--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's wrong with the world Peter? God, I…" description: "\"What's wrong with the world Peter? God, I don't know. Where do you start? People give up. We're defeatists and we stop striving or fighting or enjoying..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/jenny-valentine-35757_ask-me_what-s-wrong-with-the-world-peter-god-i_198382.jpg" --- # What's wrong with the world Peter? God, I don't know… ![“What's wrong with the world Peter? God, I don't know. Where do you start? People give up. We're defeatists and we stop striving or fighting or enjoying things. It doesn't matter what you're talking about - war, work, marriage, democracy, love, it all fails because everybody gives up trying after a…” quote by Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/jenny-valentine-35757_ask-me_what-s-wrong-with-the-world-peter-god-i_198382.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/jenny-valentine-35757_ask-me_what-s-wrong-with-the-world-peter-god-i_198382.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/jenny-valentine-35757_ask-me_what-s-wrong-with-the-world-peter-god-i_198382.jpg) > “What's wrong with the world Peter? God, I don't know. Where do you start? People give up. We're defeatists and we stop striving or fighting or enjoying things. It doesn't matter what you're talking about - war, work, marriage, democracy, love, it all fails because everybody gives up trying after a while, we can't help ourselves. And don't ask me to solve it because I am the worst. I'd escape tomorrow if I could, from every single thing I've always wanted.” [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Despair arises when people cease effort, believing all endeavors are futile. **In simple terms:** Giving up leads to hopelessness. Key Takeaway Persist despite setbacks. Themes hope resilience effort Mood melancholic determined Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - career challenges - relationships - social activism - personal goals Key Concepts Existential dread motivation self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - What small action can rekindle your drive? - How can you reframe failure as learning? A Different Perspective Self‑criticism can undermine progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“When nobody fails, everybody loses. Feedback and resilience are vital.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-froggatt/when-nobody-fails-everybody-loses-feedback-and-resilience-are-vital/) Alan Froggatt > [There is justice in the world, Peter Lake, but it cannot be had without mystery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/there-is-justice-in-the-world-peter-lake-but-it-cannot-be-had-without/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“Tribulation came from losing sight of Jesus and looking at the troubled, fallen world. Peter walked on water until he took his eyes off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/tribulation-came-from-losing-sight-of-jesus-and-looking-at-the/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [All life includes loss. It's taken me many, many years to learn to deal with that, and I don't expect I'll ever be fully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-grimwood/all-life-includes-loss-it-s-taken-me-many-many-years-to-learn-to-deal/) [Ken Grimwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-grimwood/) > [“Be still, stop striving, and know that I am God-Psalm 46:10”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/be-still-stop-striving-and-know-that-i-am-god-psalm-46-10/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [“As Pat Riley, the basketball coach, said, "Anytime you stop striving to get better, you're bound to get worse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/as-pat-riley-the-basketball-coach-said-anytime-you-stop-striving-to/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [“The people in whom CFS often takes a hold are those driven, workaholic, goal driven, perfectionist, 'never say die' characters. This is because these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-myhill/the-people-in-whom-cfs-often-takes-a-hold-are-those-driven-workaholic/) Sarah Myhill > [When you stop improving you start losing. Never stop striving to get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-stop-improving-you-start-losing-never-stop-striving-to-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anytime you stop striving to get better, you're bound to get worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/anytime-you-stop-striving-to-get-better-you-re-bound-to-get-worse/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [Accepting the reality of our sinfulness means accepting our authentic self. Judas could not face his shadow; Peter could. The latter befriended the impostor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/accepting-the-reality-of-our-sinfulness-means-accepting-our-authentic/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [I was very engaged by the folk music movement.Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Peter, Paul and Mary. And then I sort of discovered world music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-was-very-engaged-by-the-folk-music-movement-bob-dylan-joan-baez/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [“It was through Peter that she first understood that the world existed before her, without her. For a few days she could not forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-barrett/it-was-through-peter-that-she-first-understood-that-the-world-existed/) [Andrea Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-barrett/) > [Doing 'White Collar,' quite often my character goes undercover, so therein lies the compounding of the imagination. I get to play Peter Burke and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dekay/doing-white-collar-quite-often-my-character-goes-undercover-so/) [Tim DeKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dekay/) > [It was a nephilim.” “A nephi-what?” asked Hugh, startled. “Isn’t that a character on Sesame Street?” Peter spoke up for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/it-was-a-nephilim-a-nephi-what-asked-hugh-startled-isn-t-that-a/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [When I talked to him earlier, he said he had to work tonight,” Peter explained, “but that we should go ahead and draw for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/when-i-talked-to-him-earlier-he-said-he-had-to-work-tonight-peter/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) ## More by Jenny Valentine > [It's not knowing that drives you mad. It's imaging things that you wish you couldn't think up all by yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/it-s-not-knowing-that-drives-you-mad-it-s-imaging-things-that-you/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) > [“According to Grandad, being a vegetarian wasn't about just health or cruelty of money or flavor: it was about manners. He said that stealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/according-to-grandad-being-a-vegetarian-wasn-t-about-just-health-or/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) > [“What are you afraid of," she said. "Daylight?" No. I'm afraid of you. I'm afraid of myself, of whatever it is I'm going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/what-are-you-afraid-of-she-said-daylight-no-i-m-afraid-of-you-i-m/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) > [Everything is going to be fine.” I hate it when people say that, people who have absolutely no idea of what’s coming next. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/everything-is-going-to-be-fine-i-hate-it-when-people-say-that-people/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) > [Even when you’d lost everything you thought there was to lose, somebody came along and gave you something for free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/even-when-you-d-lost-everything-you-thought-there-was-to-lose/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) > [It's amazing what storms your face can hide, what terrible wrecks can writhe and heave beneath, without one ripple on the surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/it-s-amazing-what-storms-your-face-can-hide-what-terrible-wrecks-can/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) > [I smiled back and I thought how incredible that was, that they would find the time to smile. There was goodness in the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/i-smiled-back-and-i-thought-how-incredible-that-was-that-they-would/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) > [“I cut off a piece of meatball dripping with sauce. I tried to make my face right. I tried to smile and not grimace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/i-cut-off-a-piece-of-meatball-dripping-with-sauce-i-tried-to-make-my/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) > [I didn't have time to lose it. I didn't have time to lie down in the corner shop and scream and beat the floor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/i-didn-t-have-time-to-lose-it-i-didn-t-have-time-to-lie-down-in-the/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) > [I told myself that some families we get without asking, while others we choose. And I chose those two. I think that’s what you’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/i-told-myself-that-some-families-we-get-without-asking-while-others/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) > [There was goodness in the world still, even if you couldn't always see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/there-was-goodness-in-the-world-still-even-if-you-couldn-t-always-see/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) > [I thought about having a proper room, breathing life into it, and nobody minding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-valentine/i-thought-about-having-a-proper-room-breathing-life-into-it-and/) [Jenny Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) [Explore all 13 Jenny Valentine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-valentine/) ## More Ask me quotes > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [I am a conservative type of person, so sometimes when I'm chilling with myself, people always come ask me, 'What's wrong with you? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-wonder/i-am-a-conservative-type-of-person-so-sometimes-when-i-m-chilling/) [Wayne Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-wonder/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [My identity shifted when I got into # recovery . That's who I am now, and it actually gives me greater pleasure to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/my-identity-shifted-when-i-got-into-recovery-that-s-who-i-am-now-and/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [If you ask me to tell you anything about the nature of what lies beyond the phaneron… my answer is “How should I know?”……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/if-you-ask-me-to-tell-you-anything-about-the-nature-of-what-lies/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [When a young artist asks me a question, I want to do what I can to give them an answer if I have it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tait/when-a-young-artist-asks-me-a-question-i-want-to-do-what-i-can-to/) [Michael Tait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tait/) > [I've never asked a girl out in my life, they have to ask me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-ve-never-asked-a-girl-out-in-my-life-they-have-to-ask-me/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I would do almost anything Tina Fey asks me to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/i-would-do-almost-anything-tina-fey-asks-me-to-do/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [Space Jam is my favorite movie. Don't ask me why, it just is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/space-jam-is-my-favorite-movie-don-t-ask-me-why-it-just-is/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [If I had lost a leg, I would tell them, instead of a boy, no one would ever ask me if I was 'over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-edwards/if-i-had-lost-a-leg-i-would-tell-them-instead-of-a-boy-no-one-would/) [Elizabeth Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-edwards/) > [It is very hard to tell when I started to be a spiritual teacher. There was a time when occasionally somebody would come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/it-is-very-hard-to-tell-when-i-started-to-be-a-spiritual-teacher/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) Browse all 1,282 Ask me quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What's wrong with the world Peter? God, I don't know. Where do you start? 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