--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are all experiments in enthusiasms…" description: "\"We are all experiments in enthusiasms, narrow and preordained.\" — Kurt Vonnegut" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/kurt-vonnegut-41_enthusiasm_we-are-all-experiments-in-enthusiasms-na_1050456.jpg" --- # We are all experiments in enthusiasms, narrow and… ![“We are all experiments in enthusiasms, narrow and preordained.” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/kurt-vonnegut-41_enthusiasm_we-are-all-experiments-in-enthusiasms-na_1050456.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/kurt-vonnegut-41_enthusiasm_we-are-all-experiments-in-enthusiasms-na_1050456.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/kurt-vonnegut-41_enthusiasm_we-are-all-experiments-in-enthusiasms-na_1050456.jpg) > “We are all experiments in enthusiasms, narrow and preordained.” [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. Life is portrayed as a series of passionate experiments, both limited and predetermined, highlighting human agency within constraints. **In simple terms:** We’re all passionate experiments. Key Takeaway Live passionately within limits. Themes existence passion determinism freedom Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - career planning - artistic creation - personal growth - relationship building Key Concepts human nature choice fate Questions to Reflect On - What passions drive your experiments? - How do you balance freedom with destiny? A Different Perspective Predetermined aspects may limit true freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enthusiasm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enthusiasm/) [Enthusiasms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enthusiasms-1411714/) [Enthusiasms Narrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enthusiasms-narrow-2509274/) [Experiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiments/) [Experiments Enthusiasms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiments-enthusiasms-2509273/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Narrow Preordained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrow-preordained-2509275/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) ## Related quotes > [The first thing a writer should be is - excited. He should be a thing of fevers and enthusiasms. Without such vigor, he might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-first-thing-a-writer-should-be-is-excited-he-should-be-a-thing-of/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [a committee, of course, exists for the purpose of damping enthusiasms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-benson/a-committee-of-course-exists-for-the-purpose-of-damping-enthusiasms/) [Stella Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-benson/) > [“Boredom is the laboratory where new enthusiasms prepare themselves,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-heighton/boredom-is-the-laboratory-where-new-enthusiasms-prepare-themselves/) [Steven Heighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-heighton/) > [A Settlement is above all a place for enthusiasms, a spot to which those who have a passion for the equalization of human joys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/a-settlement-is-above-all-a-place-for-enthusiasms-a-spot-to-which/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [“His manner showed a curious mixture of longing and enthusiasm, which is to say that his enthusiasms were always of a wistful sort, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/his-manner-showed-a-curious-mixture-of-longing-and-enthusiasm-which/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [My enthusiasms...constitute my reserves, my unexploited resources, perhaps my future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/my-enthusiasms-constitute-my-reserves-my-unexploited-resources/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [I had a lot of enthusiasms that were very contradictory, I was never very doctrinaire in the type of design I wanted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bierut/i-had-a-lot-of-enthusiasms-that-were-very-contradictory-i-was-never/) [Michael Bierut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bierut/) > [“The journey of life requires alot of enthusiasms, great passion and commitment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-journey-of-life-requires-alot-of-enthusiasms-great-passion-and/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I have a very personal view of what I want in a café. I don't spend a lot of time thinking about what other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman/i-have-a-very-personal-view-of-what-i-want-in-a-caf-i-don-t-spend-a/) [James Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman/) > [I tried to stir the imagination and enthusiasms of students to take risks, to do what they were most afraid of doing, to widen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-broughton/i-tried-to-stir-the-imagination-and-enthusiasms-of-students-to-take/) [James Broughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-broughton/) > [“The enthusiasm that characterizes our time is, unlike current events, hopeful and, like all enthusiasms, playful. The energy that flashes through our electronics has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-hallowell/the-enthusiasm-that-characterizes-our-time-is-unlike-current-events/) [Edward M. Hallowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-hallowell/) > [All noble enthusiasms pass through a feverish stage, and grow wiser and more serene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/all-noble-enthusiasms-pass-through-a-feverish-stage-and-grow-wiser/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [“Hang on to your youthful enthusiasms -- you’ll be able to use them better when you’re older.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/hang-on-to-your-youthful-enthusiasms-you-ll-be-able-to-use-them/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [Enthusiasms, like stimulants, are often affected by people with small mental ballast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minna-antrim/enthusiasms-like-stimulants-are-often-affected-by-people-with-small/) [Minna Antrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minna-antrim/) > [“I had schooled myself since the war-days never to speak of my enthusiasms; when other people did not share them, which was usual, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/i-had-schooled-myself-since-the-war-days-never-to-speak-of-my/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) ## 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 Enthusiasm quotes > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [“Great things can be accomplish with passionate enthusiasm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/great-things-can-be-accomplish-with-passionate-enthusiasm/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes shine to the stars. Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/enthusiasm-is-the-yeast-that-makes-your-hopes-shine-to-the-stars/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Nothing cools so fast as undue enthusiasm. Water that has boiled freezes sooner than any other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-iles/nothing-cools-so-fast-as-undue-enthusiasm-water-that-has-boiled/) [George Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-iles/) > [When you've got enough enthusiasm, and don't overthink, things turn out well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-trezeguet/when-you-ve-got-enough-enthusiasm-and-don-t-overthink-things-turn-out/) [David Trezeguet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-trezeguet/) > [The figure of the enthusiast who has just discovered jogging or a new way to fix tofu can be said to stand or, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/the-figure-of-the-enthusiast-who-has-just-discovered-jogging-or-a-new/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [Attempt to be creative for the joy it brings… Select something like music, dance, sculpture, or poetry. Being creative will help you enjoy life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/attempt-to-be-creative-for-the-joy-it-brings-select-something-like/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-sectaries-of-a-persecuted-religion-depressed-by-fear-animated/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Enthusiasm is by far the highest paid quality on earth, probably because it is one of the rarest; yet it is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-bettger/enthusiasm-is-by-far-the-highest-paid-quality-on-earth-probably/) [Frank Bettger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-bettger/) > [The book it reminded me of most is Henry Miller’s The Books in My Life. Like Miller, Shields manages to convey his affection for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-alexis/the-book-it-reminded-me-of-most-is-henry-miller-s-the-books-in-my/) [Andre Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-alexis/) > [I wanted to do a talk show that reminded me of the old school ones I loved as a kid, without all the fake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/i-wanted-to-do-a-talk-show-that-reminded-me-of-the-old-school-ones-i/) [Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/) > [ As we have seen after every other \[Donald\] Trump controversy, this one only increased their enthusiasm for him. His supporters thought the idea of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/as-we-have-seen-after-every-other-donald-trump-controversy-this-one/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) [Browse all 1,846 Enthusiasm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enthusiasm/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are all experiments in enthusiasms, narrow and preordained.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kurt Vonnegut" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/we-are-all-experiments-in-enthusiasms-narrow-and-preordained/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enthusiasm" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/we-are-all-experiments-in-enthusiasms-narrow-and-preordained/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/kurt-vonnegut-41_enthusiasm_we-are-all-experiments-in-enthusiasms-na_1050456.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/kurt-vonnegut-41_enthusiasm_we-are-all-experiments-in-enthusiasms-na_1050456.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/kurt-vonnegut-41_enthusiasm_we-are-all-experiments-in-enthusiasms-na_1050456.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are all experiments in enthusiasms, narrow and preordained.” — Kurt Vonnegut", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kurt Vonnegut", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We are all experiments in enthusiasms,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/we-are-all-experiments-in-enthusiasms-narrow-and-preordained/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/we-are-all-experiments-in-enthusiasms-narrow-and-preordained/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```