--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know many rules to live by,' he'd…" description: "\"I don't know many rules to live by,' he'd said. 'But here's one. It's simple. Don't put anything unnecessary into yourself. No poisons or chemicals, no..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05c/laini-taylor-258_alcohol_i-don-t-know-many-rules-to-live-by-he-d_3167579.png" --- # I don't know many rules to live by,' he'd said. 'But… ![“I don't know many rules to live by,' he'd said. 'But here's one. It's simple. Don't put anything unnecessary into yourself. No poisons or chemicals, no fumes or smoke or alcohol, no sharp objects, no inessential needles--drug or tattoo--and...no inessential penises either.' 'Inessential penises?'…” quote by Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05c/laini-taylor-258_alcohol_i-don-t-know-many-rules-to-live-by-he-d_3167579.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05c/laini-taylor-258_alcohol_i-don-t-know-many-rules-to-live-by-he-d_3167579.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05c/laini-taylor-258_alcohol_i-don-t-know-many-rules-to-live-by-he-d_3167579.png) > “I don't know many rules to live by,' he'd said. 'But here's one. It's simple. Don't put anything unnecessary into yourself. No poisons or chemicals, no fumes or smoke or alcohol, no sharp objects, no inessential needles--drug or tattoo--and...no inessential penises either.' 'Inessential penises?' Karou had repeated, delighted with the phrase in spite of her grief. 'Is there any such thing as an essential one?' 'When an essential one comes along, you'll know,' he'd replied.” [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoid unnecessary harmful influences and focus on essential, healthy choices. **In simple terms:** Eliminate excess, keep essentials. Key Takeaway Simplify your life. Themes health minimalism self‑care Mood practical reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - diet planning - habit formation - risk assessment Key Concepts well‑being addiction avoidance personal boundaries Questions to Reflect On - What can you remove from your routine? - How do you define what is essential? A Different Perspective Essential needs can be subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alcohol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alcohol/) [Chemicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chemicals/) [Drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug/) [Essentials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essentials/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Inessential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inessential-981884/) [Inessential Needles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inessential-needles-3003964/) [Inessential Penises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inessential-penises-3003962/) [Live by](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-by/) [Needles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needles/) [Penises Inessential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penises-inessential-5751754/) [Penises Karou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penises-karou-5751755/) [Phrases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phrases/) [Poison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poison/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Sharp Objects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharp-objects/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Spite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spite/) [Tattoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tattoo/) [Unnecessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unnecessary/) ## Related quotes > [“I don’t know many rules to live by,” he’d said. “But here’s one. It’s simple. Don’t put anything unnecessary into yourself. No poisons or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/i-don-t-know-many-rules-to-live-by-he-d-said-but-here-s-one-it-s/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“No subject posits itself spontaneously and at once as the inessential from the outset; it is not the Other who, defining itself as Other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/no-subject-posits-itself-spontaneously-and-at-once-as-the-inessential/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [“Failure is a stripping away of the inessential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/failure-is-a-stripping-away-of-the-inessential/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [Those who consider the inessential to be essential And see the essential as inessential Don't reach the essential, Living in the field of wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/those-who-consider-the-inessential-to-be-essential-and-see-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Sometimes, the inessential is essential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/sometimes-the-inessential-is-essential/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [“A blanket could be used to battle the cold, but not battle an army with swords, bayonets, and other sharp objects (unless the opposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blanket-could-be-used-to-battle-the-cold-but-not-battle-an-army/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“After the monkeys came down from the trees and learned to hurl sharp objects, they had had to move into caves for protection--not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/after-the-monkeys-came-down-from-the-trees-and-learned-to-hurl-sharp/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [For escape, I love popcorn thrillers that you can read in a weekend, like 'Sharp Objects' and 'The Woman in Cabin 10.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krysten-ritter/for-escape-i-love-popcorn-thrillers-that-you-can-read-in-a-weekend/) [Krysten Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krysten-ritter/) > [“He's dead: Internal bleeding. When they opened him up they found a toothbrush shiv lodged in the anal cavity. It was never determinded whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/he-s-dead-internal-bleeding-when-they-opened-him-up-they-found-a/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [It's funny: I've joked that 'Sharp Objects,' 'To the Bone,' and 'Dietland' are my self-harm trilogy, and each one is a different side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marti-noxon/it-s-funny-i-ve-joked-that-sharp-objects-to-the-bone-and-dietland-are/) [Marti Noxon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marti-noxon/) > [“Tortolita, let me tell you a story,” Estevan said. “This is a South American, wild Indian story about heaven and hell.” Mrs. Parsons made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/tortolita-let-me-tell-you-a-story-estevan-said-this-is-a-south/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > ['Sharp Objects' is honestly one of my most exciting reading experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krysten-ritter/sharp-objects-is-honestly-one-of-my-most-exciting-reading-experiences/) [Krysten Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krysten-ritter/) > [“May he find a phalanx of horny demon bubbas in Hell, with a fondness for sharp objects.” I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-rain/may-he-find-a-phalanx-of-horny-demon-bubbas-in-hell-with-a-fondness/) [J.R. Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-rain/) > [If you made a movie of 'Sharp Objects,' chances are that it would be a smaller film, but as a TV show, it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marti-noxon/if-you-made-a-movie-of-sharp-objects-chances-are-that-it-would-be-a/) [Marti Noxon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marti-noxon/) > [If you want a language that tries to lock up all the sharp objects and fire-making implements, use Pascal or Ada: the Nerf languages,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-fahlman/if-you-want-a-language-that-tries-to-lock-up-all-the-sharp-objects/) [Scott Fahlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-fahlman/) ## More by Laini Taylor > [“Word spread quickly: The visitor wished to address the scholars. 'What can he want?' they wondered, streaming into the Royal Theater. Attendance was voluntary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/word-spread-quickly-the-visitor-wished-to-address-the-scholars-what/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“The past and the future were just blinders we wore so that infinity wouldn’t drive us mad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/the-past-and-the-future-were-just-blinders-we-wore-so-that-infinity/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“I love books. Not just for what they contain. 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This isn't some goddamn Narnia book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/you-are-not-just-going-to-vanish-like-this-karou-this-isn-t-some/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Have you ever asked yourself, do monsters make war, or does war make monsters?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/have-you-ever-asked-yourself-do-monsters-make-war-or-does-war-make/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“She told Mik, "You have perfect violin-playing muscles." "And you, with your mighty puppeteer arms. We put the chimaera to shame." She stopped fanning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/she-told-mik-you-have-perfect-violin-playing-muscles-and-you-with/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [As far back as she could remember, a phantom life had mocked her with its impenetrable “something else,” but now it was the opposite.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/as-far-back-as-she-could-remember-a-phantom-life-had-mocked-her-with/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“By the time the plan's wheels touched down on a desolate stretch of desert runway, the sun had cleared a ridge of mountains and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/by-the-time-the-plan-s-wheels-touched-down-on-a-desolate-stretch-of/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“It was hard to imagine feeling that magical tingling sensation in the pit of her belly anytime soon. 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I lose basic motor function, like my brain focuses all neural activity on my lips and shifts into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/around-mik-my-powers-desert-me-i-lose-basic-motor-function-like-my/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Everything lined up. It has been easy, as if it were meant-" "Meant!" she said, amazed. She spun to face him, which, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/everything-lined-up-it-has-been-easy-as-if-it-were-meant-meant-she/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) [Explore all 715 Laini Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) ## More Alcohol quotes > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Stronger than alcohol, vaster than poetry, Ferment the freckled red bitterness of love!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rimbaud/stronger-than-alcohol-vaster-than-poetry-ferment-the-freckled-red/) [Arthur Rimbaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rimbaud/) > [And, when night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-when-night-darkens-the-streets-then-wander-forth-the-sons-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [ \[As in the case of\] alcohol prohibition, illegality has driven organized crime, sent countless people to jail, and killed many thousands. 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