--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humans, however, can’t live very long…" description: "\"“Humans, however, can’t live very long without some sense of a continuing story. Such stories go beyond the limited rational system (or the systematic ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/haruki-murakami-21_nature-of-man_humans-however-can-t-live-very-long-with_1191558.jpg" --- # Humans, however, can’t live very long without some sense… ![“Humans, however, can’t live very long without some sense of a continuing story. Such stories go beyond the limited rational system (or the systematic rationality) with which you surround yourself; they are crucial” quote by Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/haruki-murakami-21_nature-of-man_humans-however-can-t-live-very-long-with_1191558.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/haruki-murakami-21_nature-of-man_humans-however-can-t-live-very-long-with_1191558.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/haruki-murakami-21_nature-of-man_humans-however-can-t-live-very-long-with_1191558.jpg) > ““Humans, however, can’t live very long without some sense of a continuing story. Such stories go beyond the limited rational system (or the systematic rationality) with which you surround yourself; they are crucial”” [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans need a personal narrative to give life meaning beyond pure logic. **In simple terms:** Stories give life meaning beyond logic. Key Takeaway Cultivate a personal story. Themes identity meaning storytelling Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - therapy - creative writing - personal branding Key Concepts Narrative psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What narrative guides your decisions? - How does story shape your identity? A Different Perspective Stories may oversimplify complex realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Continuing Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continuing-story-881186/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Rationality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationality/) [Sense Continuing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-continuing-3536814/) [Stories Limited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-limited-3536815/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Story Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-stories-786216/) [Surround yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surround-yourself/) ## Related quotes > [What sense is there in continuing when one has seen the future?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/what-sense-is-there-in-continuing-when-one-has-seen-the-future/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [Networks don't want a show with a continuing story. There's no backend potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-devane/networks-don-t-want-a-show-with-a-continuing-story-there-s-no-backend/) [William Devane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-devane/) > ['Twin Peaks' is a continuing story; that comes from David Lynch and myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-frost/twin-peaks-is-a-continuing-story-that-comes-from-david-lynch-and/) [Mark Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-frost/) > [“It's hard to do, to tell one story, when there are so many stories to tell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mcgill/it-s-hard-to-do-to-tell-one-story-when-there-are-so-many-stories-to/) [Bernie Mcgill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mcgill/) > [“By Aladdin's lamplit scrotum, man! Everything is a story. What is there but stories? Stories are the only truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/by-aladdin-s-lamplit-scrotum-man-everything-is-a-story-what-is-there/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [A story? No. No stories, never again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-blanchot/a-story-no-no-stories-never-again/) [Maurice Blanchot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-blanchot/) > [“What am I to do?’ if I can answer the prior question ‘Of what story or stories do I find myself a part?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alasdair-macintyre/what-am-i-to-do-if-i-can-answer-the-prior-question-of-what-story-or/) [Alasdair MacIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alasdair-macintyre/) > [“History, in the end, is only another kind of story, and stories are different from the truth. The truth is messy and chaotic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-murray/history-in-the-end-is-only-another-kind-of-story-and-stories-are/) [Paul Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-murray/) > [There's always a story. It's all stories, really. The sun coming up every day is a story. Everything's got a story in it. Change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-s-always-a-story-it-s-all-stories-really-the-sun-coming-up/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Stories are bulls. Writers come of age full of vigor, and they feel the need to drive the old stories from the herd. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/stories-are-bulls-writers-come-of-age-full-of-vigor-and-they-feel-the/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [“As I look at the human story I see two stories. They run parallel and never meet. One is of people who live, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-anderson/as-i-look-at-the-human-story-i-see-two-stories-they-run-parallel-and/) [Margaret Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-anderson/) > [“Nobody’s story is written only by himself. In our story, we can always find the stories written by others!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/nobody-s-story-is-written-only-by-himself-in-our-story-we-can-always/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The story was the important thing and little changes here and there were really part of the story. There were even stories about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/the-story-was-the-important-thing-and-little-changes-here-and-there/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [Someday an opportunity will come. Think about Harry Potter. His life is terrible, but then a letter arrives, he gets on a train, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/someday-an-opportunity-will-come-think-about-harry-potter-his-life-is/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [People wanted the world to be a story, because stories had to sound right and they had to make sense. People wanted the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/people-wanted-the-world-to-be-a-story-because-stories-had-to-sound/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Haruki Murakami > [I always feel like I'm struggling to become someone else. Like I'm trying to find a new place, grab hold of a new life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-always-feel-like-i-m-struggling-to-become-someone-else-like-i-m/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [If writing novels is like planting a forest, then writing short stories is more like planting a garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-writing-novels-is-like-planting-a-forest-then-writing-short/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“The sad truth is that what I could recall in five seconds all too soon needed ten, then thirty, thena full minute...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-sad-truth-is-that-what-i-could-recall-in-five-seconds-all-too/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Intelligent teenage girls were often instinctively theatrical, purposely eccentric, mouthing highly suggestive words to confuse people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/intelligent-teenage-girls-were-often-instinctively-theatrical/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Memory is like fiction; or else it's fiction that's like memory. This really came home to me once I started writing fiction, that memory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/memory-is-like-fiction-or-else-it-s-fiction-that-s-like-memory-this/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [The most dangerous creature here would have to be me. So maybe I'm just scared of my own shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-most-dangerous-creature-here-would-have-to-be-me-so-maybe-i-m/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [If you listen to the radio for a whole hour there's maybe one decent song. The rest is mass-produced garbage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-you-listen-to-the-radio-for-a-whole-hour-there-s-maybe-one-decent/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“that one of our problems was our inability to recognize and accept our own deformities”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/that-one-of-our-problems-was-our-inability-to-recognize-and-accept/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“When I look back at myself at age twenty, what I remember most is being alone and lonely. I had no girlfriend to warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-i-look-back-at-myself-at-age-twenty-what-i-remember-most-is/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“There's not a branch of publishing or broadcasting that doesn't depend in some way on advertising. It'd be like an aquarium without water. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-s-not-a-branch-of-publishing-or-broadcasting-that-doesn-t/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“One by one, I'll face the tasks before me and complete them as best I can. Focusing on each stride forward, but at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/one-by-one-i-ll-face-the-tasks-before-me-and-complete-them-as-best-i/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Eleven o'clock had come and gone. I had to find a way to bring this conversation to a successful conclusion and get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/eleven-o-clock-had-come-and-gone-i-had-to-find-a-way-to-bring-this/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Some people get a kick out of reading railway timetables and that's all they do all day. Some people make huge model boats out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/some-people-get-a-kick-out-of-reading-railway-timetables-and-that-s/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“When the time comes, everybody’s got to end up where they belong. Only me, I didn’t have a place to call my own. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-the-time-comes-everybody-s-got-to-end-up-where-they-belong-only/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“You let something out of the bag before yourself knew what it was all about”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/you-let-something-out-of-the-bag-before-yourself-knew-what-it-was-all/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) [Explore all 2,928 Haruki Murakami quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) ## More Nature of man quotes > [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“Probably it goes without saying, but time machine guys don't get a lot of action. Had a one night stand with something cute a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-yu/probably-it-goes-without-saying-but-time-machine-guys-don-t-get-a-lot/) [Charles Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-yu/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“We have become human doings more than human beings, and the verb “rest,” as Jesus uses it, is largely foreign to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/we-have-become-human-doings-more-than-human-beings-and-the-verb-rest/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Humans are, as Sartre put it, 'condemned to be free'. To insist that science, or God, objectively defines moral values is to abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-malik/humans-are-as-sartre-put-it-condemned-to-be-free-to-insist-that/) [Kenan Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenan-malik/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Every human creates his own problems. Problems are ones private property and we shouldnt meddle into them self-initiatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-papian/every-human-creates-his-own-problems-problems-are-ones-private/) [Ruben Papian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-papian/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“In the United States law, federally designated wilderness is famously defined as 'an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-marris/in-the-united-states-law-federally-designated-wilderness-is-famously/) [Emma Marris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-marris/) > [“For similar reasons, archaic humans did not initiate any revolutions. As far as we can tell, changes in social patterns, the invention of new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/for-similar-reasons-archaic-humans-did-not-initiate-any-revolutions/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) [Browse all 12,662 Nature of man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Humans, however, can’t live very long without some sense of a continuing story. 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