--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dan suggested to Owen and me that we were…" description: "\"Dan suggested to Owen and me that we were better off to not involve ourselves with Hester. How true! But how we wanted to be involved in the thrilling ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/john-irving-337_contact_dan-suggested-to-owen-and-me-that-we-wer_757931.jpg" --- # Dan suggested to Owen and me that we were better off to… ![“Dan suggested to Owen and me that we were better off to not involve ourselves with Hester. How true! But how we wanted to be involved in the thrilling real-life sleaziness that we suspected Hester was in the thick-of. We were in a phase, through television and the movies, of living only…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/john-irving-337_contact_dan-suggested-to-owen-and-me-that-we-wer_757931.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/john-irving-337_contact_dan-suggested-to-owen-and-me-that-we-wer_757931.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/john-irving-337_contact_dan-suggested-to-owen-and-me-that-we-wer_757931.jpg) > “Dan suggested to Owen and me that we were better off to not involve ourselves with Hester. How true! But how we wanted to be involved in the thrilling real-life sleaziness that we suspected Hester was in the thick-of. We were in a phase, through television and the movies, of living only vicariously. Even faintly sordid silliness excited us if it put us in contact with love.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living vicariously through media fuels desire for real, even risky, experiences. **In simple terms:** Media fuels yearning for real adventure. Key Takeaway Seek authentic experiences. Themes media influence vicarious living adventure Mood thoughtful analytical Type literary observational When to use this quote - travel - relationship choices - career moves - creative projects Key Concepts psychology culture risk-taking Questions to Reflect On - What real experiences are you avoiding? - How does media shape your desires? A Different Perspective Real life may not match dramatized expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contact/) [Excited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excited/) [Hester True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hester-true-5883053/) [Involve Hester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involve-hester-5883051/) [Phases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phases/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) [Silliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silliness/) [Sordid Silliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sordid-silliness-5883052/) [Suspected Hester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspected-hester-5883054/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) ## Related quotes > [She felt detached from her family, and thought it strange how they had lavished so much attention on her, as a child, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/she-felt-detached-from-her-family-and-thought-it-strange-how-they-had/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Describing comic sensibility is near impossible. It's sort of an abstract silliness, that sometimes the joke isn't the star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/describing-comic-sensibility-is-near-impossible-it-s-sort-of-an/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [Don't confuse simple, reasonable honesty with radical silliness. There is no reason to try to articulate blurry feelings or over-explain every detail. The point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-burton/don-t-confuse-simple-reasonable-honesty-with-radical-silliness-there/) [Ann Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-burton/) > [I learned about what I love. Imagination, deep friendship, animals, family, the natural world, ideas and ideals ... and silliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/i-learned-about-what-i-love-imagination-deep-friendship-animals/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [Never stay up on the barren heights of cleverness, but come down into the green valleys of silliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/never-stay-up-on-the-barren-heights-of-cleverness-but-come-down-into/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [Men insist that they don't mind women succeeding so long as they retain their "femininity". Yet the qualities that men consider "feminine" - timidity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gould-davis/men-insist-that-they-don-t-mind-women-succeeding-so-long-as-they/) [Elizabeth Gould Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gould-davis/) > [The inspiration comes from everywhere, from what I grew up with. There's so much silliness and nonsense in the world that we regard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/the-inspiration-comes-from-everywhere-from-what-i-grew-up-with-there/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [The silliness-much of which is clearly intentional-is blended with some genuine grandeur. The Pixar touch is evident in the precision of the visual detail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-o-scott/the-silliness-much-of-which-is-clearly-intentional-is-blended-with/) [A. O. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-o-scott/) > [ I think \[director\] Malcolm Lee is a real master at being able to make you laugh while bringing serious subject-matter, so the movie doesn't… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/i-think-director-malcolm-lee-is-a-real-master-at-being-able-to-make/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [It's not all silliness, as interactive SXSW is filled with aggressive learning, discussing, and a whole lot of futurizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/it-s-not-all-silliness-as-interactive-sxsw-is-filled-with-aggressive/) [Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/) > [“Where did you find construction guys swapping dirty jokes in proto-Númenorean?” Aura asked. “On construction sites. Is that coffee ready?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/where-did-you-find-construction-guys-swapping-dirty-jokes-in-proto-n/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [The amount of silliness that happens to me is insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/the-amount-of-silliness-that-happens-to-me-is-insane/) [Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/) > [You can't just boss bacteria around like that," said the younger Mrs. Hempstock. "They don't like it." "Stuff and silliness," said the old lady.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-t-just-boss-bacteria-around-like-that-said-the-younger-mrs/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [The world is full of vulgar Purists, who bring discredit on all selection by the silliness of their choice; and this the more, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-world-is-full-of-vulgar-purists-who-bring-discredit-on-all/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“It's okay to be absurd, ridiculous, and downright irrational at times; silliness is sweet syrup that helps us swallow the bitter pills of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/it-s-okay-to-be-absurd-ridiculous-and-downright-irrational-at-times/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… 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/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Contact quotes > [Politics in Philadelphia is a contact sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/politics-in-philadelphia-is-a-contact-sport/) [Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/) > [She'd read once that if you ran into a bear in the woods you should avoid eye contact and you shouldn't run away, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-ursu/she-d-read-once-that-if-you-ran-into-a-bear-in-the-woods-you-should/) [Anne Ursu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-ursu/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/some-people-are-like-ants-give-them-a-warm-day-and-a-piece-of-ground/) [Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [The improved American highway system isolated the American-in-transit. On his speedway he had no contact with the towns which he by-passed. If he stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-improved-american-highway-system-isolated-the-american-in-transit/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [Close contact between science and the practice of collective farms and State farms creates inexhaustible opportunities for the development of theoretical knowledge, enabling us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trofim-lysenko/close-contact-between-science-and-the-practice-of-collective-farms/) [Trofim Lysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trofim-lysenko/) > [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/) [Flower A. 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They all crave contact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sy-montgomery/i-never-met-a-pig-i-didn-t-like-all-pigs-are-intelligent-emotional/) [Sy Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sy-montgomery/) [Browse all 1,740 Contact quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contact/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Dan suggested to Owen and me that we were better off to not involve ourselves with Hester. How true! But how we wanted to be involved in the thrilling real-life sleaziness that we suspected Hester was in the thick-of. We were in a phase, through television and the movies, of living only vicariously. 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