--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So it goes.\" Unlike many of these quotes…" description: "\"“So it goes.\" Unlike many of these quotes, the repeated refrain from Vonnegut's classic Slaughterhouse-Five isn't notable for its unique wording so muc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e99/kurt-vonnegut-41_way-of-life_so-it-goes-unlike-many-of-these-quotes-t_935262.jpg" --- # So it goes." Unlike many of these quotes, the repeated… ![“So it goes." Unlike many of these quotes, the repeated refrain from Vonnegut's classic Slaughterhouse-Five isn't notable for its unique wording so much as for how much emotion—and dismissal of emotion—it packs into three simple, world-weary words that simultaneously accept and dismiss everything…” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e99/kurt-vonnegut-41_way-of-life_so-it-goes-unlike-many-of-these-quotes-t_935262.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e99/kurt-vonnegut-41_way-of-life_so-it-goes-unlike-many-of-these-quotes-t_935262.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e99/kurt-vonnegut-41_way-of-life_so-it-goes-unlike-many-of-these-quotes-t_935262.jpg) > ““So it goes." Unlike many of these quotes, the repeated refrain from Vonnegut's classic Slaughterhouse-Five isn't notable for its unique wording so much as for how much emotion—and dismissal of emotion—it packs into three simple, world-weary words that simultaneously accept and dismiss everything. There's a reason this quote graced practically every elegy written for Vonnegut over the past two weeks (yes, including ours): It neatly encompasses a whole way of life. More crudely put: "Shit happens, and it's awful, but it's also okay. We deal with it because we have to.”” [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. The phrase captures acceptance of life's randomness and suffering while maintaining resilience. **In simple terms:** Accept that bad things happen, but keep going. Key Takeaway Embrace life's absurdity with stoic resolve. Themes existence absurdity resilience Mood philosophical reflective Type literary quote When to use this quote - daily setbacks - personal loss - global crises Key Concepts nihilism stoicism human condition Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance acceptance and action? - When is it okay to dismiss emotions? A Different Perspective May downplay seriousness of serious events. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Way of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [“My uncle Alex Vonnegut, a Harvard-educated life insurance salesman who lived at 5033 North Pennsylvania Street, taught me something very important. 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"People have to talk about something just to keep their voice boxes in working order, so they'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/oh-said-castle-him-he-shrugged-people-have-to-talk-about-something/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“To whom it may concern: It is springtime. It is late afternoon. -Mr. Vonnegut”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/to-whom-it-may-concern-it-is-springtime-it-is-late-afternoon-mr/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Popular as he was as a graduation speaker, Vonnegut never graduated from college.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/popular-as-he-was-as-a-graduation-speaker-vonnegut-never-graduated/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. 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And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Vonnegut quotes > [Everybody should read 'Slaughterhouse-Five' by Kurt Vonnegut. 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Lucky me, lucky mud.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I read a lot of short fiction, like Kurt Vonnegut and Raymond Carver and Wells Tower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/i-read-a-lot-of-short-fiction-like-kurt-vonnegut-and-raymond-carver/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [“Popular as he was as a graduation speaker, Vonnegut never graduated from college.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/popular-as-he-was-as-a-graduation-speaker-vonnegut-never-graduated/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “\[...\] as Kurt Vonnegut pointed out \[...\] the literary novel has become extraordinarily privatistic of late. 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"People have to talk about something just to keep their voice boxes in working order, so they'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/oh-said-castle-him-he-shrugged-people-have-to-talk-about-something/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Billy Pilgrim: "You guys go on without me. I'll be alright." Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/billy-pilgrim-you-guys-go-on-without-me-i-ll-be-alright/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) Browse all 83 Vonnegut quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“So it goes.\" Unlike many of these quotes, the repeated refrain from Vonnegut's classic Slaughterhouse-Five isn't notable for its unique wording so much as for how much emotion—and dismissal of emotion—it packs into three simple, world-weary words that simultaneously accept and dismiss everything. 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