--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I did some research on this a couple…" description: "\"I did some research on this a couple years ago,\" Augustus continued. \"I was wondering if everybody could be remembered. Like, if we got organized, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/john-green-12_augustus_i-did-some-research-on-this-a-couple-yea_377780.jpg" --- # I did some research on this a couple years ago," Augustus… ![“I did some research on this a couple years ago," Augustus continued. "I was wondering if everybody could be remembered. Like, if we got organized, and assigned a certain number of corpses to each living person, would there be enough living people to remember all the dead people?" "And are there?"…” quote by John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/john-green-12_augustus_i-did-some-research-on-this-a-couple-yea_377780.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/john-green-12_augustus_i-did-some-research-on-this-a-couple-yea_377780.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9e/john-green-12_augustus_i-did-some-research-on-this-a-couple-yea_377780.jpg) > “I did some research on this a couple years ago," Augustus continued. "I was wondering if everybody could be remembered. Like, if we got organized, and assigned a certain number of corpses to each living person, would there be enough living people to remember all the dead people?" "And are there?" "Sure, anyone can name fourteen dead people. But we're disorganized mourners, so a lot of people end up remembering Shakespeare and no one ends up remembering the person he wrote Sonnet Fifty-five about” [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Memory is selective; we remember famous figures while ordinary lives fade, highlighting how we organize remembrance. **In simple terms:** We remember the famous, not everyone. Key Takeaway Create systems to honor all lives. Themes memory legacy humanity Mood thoughtful somber Type cultural inspirational When to use this quote - family histories - community memorials - historical archives Key Concepts selective remembrance social memory Questions to Reflect On - How can we broaden collective memory? - What practices help remember ordinary people? A Different Perspective Focusing only on celebrities can erase everyday contributions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Augustus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustus/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Dead people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-people/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Everybody Remembered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everybody-remembered-2155351/) [Fifty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fifty/) [Fourteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fourteen/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Number Corpses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/number-corpses-2155350/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Organized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organized/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Remember Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-dead-684641/) [Remembered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembered/) [Remembering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembering/) [Remembering Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembering-shakespeare-2155352/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Sonnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sonnet/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-ago/) ## Related quotes > [“I wonder if everybody could be remembered. Life, if we got organized, and assigned a certain number of corpses to each living person, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-wonder-if-everybody-could-be-remembered-life-if-we-got-organized/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“remembered. Like, if we got organized, and assigned a certain number of corpses to each living person, would there be enough living people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/remembered-like-if-we-got-organized-and-assigned-a-certain-number-of/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Sure, anyone can name fourteen dead people. But we're disorganized mourners, so a lot of people end up remembering Shakespeare, and no one ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/sure-anyone-can-name-fourteen-dead-people-but-we-re-disorganized/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“But we’re disorganized mourners, so a lot of people end up remembering Shakespeare, and no one ends up remembering the person he wrote Sonnet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/but-we-re-disorganized-mourners-so-a-lot-of-people-end-up-remembering/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Hazel GRACE!” he shouted. “You did not use your one dying Wish to go to Disney World with your parents.” “Also Epcot Center,” I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/hazel-grace-he-shouted-you-did-not-use-your-one-dying-wish-to-go-to/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I told Augustus the broad outline of my miracle: diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer when I was thirteen. (I didn’t tell him that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-told-augustus-the-broad-outline-of-my-miracle-diagnosed-with-stage/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [All at once, I couldn’t figure out why I was methodically tossing a spherical object through a toroidal object. It seemed like the stupidest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/all-at-once-i-couldn-t-figure-out-why-i-was-methodically-tossing-a/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [And so much depends, I told Augustus, upon a blue sky cut open by the branches of the trees above. So much depends upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-so-much-depends-i-told-augustus-upon-a-blue-sky-cut-open-by-the/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Augustus was amazing, but he’d overdone everything at the picnic, right down to the sandwiches that were metaphorically resonant but tasted terrible and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/augustus-was-amazing-but-he-d-overdone-everything-at-the-picnic-right/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Out of nowhere, Augustus asked, "do you believe in an after life?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/out-of-nowhere-augustus-asked-do-you-believe-in-an-after-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“His excitement was adorable. I couldn't resist. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. -Hazel Grace Lancaster, The Fault In Our Stars”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/his-excitement-was-adorable-i-couldn-t-resist-i-leaned-over-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [According to the conventions of the genre, Augustus Waters kept his sense of humor till the end, did not for a moment waiver in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/according-to-the-conventions-of-the-genre-augustus-waters-kept-his/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Ma'am," Augustus said, nodding toward her, "Your daughter's car has just been deservingly egged by a blind man. Please close the door and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/ma-am-augustus-said-nodding-toward-her-your-daughter-s-car-has-just/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I am in the midst of a soliloquy! I wrote this out and memorized it and if you interrupt me I will completely screw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-am-in-the-midst-of-a-soliloquy-i-wrote-this-out-and-memorized-it/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More by John Green > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I just want to stay away from people and read books and think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-just-want-to-stay-away-from-people-and-read-books-and-think/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [She smiled with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning and said, "Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die." -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-smiled-with-all-the-delight-of-a-kid-on-christmas-morning-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [A Margo for each of us--and each more mirror than window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-margo-for-each-of-us-and-each-more-mirror-than-window/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“No one ever says good-bye unless they want to see you again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-one-ever-says-good-bye-unless-they-want-to-see-you-again/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Traffic's not too bad on Sheridan, and I'm cornering the car like it's the Indy 500, and we're listening to my favorite NMH song,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/traffic-s-not-too-bad-on-sheridan-and-i-m-cornering-the-car-like-it-s/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Praise God for good nurses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/praise-god-for-good-nurses/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Nothing has ever looked like that ever in all of human history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/nothing-has-ever-looked-like-that-ever-in-all-of-human-history/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“said to him quietly, as if I couldn’t hear or something. Dad was about to respond but I interrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/said-to-him-quietly-as-if-i-couldn-t-hear-or-something-dad-was-about/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“He was hot. A nonhotboy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-was-hot-a-nonhotboy-stares-at-you-relentlessly-and-it-is-at-best/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia. (...) You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/imagining-the-future-is-a-kind-of-nostalgia-you-spend-your-whole-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) [Explore all 3,614 John Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More Augustus quotes > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [That pipe, just so happens to lead to the room where I make the most delicious flavored chocolate covered fudge." Then he will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/that-pipe-just-so-happens-to-lead-to-the-room-where-i-make-the-most/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [Christianity has carried civilization along with it, whithersoever it has gone; and, as if to show that the latter does not depend on physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/christianity-has-carried-civilization-along-with-it-whithersoever-it/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [“When you fear nothing, you have nothing to fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-f-chandler/when-you-fear-nothing-you-have-nothing-to-fear/) [S.F. Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-f-chandler/) > [I am in the midst of a soliloquy! I wrote this out and memorized it and if you interrupt me I will completely screw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-am-in-the-midst-of-a-soliloquy-i-wrote-this-out-and-memorized-it/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Ma'am," Augustus said, nodding toward her, "Your daughter's car has just been deservingly egged by a blind man. Please close the door and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/ma-am-augustus-said-nodding-toward-her-your-daughter-s-car-has-just/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [A man who wouldn't cheat for a poke don't want one bad enough. --Augustus "Gus" McCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/a-man-who-wouldn-t-cheat-for-a-poke-don-t-want-one-bad-enough/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [“As quick as boiled asparagus!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/as-quick-as-boiled-asparagus/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [WHEN AUGUSTUS CAME OUT on the porch the blue pigs were eating a rattlesnake—not a very big one. It had probably just been crawling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/when-augustus-came-out-on-the-porch-the-blue-pigs-were-eating-a/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [“Six times during my life has this tomb of my soul led me to the brink of that eternal darkness into which all men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/six-times-during-my-life-has-this-tomb-of-my-soul-led-me-to-the-brink/) [John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/) > [According to the conventions of the genre, Augustus Waters kept his sense of humor till the end, did not for a moment waiver in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/according-to-the-conventions-of-the-genre-augustus-waters-kept-his/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“His excitement was adorable. I couldn't resist. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. -Hazel Grace Lancaster, The Fault In Our Stars”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/his-excitement-was-adorable-i-couldn-t-resist-i-leaned-over-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Out of nowhere, Augustus asked, "do you believe in an after life?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/out-of-nowhere-augustus-asked-do-you-believe-in-an-after-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [ He \[Caesar Augustus\] found a city built of brick; he left it built of marble. \[Lat., Urbem lateritiam accepit, mamoream relinquit.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suetonius/he-caesar-augustus-found-a-city-built-of-brick-he-left-it-built-of/) [Suetonius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suetonius/) > [“Augustus was amazing, but he’d overdone everything at the picnic, right down to the sandwiches that were metaphorically resonant but tasted terrible and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/augustus-was-amazing-but-he-d-overdone-everything-at-the-picnic-right/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) [Browse all 137 Augustus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I did some research on this a couple years ago,\" Augustus continued. \"I was wondering if everybody could be remembered. Like, if we got organized, and assigned a certain number of corpses to each living person, would there be enough living people to remember all the dead people?\" \"And are there?\" \"Sure, anyone can name fourteen dead people. 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