---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why should I care about posterity? What's…"
description: "\"Why should I care about posterity? What's posterity ever done for me?\" — Groucho Marx"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/groucho-marx-788_care_why-should-i-care-about-posterity-what-s_565729.jpg"
---

#  Why should I care about posterity? What's posterity ever…

![“Why should I care about posterity? What's posterity ever done for me?” quote by Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/groucho-marx-788_care_why-should-i-care-about-posterity-what-s_565729.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/groucho-marx-788_care_why-should-i-care-about-posterity-what-s_565729.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/groucho-marx-788_care_why-should-i-care-about-posterity-what-s_565729.jpg)

> “Why should I care about posterity? What's posterity ever done for me?”

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

It questions the relevance of caring about future generations when they seem distant or irrelevant.

**In simple terms:** Cares about future generations.

Key Takeaway

Consider how your actions affect future people.

Themes

legacy responsibility future generations

Mood

skeptical reflective

Type

philosophical humorous

When to use this quote

- policy making
- environmental planning
- family decisions

Key Concepts

existentialism social contract

Questions to Reflect On

- What does posterity mean to you?
- How can you make a tangible difference?

A Different Perspective

Future impact may be indirect and uncertain.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Care Posterity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care-posterity-4681019/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [I care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-care/) [Posterity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/posterity/) [Posterity Posterity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/posterity-posterity-4190816/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/)

## Related quotes

> [“The noblest works and foundations have proceeded from childless men, which have sought to express the image of their minds, where those of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-noblest-works-and-foundations-have-proceeded-from-childless-men-2/)

[Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/)

> [What artists call posterity is the posterity of the work of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/what-artists-call-posterity-is-the-posterity-of-the-work-of-art/)

[Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/)

> [Why should we put ourselves out of our way to do anything for posterity? For what has posterity ever done for us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyle-roche/why-should-we-put-ourselves-out-of-our-way-to-do-anything-for/)

[Boyle Roche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyle-roche/)

> [Few can be induced to labor exclusively for posterity - Posterity has done nothing for us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/few-can-be-induced-to-labor-exclusively-for-posterity-posterity-has/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [I’ve blamed her for all of this, for leaving, for ruining me. And maybe that was the seed of it, but from that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/i-ve-blamed-her-for-all-of-this-for-leaving-for-ruining-me-and-maybe/)

[Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/)

> [I'm tortured because I care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/i-m-tortured-because-i-care/)

[Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/)

> [As a black actress you've got to work doubly hard. But it doesn't ever get me to the point where I give up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naturi-naughton/as-a-black-actress-you-ve-got-to-work-doubly-hard-but-it-doesn-t-ever/)

[Naturi Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naturi-naughton/)

> [I'm very concerned with what's going on the news, but I would not call myself a political animal, per se. I pay more attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-michael-key/i-m-very-concerned-with-what-s-going-on-the-news-but-i-would-not-call/)

[Keegan-Michael Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-michael-key/)

> [Nothing bad ever happens, why should I care?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/nothing-bad-ever-happens-why-should-i-care/)

[Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/)

> [If the director's a communist, whatever, he's a communist. All I care is that he directs. For the actor, the same thing. All you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/if-the-director-s-a-communist-whatever-he-s-a-communist-all-i-care-is/)

[Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/)

> [Every day, I read about new ideas and research that could help someone I care about live a longer and healthier life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/every-day-i-read-about-new-ideas-and-research-that-could-help-someone/)

[Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/)

> [You can flush my ashes down the toilet, for all I care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-flush-my-ashes-down-the-toilet-for-all-i-care/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I care more about what God knows than what man says.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-mustaine/i-care-more-about-what-god-knows-than-what-man-says/)

[Dave Mustaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-mustaine/)

> [I care more about the people in books than the people I see every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/i-care-more-about-the-people-in-books-than-the-people-i-see-every-day/)

[Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/)

> [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/)

[Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/)

## More by Groucho Marx

> [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [There is no sweeter sound than the crumbling of one's fellow man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/there-is-no-sweeter-sound-than-the-crumbling-of-one-s-fellow-man/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/television-is-where-you-watch-people-in-your-living-room-that-you/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [ He \[Groucho's father\] had absolutely no training, and if you had ever seen one of his suits, you'd realize what an accurate statement that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/he-groucho-s-father-had-absolutely-no-training-and-if-you-had-ever/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [Women should be obscene and not heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/women-should-be-obscene-and-not-heard/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [Why would I want to join an organization that would encourage people like myself to become members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/why-would-i-want-to-join-an-organization-that-would-encourage-people/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and that's not saying much for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/you-re-the-most-beautiful-woman-i-ve-ever-seen-and-that-s-not-saying/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [The only game I like to play is "Old Maid", providing she's not too old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/the-only-game-i-like-to-play-is-old-maid-providing-she-s-not-too-old/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/who-are-you-going-to-believe-me-or-your-own-eyes/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [My favourite poem is the one that starts 'Thirty days hath September' because it actually tells you something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/my-favourite-poem-is-the-one-that-starts-thirty-days-hath-september/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [Afraid? Me? A man who's licked his weight in wild caterpillars?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/afraid-me-a-man-who-s-licked-his-weight-in-wild-caterpillars/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [I hate London when it's not raining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/i-hate-london-when-it-s-not-raining/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [I never forget a face, but in your case I'll be glad to make an exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/i-never-forget-a-face-but-in-your-case-i-ll-be-glad-to-make-an/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [Let there be dancing in the streets, drinking in the saloons, and necking in the parlor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/let-there-be-dancing-in-the-streets-drinking-in-the-saloons-and/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [If women dressed for men, the stores wouldn't sell much - just an occasional sun visor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/if-women-dressed-for-men-the-stores-wouldn-t-sell-much-just-an/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

[Explore all 366 Groucho Marx quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

## More Care quotes

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/)

[Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/)

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/)

[Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/)

> [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/)

[Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/)

> [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/)

[Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/)

> [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/)

[Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/)

> [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/)

[Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/)

> [What makes you care about nature, about the planet? Is it really that you're afraid of what's going to happen if you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/what-makes-you-care-about-nature-about-the-planet-is-it-really-that/)

[Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/)

> [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/)

[James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/)

> [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/)

[Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/)

> [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/)

[Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/)

> [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/)

[Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

[Browse all 19,019 Care quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Why should I care about posterity? What's posterity ever done for me?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Groucho Marx"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/why-should-i-care-about-posterity-what-s-posterity-ever-done-for-me/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Care"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/why-should-i-care-about-posterity-what-s-posterity-ever-done-for-me/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/groucho-marx-788_care_why-should-i-care-about-posterity-what-s_565729.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/groucho-marx-788_care_why-should-i-care-about-posterity-what-s_565729.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/groucho-marx-788_care_why-should-i-care-about-posterity-what-s_565729.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Why should I care about posterity? What's posterity ever done for me?” — Groucho Marx",
                "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": "Groucho Marx",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Why should I care about posterity?...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/why-should-i-care-about-posterity-what-s-posterity-ever-done-for-me/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/why-should-i-care-about-posterity-what-s-posterity-ever-done-for-me/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```