--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It didn’t matter much what Dwayne said…" description: "\"“It didn’t matter much what Dwayne said. It hadn’t mattered much for years. It didn’t matter much what most people in Midland City said out loud, excep..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e06/kurt-vonnegut-41_black-person_it-didn-t-matter-much-what-dwayne-said-i_307211.jpg" --- # It didn’t matter much what Dwayne said. It hadn’t mattered… ![“It didn’t matter much what Dwayne said. It hadn’t mattered much for years. It didn’t matter much what most people in Midland City said out loud, except when they were talking about money or structures or travel or machinery—or other measurable things. Every person had a clearly defined part to…” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e06/kurt-vonnegut-41_black-person_it-didn-t-matter-much-what-dwayne-said-i_307211.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e06/kurt-vonnegut-41_black-person_it-didn-t-matter-much-what-dwayne-said-i_307211.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e06/kurt-vonnegut-41_black-person_it-didn-t-matter-much-what-dwayne-said-i_307211.jpg) > ““It didn’t matter much what Dwayne said. It hadn’t mattered much for years. It didn’t matter much what most people in Midland City said out loud, except when they were talking about money or structures or travel or machinery—or other measurable things. Every person had a clearly defined part to play—as a black person, a female high school drop-out, a Pontiac dealer, a gynecologist, a gas-conversion burner installer. If a person stopped living up to expectations, because of bad chemicals or one thing or another, everybody went on imagining that the person was living up to expectations anyway.”” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People are often reduced to stereotypes and expectations, and when they fail to meet them, others ignore their true individuality. **In simple terms:** Society imposes limiting roles; failure leads to denial. Key Takeaway Challenge stereotypes and see beyond labels. Themes identity stereotypes expectations social pressure Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace - community - family - media representation Key Concepts conformity individuality perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize when you’re stereotyping? - What steps can you take to honor individual differences? A Different Perspective Stereotypes can be harmful and oversimplify. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) ## Related quotes > [“It didn't matter much what Dwayne said. It hadn't mattered much for years. 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Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. 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It didn’t matter much what most people in Midland City said out loud, except when they were talking about money or structures or travel or machinery—or other measurable things. Every person had a clearly defined part to play—as a black person, a female high school drop-out, a Pontiac dealer, a gynecologist, a gas-conversion burner installer. 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