--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Is it life?' he answered.'I would rather…" description: "\"“Is it life?' he answered.'I would rather be without it' he said, ' for there is a queer small utility in it. You cannot eat it or drink it or smoke it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/flann-o-brien-6916_bacon_is-it-life-he-answered-i-would-rather-be_585949.png" --- # Is it life?' he answered.'I would rather be without it' he… ![“Is it life?' he answered.'I would rather be without it' he said, ' for there is a queer small utility in it. You cannot eat it or drink it or smoke it in your pipe, [...] It is a great mistake and a thing better done without, like red-bars and foreign bacon.” quote by Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/flann-o-brien-6916_bacon_is-it-life-he-answered-i-would-rather-be_585949.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/flann-o-brien-6916_bacon_is-it-life-he-answered-i-would-rather-be_585949.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/flann-o-brien-6916_bacon_is-it-life-he-answered-i-would-rather-be_585949.png) > ““Is it life?' he answered.'I would rather be without it' he said, ' for there is a queer small utility in it. You cannot eat it or drink it or smoke it in your pipe, \[...\] It is a great mistake and a thing better done without, like red-bars and foreign bacon.”” [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It expresses a cynical view that life offers little practical benefit and is more of a burden than a reward. **In simple terms:** Life is seen as useless and burdensome. Key Takeaway Question the value of existence. Themes nihilism existentialism skepticism Mood cynical reflective Type philosophical skeptical When to use this quote - philosophical - literary criticism - personal reflection Key Concepts utility meaninglessness absurdity Questions to Reflect On - What makes life valuable to you? - Can a life without utility still be meaningful? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bacon/) [Drink Smoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drink-smoke-288094/) [Eat Drink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eat-drink/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Smoke Pipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smoke-pipe-494217/) ## Related quotes > [“Is it life?" he answered, "I would rather be without it," he said, "for there is queer small utility in it. You cannot eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/is-it-life-he-answered-i-would-rather-be-without-it-he-said-for-there-2/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [If you can't eat it, drink it, smoke it, or snort it... then f\*ck it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/if-you-can-t-eat-it-drink-it-smoke-it-or-snort-it-then-f-ck-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [As a guest who doesn't eat, drink or smoke, you leave much to be desired, but as a writer, you're my girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-ritter/as-a-guest-who-doesn-t-eat-drink-or-smoke-you-leave-much-to-be/) [Thelma Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-ritter/) > [“Yet he would smoke his pipe at the Battery with a far more sagacious air then anywhere else - even with a learned air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/yet-he-would-smoke-his-pipe-at-the-battery-with-a-far-more-sagacious/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [On land, on sea, at home abroad, I smoke my pipe and worship God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-sebastian-bach/on-land-on-sea-at-home-abroad-i-smoke-my-pipe-and-worship-god/) [Johann Sebastian Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-sebastian-bach/) > [I smoke a pipe abroad, because To all cigars I much prefer it, And as I scorn you social laws, My choice has nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/i-smoke-a-pipe-abroad-because-to-all-cigars-i-much-prefer-it-and-as-i/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [A studio is a good place to smoke your pipe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-sorolla/a-studio-is-a-good-place-to-smoke-your-pipe/) [Joaquin Sorolla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-sorolla/) > [Smoke the pipe of peace, bury the tomahawk, and become one nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zebulon-pike/smoke-the-pipe-of-peace-bury-the-tomahawk-and-become-one-nation/) [Zebulon Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zebulon-pike/) > [I like to smoke a pipe, because it's the punch line indicator. Whenever I take a hit of the pipe, you should be laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-like-to-smoke-a-pipe-because-it-s-the-punch-line-indicator-whenever/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [It's hard to smoke a pipe, and it's actually kind of brutal. It burns your mouth and your throat, and to keep it lit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunnam/it-s-hard-to-smoke-a-pipe-and-it-s-actually-kind-of-brutal-it-burns/) [Charlie Hunnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunnam/) > [The smoke of glory is not worth the smoke of a pipe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sand/the-smoke-of-glory-is-not-worth-the-smoke-of-a-pipe/) [George Sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sand/) > [Smoke. Smoke. Smoke. Only a pipe distinguishes man from beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honore-daumier/smoke-smoke-smoke-only-a-pipe-distinguishes-man-from-beast/) [Honore Daumier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honore-daumier/) > [I got so many bills running through my mind...Just drink and smoke, wanna flow, unwind...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/i-got-so-many-bills-running-through-my-mind-just-drink-and-smoke/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [Some people Drink and smoke weed to escape reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levita-charin/some-people-drink-and-smoke-weed-to-escape-reality/) [Levita Charin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/levita-charin/) > [Hell, if I didn't drink drink or smoke, I'd win twenty games every year. It's easy when you don't drink or smoke or horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-ford/hell-if-i-didn-t-drink-drink-or-smoke-i-d-win-twenty-games-every-year/) [Whitey Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-ford/) ## More by Flann O'Brien > [“I discovered that everything you do is in response to a request or a suggestion made to you by some other party either inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/i-discovered-that-everything-you-do-is-in-response-to-a-request-or-a/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [Rome wasn't built in A.D.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/rome-wasn-t-built-in-a-d/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [Moderation, we find, is an extremely difficult thing to get in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/moderation-we-find-is-an-extremely-difficult-thing-to-get-in-this/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [Strange enlightenments are vouchsafed to those who seek the higher places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/strange-enlightenments-are-vouchsafed-to-those-who-seek-the-higher/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [“I am your soul and all your souls. When I am gone you are dead. Past humanity is not only implicit in each new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/i-am-your-soul-and-all-your-souls-when-i-am-gone-you-are-dead-past/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [Do you know what I am going to tell you, he said with his wry mouth, a pint of plain is your only man.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/do-you-know-what-i-am-going-to-tell-you-he-said-with-his-wry-mouth-a/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [A wise old owl once lived in a wood, the more he heard the less he said, the less he said the more he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/a-wise-old-owl-once-lived-in-a-wood-the-more-he-heard-the-less-he/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [“In Boston he met a pretty lady, fat and forty, but beautiful with the bloom of cash and collateral.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/in-boston-he-met-a-pretty-lady-fat-and-forty-but-beautiful-with-the/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [“Here I had a strange idea not unworthy of de Selby. Why was Joe so disturbed at the suggestion that he had a body?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/here-i-had-a-strange-idea-not-unworthy-of-de-selby-why-was-joe-so/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [Your talk," I said, "is surely the handiwork of wisdom because not one word of it do I understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/your-talk-i-said-is-surely-the-handiwork-of-wisdom-because-not-one/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [“Thoughts which have no chance of succeeding do not take the trouble to come into your head at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/thoughts-which-have-no-chance-of-succeeding-do-not-take-the-trouble/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [When money's tight and is hard to get And your horse has also ran, When all you have is a heap of debt A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/when-money-s-tight-and-is-hard-to-get-and-your-horse-has-also-ran/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [still loved but deprived of grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/still-loved-but-deprived-of-grace/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [A woman doesn't care if she hasn't a stomach, provided she looks as if she hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/a-woman-doesn-t-care-if-she-hasn-t-a-stomach-provided-she-looks-as-if/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [“With these words there came the rending scream of a shattered stirk and an angry troubling of the branches as the poor madman percolated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/with-these-words-there-came-the-rending-scream-of-a-shattered-stirk/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) [Explore all 93 Flann O'Brien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) ## More Bacon quotes > [I'll only diet for a Marvel movie. I will give up bacon and waffles to be Storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-james/i-ll-only-diet-for-a-marvel-movie-i-will-give-up-bacon-and-waffles-to/) [Janelle James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-james/) > [“I was unsure about many things in my life, but I was fairly certain God did not intend bacon to be made from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-johnson/i-was-unsure-about-many-things-in-my-life-but-i-was-fairly-certain/) [Suzanne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-johnson/) > [Butter, cream, and bacon. That's such a great foundation right there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/butter-cream-and-bacon-that-s-such-a-great-foundation-right-there/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [But to me I find Francis Bacon the most likely candidate to be the author.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rylance/but-to-me-i-find-francis-bacon-the-most-likely-candidate-to-be-the/) [Mark Rylance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rylance/) > [Various different people have inspired me throughout my career. From Francis Bacon to Vassareli, Coco Chanel to Christian Dior, Cecil Beaton, musicians, architects... the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dries-van-noten/various-different-people-have-inspired-me-throughout-my-career-from/) [Dries van Noten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dries-van-noten/) > [The only thing more enjoyable than chocolate, is bacon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-steingarten/the-only-thing-more-enjoyable-than-chocolate-is-bacon/) [Jeffrey Steingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-steingarten/) > [I like a good protein and fat breakfast, so avocado, bacon, eggs, and some veggies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ricciardo/i-like-a-good-protein-and-fat-breakfast-so-avocado-bacon-eggs-and/) [Daniel Ricciardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ricciardo/) > [I didn't eat pork either. Except bacon, of course. Everyone eats bacon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/i-didn-t-eat-pork-either-except-bacon-of-course-everyone-eats-bacon/) [Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/) > [I’ve long said that if I were about to be executed and were given a choice of my last meal, it would be bacon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-beard/i-ve-long-said-that-if-i-were-about-to-be-executed-and-were-given-a/) [James Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-beard/) > [Bacon is like a good pair of Levi's-it never goes out of style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-symon/bacon-is-like-a-good-pair-of-levi-s-it-never-goes-out-of-style/) [Michael Symon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-symon/) > [Well, of all the bacon-brained, sapskulled, squirish, buffle-headed nodcocks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/well-of-all-the-bacon-brained-sapskulled-squirish-buffle-headed/) [Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [When you hear bacon cooking…that sizzling sound isn't the fat cooking…that's applause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/when-you-hear-bacon-cooking-that-sizzling-sound-isn-t-the-fat-cooking/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [What is the one thing that 43% of men prefer over sex? Bacon!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-taffer/what-is-the-one-thing-that-43-of-men-prefer-over-sex-bacon/) [Jon Taffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-taffer/) > [The first slap-jack given me for dinner was a cake of flour, partially fried in a pan of fat bacon. I nibbled about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-smith/the-first-slap-jack-given-me-for-dinner-was-a-cake-of-flour-partially/) [James Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-smith/) > [It's not just that I love bacon so much; I feel like something about bacon reflects my personality. It's salty and it's bad for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-delevingne/it-s-not-just-that-i-love-bacon-so-much-i-feel-like-something-about/) [Cara Delevingne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-delevingne/) [Browse all 319 Bacon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bacon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Is it life?' he answered.'I would rather be without it' he said, ' for there is a queer small utility in it. 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