--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This isn’t life. It’s something that’s…" description: "\"“This isn’t life. It’s something that’s playing out in its own self-contained subroutine.”\" — M.R. Carey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/m-r-carey-10623_life_this-isn-t-life-it-s-something-that-s-pl_342435.jpg" --- # This isn’t life. It’s something that’s playing out in its… ![“This isn’t life. It’s something that’s playing out in its own self-contained subroutine.” quote by M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/m-r-carey-10623_life_this-isn-t-life-it-s-something-that-s-pl_342435.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/m-r-carey-10623_life_this-isn-t-life-it-s-something-that-s-pl_342435.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/m-r-carey-10623_life_this-isn-t-life-it-s-something-that-s-pl_342435.jpg) > ““This isn’t life. It’s something that’s playing out in its own self-contained subroutine.”” [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) ## 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 deterministic program where events run independently of personal agency. **In simple terms:** Life feels like a pre‑written script. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of control. Themes determinism existentialism technology Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical literary contemplative When to use this quote - gaming - software development - philosophical debate - personal decision making Key Concepts simulation theory free will subroutine metaphor Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel your actions are scripted? - How does this view affect responsibility? A Different Perspective It may overlook human agency and emotional depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [I am playing with my Self, I am playing with the world's soul, I am the dialogue between my Self and el espiritu del…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/i-am-playing-with-my-self-i-am-playing-with-the-world-s-soul-i-am-the/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [“I know that life isn’t life if you just float through it. I know that the whole point – the only point – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-know-that-life-isn-t-life-if-you-just-float-through-it-i-know-that/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [I'm sure there isn't an after-life. If there were, Ivor Novello would have got a message to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gielgud/i-m-sure-there-isn-t-an-after-life-if-there-were-ivor-novello-would/) [John Gielgud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gielgud/) > [“Survival isn’t all there is to life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/survival-isn-t-all-there-is-to-life/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Life on a lifeboat isn’t much of a life. It is like an end game in chess, a game with few pieces. The elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/life-on-a-lifeboat-isn-t-much-of-a-life-it-is-like-an-end-game-in/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [Life is harder when you complicate the simple thing's. Enjoy life for what it is and not for what it isn't. you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simpleman/life-is-harder-when-you-complicate-the-simple-thing-s-enjoy-life-for/) Simpleman > [“Life isn't about keeping score. It's not about how many people call you and it's not about who you've dated, are dating, or haven't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redneck/life-isn-t-about-keeping-score-it-s-not-about-how-many-people-call-2/) Redneck > [Funny, isn't it, how your whole life goes by while you think you're only planning the way you're going to live it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/funny-isn-t-it-how-your-whole-life-goes-by-while-you-think-you-re/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [Life isn't Life without Love. And Love will not be right, If it isn't for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhay-babista/life-isn-t-life-without-love-and-love-will-not-be-right-if-it-isn-t/) [Jhay Babista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhay-babista/) > [“Life isn't about keeping score. It's not about how many people call you and it's not about who you've dated, are dating or haven't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-isn-t-about-keeping-score-it-s-not-about-how-many-people-call/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [...because a life without meaning, without drive or focus, without dreams or goals, isn't a life worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-colfer/because-a-life-without-meaning-without-drive-or-focus-without-dreams/) [Chris Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-colfer/) > [Isn't life a series of images that change as they repeat themselves?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/isn-t-life-a-series-of-images-that-change-as-they-repeat-themselves/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [“How can I be more important than someone else? Isn’t every life important?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-k-wall/how-can-i-be-more-important-than-someone-else-isn-t-every-life/) [Shelley K. Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-k-wall/) > [“You have neat, tight expectation of what life out to give you, but you won't get it. That isn't what life does. Life does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florida-scott-maxwell/you-have-neat-tight-expectation-of-what-life-out-to-give-you-but-you/) [Florida Scott-Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florida-scott-maxwell/) ## More by M.R. Carey > [“Loyalty is just the wheels on the bus ... meaning that it keeps things moving but it's neutral when it comes to the direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/loyalty-is-just-the-wheels-on-the-bus-meaning-that-it-keeps-things/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“Pretending not to see would, she believes, take her past some point of no return, past the event horizon of hypocrisy into a black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/pretending-not-to-see-would-she-believes-take-her-past-some-point-of/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“It’s a strange thing to wake up not knowing who you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/it-s-a-strange-thing-to-wake-up-not-knowing-who-you-are/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“I love you, Miss Justineau. I’ll be a god or a Titan for you, and save you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/i-love-you-miss-justineau-i-ll-be-a-god-or-a-titan-for-you-and-save/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“The universe was a badly written soap opera where every plot twist strained credibility just that little bit further.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/the-universe-was-a-badly-written-soap-opera-where-every-plot-twist/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“Some things become true simply by being spoken. When she said to the little girl “I’m here for you”, the architecture of her mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/some-things-become-true-simply-by-being-spoken-when-she-said-to-the/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“fine, dark grey strands. Like plague-flavoured candy floss, Justineau thinks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/fine-dark-grey-strands-like-plague-flavoured-candy-floss-justineau/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“you can't save people from the world. There's nowhere else to take them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/you-can-t-save-people-from-the-world-there-s-nowhere-else-to-take-them/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“She's in the club. The hopelessly-outnumbered-and-surrounded-by-monsters club.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/she-s-in-the-club-the-hopelessly-outnumbered-and-surrounded-by/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“She already misses Miss J, even though they’re still together. She doesn’t think she’ll ever love anyone else quite this much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/she-already-misses-miss-j-even-though-they-re-still-together-she/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“It rains on the just and the unjust. Nothing you can do but turn your collar up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/it-rains-on-the-just-and-the-unjust-nothing-you-can-do-but-turn-your/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“It’s not just Pandora who had that inescapable flaw. It seems like everyone has been built in a way that sometimes makes them do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/it-s-not-just-pandora-who-had-that-inescapable-flaw-it-seems-like/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“If he says something that isn’t true, he is bringing uncertainty into the world. He is blinding the people around him to a small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/if-he-says-something-that-isn-t-true-he-is-bringing-uncertainty-into/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“Knowing the date is reassuring in some way she can’t quite figure out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/knowing-the-date-is-reassuring-in-some-way-she-can-t-quite-figure-out/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) > [“They are in hell, but the devil is on their side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-carey/they-are-in-hell-but-the-devil-is-on-their-side/) [M.R. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) [Explore all 64 M.R. Carey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-carey/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) Deanna L. Lawlis > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This isn’t life. 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