--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world isn't kept running because it's…" description: "\"The world isn't kept running because it's a paying proposition. (God doesn't make a cent on the deal.) The world goes on because a few men in every gen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/henry-miller-179_accepting_the-world-isn-t-kept-running-because-it_2832450.jpg" --- # The world isn't kept running because it's a paying… ![“The world isn't kept running because it's a paying proposition. (God doesn't make a cent on the deal.) The world goes on because a few men in every generation believe in it utterly, accept it unquestioningly; they underwrite it with their lives.” quote by Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/henry-miller-179_accepting_the-world-isn-t-kept-running-because-it_2832450.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/henry-miller-179_accepting_the-world-isn-t-kept-running-because-it_2832450.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/henry-miller-179_accepting_the-world-isn-t-kept-running-because-it_2832450.jpg) > “The world isn't kept running because it's a paying proposition. (God doesn't make a cent on the deal.) The world goes on because a few men in every generation believe in it utterly, accept it unquestioningly; they underwrite it with their lives.” [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The world persists not because of profit, but because devoted individuals sacrifice everything for its continuation. **In simple terms:** World runs on belief, not money. Key Takeaway Support those who believe deeply. Themes purpose belief sacrifice Mood thought‑provoking serious Type ethical existential When to use this quote - activism - leadership - community building Key Concepts philosophy existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What causes people to sacrifice for ideas? - How can we balance belief and skepticism? A Different Perspective Blind belief can lead to exploitation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Cents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cents/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Generation Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation-believe-1309947/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Goes on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-on/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-generation-642755/) [Proposition God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proposition-god-1554435/) [Propositions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/propositions/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-isn-244042/) ## Related quotes > [For example, the Bible does say this is a proposition, "There is no God." But of course the context of Psalm 14:1 enriches it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/for-example-the-bible-does-say-this-is-a-proposition-there-is-no-god/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [“In his commentary on 1 John, however, Calvin saw more clearly than Packer did exactly where the issue must be joined. The issue is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-talbott/in-his-commentary-on-1-john-however-calvin-saw-more-clearly-than/) [Thomas Talbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-talbott/) > [Unfortunately, the young generation, who I believe have their own place in the sun like I had mine; but I wish it was possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-brown/unfortunately-the-young-generation-who-i-believe-have-their-own-place/) [Ruth Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-brown/) > [Don't resent, fear, or judge the next generation, believe in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/don-t-resent-fear-or-judge-the-next-generation-believe-in-them/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [ When you look at what \[new generation\] believe in, how they value diversity, how they believe in science, how they care about the environment,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-you-look-at-what-new-generation-believe-in-how-they-value/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I believe that this could very well be looked back on as the sin of our generation...I believe that our children and their children,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stearns/i-believe-that-this-could-very-well-be-looked-back-on-as-the-sin-of/) [Richard Stearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stearns/) > [I think it's time to do clean-up for a generation. 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I believe in the LGBTQ+…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-blanchard/i-believe-in-my-generation-i-believe-in-girls-i-believe-in-women-i/) [Rowan Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-blanchard/) > [Just as the baby boom generation seemed to believe it was the first to discover sex, many of its members also seemed to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-charen/just-as-the-baby-boom-generation-seemed-to-believe-it-was-the-first/) [Mona Charen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-charen/) > [It is not difficult to understand why the great God of heaven has reserved these special spirits for the final work of the kingdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaughn-j-featherstone/it-is-not-difficult-to-understand-why-the-great-god-of-heaven-has/) [Vaughn J Featherstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaughn-j-featherstone/) > [I think that men of my generation - not me in particular - are among the most fortunate men in the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/i-think-that-men-of-my-generation-not-me-in-particular-are-among-the/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [Like the generations of leaves, the lives of mortal men. Now the wind scatters the old leaves across the earth, now the living timber…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/like-the-generations-of-leaves-the-lives-of-mortal-men-now-the-wind/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [There will never be a generation of great men until there has been a generation of free women - of free mothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/there-will-never-be-a-generation-of-great-men-until-there-has-been-a/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“There never did, there never will, and there never can, exist a Parliament, or any description of men, or any generation of men, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/there-never-did-there-never-will-and-there-never-can-exist-a/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## More by Henry Miller > [“I reached out for something to attach myself to—and I found nothing. But in reaching out, in the effort to grasp, to attach myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-reached-out-for-something-to-attach-myself-to-and-i-found-nothing/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“I saw the errors I had made and assumed full responsibility for everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-saw-the-errors-i-had-made-and-assumed-full-responsibility-for/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [The monstrous thing is not that men have created roses out of this dung heap, but that, for some reason or other, they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-monstrous-thing-is-not-that-men-have-created-roses-out-of-this/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [They never opened the door which leads to the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/they-never-opened-the-door-which-leads-to-the-soul/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“(...)I decided to let myself drift with the tide, to make not the least resistance to fate, no matter in what form it presented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-decided-to-let-myself-drift-with-the-tide-to-make-not-the-least/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“If it be knowledge or wisdom one is seeking, then one had better go direct to the source. 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The ego dies in its own glass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/in-the-egocentric-prism-the-helpless-victim-is-walled-in-by-the-very/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“When one spends what he has on himself, when one has a thoroughly good time with his own money, people are apt to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/when-one-spends-what-he-has-on-himself-when-one-has-a-thoroughly-good/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [Paint what you like and die happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/paint-what-you-like-and-die-happy/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [She may be lying in bed reading a book, she may be making love with a prize fighter, or she may be running like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/she-may-be-lying-in-bed-reading-a-book-she-may-be-making-love-with-a/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“And no one sets about saving the world unless he has first experienced the miracle of personal salvation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/and-no-one-sets-about-saving-the-world-unless-he-has-first/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“He looks about the room at the few sticks of furniture, at the dirty bed sheets and the wash basin with the dirty water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/he-looks-about-the-room-at-the-few-sticks-of-furniture-at-the-dirty/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Since then, of course, I have discovered what every madman in Paris discovers sooner of later; that there are no ready made infernos for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/since-then-of-course-i-have-discovered-what-every-madman-in-paris/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Looking back upon my career, I see myself as a person capable of undertaking almost any task, any vocation. It was the monotony and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/looking-back-upon-my-career-i-see-myself-as-a-person-capable-of/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“The word in your mouth is anarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-word-in-your-mouth-is-anarchy/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) [Explore all 894 Henry Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) [Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The world isn't kept running because it's a paying proposition. (God doesn't make a cent on the deal.) 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