--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One seems to start in life,\" he said…" description: "\"“One seems to start in life,\" he said, \"expecting something. And it doesn't happen. And it doesn't matter. One starts with ideas that things are good a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/h-g-wells-2-1299_expectations_one-seems-to-start-in-life-he-said-expec_828282.jpg" --- # One seems to start in life," he said, "expecting… ![“One seems to start in life," he said, "expecting something. And it doesn't happen. And it doesn't matter. One starts with ideas that things are good and things are bad—and it hasn't much relation to what is good and what is bad. I've always been the skeptaceous sort, and it's always seemed rot to…” quote by H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/h-g-wells-2-1299_expectations_one-seems-to-start-in-life-he-said-expec_828282.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/h-g-wells-2-1299_expectations_one-seems-to-start-in-life-he-said-expec_828282.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/h-g-wells-2-1299_expectations_one-seems-to-start-in-life-he-said-expec_828282.jpg) > ““One seems to start in life," he said, "expecting something. And it doesn't happen. And it doesn't matter. One starts with ideas that things are good and things are bad—and it hasn't much relation to what is good and what is bad. I've always been the skeptaceous sort, and it's always seemed rot to me to pretend we know good from evil. It's just what I've never done. ...”” [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker questions the certainty of moral judgments, suggesting that good and evil are constructs not grounded in absolute truth. **In simple terms:** We can’t be sure what is truly good or bad. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and avoid pretended moral certainty. Themes skepticism morality philosophy Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal reflection - ethical debates - philosophical discussions - literary analysis Key Concepts relativism existential doubt ethical uncertainty Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide what is good or bad without absolute standards? - Can skepticism lead to moral paralysis? A Different Perspective Moral judgments are often based on personal bias rather than objective fact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Good and evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-evil/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“And, as with all retold tales that are in people's hearts, there are only good and bad things and black and white things and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-as-with-all-retold-tales-that-are-in-people-s-hearts-there-are/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Just because it's not what you were expecting, doesn't mean it's not everything you've been waiting for...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-because-it-s-not-what-you-were-expecting-doesn-t-mean-it-s-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [They say expecting is one way of hurting yourself. 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They work ill and they want the reward of those who work well. The hope of mankind -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/what-right-have-they-to-hope-they-work-ill-and-they-want-the-reward/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“So long as you are alive you are just the moment, perhaps, but when you are dead then you are all your life from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/so-long-as-you-are-alive-you-are-just-the-moment-perhaps-but-when-you/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“An unpleasant odour would not be objected to, it is not objected to now in many continental hotels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/an-unpleasant-odour-would-not-be-objected-to-it-is-not-objected-to/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“In the early evening time Dr. Kemp was sitting in his study in the belvedere on the hill overlooking Burdock. 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Wells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. 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