--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The worst thing that could possibly…" description: "\"The worst thing that could possibly happen to anybody would be to not be used for anything by anybody. Thank you for using me, even though I didn't wan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/kurt-vonnegut-41_used_the-worst-thing-that-could-possibly-happ_731851.jpg" --- # The worst thing that could possibly happen to anybody… ![“The worst thing that could possibly happen to anybody would be to not be used for anything by anybody. Thank you for using me, even though I didn't want to be used by anybody.” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/kurt-vonnegut-41_used_the-worst-thing-that-could-possibly-happ_731851.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/kurt-vonnegut-41_used_the-worst-thing-that-could-possibly-happ_731851.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/kurt-vonnegut-41_used_the-worst-thing-that-could-possibly-happ_731851.jpg) > “The worst thing that could possibly happen to anybody would be to not be used for anything by anybody. Thank you for using me, even though I didn't want to be used by anybody.” [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. Being useful to others gives life meaning; even unwanted use is better than being ignored. **In simple terms:** Purpose comes from being used by others. Key Takeaway Seek ways to contribute, even if imperfect. Themes purpose usefulness existence humility connection Mood thoughtful humorous Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - volunteering - teamwork - creative projects - mentorship Key Concepts Meaning service human interdependence Questions to Reflect On - What does being “used” mean to you? - How to balance contribution and self‑respect? A Different Perspective Being used can lead to loss of autonomy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I'll never get used to anything. Anybody that does they might as well be dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/i-ll-never-get-used-to-anything-anybody-that-does-they-might-as-well/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Never get used to anybody. They can leave you any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-get-used-to-anybody-they-can-leave-you-any-moment/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Tao can be used by anybody, but it does not beling to anyone. It is just like air; everyone can breathe the air, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-chang/tao-can-be-used-by-anybody-but-it-does-not-beling-to-anyone-it-is/) [Henry Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-chang/) > [I wish I could just fling myself into bed with you, but I can’t. I don’t want to be used that way and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-wish-i-could-just-fling-myself-into-bed-with-you-but-i-can-t-i-don/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I want to be all used up when I die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-want-to-be-all-used-up-when-i-die/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [There are times when you want to go where you used to go and you can't go there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-paul/there-are-times-when-you-want-to-go-where-you-used-to-go-and-you-can/) [Les Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-paul/) > [I don't want to ever be used as a political pawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-lawrence/i-don-t-want-to-ever-be-used-as-a-political-pawn/) [Trevor Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-lawrence/) > [“You get used to... what you want to get used to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-lyle-jordan/you-get-used-to-what-you-want-to-get-used-to/) Steven Lyle Jordan > [“Even though you may not be quite who you want to be, you are not who you used to be!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-swope/even-though-you-may-not-be-quite-who-you-want-to-be-you-are-not-who/) [Renee Swope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-swope/) > [Money is lonely anyway. When you got it, people always want it. You don't want to be used; sometimes you don't know where a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/money-is-lonely-anyway-when-you-got-it-people-always-want-it-you-don/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [I take football as an avenue to different opportunities. Football is not using me; I'm using football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-peterson/i-take-football-as-an-avenue-to-different-opportunities-football-is/) [Adrian Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-peterson/) > [“But I want it anyway, Ed. I want what can't possibly happen, and that is why we broke up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/but-i-want-it-anyway-ed-i-want-what-can-t-possibly-happen-and-that-is/) [Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) > [I guess there's a song for absolutely everything that could possibly happen to a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/i-guess-there-s-a-song-for-absolutely-everything-that-could-possibly/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [I've always wanted to be mentioned in the same sentence or at the same time that you say Quincy Jones or you say Stevie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-dupri/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-mentioned-in-the-same-sentence-or-at-the/) [Jermaine Dupri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-dupri/) > [“...I want what can't possibly happen, and that is why we broke up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/i-want-what-can-t-possibly-happen-and-that-is-why-we-broke-up/) [Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. 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. Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/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/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. She released a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/like-all-earthlings-at-the-point-of-death-mary-young-sent-faint/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And contrast Mary Kathleen, if you will, with my wife Ruth, the Ophelia of the death camps, who believed that even the most intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-contrast-mary-kathleen-if-you-will-with-my-wife-ruth-the-ophelia/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. 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 Used quotes > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) > [I don't like being away from home. 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I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [(knitting while on a motorcycle) "For several years she knitted in secret (my father would not approve; she was to concentrate on motorcycling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-zimmermann/knitting-while-on-a-motorcycle-for-several-years-she-knitted-in/) [Elizabeth Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-zimmermann/) > [In our society we have hard nerds and soft nerds. The hard nerds are the ones who used to have the slide rules at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/in-our-society-we-have-hard-nerds-and-soft-nerds-the-hard-nerds-are/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I used a psychologist when I was playing, It's one of the most powerful things: how you can have a concrete head and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-parker/i-used-a-psychologist-when-i-was-playing-it-s-one-of-the-most/) [Scott Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-parker/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Everything comes home, my mother used to say; every word spoken, every shadow cast, every footprint in the sand. It can't be helped; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/everything-comes-home-my-mother-used-to-say-every-word-spoken-every/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) Browse all 18,955 Used quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The worst thing that could possibly happen to anybody would be to not be used for anything by anybody. 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