--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can't win against obsession. They…" description: "\"We can't win against obsession. They care, we don't. They win.\" — Douglas Adams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/douglas-adams-122_can-t-win_we-can-t-win-against-obsession-they-care_2019626.png" --- # We can't win against obsession. They care, we don't. They… ![“We can't win against obsession. They care, we don't. They win.” quote by Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/douglas-adams-122_can-t-win_we-can-t-win-against-obsession-they-care_2019626.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/douglas-adams-122_can-t-win_we-can-t-win-against-obsession-they-care_2019626.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/douglas-adams-122_can-t-win_we-can-t-win-against-obsession-they-care_2019626.png) > “We can't win against obsession. They care, we don't. They win.” [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. He notes that obsession overwhelms rational care, leading to inevitable victory for the obsessed. **In simple terms:** Obsession beats rational effort; the obsessed win. Key Takeaway Beware of letting obsession dominate. Themes obsession logic conflict Mood cautionary analytical Type statement philosophical When to use this quote - business negotiations - personal habits - political campaigns Key Concepts psychology competition Questions to Reflect On - When does rationality overcome obsession? - How can you balance passion with reason? A Different Perspective Rational effort can sometimes succeed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Can't win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-t-win/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Care Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care-don/) [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) [Obsession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsession/) [Obsession Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsession-care-3650660/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Win Obsession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win-obsession-3650661/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [We're not obsessed by anything, you see," insisted Ford. "..." "And that's the deciding factor. We can't win against obsession. They care, we don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/we-re-not-obsessed-by-anything-you-see-insisted-ford-and-that-s-the/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [There are no expectations on a 40-year-old man. All I have to worry about is intensity, and things will take care of themselves. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-parish/there-are-no-expectations-on-a-40-year-old-man-all-i-have-to-worry/) [Robert Parish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-parish/) > [“I don’t care. I do care. I don’t know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-don-t-care-i-do-care-i-don-t-know/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I still care, you still don't...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-still-care-you-still-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have a job to do, I have a wife and child to take care of. So I don't pay attention to things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-baio/i-have-a-job-to-do-i-have-a-wife-and-child-to-take-care-of-so-i-don-t/) [Scott Baio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-baio/) > [“You have to take good care of yourself. If you don't, nobody will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindrella/you-have-to-take-good-care-of-yourself-if-you-don-t-nobody-will/) [Cindrella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindrella/) > [“There is something about having someone take care of you, even when you don’t need it – maybe especially when you don’t need it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/there-is-something-about-having-someone-take-care-of-you-even-when/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [If you care about what you do, you don't want to let people down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-learned/if-you-care-about-what-you-do-you-don-t-want-to-let-people-down/) [Michael Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-learned/) > [Sometimes, you gave up on someone. Not because you don't care but because they don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfaaz/sometimes-you-gave-up-on-someone-not-because-you-don-t-care-but/) [Alfaaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfaaz/) > [Sometimes you have to give up on people. Not because you don't care, but because they don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-have-to-give-up-on-people-not-because-you-don-t-care-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't understand how I can care this much, when you don't care at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-understand-how-i-can-care-this-much-when-you-don-t-care-at-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't understand how I care so much WHEN YOU DON'T CARE at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/itsme867/i-don-t-understand-how-i-care-so-much-when-you-don-t-care-at-all/) [Itsme867](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/itsme867/) > [Love yourself, take care of yourself, don't give up on yourself, don't lie to yourself, and don't let people hurt you over and over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/love-yourself-take-care-of-yourself-don-t-give-up-on-yourself-don-t/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“Did the thought ever occur to you that I might care about you? People are allowed to care about each other." "You don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/did-the-thought-ever-occur-to-you-that-i-might-care-about-you-people/) [Benjamin Alire Sáenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) > [“I'm taking care of you. You don't need to know anything else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-m-taking-care-of-you-you-don-t-need-to-know-anything-else/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) ## 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 Can't win quotes > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [We can't win the struggle for high standards if we just talk a good game . . . we've got to play a good game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/we-can-t-win-the-struggle-for-high-standards-if-we-just-talk-a-good/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [You can't win 'til you're not afraid to lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-win-til-you-re-not-afraid-to-lose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hate games I can't win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/i-hate-games-i-can-t-win/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [Well you can't win the lottery if you don't have a ticket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/well-you-can-t-win-the-lottery-if-you-don-t-have-a-ticket/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [The people that can't win elections, outside of Barack Obama, the people on the Democrat side who cannot win elections, who do not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-people-that-can-t-win-elections-outside-of-barack-obama-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't know how you change that. There's hardly anybody left like me in the Democratic Party in Congress. These districts have been so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/i-don-t-know-how-you-change-that-there-s-hardly-anybody-left-like-me/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/oh-the-places-you-ll-go-there-is-fun-to-be-done-there-are-points-to/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Italians can't win the game against you, but you can lose the game against the Italians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/italians-can-t-win-the-game-against-you-but-you-can-lose-the-game/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [Self-esteem can’t win you a race if you’re not in shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-zamperini/self-esteem-can-t-win-you-a-race-if-you-re-not-in-shape/) [Louis Zamperini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-zamperini/) > [Certainly the game is rigged. Don't let that stop you; if you don't bet you can't win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/certainly-the-game-is-rigged-don-t-let-that-stop-you-if-you-don-t-bet/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [You can't win for losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/you-can-t-win-for-losing/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [Ball so hard that you can't win it. So much money bank can't fit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/ball-so-hard-that-you-can-t-win-it-so-much-money-bank-can-t-fit-it/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [People are already talking about the next presidential election. There's stories all over about who might run. At a recent speech, a prominent Democrat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/people-are-already-talking-about-the-next-presidential-election-there/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [All my life, the naysayers have told me that I can't win because I'm a progressive... because I'm a woman... even because I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/all-my-life-the-naysayers-have-told-me-that-i-can-t-win-because-i-m-a/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) [Browse all 156 Can't win quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-t-win/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We can't win against obsession. They care, we don't. 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