--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wake up, you idiots! Whatever made you…" description: "\"Wake up, you idiots! Whatever made you think that money was so valuable?\" — Kurt Vonnegut" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/kurt-vonnegut-41_idiot_wake-up-you-idiots-whatever-made-you-thi_2396032.jpg" --- # Wake up, you idiots! Whatever made you think that money… ![“Wake up, you idiots! Whatever made you think that money was so valuable?” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/kurt-vonnegut-41_idiot_wake-up-you-idiots-whatever-made-you-thi_2396032.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/kurt-vonnegut-41_idiot_wake-up-you-idiots-whatever-made-you-thi_2396032.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/kurt-vonnegut-41_idiot_wake-up-you-idiots-whatever-made-you-thi_2396032.jpg) > “Wake up, you idiots! Whatever made you think that money was so valuable?” [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. He questions the societal obsession with money, urging a reevaluation of its true value. **In simple terms:** Money isn’t as important as we think. Key Takeaway Reassess what truly matters beyond wealth. Themes materialism values critique society economics Mood critical provocative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal finance decisions - career choices - ethical spending - life planning Key Concepts philosophy social commentary human priorities Questions to Reflect On - What would you prioritize if money were irrelevant? - How does society reinforce monetary value? A Different Perspective Money still drives many essential systems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wake up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wake-up/) ## Related quotes > [We think, "If I have more money, I am more valuable. If I make more money, I am more valuable." It's all sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/we-think-if-i-have-more-money-i-am-more-valuable-if-i-make-more-money/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [Money is the fuel for choices. Money gives me choices, so it's not nothing, it's something," he continued. "But it's not the end all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/money-is-the-fuel-for-choices-money-gives-me-choices-so-it-s-not/) [Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/) > [“Wake up, you idiots! Whatever made you think paper was so valuable?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/wake-up-you-idiots-whatever-made-you-think-paper-was-so-valuable/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were suddenly saying to people with nothing but paper representations of wealth, “Wake up, you idiots! Whatever made you think paper was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-suddenly-saying-to-people-with-nothing-but-paper/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [They say God looks after kids and idiots, and I think actors are probably a combination of the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-glenn/they-say-god-looks-after-kids-and-idiots-and-i-think-actors-are/) [Scott Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-glenn/) > [Money is the fuel for choices. Money gives me choices, so it's not nothing, it's something. But it's not the end all, be all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/money-is-the-fuel-for-choices-money-gives-me-choices-so-it-s-not-2/) [Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/) > [On a biological level, the brain registers money as something valuable - even a dollar bill which has no intrinsic value, it's just paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-sehgal/on-a-biological-level-the-brain-registers-money-as-something-valuable/) [Kabir Sehgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-sehgal/) > [ The legal tender quality \[of money\] is only valuable for the purposes of dishonesty. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salmon-p-chase/the-legal-tender-quality-of-money-is-only-valuable-for-the-purposes/) [Salmon P. Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salmon-p-chase/) > [“Logan shot to his feet. "I can't keep quiet anymore. You all are stupid idiots if you think that. Don't you know her? Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tijan/logan-shot-to-his-feet-i-can-t-keep-quiet-anymore-you-all-are-stupid/) [Tijan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tijan/) > [ I barely trust established sources of information. I have a hard time finding \[Wikipedia\], an encyclopedia that anyone can alter, to be a safe… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-milholland/i-barely-trust-established-sources-of-information-i-have-a-hard-time/) [R. K. Milholland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-milholland/) > [We are such idiots, We think everyone else has it all figured out. But we're all stumbling around in dark rooms bumping into furniture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-ryan/we-are-such-idiots-we-think-everyone-else-has-it-all-figured-out-but/) [Joan Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-ryan/) > [A dog will stay stupid. That's why we love them so much. The entire time we know them, they're idiots. Think of your dog.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/a-dog-will-stay-stupid-that-s-why-we-love-them-so-much-the-entire/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [“I don’t care what other people think about me. Most people are idiots, and they can think whatever they want.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-l-k-s/i-don-t-care-what-other-people-think-about-me-most-people-are-idiots/) [Ida Løkås](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-l-k-s/) > [Only idiots die for an idea! Life is greater and infinitely more valuable than all the ideas!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/only-idiots-die-for-an-idea-life-is-greater-and-infinitely-more/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [It's weird to think about money and all that other stuff. I really just want to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-trubisky/it-s-weird-to-think-about-money-and-all-that-other-stuff-i-really/) [Mitchell Trubisky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-trubisky/) ## 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 Idiot quotes > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [Thirty guys equals five percent die-off among active wingsuit base jumpers. That means there's a flaw in our system and you're an idiot if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-potter/thirty-guys-equals-five-percent-die-off-among-active-wingsuit-base/) [Dean Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-potter/) > [You have to be an idiot to run out of gas…I just did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-burke/you-have-to-be-an-idiot-to-run-out-of-gas-i-just-did/) [Brooke Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-burke/) > [Mechanical instruments, potentially a vehicle of rational human purposes, are scarcely a blessing when they enable the gossip of the village idiot and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/mechanical-instruments-potentially-a-vehicle-of-rational-human/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [I need to look like an idiot at least twice a day to keep myself humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-need-to-look-like-an-idiot-at-least-twice-a-day-to-keep-myself/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“But no idiot-proofing can overcome a determined idiot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-weir/but-no-idiot-proofing-can-overcome-a-determined-idiot/) [Andy Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-weir/) > [One or two years ago, I didn't know who I was on court and I used to swear a lot. But now I've learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/one-or-two-years-ago-i-didn-t-know-who-i-was-on-court-and-i-used-to/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [“He came for me. I couldn’t believe it. He came for me . Into a flying palace full of thousands of armed rakshasas in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-came-for-me-i-couldn-t-believe-it-he-came-for-me-into-a-flying/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Why does man behave like perfect idiot? This is the problem I wish to deal with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-szent-gyorgyi/why-does-man-behave-like-perfect-idiot-this-is-the-problem-i-wish-to/) [Albert Szent-Gyorgyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-szent-gyorgyi/) > [Without sounding like a right idiot, my mum and my dad are my role models. They devoted everything to my sister and me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/without-sounding-like-a-right-idiot-my-mum-and-my-dad-are-my-role/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [“The woman may be a biomedical engineer, but I begin to think that she is a certifiable idiot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-khoury/the-woman-may-be-a-biomedical-engineer-but-i-begin-to-think-that-she/) [Jessica Khoury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-khoury/) > [“Knowledge cannot replace friendship. I'd rather be an idiot than lose you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-to-spongebob/knowledge-cannot-replace-friendship-i-d-rather-be-an-idiot-than-lose/) Patrick to Spongebob > [Solemnity is the shield of idiots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/solemnity-is-the-shield-of-idiots/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I’ve noticed that you are retarded, Dr. Phil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-leigh-stewart/i-ve-noticed-that-you-are-retarded-dr-phil/) [Christy Leigh Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-leigh-stewart/) > [“You heard what she said, idiot. She’s not dating, especially not a man her uptight daddy can’t stand the sight of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/codi-gary/you-heard-what-she-said-idiot-she-s-not-dating-especially-not-a-man/) [Codi Gary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/codi-gary/) [Browse all 2,115 Idiot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Wake up, you idiots! 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