--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Suppose we suddenly wake up and see that…" description: "\"Suppose we suddenly wake up and see that what we thought to be this and that, ain't this and that at all?\" — Jack Kerouac" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jack-kerouac-182_beat-generation_suppose-we-suddenly-wake-up-and-see-that_677888.jpg" --- # Suppose we suddenly wake up and see that what we thought… ![“Suppose we suddenly wake up and see that what we thought to be this and that, ain't this and that at all?” quote by Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jack-kerouac-182_beat-generation_suppose-we-suddenly-wake-up-and-see-that_677888.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jack-kerouac-182_beat-generation_suppose-we-suddenly-wake-up-and-see-that_677888.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jack-kerouac-182_beat-generation_suppose-we-suddenly-wake-up-and-see-that_677888.jpg) > “Suppose we suddenly wake up and see that what we thought to be this and that, ain't this and that at all?” [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It urges us to question our assumptions, recognizing that perceived realities may be illusory and urging openness to deeper truth. **In simple terms:** Question what you think you know. Key Takeaway Stay curious, challenge appearances. Themes perception reality self‑discovery Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal growth - philosophical inquiry - creative writing Key Concepts existentialism cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions shape your daily life? - How might you test them? A Different Perspective Our senses can mislead; truth may be hidden. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beat generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beat-generation/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Wake up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wake-up/) ## Related quotes > [That awkward moment when everything is going so perfectly and suddenly you wake up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-awkward-moment-when-everything-is-going-so-perfectly-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How horrifying that morning when you wake up and your first thought is not of the person who has left. That’s when you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamila-shamsie/how-horrifying-that-morning-when-you-wake-up-and-your-first-thought/) [Kamila Shamsie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamila-shamsie/) > [Often it takes some calamity to make us live in the present. Then suddenly we wake up and see all the mistakes we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/often-it-takes-some-calamity-to-make-us-live-in-the-present-then/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [Love is when you suddenly wake up as a cannibal, and not just any old cannibal, or else wake up destined for devourment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/love-is-when-you-suddenly-wake-up-as-a-cannibal-and-not-just-any-old/) [Helene Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/) > [Because the only people for me are the mad ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/because-the-only-people-for-me-are-the-mad-ones/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-only-people-for-me-are-the-mad-ones-the-ones-who-are-mad-to-live-3/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [John Clellon Holmes... and I were sitting around trying to think up the meaning of the Lost Generation and the subsequent existentialism and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/john-clellon-holmes-and-i-were-sitting-around-trying-to-think-up-the/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Does kittykat know there's a pigeon on the clothes closet?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/does-kittykat-know-there-s-a-pigeon-on-the-clothes-closet/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“ It's the beat generation. It's the begát. It's the beat to keep. It's the beat in the heart. It's being beat and down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/it-s-the-beat-generation-it-s-the-beg-t-it-s-the-beat-to-keep-it-s/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“I believe in order, tenderness, and piety.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-believe-in-order-tenderness-and-piety/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The bartenders are the regular band of Jack, and the heavenly drummer who looks up to the sky with blue eyes, with a beard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-bartenders-are-the-regular-band-of-jack-and-the-heavenly-drummer/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [He had no place he could stay in without getting tired of it and because there was nowhere to go but everywhere, keep rolling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/he-had-no-place-he-could-stay-in-without-getting-tired-of-it-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“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-2/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [It’s a sort of furtiveness … Like we were a generation of furtive. You know, with an inner knowledge there’s no use flaunting on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/it-s-a-sort-of-furtiveness-like-we-were-a-generation-of-furtive-you/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [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/) ## More by Jack Kerouac > [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'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [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/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“For when you realized that God is Everything you know that you've got to love everything no matter how bad it is, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-when-you-realized-that-god-is-everything-you-know-that-you-ve-got/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“I'm an idealist who has outgrown my idealism I have nothing to do the rest of my life but do it and the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-an-idealist-who-has-outgrown-my-idealism-i-have-nothing-to-do-the/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Most of them were running away from something―usually the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/most-of-them-were-running-away-from-something-usually-the-law/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Non lo so, non importa e non fa nessuna differenza.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/non-lo-so-non-importa-e-non-fa-nessuna-differenza/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“And in the flush of the first few days of joy I confidently tell myself (not expecting what I'll do in three weeks only)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/and-in-the-flush-of-the-first-few-days-of-joy-i-confidently-tell/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I want a blaze of light to flame in me forever in a timeless, dear love of everything. And why should I pretend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-want-a-blaze-of-light-to-flame-in-me-forever-in-a-timeless-dear/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“For the next week that was all I heard - manana, a lovely word and one that probably means heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-the-next-week-that-was-all-i-heard-manana-a-lovely-word-and-one/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“O how wonderful life is, how miraculous, God made this and God made that", "how do you know he doesn't hate what He did:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/o-how-wonderful-life-is-how-miraculous-god-made-this-and-god-made/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Notoriety and public confession in the literary form is a frazzler of the heart you were born with, believe me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/notoriety-and-public-confession-in-the-literary-form-is-a-frazzler-of/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I promise I shall never give up, and that I'll die yelling & laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-promise-i-shall-never-give-up-and-that-i-ll-die-yelling-laughing/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“The hot water pools are steaming, Fagan and Monsanto and the others are all sitting peacefully up to their necks, they're all naked, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-hot-water-pools-are-steaming-fagan-and-monsanto-and-the-others/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) [Explore all 936 Jack Kerouac quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## More Beat generation quotes > [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/) > [“I am waiting for the meek to be blessed and inherit the earth... without taxes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-am-waiting-for-the-meek-to-be-blessed-and-inherit-the-earth-without/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [ “I realized Jack \[Kerouac\] was deeply committed to writing. Kesey was just as deeply committed to living and experiencing the lives of others; for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-lord/i-realized-jack-kerouac-was-deeply-committed-to-writing-kesey-was/) [Sterling Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-lord/) > [“The Beats and the Pranksters showed us different ways of opting out of society. They were both the personification of countercultural movements. The Beats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-lord/the-beats-and-the-pranksters-showed-us-different-ways-of-opting-out/) [Sterling Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-lord/) > [“I believe in order, tenderness, and piety.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-believe-in-order-tenderness-and-piety/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“The beat generation is a coffeehouse full of people expectantly looking at their watches waiting for the beat generation to come on. \*1958”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/the-beat-generation-is-a-coffeehouse-full-of-people-expectantly/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [He had no place he could stay in without getting tired of it and because there was nowhere to go but everywhere, keep rolling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/he-had-no-place-he-could-stay-in-without-getting-tired-of-it-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Because the only people for me are the mad ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/because-the-only-people-for-me-are-the-mad-ones/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“He’d been toting it, and checking it, and packing and unpacking, all the way since fate was on the river - that’s how long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-clellon-holmes/he-d-been-toting-it-and-checking-it-and-packing-and-unpacking-all-the/) [John Clellon Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-clellon-holmes/) > [It’s a sort of furtiveness … Like we were a generation of furtive. You know, with an inner knowledge there’s no use flaunting on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/it-s-a-sort-of-furtiveness-like-we-were-a-generation-of-furtive-you/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“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-2/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The bartenders are the regular band of Jack, and the heavenly drummer who looks up to the sky with blue eyes, with a beard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-bartenders-are-the-regular-band-of-jack-and-the-heavenly-drummer/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Democracy! Bah! When I hear that word I reach for my feather boa!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-ginsberg/democracy-bah-when-i-hear-that-word-i-reach-for-my-feather-boa/) [Allen Ginsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-ginsberg/) > [Kerouac opened a million coffee bars and sold a million pairs of Levis to both sexes. Woodstock rises from his pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/kerouac-opened-a-million-coffee-bars-and-sold-a-million-pairs-of/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“These young-marrying, contemporaries or juniors of the Beat Generation, have often expressed themselves as follows: "My highest aim in life is to achieve a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/these-young-marrying-contemporaries-or-juniors-of-the-beat-generation/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) [Browse all 43 Beat generation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beat-generation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Suppose we suddenly wake up and see that what we thought to be this and that, ain't this and that at all?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jack Kerouac" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/suppose-we-suddenly-wake-up-and-see-that-what-we-thought-to-be-this/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beat generation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/suppose-we-suddenly-wake-up-and-see-that-what-we-thought-to-be-this/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jack-kerouac-182_beat-generation_suppose-we-suddenly-wake-up-and-see-that_677888.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jack-kerouac-182_beat-generation_suppose-we-suddenly-wake-up-and-see-that_677888.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jack-kerouac-182_beat-generation_suppose-we-suddenly-wake-up-and-see-that_677888.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Suppose we suddenly wake up and see that what we thought to be this and that, ain't this and that at all?” — Jack Kerouac", "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": "Jack Kerouac", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Suppose we suddenly wake up and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/suppose-we-suddenly-wake-up-and-see-that-what-we-thought-to-be-this/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/suppose-we-suddenly-wake-up-and-see-that-what-we-thought-to-be-this/#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 } } ] } ```