--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No? How about now? Am I going backwards?'…" description: "\"“No? How about now? Am I going backwards?' For once the bird was perfectly still and steady. 'No,' said Random. 'Well I was in fact, I was moving backw..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/douglas-adams-122_first-place_no-how-about-now-am-i-going-backwards-fo_1747035.png" --- # No? How about now? Am I going backwards?' For once the… ![“No? How about now? Am I going backwards?' For once the bird was perfectly still and steady. 'No,' said Random. 'Well I was in fact, I was moving backwards in time. Hmmm. Well I think we've sorted all that out now. If you'd like to know, I can tell you that in your universe you move freely in three…” quote by Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/douglas-adams-122_first-place_no-how-about-now-am-i-going-backwards-fo_1747035.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/douglas-adams-122_first-place_no-how-about-now-am-i-going-backwards-fo_1747035.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/douglas-adams-122_first-place_no-how-about-now-am-i-going-backwards-fo_1747035.png) > ““No? How about now? Am I going backwards?' For once the bird was perfectly still and steady. 'No,' said Random. 'Well I was in fact, I was moving backwards in time. Hmmm. Well I think we've sorted all that out now. If you'd like to know, I can tell you that in your universe you move freely in three dimensions that you call space. You move in a straight line in a fourth, which you call time, and stay rooted to one place in a fifth, which is the first fundamental of probability. After that it gets a bit complicated, and there's all sorts of stuff going on in dimensions 13 to 22 that you really wouldn't want to know about. All you really need to know for the moment is that the universe is a lot more complicated than you might think, even if you start from a position of thinking it's pretty damn complicated in the first place. I can easily not say words like «damn» if it offends you.' 'Say what you damn well like.' 'I will.' 'What the hell are you?' demanded Random. 'I am The Guide. In your universe I am your Guide. In fact I inhabit what is technically known as the Whole Sort of General Mish Mash which means . . . well, let me show you.”” [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage humorously describes a complex, multi‑dimensional universe where time, space, and probability are separate dimensions, highlighting the limits of human understanding. **In simple terms:** The universe has many hidden dimensions beyond everyday experience. Key Takeaway Embrace curiosity about the unknown. Themes science philosophy humor complexity dimensionality Mood playful thought‑provoking skeptical Type fictional educational entertaining When to use this quote - science education - creative writing - philosophical debate - entertainment - technology development Key Concepts multiverse theory probability time travel higher dimensions epistemology Questions to Reflect On - What does this suggest about human perception limits? - How can we balance wonder with scientific rigor? A Different Perspective Simplifying such concepts can mislead or oversimplify reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Straight line](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straight-line/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“One cannot even light a casual cigarette unless the artistic permission of the universe is freely given!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/one-cannot-even-light-a-casual-cigarette-unless-the-artistic/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“Ill met by moonlight,' said Deirdre. 'You could still be tied to a stake,' said Random, and she did not reply.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/ill-met-by-moonlight-said-deirdre-you-could-still-be-tied-to-a-stake/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I'm not a 'real rapper'; I just like to talk about what I've been through. When I was younger, I just said random, stupid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-m-not-a-real-rapper-i-just-like-to-talk-about-what-i-ve-been/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [“I'm going to check on you in the night," he said. "At random intervals of my choosing." "I figured.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/i-m-going-to-check-on-you-in-the-night-he-said-at-random-intervals-of/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [Your whole life boils down to a moment that will take 20-40 seconds. How crazy is that? And it's every four years. I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caeleb-dressel/your-whole-life-boils-down-to-a-moment-that-will-take-20-40-seconds/) [Caeleb Dressel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caeleb-dressel/) > [“Can we simply address what it means to be human? What is available to us in this brief moment when the universe lifts up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/can-we-simply-address-what-it-means-to-be-human-what-is-available-to/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [In every moment the Universe is whispering to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-linn/in-every-moment-the-universe-is-whispering-to-you/) [Denise Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-linn/) > [Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again And what do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/each-second-we-live-is-a-new-and-unique-moment-of-the-universe-a-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [You can call it the 'Perfect Moment' when the universe aligns and the music in your head actually matches the music outside and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-elliot/you-can-call-it-the-perfect-moment-when-the-universe-aligns-and-the/) [Hugh Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-elliot/) > [Imagine, for a moment, that you are the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-tarnas/imagine-for-a-moment-that-you-are-the-universe/) [Richard Tarnas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-tarnas/) > [Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe; a moment that never was before and never will be again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-casals/each-second-we-live-is-a-new-and-unique-moment-of-the-universe-a/) [Pablo Casals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-casals/) > [You can't go forward and backwards at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/you-can-t-go-forward-and-backwards-at-the-same-time/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [If you wanted to travel backwards in time, you're out of luck. We have theories on how it might be possible to do so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-hill/if-you-wanted-to-travel-backwards-in-time-you-re-out-of-luck-we-have/) [Kyle Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-hill/) > [A mathematician makes plans to travel backwards in time through a wormhole to a parallel universe when he can't even make it to Mars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-mathematician-makes-plans-to-travel-backwards-in-time-through-a/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [Time is not a line but a dimension, like the dimensions of space. If you can bend space you can bend time also, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/time-is-not-a-line-but-a-dimension-like-the-dimensions-of-space-if/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## More by Douglas Adams > [2,000 years ago one man got nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be if everyone was nice to each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/2-000-years-ago-one-man-got-nailed-to-a-tree-for-saying-how-great-it/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [What a wonderfully exciting cough,' said the little man, quite startled by it, 'do you mind if I join you?' And with that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/what-a-wonderfully-exciting-cough-said-the-little-man-quite-startled/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [The technology involved in making anything invisible is so infinitely complex that nine hundred and ninety-nine billion, nine hundred and ninety-nine million, nine hundred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-technology-involved-in-making-anything-invisible-is-so-infinitely/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [One is never alone with a rubber duck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/one-is-never-alone-with-a-rubber-duck/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/this-must-be-thursday-i-never-could-get-the-hang-of-thursdays/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [There are some oddities in the perspective with which we see the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/there-are-some-oddities-in-the-perspective-with-which-we-see-the-world/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“Eight hours West sat a man alone on a beach mourning an inexplicable loss. He could only think of his loss in little packets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/eight-hours-west-sat-a-man-alone-on-a-beach-mourning-an-inexplicable/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“The Universe, the whole infinite Universe. The infinite suns, the infinite distances between them, and yourself an invisible dot on an invisible dot, infinitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-universe-the-whole-infinite-universe-the-infinite-suns-the/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [People always make this totally artificial distinction between what is commercial and what is good. They quote that maxim "Nobody ever lost money underestimating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/people-always-make-this-totally-artificial-distinction-between-what/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/any-man-who-can-hitch-the-length-and-breadth-of-the-galaxy-rough-it/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [ Does God know he \[exists\]?" "Of course he does. Otherwise, you could not have asked the question, and I could not have answered. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/does-god-know-he-exists-of-course-he-does-otherwise-you-could-not/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“When we told our guide that we didn't want to go to all the tourist places he took us instead to the places where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/when-we-told-our-guide-that-we-didn-t-want-to-go-to-all-the-tourist/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“But Douglas was a genius, because he saw the world differently, and more importantly, he could communicate the world he saw.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/but-douglas-was-a-genius-because-he-saw-the-world-differently-and/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“The bits which did mean anything were often so wonderfully buried that no one could ever spot them slipping past in the avalanche of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-bits-which-did-mean-anything-were-often-so-wonderfully-buried/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [You come to me for advice, but you can't cope with anything you don't recognize. Hmmm. So we'll have to tell you something you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/you-come-to-me-for-advice-but-you-can-t-cope-with-anything-you-don-t/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) [Explore all 1,168 Douglas Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) ## More First place quotes > [“But the process should not be confused with science. When tests are used as selections devices, they're not a neutral tool; they become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-whyte/but-the-process-should-not-be-confused-with-science-when-tests-are/) [William H. Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-whyte/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [At times you are going to miss people. When that happens, others have to come to the front and show the calibre that brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-phelan/at-times-you-are-going-to-miss-people-when-that-happens-others-have/) [Mike Phelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-phelan/) > [Im never shocked when people let me down nowadays. I just hate the fact that I put myself in a position to be let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-never-shocked-when-people-let-me-down-nowadays-i-just-hate-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Had a 90's music party with my Glee family tonight. Helped remind me why I got into music in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-salling/had-a-90-s-music-party-with-my-glee-family-tonight-helped-remind-me/) [Mark Salling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-salling/) > [“We heard about people who go back to their roots. That is good, but don't get stuck in the root. There is the branch,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/we-heard-about-people-who-go-back-to-their-roots-that-is-good-but-don/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of not trying in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/don-t-be-afraid-of-failure-be-afraid-of-not-trying-in-the-first-place/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [“If you have the ability and the opportunity to help someone, but you don't do anything just because you're scared or it's inconvenient or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bree-despain/if-you-have-the-ability-and-the-opportunity-to-help-someone-but-you/) [Bree Despain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bree-despain/) > [Every penny we spend comes from the taxpayer. We thus owe it to the taxpayer to work as hard managing that money wisely as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-mulvaney/every-penny-we-spend-comes-from-the-taxpayer-we-thus-owe-it-to-the/) [Mick Mulvaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-mulvaney/) > [“The traumatized soul finds no rest in conditions of peace. It’s forever questing for violence, for action, for the same combination of factors which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-s-williams/the-traumatized-soul-finds-no-rest-in-conditions-of-peace-it-s/) [Matthew S. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-s-williams/) > [When you're 20 you care what everyone thinks, when you're 40 you stop caring what everyone thinks, when you're 60 you realize no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/when-you-re-20-you-care-what-everyone-thinks-when-you-re-40-you-stop/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Because I'm not, in fact, depressed, Prozac makes me manic and numb - one of the reasons I slice my arm in the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-hornbacher/because-i-m-not-in-fact-depressed-prozac-makes-me-manic-and-numb-one/) [Marya Hornbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-hornbacher/) > [“The greatest faith is the willingness to ask in the first place, all evidence to the contrary. Faith not just in God, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cronin/the-greatest-faith-is-the-willingness-to-ask-in-the-first-place-all/) [Justin Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cronin/) [Browse all 2,907 First place quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No? How about now? Am I going backwards?' For once the bird was perfectly still and steady. 'No,' said Random. 'Well I was in fact, I was moving backwards in time. Hmmm. Well I think we've sorted all that out now. If you'd like to know, I can tell you that in your universe you move freely in three dimensions that you call space. You move in a straight line in a fourth, which you call time, and stay rooted to one place in a fifth, which is the first fundamental of probability. After that it gets a bit complicated, and there's all sorts of stuff going on in dimensions 13 to 22 that you really wouldn't want to know about. All you really need to know for the moment is that the universe is a lot more complicated than you might think, even if you start from a position of thinking it's pretty damn complicated in the first place. I can easily not say words like «damn» if it offends you.' 'Say what you damn well like.' 'I will.' 'What the hell are you?' demanded Random. 'I am The Guide. In your universe I am your Guide. In fact I inhabit what is technically known as the Whole Sort of General Mish Mash which means . . . well, let me show you.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Douglas Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/no-how-about-now-am-i-going-backwards-for-once-the-bird-was-perfectly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "First place" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/no-how-about-now-am-i-going-backwards-for-once-the-bird-was-perfectly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/douglas-adams-122_first-place_no-how-about-now-am-i-going-backwards-fo_1747035.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/douglas-adams-122_first-place_no-how-about-now-am-i-going-backwards-fo_1747035.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/douglas-adams-122_first-place_no-how-about-now-am-i-going-backwards-fo_1747035.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No? How about now? Am I going backwards?' For once the bird was perfectly still and steady. 'No,' said…” — Douglas Adams", "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": "Douglas Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“No? How about now? Am I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/no-how-about-now-am-i-going-backwards-for-once-the-bird-was-perfectly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/no-how-about-now-am-i-going-backwards-for-once-the-bird-was-perfectly/#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 } } ] } ```