--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If any ideology is so serious that you…" description: "\"If any ideology is so serious that you can't have fun while you're doing it, it's probably too serious.\" — Larry Wall" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/larry-wall-1576_doing_if-any-ideology-is-so-serious-that-you-c_1334968.png" --- # If any ideology is so serious that you can't have fun… ![“If any ideology is so serious that you can't have fun while you're doing it, it's probably too serious.” quote by Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/larry-wall-1576_doing_if-any-ideology-is-so-serious-that-you-c_1334968.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/larry-wall-1576_doing_if-any-ideology-is-so-serious-that-you-c_1334968.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/larry-wall-1576_doing_if-any-ideology-is-so-serious-that-you-c_1334968.png) > “If any ideology is so serious that you can't have fun while you're doing it, it's probably too serious.” [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideologies that lack humor become oppressive and unsustainable. **In simple terms:** Serious ideologies need fun. Key Takeaway Keep fun in your pursuits. Themes humor ideology balance Mood lighthearted critical Type observational advice When to use this quote - team building - political activism - creative work Key Concepts cognitive flexibility social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does humor change a movement? - Can seriousness ever be productive? A Different Perspective Too much seriousness can stifle creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Having fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-fun/) [Ideology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideology/) ## Related quotes > [For the next approximately three years, I have got Nathan to take care of. I know that once he graduates from high school, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mandrell/for-the-next-approximately-three-years-i-have-got-nathan-to-take-care/) [Barbara Mandrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mandrell/) > [If you are doing what everyone else is doing, there is probably not an opportunity there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-kaiser/if-you-are-doing-what-everyone-else-is-doing-there-is-probably-not-an/) [George Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-kaiser/) > [I want to be at the top of my division and if that's something that I'm not doing and I can't do, then it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/i-want-to-be-at-the-top-of-my-division-and-if-that-s-something-that-i/) [Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/) > [I think if you had to map that out at the beginning and you said, "Right, sit down, this is what you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-think-if-you-had-to-map-that-out-at-the-beginning-and-you-said/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [If it was a choice between making movies and doing nothing, he'd probably still wish me to make movies, So he made me keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/if-it-was-a-choice-between-making-movies-and-doing-nothing-he-d/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [Any job is a job. If you have to be doing something, then you're probably not enjoying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-parker/any-job-is-a-job-if-you-have-to-be-doing-something-then-you-re/) [Trey Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-parker/) > [“Today I will strugle and ask God, "What was it I'm suppose to be doing down here, an probably he will send another person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-i-will-strugle-and-ask-god-what-was-it-i-m-suppose-to-be-doing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If everybody is doing what he or she is supposed be doing,no one will probably be working hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/if-everybody-is-doing-what-he-or-she-is-supposed-be-doing-no-one-will/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [We can make a difference and have fun doing it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wavy-gravy/we-can-make-a-difference-and-have-fun-doing-it/) [Wavy Gravy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wavy-gravy/) > [As long as you're having fun and you're doing what you want to do, who cares what everyone else has to say?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-long-as-you-re-having-fun-and-you-re-doing-what-you-want-to-do-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you're really having fun, you're always doing it a little bit in a way that you're not supposed to. That's when great things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annet-mahendru/when-you-re-really-having-fun-you-re-always-doing-it-a-little-bit-in/) Annet Mahendru > [Have fun doing whatever it is that you desire to accomplish. Learn it one step at a time, emphasizing the fundamentals, and do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-westphal/have-fun-doing-whatever-it-is-that-you-desire-to-accomplish-learn-it/) Paul Westphal > [Having fun is all about doing everything or doing nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/having-fun-is-all-about-doing-everything-or-doing-nothing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think the reason I'm an actor is the joy I find from escaping and going to be somebody else. That's what I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-glover/i-think-the-reason-i-m-an-actor-is-the-joy-i-find-from-escaping-and/) [John Glover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-glover/) > [I guess I had fun doing it but it has hard memories for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-ringgold/i-guess-i-had-fun-doing-it-but-it-has-hard-memories-for-me/) [Faith Ringgold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-ringgold/) ## More by Larry Wall > [Not that I have anything much against redundancy. But I said that already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/not-that-i-have-anything-much-against-redundancy-but-i-said-that/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Perhaps you should compile your Perl with long doubles one of these megaseconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/perhaps-you-should-compile-your-perl-with-long-doubles-one-of-these/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Take Lisp, you know its the most beautiful language in the world -- at least up until Haskell came along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/take-lisp-you-know-its-the-most-beautiful-language-in-the-world-at/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I'm reminded of the day my daughter came in, looked over my shoulder at some Perl 4 code, and said, 'What is that, swearing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-m-reminded-of-the-day-my-daughter-came-in-looked-over-my-shoulder/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Yes, but I did manage to increase the amount of virginity in the world by that method.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/yes-but-i-did-manage-to-increase-the-amount-of-virginity-in-the-world/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I won't mention any names, because I don't want to get sun4's into trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-won-t-mention-any-names-because-i-don-t-want-to-get-sun4-s-into/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [And besides, if Perl really takes off in the Windows space, I think the rest of us would just as soon have a double-agent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/and-besides-if-perl-really-takes-off-in-the-windows-space-i-think-the/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [In general, they do what you want, unless you want consistency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/in-general-they-do-what-you-want-unless-you-want-consistency/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I suppose you could switch grammars once you've seen 'use strict subs'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-suppose-you-could-switch-grammars-once-you-ve-seen-use-strict-subs/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [While I have historically been a late worker, you know, sometimes I even like to get up early and see what's happened in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/while-i-have-historically-been-a-late-worker-you-know-sometimes-i/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [All language designers are arrogant. Goes with the territory...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/all-language-designers-are-arrogant-goes-with-the-territory/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Perl has a long tradition of working around compilers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/perl-has-a-long-tradition-of-working-around-compilers/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Part of language design is perturbing the proposed feature in various directions to see how it might generalize in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/part-of-language-design-is-perturbing-the-proposed-feature-in-various/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [We can debug relationships, but it's always good policy to consider the people themselves to be features. People get annoyed when you try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/we-can-debug-relationships-but-it-s-always-good-policy-to-consider/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [The whole intent of Perl 5's module system was to encourage the growth of Perl culture rather than the Perl core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/the-whole-intent-of-perl-5-s-module-system-was-to-encourage-the/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) [Explore all 226 Larry Wall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) ## More Doing quotes > [I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm damn well gonna do it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geri-halliwell/i-don-t-know-what-i-m-doing-but-i-m-damn-well-gonna-do-it/) [Geri Halliwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geri-halliwell/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [If you think you're doing everything right, then you have a tendency to stand pat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/if-you-think-you-re-doing-everything-right-then-you-have-a-tendency/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-in-high-school-and-i-had-an-independent-album-out-and-we-kept/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [If I'm not thinking about you then I am texting you , if I am not texting you then I am on the phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-m-not-thinking-about-you-then-i-am-texting-you-if-i-am-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [.\*. why u hate me..Bitches be doing the most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty/why-u-hate-me-bitches-be-doing-the-most/) Kitty > [“dances with mine as if we’ve been doing this our whole”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-michaels/dances-with-mine-as-if-we-ve-been-doing-this-our-whole/) [Corinne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-michaels/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the dollar collapses, it's not doing it in a vacuum. If the dollar loses value, it's doing so relative to some other currency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/when-the-dollar-collapses-it-s-not-doing-it-in-a-vacuum-if-the-dollar/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [When I made it, I still didn't wave the flag and say, Yeah go Asian people. I do want people to know that about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hugo/when-i-made-it-i-still-didn-t-wave-the-flag-and-say-yeah-go-asian/) [Chad Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hugo/) > [I really can't live without my In-N-Out burgers. Honestly, I can't. 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