--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Entertaining a notion, like entertaining…" description: "\"“Entertaining a notion, like entertaining a baby cousin or entertaining a pack of hyenas, is a dangerous thing to refuse to do. If you refuse to entert..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/lemony-snicket-663_nobody-knows_entertaining-a-notion-like-entertaining_2683674.jpg" --- # Entertaining a notion, like entertaining a baby cousin or… ![“Entertaining a notion, like entertaining a baby cousin or entertaining a pack of hyenas, is a dangerous thing to refuse to do. If you refuse to entertain a baby cousin, the baby cousin may get bored and entertain itself by wandering off and falling down a well. If you refuse to entertain a pack of…” quote by Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/lemony-snicket-663_nobody-knows_entertaining-a-notion-like-entertaining_2683674.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/lemony-snicket-663_nobody-knows_entertaining-a-notion-like-entertaining_2683674.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/lemony-snicket-663_nobody-knows_entertaining-a-notion-like-entertaining_2683674.jpg) > ““Entertaining a notion, like entertaining a baby cousin or entertaining a pack of hyenas, is a dangerous thing to refuse to do. If you refuse to entertain a baby cousin, the baby cousin may get bored and entertain itself by wandering off and falling down a well. If you refuse to entertain a pack of hyenas, they may become restless and entertain themselves by devouring you. But if you refuse to entertain a notion - which is just a fancy way of saying that you refuse to think about a certain idea - you have to be much braver than someone who is merely facing some blood-thirsty animals, or some parents who are upset to find their little darling at the bottom of a well, because nobody knows what an idea will do when it goes off to entertain itself.”” [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. Refusing to consider ideas is riskier than confronting tangible dangers, because ignored ideas can grow unchecked and cause harm. **In simple terms:** Ignoring ideas can be dangerous. Key Takeaway Engage with challenging thoughts. Themes cognition risk intellectual honesty danger ideas Mood cautious inquisitive reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - debate - creative brainstorming - problem solving - risk assessment Key Concepts critical thinking psychology philosophy danger perception Questions to Reflect On - What ideas are you avoiding? - How can you safely explore uncomfortable concepts? A Different Perspective Ideas left unchecked may cause unforeseen damage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bored Entertain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bored-entertain-2245134/) [Cousin Entertaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cousin-entertaining-2601032/) [Entertain Notion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertain-notion-2601033/) [Nobody knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobody-knows/) [Refuse Entertain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refuse-entertain-785812/) [Refuse Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refuse-think-770376/) ## Related quotes > [“If you refuse to entertain a baby cousin, the baby cousin may get bored and entertain itself by wandering off and falling down a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/if-you-refuse-to-entertain-a-baby-cousin-the-baby-cousin-may-get/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [I could never even entertain the notion that it's an option, to not be an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-yellin/i-could-never-even-entertain-the-notion-that-it-s-an-option-to-not-be/) [Dustin Yellin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-yellin/) > [Don't talk to me because you are 'bored' I'm not here to entertain you, and don't come to me when you need a 'favor',…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-talk-to-me-because-you-are-bored-i-m-not-here-to-entertain-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was an only child and was obviously really bored, so I would entertain my parents by imitating cartoon voices like Scooby Doo, Boo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-timberlake/i-was-an-only-child-and-was-obviously-really-bored-so-i-would/) [Justin Timberlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-timberlake/) > [Dont greet me when your bored so that I can entertain you,always remember that I'm not responsible for your happiness so please!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-greet-me-when-your-bored-so-that-i-can-entertain-you-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I refuse to entertain Stupid People and their Stupid Ideas”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-joy/i-refuse-to-entertain-stupid-people-and-their-stupid-ideas/) [Angel Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-joy/) > [Since mine own doors refuse to entertain me, I'll knock elsewhere, to see if they'll disdain me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/since-mine-own-doors-refuse-to-entertain-me-i-ll-knock-elsewhere-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I refuse to entertain anyone's misery. Anything we entertain feels welcome and stays!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-refuse-to-entertain-anyone-s-misery-anything-we-entertain-feels/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [See that you are not what you believe yourself to be. Fight with all the strength at your disposal against the idea that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/see-that-you-are-not-what-you-believe-yourself-to-be-fight-with-all/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Refuse to be cynical. Refuse to think that things can never change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-callaway/refuse-to-be-cynical-refuse-to-think-that-things-can-never-change/) [John Callaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-callaway/) > [“It was all so damn fragile, that was the thing. Obvious, for sure,but for the most part we block - we refuse to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/it-was-all-so-damn-fragile-that-was-the-thing-obvious-for-sure-but/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [“Today you can refuse to think negative thoughts, speak negative words, or engage in any negative behavior.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/today-you-can-refuse-to-think-negative-thoughts-speak-negative-words/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [I'm so stupid because I refuse to think that I'm getting older. I get up in the morning, and it's like, 'La, la, la,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charo/i-m-so-stupid-because-i-refuse-to-think-that-i-m-getting-older-i-get/) [Charo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charo/) > [Refuse to think in terms of this or that. All pain needs investigation. The mind is nothing else but the self. Assumption obscures reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/refuse-to-think-in-terms-of-this-or-that-all-pain-needs-investigation/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [It's an odd thing but when you tell someone the true facts of a mythical tale they are indignant not with the teller but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-tey/it-s-an-odd-thing-but-when-you-tell-someone-the-true-facts-of-a/) [Josephine Tey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-tey/) ## 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. 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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 Nobody knows quotes > [“life is like a trip nobody knows what will comes next”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-like-a-trip-nobody-knows-what-will-comes-next/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's a bit cliche, but you can't go wrong by writing what you know. Even if you're a horrible writer, your own knowledge and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/issa-rae/it-s-a-bit-cliche-but-you-can-t-go-wrong-by-writing-what-you-know/) [Issa Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/issa-rae/) > [Listen to everyone & learn from everyone because nobody knows everything but everyone know someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/listen-to-everyone-learn-from-everyone-because-nobody-knows/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [How do you get that lonely, how do you hurt that bad. To make you make the call, that havin' no life at all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangfroid-stalker/how-do-you-get-that-lonely-how-do-you-hurt-that-bad-to-make-you-make/) [SangFroid Stalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangfroid-stalker/) > [It is true that I got recognition. But however good the comedies are, nobody will accept a good comedy director as a good director.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyadarshan/it-is-true-that-i-got-recognition-but-however-good-the-comedies-are/) [Priyadarshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyadarshan/) > [“There was a Princess Somebody of Denmark sitting at a table with a number of people around her, and I saw an empty chair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-was-a-princess-somebody-of-denmark-sitting-at-a-table-with-a/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [If a boy loves a girl, everybody knows except the girl. if a girl loves a boy, nobody knows except herself! :P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mam/if-a-boy-loves-a-girl-everybody-knows-except-the-girl-if-a-girl-loves/) [MAM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mam/) > [ \[Barack Obama\] will spend long periods of time explaining to people why he won't use it. At the end of the explanation, nobody knows… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/barack-obama-will-spend-long-periods-of-time-explaining-to-people-why/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore? Nobody really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-advice-would-you-give-to-a-smart-driven-college-student-about-to/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [I really didn't like Batgirl. I was like, "No, if I'm not gonna be Batman, I'm not gonna play." 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