--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You see things and say, 'Why?', but I…" description: "\"You see things and say, 'Why?', but I dream things and say, 'Why not?'\" — George Bernard Shaw" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/george-bernard-shaw-68_dream_you-see-things-and-say-why-but-i-dream-t_2022010.png" --- # You see things and say, 'Why?', but I dream things and… ![“You see things and say, 'Why?', but I dream things and say, 'Why not?'” quote by George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/george-bernard-shaw-68_dream_you-see-things-and-say-why-but-i-dream-t_2022010.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/george-bernard-shaw-68_dream_you-see-things-and-say-why-but-i-dream-t_2022010.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/george-bernard-shaw-68_dream_you-see-things-and-say-why-but-i-dream-t_2022010.png) > “You see things and say, 'Why?', but I dream things and say, 'Why not?'” [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questioning reality is common; daring to imagine and ask “Why not?” is transformative. **In simple terms:** Dream and ask “Why not?” Key Takeaway Embrace daring imagination. Themes imagination questioning dreaming challenge Mood inspirational energetic Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - innovation - personal growth - goal setting Key Concepts creativity philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What “why not” can you act on today? - How do you balance dreaming with realism? A Different Perspective Dreams may clash with practicality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) ## Related quotes > [“I hear you say 'Why?' Always 'Why?' You see things; and you say 'Why?' 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But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-see-things-you-say-why-but-i-dream-things-that-never-were-and-i/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Some people see things as they are and say why?. I dream of things and say why not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kenney/some-people-see-things-as-they-are-and-say-why-i-dream-of-things-and/) Robert Kenney > [Some men see things as they are, and say why. I dream of things that never were, and say why not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-men-see-things-as-they-are-and-say-why-i-dream-of-things-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Some men see things as they are, and say, ‘Why?’ I dream of things that never were, and say, ‘Why not?’” —GEORGE BERNARD SHAW”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/some-men-see-things-as-they-are-and-say-why-i-dream-of-things-that-2/) [Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/) > [My dream is to do things until 'I have no regrets'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-taemin/my-dream-is-to-do-things-until-i-have-no-regrets/) [Lee Taemin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-taemin/) > [Ever wondered why you dream the things you do?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramandeep-singh/ever-wondered-why-you-dream-the-things-you-do/) [Ramandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramandeep-singh/) > [We need men who can dream of things that never were, and ask why not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/we-need-men-who-can-dream-of-things-that-never-were-and-ask-why-not/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/some-men-see-things-as-they-are-and-ask-why-others-dream-things-that/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Some look at things that are, and ask why. I dream of things that never were and ask why not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/some-look-at-things-that-are-and-ask-why-i-dream-of-things-that-never/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“ But what is a dream, Conor O'Malley? the monster said, bending down so it's face was close to Conor's. Who is to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-what-is-a-dream-conor-o-malley-the-monster-said-bending-down-so/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [It is very common ... to tell graduates: dream and dream big. I say do more than that. When you dream you are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-goodell/it-is-very-common-to-tell-graduates-dream-and-dream-big-i-say-do-more/) [Roger Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-goodell/) > [“Who is to say it is not everything else that is the dream?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/who-is-to-say-it-is-not-everything-else-that-is-the-dream/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) ## More by George Bernard Shaw > [I love little children too but I don't cut off their heads and stick them in vases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-love-little-children-too-but-i-don-t-cut-off-their-heads-and-stick/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Blasphemy and sedition (meaning the truth about Church and State).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/blasphemy-and-sedition-meaning-the-truth-about-church-and-state/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of life, man invents nothing; but in the arts of death he outdoes Nature herself, and produces by chemistry and machinery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-life-man-invents-nothing-but-in-the-arts-of-death-he/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“My religious convictions and scientific views cannot at present be more specifically defined than as those of a believer in creative evolution. I desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/my-religious-convictions-and-scientific-views-cannot-at-present-be/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [What a man believes may be ascertained, not from his creed, but from the assumptions on which he habitually acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/what-a-man-believes-may-be-ascertained-not-from-his-creed-but-from/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You are my inspiration and my folly. You are my light across the sea, my million nameless joys, and my day's wage. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-are-my-inspiration-and-my-folly-you-are-my-light-across-the-sea/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Men have to do some awfully mean things to keep up their respectability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/men-have-to-do-some-awfully-mean-things-to-keep-up-their/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The schoolmaster is the person who takes the children off the parents' hands for a consideration. That is to say, he establishes a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-schoolmaster-is-the-person-who-takes-the-children-off-the-parents/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [As long as I have a want, I have a reason for living. Satisfaction is death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/as-long-as-i-have-a-want-i-have-a-reason-for-living-satisfaction-is/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The camera can represent flesh so superbly that, if I dared, I would never photograph a figure without asking that figure to take its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-camera-can-represent-flesh-so-superbly-that-if-i-dared-i-would/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A man who is not a communist at the age of twenty is a fool. Any man who is still communist at the age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-man-who-is-not-a-communist-at-the-age-of-twenty-is-a-fool-any-man/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [But to admire a strong person and to live under that strong person’s thumb are two different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/but-to-admire-a-strong-person-and-to-live-under-that-strong-person-s/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Socialism is the same as Communism, only better English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/socialism-is-the-same-as-communism-only-better-english/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The person who is ignorant enough to believe that his nourishment depends on meat is in a horrible dilemma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-person-who-is-ignorant-enough-to-believe-that-his-nourishment/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of peace Man is a bungler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-peace-man-is-a-bungler/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) [Explore all 1,640 George Bernard Shaw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More Dream quotes > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You see things and say, 'Why?', but I dream things and say, 'Why not?'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Bernard Shaw" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-see-things-and-say-why-but-i-dream-things-and-say-why-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dream" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-see-things-and-say-why-but-i-dream-things-and-say-why-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/george-bernard-shaw-68_dream_you-see-things-and-say-why-but-i-dream-t_2022010.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/george-bernard-shaw-68_dream_you-see-things-and-say-why-but-i-dream-t_2022010.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/george-bernard-shaw-68_dream_you-see-things-and-say-why-but-i-dream-t_2022010.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You see things and say, 'Why?', but I dream things and say, 'Why not?'” — George Bernard Shaw", "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": "George Bernard Shaw", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You see things and say, 'Why?',...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-see-things-and-say-why-but-i-dream-things-and-say-why-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-see-things-and-say-why-but-i-dream-things-and-say-why-not/#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 } } ] } ```