---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We don't knoe when we're going to make…"
description: "\"“We don't knoe when we're going to make our exits. But one day we'll pass away from this carnival with all its masks and roles, and only a few transien..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b2/jostein-gaarder-676_exits_we-don-t-knoe-when-we-re-going-to-make-o_738186.png"
---

#  We don't knoe when we're going to make our exits. But one…

![“We don't knoe when we're going to make our exits. But one day we'll pass away from this carnival with all its masks and roles, and only a few transient props will remain after us, until they too are swept away. We will step outside time, leave what we call 'reality'.” quote by Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b2/jostein-gaarder-676_exits_we-don-t-knoe-when-we-re-going-to-make-o_738186.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b2/jostein-gaarder-676_exits_we-don-t-knoe-when-we-re-going-to-make-o_738186.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b2/jostein-gaarder-676_exits_we-don-t-knoe-when-we-re-going-to-make-o_738186.png)

> ““We don't knoe when we're going to make our exits. But one day we'll pass away from this carnival with all its masks and roles, and only a few transient props will remain after us, until they too are swept away. We will step outside time, leave what we call 'reality'.””

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

## About This Quote

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

Life is likened to a carnival of masks; death removes roles, leaving only fleeting remnants.

**In simple terms:** Life's roles are temporary; death reveals the timeless.

Key Takeaway

Live beyond superficial roles.

Themes

mortality identity transience

Mood

thoughtful philosophical

Type

literary reflective

When to use this quote

- career choices
- personal identity
- legacy planning

Key Concepts

existentialism philosophy spirituality

Questions to Reflect On

- What masks do you wear?
- How does recognizing transience affect your actions?

A Different Perspective

The metaphor may oversimplify complex human experience.

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[Exits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exits/) [Exits Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exits-day-5769209/) [Leave Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leave-reality-4262187/) [Pass Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pass-away/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/)

## Related quotes

> [If I leave, reality will devour me. Then they will all really be dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asne-seierstad/if-i-leave-reality-will-devour-me-then-they-will-all-really-be-dead/)

[Asne Seierstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asne-seierstad/)

> [“This place has only three exits, sir: Madness, and Death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-daumal/this-place-has-only-three-exits-sir-madness-and-death/)

[Rene Daumal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-daumal/)

> [That was one problem with dramatic exits: Sometimes they wound up making you look like a bubblehead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/that-was-one-problem-with-dramatic-exits-sometimes-they-wound-up/)

[Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/)

> [I avoid my neighbors - luckily, my building has two exits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-samuels/i-avoid-my-neighbors-luckily-my-building-has-two-exits/)

[Lynn Samuels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-samuels/)

> [“The exits were entrances in disguise. -- Shannon B.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smith-magazine/the-exits-were-entrances-in-disguise-shannon-b/)

[SMITH Magazine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smith-magazine/)

> [“If everyone was opportuned to know the day of their death, they would not skip a day without trying to make their lives extraordinary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-everyone-was-opportuned-to-know-the-day-of-their-death-they-would/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [A domain exits where concepts can't go; so leave them on the doorstep to enter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/a-domain-exits-where-concepts-can-t-go-so-leave-them-on-the-doorstep/)

[Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/)

> [Trust, but look for the exits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/trust-but-look-for-the-exits/)

[Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/)

> [“Exits are the least understood part of investing—as often by the investors themselves as by the entrepreneurs. This book is about the large number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basil-peters/exits-are-the-least-understood-part-of-investing-as-often-by-the/)

[Basil Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/basil-peters/)

> [When I do a fashion show, it's not done until it exits out of the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-anderson/when-i-do-a-fashion-show-it-s-not-done-until-it-exits-out-of-the-door/)

[Jonathan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-anderson/)

> [When someone exits your life, let them go with class and style. They mattered, if only for a little while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-someone-exits-your-life-let-them-go-with-class-and-style-they/)

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

> [I know God exits, but I don't know where.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/i-know-god-exits-but-i-don-t-know-where/)

[Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/)

> [“There are two exits out of this room. Choose one.” Derrick chuckles. “What a glorious comeuppance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-may/there-are-two-exits-out-of-this-room-choose-one-derrick-chuckles-what/)

[Elizabeth May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-may/)

> [In case of emergency exits can be located at the sign out, delete, deactivate, mute & block features Thank you for flying fuck with Twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/in-case-of-emergency-exits-can-be-located-at-the-sign-out-delete/)

[Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/)

> [“You. O Positive. How many exits?" "What?...Oh shit, did you just call me by my bloodtype?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/you-o-positive-how-many-exits-what-oh-shit-did-you-just-call-me-by-my/)

[Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/)

## More by Jostein Gaarder

> [“I no longer feel the need to see and sense more than I've already experienced. I just want so desperately to hang on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/i-no-longer-feel-the-need-to-see-and-sense-more-than-i-ve-already/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [The most subversive people are those who ask questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-most-subversive-people-are-those-who-ask-questions/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [The sophists were as a rule men who had traveled widely and seen different forms of government. Both conventions and local laws in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-sophists-were-as-a-rule-men-who-had-traveled-widely-and-seen/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [Where did the world come from? The question has an answer, even though I cannot get to it. It is a good question. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/where-did-the-world-come-from-the-question-has-an-answer-even-though/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [“As soon as she concentrated on being alive now, the thought of dying also came into her mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/as-soon-as-she-concentrated-on-being-alive-now-the-thought-of-dying/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [“Po haljini sam mogao da vidim kako njeno telo diše, jer se haljina dizala i spuštala, dizala i spuštala, skoro kao da morski talasi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/po-haljini-sam-mogao-da-vidim-kako-njeno-telo-di-e-jer-se-haljina/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [Since the Renaissance, people have had to get used to living their life on a random planet in the vast galaxy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/since-the-renaissance-people-have-had-to-get-used-to-living-their/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [“without imagination, nothing really new will ever be created.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/without-imagination-nothing-really-new-will-ever-be-created/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [“The German poet Goethe once said that "he who cannot draw on three thousand years is living from hand to mouth." I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-german-poet-goethe-once-said-that-he-who-cannot-draw-on-three/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [“Sophie left the den and wandered about in the large garden. She tried to forget what she had learned at school, especially in science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/sophie-left-the-den-and-wandered-about-in-the-large-garden-she-tried/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [...long before the child learns to talk properly-and long before it learns to think philosophically-the world will have become a habit. A pity, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/long-before-the-child-learns-to-talk-properly-and-long-before-it/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [“any one question can be more explosive than a thousand answers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/any-one-question-can-be-more-explosive-than-a-thousand-answers/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [“We can't own each other's past. The question is whether we have a future together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/we-can-t-own-each-other-s-past-the-question-is-whether-we-have-a/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [“Uno no muere en medio del quinto acto.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/uno-no-muere-en-medio-del-quinto-acto/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [“Wer das Schicksal durchschauen will, muss es überleben.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/wer-das-schicksal-durchschauen-will-muss-es-berleben/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

[Explore all 305 Jostein Gaarder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

## More Exits quotes

> [“You. O Positive. How many exits?" "What?...Oh shit, did you just call me by my bloodtype?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/you-o-positive-how-many-exits-what-oh-shit-did-you-just-call-me-by-my/)

[Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/)

> [In case of emergency exits can be located at the sign out, delete, deactivate, mute & block features Thank you for flying fuck with Twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/in-case-of-emergency-exits-can-be-located-at-the-sign-out-delete/)

[Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/)

> [“There are two exits out of this room. Choose one.” Derrick chuckles. “What a glorious comeuppance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-may/there-are-two-exits-out-of-this-room-choose-one-derrick-chuckles-what/)

[Elizabeth May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-may/)

> [I know God exits, but I don't know where.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/i-know-god-exits-but-i-don-t-know-where/)

[Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/)

> [When someone exits your life, let them go with class and style. They mattered, if only for a little while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-someone-exits-your-life-let-them-go-with-class-and-style-they/)

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

> [When I do a fashion show, it's not done until it exits out of the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-anderson/when-i-do-a-fashion-show-it-s-not-done-until-it-exits-out-of-the-door/)

[Jonathan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-anderson/)

> [“Exits are the least understood part of investing—as often by the investors themselves as by the entrepreneurs. This book is about the large number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basil-peters/exits-are-the-least-understood-part-of-investing-as-often-by-the/)

[Basil Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/basil-peters/)

> [Trust, but look for the exits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/trust-but-look-for-the-exits/)

[Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/)

> [A domain exits where concepts can't go; so leave them on the doorstep to enter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/a-domain-exits-where-concepts-can-t-go-so-leave-them-on-the-doorstep/)

[Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/)

> [“If everyone was opportuned to know the day of their death, they would not skip a day without trying to make their lives extraordinary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-everyone-was-opportuned-to-know-the-day-of-their-death-they-would/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [“The exits were entrances in disguise. -- Shannon B.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smith-magazine/the-exits-were-entrances-in-disguise-shannon-b/)

[SMITH Magazine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smith-magazine/)

> [I avoid my neighbors - luckily, my building has two exits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-samuels/i-avoid-my-neighbors-luckily-my-building-has-two-exits/)

[Lynn Samuels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-samuels/)

> [That was one problem with dramatic exits: Sometimes they wound up making you look like a bubblehead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/that-was-one-problem-with-dramatic-exits-sometimes-they-wound-up/)

[Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/)

> [“This place has only three exits, sir: Madness, and Death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-daumal/this-place-has-only-three-exits-sir-madness-and-death/)

[Rene Daumal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-daumal/)

> [“Only willing acceptance gives legitimacy for anything to exist permanently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/only-willing-acceptance-gives-legitimacy-for-anything-to-exist/)

[Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/)

[Browse all 24 Exits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exits/)

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