--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But you can't invent things like time,'…" description: "\"“But you can't invent things like time,' Violet said. 'You can invent things like automatic popcorn poppers. You can invent things like steam-powered w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/lemony-snicket-663_inventing_but-you-can-t-invent-things-like-time-vi_1958360.jpg" --- # But you can't invent things like time,' Violet said. 'You… ![“But you can't invent things like time,' Violet said. 'You can invent things like automatic popcorn poppers. You can invent things like steam-powered window waster. But you can't invent more time.” quote by Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/lemony-snicket-663_inventing_but-you-can-t-invent-things-like-time-vi_1958360.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/lemony-snicket-663_inventing_but-you-can-t-invent-things-like-time-vi_1958360.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/lemony-snicket-663_inventing_but-you-can-t-invent-things-like-time-vi_1958360.jpg) > ““But you can't invent things like time,' Violet said. 'You can invent things like automatic popcorn poppers. You can invent things like steam-powered window waster. But you can't invent more time.”” [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Time is immutable; while we can create gadgets, we cannot create more of it. **In simple terms:** We can’t make more time, only use it wisely. Key Takeaway Accept limits, focus on what you can create. Themes time creativity limits innovation Mood reflective inspirational practical Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - daily planning - project management - personal productivity - technology development - storytelling Key Concepts philosophy of time creative problem solving Questions to Reflect On - What can you create within the time you have? - How do you prioritize inventions versus using time efficiently? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on invention may distract from managing existing resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Invent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent/) [Invent Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent-things-1225324/) [Invent Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent-time-1490684/) [Inventing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inventing/) [Popcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popcorn/) [Poppers Invent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poppers-invent-3218700/) [Said Invent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-invent-3115089/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [You can invent things like automatic popcorn poppers. You can invent things like steam-powered window washers. But you can’t invent more time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-invent-things-like-automatic-popcorn-poppers-you-can-invent/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If anyone said to me 'invent a new monster so we can sell more toys', I'd kick them out of my office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/if-anyone-said-to-me-invent-a-new-monster-so-we-can-sell-more-toys-i/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [“You're the inventor," Klaus answered, buttoning his coat. "But you can't invent things like time,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/you-re-the-inventor-klaus-answered-buttoning-his-coat-but-you-can-t/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [Dear Frank Einstein, Please invent time machine. Send your books back in time to me in 1978. Also a levitating skateboard. Tommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-angleberger/dear-frank-einstein-please-invent-time-machine-send-your-books-back/) [Tom Angleberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-angleberger/) > [One day they will invent a time machine and, like the internet, it will be used primarily for boning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/one-day-they-will-invent-a-time-machine-and-like-the-internet-it-will/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [Can I reverse time? or can I invent a time machine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/can-i-reverse-time-or-can-i-invent-a-time-machine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I finally invent a time machine you will already know about it because I'll have told you a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/when-i-finally-invent-a-time-machine-you-will-already-know-about-it/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [CALVIN: When I grow up I want to be an inventor. First I will invent a time machine. Then I'll come back to yesterday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/calvin-when-i-grow-up-i-want-to-be-an-inventor-first-i-will-invent-a/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [“To those who hadn't been around Violet long, nothing would have seemed unusual, but those who knew her well knew that when she tied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/to-those-who-hadn-t-been-around-violet-long-nothing-would-have-seemed/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“People don’t invent things on the Internet. They simply expand on an idea that already exists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bilton/people-don-t-invent-things-on-the-internet-they-simply-expand-on-an/) [Nick Bilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bilton/) > [Neymar is growing and is one of those players who invent things. He always has something more to offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-sanchez/neymar-is-growing-and-is-one-of-those-players-who-invent-things-he/) [Alexis Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-sanchez/) > [You need to invent things and you need to get them to people. You need to commercialize those inventions. Obviously, the best way we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/you-need-to-invent-things-and-you-need-to-get-them-to-people-you-need/) [Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/) > [I use my mind to solve problems and invent things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-use-my-mind-to-solve-problems-and-invent-things/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I like to experiment a lot and invent things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-ireland/i-like-to-experiment-a-lot-and-invent-things/) [Kathy Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-ireland/) > [Our job as actors is to invent the things that bridge ourselves with the characters, so you have to build something if it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-flynn/our-job-as-actors-is-to-invent-the-things-that-bridge-ourselves-with/) [Johnny Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-flynn/) ## More by Lemony Snicket > [“Nevermore Tree was gargantuan, a word which here means 'having attained an inordinate amount of botanical volume.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/nevermore-tree-was-gargantuan-a-word-which-here-means-having-attained/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“But even if they could go home it would be difficult for me to tell you what the moral of the story is. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/but-even-if-they-could-go-home-it-would-be-difficult-for-me-to-tell/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Their adventure would be exciting and memorable like being chased by a werewolf through a field of thorny bushes at midnight with nobody around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/their-adventure-would-be-exciting-and-memorable-like-being-chased-by/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“I am very, very sorry to leave you hanging like that, but as I was writing the tale of the Baudelaire orphans, I happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/i-am-very-very-sorry-to-leave-you-hanging-like-that-but-as-i-was/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“being skeptical is a good thing for a journalist, because it means you don't completely trust anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/being-skeptical-is-a-good-thing-for-a-journalist-because-it-means-you/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Baudelaire children had a slightly different”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/baudelaire-children-had-a-slightly-different/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“To those who hadn't been around Violet long, nothing would have seemed unusual, but those who knew her well knew that when she tied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/to-those-who-hadn-t-been-around-violet-long-nothing-would-have-seemed/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Pietrisycamollaviadelrechiotemexity," Sunny said, which you will probably recall means something along the lines of "I must admit I don’t have the faintest idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/pietrisycamollaviadelrechiotemexity-sunny-said-which-you-will/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Behind these two booths was an enormous roller coaster, a phrase which here means “a series of small carts where people can sit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/behind-these-two-booths-was-an-enormous-roller-coaster-a-phrase-which/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“All these things are miracles. It is a miracle if you can find true friends, and it is a miracle if you have enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/all-these-things-are-miracles-it-is-a-miracle-if-you-can-find-true/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Uncle Monty tell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/uncle-monty-tell/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“As you and I listen to Uncle Monty tell the three Baudelaire orphans that no harm will ever come to them in the Reptile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/as-you-and-i-listen-to-uncle-monty-tell-the-three-baudelaire-orphans/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“They tried picturing leaving Uncle Monty and living by themselves, trying to find jobs and take care of each other. It was a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/they-tried-picturing-leaving-uncle-monty-and-living-by-themselves/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“To Beatrice- darling, dearest, dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/to-beatrice-darling-dearest-dead/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“The French expression 'cul-de-sac' describes what the Baudelaire orphans found when they reached the end of the dark hallway, and like all French expressions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/the-french-expression-cul-de-sac-describes-what-the-baudelaire/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) [Explore all 384 Lemony Snicket quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) ## More Invent quotes > [My wish for humanity is to invent a way to communicate between us and whatever comes next. And in the end that we the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugata-mitra/my-wish-for-humanity-is-to-invent-a-way-to-communicate-between-us-and/) [Sugata Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugata-mitra/) > [When you have a large amount of the workforce being laid off, some of them have no other choice but to go out there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daymond-john/when-you-have-a-large-amount-of-the-workforce-being-laid-off-some-of/) [Daymond John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daymond-john/) > [“Being a pioneer can be damn lonely, too early, no money, tough, endless, stupid,” Samwer said. “And that healed us. Since then, we basically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sennett/being-a-pioneer-can-be-damn-lonely-too-early-no-money-tough-endless/) [Frank Sennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sennett/) > [You can't invent something you have no epistemological access to. In a way, it's all recombination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/you-can-t-invent-something-you-have-no-epistemological-access-to-in-a/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > ['The New Yorker' didn't invent the magazine cartoon, but it did really establish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mankoff/the-new-yorker-didn-t-invent-the-magazine-cartoon-but-it-did-really/) [Robert Mankoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mankoff/) > [The function of the artist is to invent, not to chronicle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-function-of-the-artist-is-to-invent-not-to-chronicle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [You will never win fame and fortune unless you invent big ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/you-will-never-win-fame-and-fortune-unless-you-invent-big-ideas/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [“China it! Why invent the wheel when it has already been invented!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/china-it-why-invent-the-wheel-when-it-has-already-been-invented/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [I don't think we have very good records about what they were thinking except, as I pointed out earlier today, that they did invent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-r-brower/i-don-t-think-we-have-very-good-records-about-what-they-were-thinking/) [David R. Brower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-brower/) > [It gives me confidence to know that what I'm writing has a veracity of its own without me having to invent it. When I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/it-gives-me-confidence-to-know-that-what-i-m-writing-has-a-veracity/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [What you dont see with your eyes, dont invent with your mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-you-dont-see-with-your-eyes-dont-invent-with-your-mouth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The answer, The answer, my friend, is not yours to invent or create. It will be decided for you. It is outside you. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-answer-the-answer-my-friend-is-not-yours-to-invent-or-create-it/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [You can only really invent something if you connect yourself to the real world - whatever that means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lindbergh/you-can-only-really-invent-something-if-you-connect-yourself-to-the/) [Peter Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lindbergh/) > [Remove what is unfitting in your life, keep the rest and invent something new for that which you remove.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/remove-what-is-unfitting-in-your-life-keep-the-rest-and-invent/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You young people yourselves are capable of performing anything. Our inventors can invent in a high level. Our innovators can innovate in a high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruhollah-khomeini/you-young-people-yourselves-are-capable-of-performing-anything-our/) [Ruhollah Khomeini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruhollah-khomeini/) [Browse all 393 Invent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But you can't invent things like time,' Violet said. 'You can invent things like automatic popcorn poppers. You can invent things like steam-powered window waster. 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