what's the meaning of doing…" description: "\"...Because what's the meaning of doing dishes if you're not driven by something beyond necessity.\" — Don DeLillo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/don-delillo-294_dishes_because-what-s-the-meaning-of-doing-dish_1662737.jpg" --- # ...Because what's the meaning of doing dishes if you're… ![“...Because what's the meaning of doing dishes if you're not driven by something beyond necessity.” quote by Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/don-delillo-294_dishes_because-what-s-the-meaning-of-doing-dish_1662737.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/don-delillo-294_dishes_because-what-s-the-meaning-of-doing-dish_1662737.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/don-delillo-294_dishes_because-what-s-the-meaning-of-doing-dish_1662737.jpg) > “...Because what's the meaning of doing dishes if you're not driven by something beyond necessity.” [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Tasks become meaningful only when driven by a purpose beyond mere necessity, adding depth to routine actions. **In simple terms:** Purpose gives meaning to chores. Key Takeaway Find purpose beyond necessity. Themes meaning motivation purpose Mood thoughtful contemplative Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - daily chores - volunteer work - creative routines - career tasks Key Concepts existentialism intrinsic motivation value of work Questions to Reflect On - What drives you beyond necessity? - Can routine become meaningful without purpose? A Different Perspective It may romanticize mundane tasks, overlooking their practical nature. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Driven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driven/) [Necessity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessity/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) ## Related quotes > [I am often driven by necessity, rather than actually doing things like an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-davies/i-am-often-driven-by-necessity-rather-than-actually-doing-things-like/) [Greg Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-davies/) > [I'm a total failure at housewifery. I always have been, 'cause I daydream too much. If I start doing the dishes at one in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-a-total-failure-at-housewifery-i-always-have-been-cause-i/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/the-best-time-for-planning-a-book-is-while-you-re-doing-the-dishes/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [No man was ever shot by his wife while doing the dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-man-was-ever-shot-by-his-wife-while-doing-the-dishes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Making a killer breakfast burrito? I got game. Washing the car? Love it. Doing the dishes? I love it more than washing the car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/making-a-killer-breakfast-burrito-i-got-game-washing-the-car-love-it/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [The best time to plan a book is while you're doing the dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/the-best-time-to-plan-a-book-is-while-you-re-doing-the-dishes/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [My boyfriend said; Guess who's doing the dishes tonight? So I hit that Soulja Boy and said, YOUUUUUUU!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pretty-ladii/my-boyfriend-said-guess-who-s-doing-the-dishes-tonight-so-i-hit-that/) [Pretty Ladii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pretty-ladii/) > [Awkward moment when your mom is doing the dishes and you silently put your plate..!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabassum/awkward-moment-when-your-mom-is-doing-the-dishes-and-you-silently-put/) [Tabassum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabassum/) > [“Try to get into the habit of dealing with your dishes immediately after using them. If doing the dishes is just as much a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hoffman/try-to-get-into-the-habit-of-dealing-with-your-dishes-immediately/) [Rachel Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hoffman/) > [The awkward moment when your mom's doing the dishes, so you slowly put another one in and walk away fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-awkward-moment-when-your-mom-s-doing-the-dishes-so-you-slowly-put/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love cutting flowers and working in the garden. I like doing dishes. I can become obsessive about mundane things like cleaning out my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-love-cutting-flowers-and-working-in-the-garden-i-like-doing-dishes/) [Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/) > [“I don't´t like doing dishes. I like eating with my hands and off napkins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-don-t-t-like-doing-dishes-i-like-eating-with-my-hands-and-off/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“The rest of the house was perfectly in order, as it always is, thanks to my system. It doesn’t have a name—I just call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-july/the-rest-of-the-house-was-perfectly-in-order-as-it-always-is-thanks/) [Miranda July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-july/) > [That awkward moment when someone is doing the dishes and you slowly put another dish in the sink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-awkward-moment-when-someone-is-doing-the-dishes-and-you-slowly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My mom said to me guess who's doing the dishes tonight? I hit that Soulja Boy and said YOOOUUUUUU!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-mom-said-to-me-guess-who-s-doing-the-dishes-tonight-i-hit-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Don DeLillo > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Everything is barely weeks. Everything is days. We have minutes to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/everything-is-barely-weeks-everything-is-days-we-have-minutes-to-live/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [The novel is the dream release, the suspension of reality that history needs to escape its own brutal confinements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-novel-is-the-dream-release-the-suspension-of-reality-that-history/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“As I listened I thought a featureless baggy man was striking me in slow motion with a well-polished stone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/as-i-listened-i-thought-a-featureless-baggy-man-was-striking-me-in/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Murray said, 'I don't trust anybody's nostalgia but my own. Nostalgia is a product of dissatisfaction and rage. It´s a settling of grievances between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/murray-said-i-don-t-trust-anybody-s-nostalgia-but-my-own-nostalgia-is/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“She is beginning to think it is possible that all creation is a spurt of blank matter that chances to make an emerald planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/she-is-beginning-to-think-it-is-possible-that-all-creation-is-a-spurt/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Those who have abandoned belief must still believe in us. They are sure that they are right not to believe but they know belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/those-who-have-abandoned-belief-must-still-believe-in-us-they-are/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“The plane had lost power in all three engines, dropped from thirty-four thousand feet to twelve thousand feet. Something like four miles. When the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-plane-had-lost-power-in-all-three-engines-dropped-from-thirty/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Grass: I live in a great steel tower that reflects the blazing sun. People catch fire just walking by. The more bodies that pile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/grass-i-live-in-a-great-steel-tower-that-reflects-the-blazing-sun/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“What people discard could make a nation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/what-people-discard-could-make-a-nation/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Marriage is something we make from available materials. In this sense it’s improvised, it’s almost offhand. Maybe this is why we know so little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/marriage-is-something-we-make-from-available-materials-in-this-sense/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [The true life is not reducible to words spoken or written, not by anyone, ever. The true life takes place when we're alone, thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-true-life-is-not-reducible-to-words-spoken-or-written-not-by/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [I've come to think of Europe as a hardcover book, America as the paperback version.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-ve-come-to-think-of-europe-as-a-hardcover-book-america-as-the/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [There is a set of balances and rhythms to a novel that we can't experience in real life. So I think there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/there-is-a-set-of-balances-and-rhythms-to-a-novel-that-we-can-t/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“There is no lie in war or preparation of war that can't be defended. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/there-is-no-lie-in-war-or-preparation-of-war-that-can-t-be-defended/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) [Explore all 699 Don DeLillo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) ## More Dishes quotes > [I enjoy cooking, but stick to modern dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-starkey/i-enjoy-cooking-but-stick-to-modern-dishes/) [David Starkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-starkey/) > [I had my first French meal and I never got over it. It was just marvelous. We had oysters and a lovely dry white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/i-had-my-first-french-meal-and-i-never-got-over-it-it-was-just/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [I go to my mom's house and she'll make me do the dishes or clean up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-wilson/i-go-to-my-mom-s-house-and-she-ll-make-me-do-the-dishes-or-clean-up/) [Gabriella Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriella-wilson/) > [Simple diet is best: for many dishes bring many diseases, and rich sauces are worse than even heaping several meats upon each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/simple-diet-is-best-for-many-dishes-bring-many-diseases-and-rich/) [Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/) > [Really, I don't know what I'd do with myself if I retire. Wash dishes?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-lynn/really-i-don-t-know-what-i-d-do-with-myself-if-i-retire-wash-dishes/) [Loretta Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-lynn/) > [The thought processes that go through my head when I'm playing a game compared to the thought processes in real life are very, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-romero/the-thought-processes-that-go-through-my-head-when-i-m-playing-a-game/) [John Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-romero/) > [I don't like turkey. I mean, I do. But I don't like it on Thanksgiving. I don't need it. There are about 20 other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-morris/i-don-t-like-turkey-i-mean-i-do-but-i-don-t-like-it-on-thanksgiving-i/) [Wesley Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-morris/) > [Snobs are people who look down on other people, but that does not justify our looking down on them. Who can say what dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/snobs-are-people-who-look-down-on-other-people-but-that-does-not/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Holy is the dish and drain, the soap and sink, and the cup and plate and the warm wool socks, and the cold white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-newcomer/holy-is-the-dish-and-drain-the-soap-and-sink-and-the-cup-and-plate/) [Carrie Newcomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-newcomer/) > [That's what actually caused me to run for office is, you know, my family story, the experience of growing up in a family where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/that-s-what-actually-caused-me-to-run-for-office-is-you-know-my/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Women are dirt searchers; their greatest worth is irradicating rings on collars and tables. Never mind real-estate boards' corruption and racism, here's your soapsuds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/women-are-dirt-searchers-their-greatest-worth-is-irradicating-rings/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [If I am incapable of washing dishes joyfully, if I want to finish them quickly so I can go and have dessert, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/if-i-am-incapable-of-washing-dishes-joyfully-if-i-want-to-finish-them/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [My mom had Julia Child and 'The Fannie Farmer Cookbook' on top of the refrigerator, and she had a small repertoire of French dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/my-mom-had-julia-child-and-the-fannie-farmer-cookbook-on-top-of-the/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [I tell everybody the same thing: You have to make every dish so when you taste it, you should remember it when you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-puck/i-tell-everybody-the-same-thing-you-have-to-make-every-dish-so-when/) [Wolfgang Puck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-puck/) > [I find myself dreaming of doing normal things - like staying home and washing dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shalom-harlow/i-find-myself-dreaming-of-doing-normal-things-like-staying-home-and/) [Shalom Harlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shalom-harlow/) Browse all 813 Dishes quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "...Because what's the meaning of doing dishes if you're not driven by something beyond necessity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Don DeLillo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/because-what-s-the-meaning-of-doing-dishes-if-you-re-not-driven-by/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dishes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/because-what-s-the-meaning-of-doing-dishes-if-you-re-not-driven-by/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/don-delillo-294_dishes_because-what-s-the-meaning-of-doing-dish_1662737.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/don-delillo-294_dishes_because-what-s-the-meaning-of-doing-dish_1662737.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/770/don-delillo-294_dishes_because-what-s-the-meaning-of-doing-dish_1662737.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...Because what's the meaning of doing dishes if you're not driven by something beyond necessity.” — Don DeLillo", "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": "Don DeLillo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "...Because what's the meaning of doing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/because-what-s-the-meaning-of-doing-dishes-if-you-re-not-driven-by/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/because-what-s-the-meaning-of-doing-dishes-if-you-re-not-driven-by/#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 } } ] } ```