---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Edge... there is no honest way to…"
description: "\"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.\" — Hunter S. Thom..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/hunter-s-thompson-278_crazy_the-edge-there-is-no-honest-way-to-expla_3165592.jpg"
---

#  The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because…

![“The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.” quote by Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/hunter-s-thompson-278_crazy_the-edge-there-is-no-honest-way-to-expla_3165592.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/hunter-s-thompson-278_crazy_the-edge-there-is-no-honest-way-to-expla_3165592.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/hunter-s-thompson-278_crazy_the-edge-there-is-no-honest-way-to-expla_3165592.jpg)

> “The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.”

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

## About This Quote

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

The edge is an indescribable experience known only to those who have crossed it.

**In simple terms:** Only those who have crossed truly understand the edge.

Key Takeaway

Seek experiences beyond comfort.

Themes

adventure unknown experience

Mood

introspective curious

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- extreme sports
- spiritual quests
- creative breakthroughs

Key Concepts

existential transcendence

Questions to Reflect On

- What does the edge represent for you?
- How can you prepare for crossing it?

A Different Perspective

The edge may be misinterpreted as danger rather than insight.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Edge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edge/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [The Edge...There is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-edge-there-is-no-honest-way-to-explain-it-because-the-only-people-2/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [“The Edge... There is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson-2/the-edge-there-is-no-honest-way-to-explain-it-because-the-only-people/)

[hunter s thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson-2/)

> [“I just used a very simple way to explain what are deep ideas, and why can't that be literature?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mian-mian/i-just-used-a-very-simple-way-to-explain-what-are-deep-ideas-and-why/)

[Mian Mian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mian-mian/)

> [There is no way to explain enlightenment. It is just a word to indicate something beyond, something very, very far beyond the normal human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-is-no-way-to-explain-enlightenment-it-is-just-a-word-to/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [“I wish there was some way to explain how very uninterested I was in a normal human life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-wish-there-was-some-way-to-explain-how-very-uninterested-i-was-in-a/)

[Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/)

> [Writing is the only way I have to explain my own life to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/writing-is-the-only-way-i-have-to-explain-my-own-life-to-myself/)

[Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/)

> [If you're an artist, you're an artist; that's the only way I can explain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malik-bendjelloul/if-you-re-an-artist-you-re-an-artist-that-s-the-only-way-i-can/)

[Malik Bendjelloul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malik-bendjelloul/)

> [“Okay—there’s no easy way to explain this, so I’m just going to say it. We’re not human, Sophie. -Keeper of the Lost Cities ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-messenger/okay-there-s-no-easy-way-to-explain-this-so-i-m-just-going-to-say-it/)

[Shannon Messenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-messenger/)

> [“He wanted to explain how people were never quite what you thought they were.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/he-wanted-to-explain-how-people-were-never-quite-what-you-thought/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [“Being in trouble can have a funny effect on the mind. I don't know if I can explain this. You go through some days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/being-in-trouble-can-have-a-funny-effect-on-the-mind-i-don-t-know-if/)

[James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/)

> [“People don't help much.' He wanted to explain how people were never quite what you thought they were.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/people-don-t-help-much-he-wanted-to-explain-how-people-were-never/)

[William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/)

> [“Things stop being funny if you have to explain them to people, especially if they need excellent attention spans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/things-stop-being-funny-if-you-have-to-explain-them-to-people/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [You get to a certain point, especially if you're a comedian, where people think certain things. It's like, I don't take the time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/you-get-to-a-certain-point-especially-if-you-re-a-comedian-where/)

[Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/)

> [I think nobody can explain why some people win and why some people lose. It really doesn't always have to do much with talent.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-bryant/i-think-nobody-can-explain-why-some-people-win-and-why-some-people/)

[Howard Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-bryant/)

> [“Don’t waste your time trying to explain yourself to people that are committed to misunderstanding you. Instead, commit your time to explaining who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/don-t-waste-your-time-trying-to-explain-yourself-to-people-that-are/)

[Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/)

## More by Hunter S. Thompson

> [“There was also the fact that sending a penniless writer to get $135 worth of beer was — as Khrushchev said of Nixon —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-was-also-the-fact-that-sending-a-penniless-writer-to-get-135/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [“Cases of champagne and scotch lay broken in the street, and everyone I saw had a bottle. They were screaming and dancing, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/cases-of-champagne-and-scotch-lay-broken-in-the-street-and-everyone-i/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [No music + Bad TV = Bad mood &amp; no pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-music-bad-tv-bad-mood-no-pages/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [No one holds command over me. No man. No god. No Prince. What is a claim of age for ones who are immortal? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-one-holds-command-over-me-no-man-no-god-no-prince-what-is-a-claim/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [“The person who doesn't scatter the morning dew will not comb grey hairs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-person-who-doesn-t-scatter-the-morning-dew-will-not-comb-grey/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [Hope rises and dreams flicker and die. Love plans for tomorrow and loneliness thinks of yesterday. Life is beautiful and living is pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/hope-rises-and-dreams-flicker-and-die-love-plans-for-tomorrow-and/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [If we get chased out of Iraq with our tail between our legs, that will be the fifth consecutive Third-world country with no hint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-we-get-chased-out-of-iraq-with-our-tail-between-our-legs-that-will/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [At age 22 I set what I insist is an all-time record for distance hitchhiking in Bermuda shorts: 3,700 miles in three weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/at-age-22-i-set-what-i-insist-is-an-all-time-record-for-distance/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [Paranoia is just another mask for ignorance. The truth, when you finally chase it down is almost always far worse than your darkest visions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/paranoia-is-just-another-mask-for-ignorance-the-truth-when-you/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [“No doubt they all Got What Was Coming To Them. All those pathetically eager acid freaks who thought they could buy Peace and Understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-doubt-they-all-got-what-was-coming-to-them-all-those-pathetically/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [“For several months they'd been drifting toward political involvement, but the picture was hazy and one of the most confusing elements was their geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/for-several-months-they-d-been-drifting-toward-political-involvement/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [He wandered into the Newsroom and asked for a job the same way he’d walk into a barbershop and ask for a haircut, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/he-wandered-into-the-newsroom-and-asked-for-a-job-the-same-way-he-d/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [There's no point in getting into politics at all unless you plan to lash things around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-no-point-in-getting-into-politics-at-all-unless-you-plan-to/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [There’s a lot of things wrong with this country, but one of the few things still right with it is that a man can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-a-lot-of-things-wrong-with-this-country-but-one-of-the-few/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

[Explore all 765 Hunter S. Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

## More Crazy quotes

> [Im wild Im crazy, I'm wild, Im crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dot-dot-curve/im-wild-im-crazy-i-m-wild-im-crazy/)

Dot Dot Curve

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

> [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/)

[Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/)

> [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/)

[Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/)

> [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [I didn't understand Southland Tales script at all! Is there a single word to describe it? Cacophony? It's celebrity meets pornography meets politics -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-grant/i-didn-t-understand-southland-tales-script-at-all-is-there-a-single/)

[Beth Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-grant/)

> [What I do miss that I don't get anymore? You're going to think I'm crazy, but you want the truth, so here it is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mandrell/what-i-do-miss-that-i-don-t-get-anymore-you-re-going-to-think-i-m/)

[Barbara Mandrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mandrell/)

> [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/)

[Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/)

> [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/)

[Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/)

> [Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-aunt-and-uncle-will-be-proud-though-won-t-they-said-hermione-as/)

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

> [I sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium - at a baseball game - which was crazy; there was, like, 60,000 people there, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-sang-the-national-anthem-at-dodger-stadium-at-a-baseball-game-which/)

[Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/)

> [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/)

[Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/)

> [ That's probably why my face was looking so crazy when I was crying \[in "Hardball"\] because it was some real. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/that-s-probably-why-my-face-was-looking-so-crazy-when-i-was-crying-in/)

[Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/)

> [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/)

[Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/)

Browse all 9,039 Crazy quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Hunter S. Thompson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-edge-there-is-no-honest-way-to-explain-it-because-the-only-people-3/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Crazy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-edge-there-is-no-honest-way-to-explain-it-because-the-only-people-3/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/hunter-s-thompson-278_crazy_the-edge-there-is-no-honest-way-to-expla_3165592.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/hunter-s-thompson-278_crazy_the-edge-there-is-no-honest-way-to-expla_3165592.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/hunter-s-thompson-278_crazy_the-edge-there-is-no-honest-way-to-expla_3165592.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the…” — Hunter S. Thompson",
                "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": "Hunter S. Thompson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The Edge... there is no honest...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-edge-there-is-no-honest-way-to-explain-it-because-the-only-people-3/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-edge-there-is-no-honest-way-to-explain-it-because-the-only-people-3/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
