--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not right to vex ourselves at…" description: "\"It is not right to vex ourselves at things, for they care not about it.\" — Marcus Aurelius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/marcus-aurelius-139_care_it-is-not-right-to-vex-ourselves-at-thin_1152383.jpg" --- # It is not right to vex ourselves at things, for they care… ![“It is not right to vex ourselves at things, for they care not about it.” quote by Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/marcus-aurelius-139_care_it-is-not-right-to-vex-ourselves-at-thin_1152383.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/marcus-aurelius-139_care_it-is-not-right-to-vex-ourselves-at-thin_1152383.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/marcus-aurelius-139_care_it-is-not-right-to-vex-ourselves-at-thin_1152383.jpg) > “It is not right to vex ourselves at things, for they care not about it.” [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We should not waste energy on things beyond our control; they are indifferent to our concerns. **In simple terms:** Don't stress over things you can't control. Key Takeaway Focus on what you can influence. Themes stoicism control mindfulness resilience Mood serene determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - stress management - decision making - personal reflection Key Concepts philosophy psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - What can you control right now? - How do you differentiate concern from obsession? A Different Perspective Acceptance may feel passive if not balanced with action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [Vex not thy spirit at the course of things; they heed not thy vexation. How ludicrous and outlandish is astonishment at anything that may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/vex-not-thy-spirit-at-the-course-of-things-they-heed-not-thy-vexation-2/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Vex not thy spirit at the course of things, they heed not thy vexations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/vex-not-thy-spirit-at-the-course-of-things-they-heed-not-thy-vexations/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [If you take care of the little things, the big things take care of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renford-reese/if-you-take-care-of-the-little-things-the-big-things-take-care-of/) Renford Reese > [“Maybe that’s normal. The things you care most about are the ones that leave the biggest holes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-zappia/maybe-that-s-normal-the-things-you-care-most-about-are-the-ones-that/) [Francesca Zappia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-zappia/) > [Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/fight-for-the-things-that-you-care-about-but-do-it-in-a-way-that-will/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [First things first; take care of what can be done now before worrying too long over what might never be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/first-things-first-take-care-of-what-can-be-done-now-before-worrying/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [To have noughtIs to have all things without care or thought!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/to-have-noughtis-to-have-all-things-without-care-or-thought/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [The good things take care of themselves. We want to find all the negatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-huizenga/the-good-things-take-care-of-themselves-we-want-to-find-all-the/) [Wayne Huizenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-huizenga/) > [“The reason he could do none of the necessary things to take care of himself, on the few occasions when he thought of them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-pouncey/the-reason-he-could-do-none-of-the-necessary-things-to-take-care-of/) [Peter Pouncey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-pouncey/) > [I stopped caring about things I should care about and started caring about things I shouldn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-stopped-caring-about-things-i-should-care-about-and-started-caring/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I still care deeply about so many thing. And so I'm going to be engaged. I'm going to be out there as - with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-still-care-deeply-about-so-many-thing-and-so-i-m-going-to-be/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The things I care about are the most pedestrian things in the world. I care about good ice cream and being a good dad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/the-things-i-care-about-are-the-most-pedestrian-things-in-the-world-i/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [I'm very grateful for the platform that I've had in my life to speak out about the things I care about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-heche/i-m-very-grateful-for-the-platform-that-i-ve-had-in-my-life-to-speak/) [Anne Heche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-heche/) > [I really dont care about a lot of things, but when I do care, I care too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-really-dont-care-about-a-lot-of-things-but-when-i-do-care-i-care/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Motivation comes from working on things we care about. It also comes from working with people we care about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/motivation-comes-from-working-on-things-we-care-about-it-also-comes/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) ## More by Marcus Aurelius > [A man should be upright, not kept upright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/a-man-should-be-upright-not-kept-upright/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Everything is mere opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/everything-is-mere-opinion/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [If any man has done wrong, the harm is his own. But perhaps he has not done wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/if-any-man-has-done-wrong-the-harm-is-his-own-but-perhaps-he-has-not/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Pray look upon the plants and birds, the ants, spiders, and bees, and you will see them all exerting their nature, and busy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/pray-look-upon-the-plants-and-birds-the-ants-spiders-and-bees-and-you/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“We should remark the grace and fascination that there is even in the incidentals of Nature's processes.. When a loaf of bread,. for instance,.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-should-remark-the-grace-and-fascination-that-there-is-even-in-the/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [My true Self is free. I cannot be contained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/my-true-self-is-free-i-cannot-be-contained/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/the-best-revenge-is-to-be-unlike-him-who-performed-the-injury/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Nothing befalls any man which he is not fitted to endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/nothing-befalls-any-man-which-he-is-not-fitted-to-endure/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Adorn thyself with simplicity and with indifference towards the things which lie between virtue and vice. Love mankind. Follow God. The poet says that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/adorn-thyself-with-simplicity-and-with-indifference-towards-the/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Let it be your constant method to look into the design of people's actions, and see what they would be at, as often as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/let-it-be-your-constant-method-to-look-into-the-design-of-people-s/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“Our life is a warfare, and a mere pilgrimage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/our-life-is-a-warfare-and-a-mere-pilgrimage/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“If therefore it be a thing external that causes thy grief, know, that it is not that properly that doth cause it, but thine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/if-therefore-it-be-a-thing-external-that-causes-thy-grief-know-that/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Frightened of change? But what can exist without it? What's closer to nature's heart? Can you take a hot bath and leave the firewood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/frightened-of-change-but-what-can-exist-without-it-what-s-closer-to/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [We are too much accustomed to attribute to a single cause that which is the product of several, and the majority of our controversies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-are-too-much-accustomed-to-attribute-to-a-single-cause-that-which/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself, "I have to go to work - as a human being. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/at-dawn-when-you-have-trouble-getting-out-of-bed-tell-yourself-i-have/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) [Explore all 1,138 Marcus Aurelius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) ## More Care quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [What makes you care about nature, about the planet? Is it really that you're afraid of what's going to happen if you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/what-makes-you-care-about-nature-about-the-planet-is-it-really-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Browse all 19,019 Care quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is not right to vex ourselves at things, for they care not about it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcus Aurelius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/it-is-not-right-to-vex-ourselves-at-things-for-they-care-not-about-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Care" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/it-is-not-right-to-vex-ourselves-at-things-for-they-care-not-about-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/marcus-aurelius-139_care_it-is-not-right-to-vex-ourselves-at-thin_1152383.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/marcus-aurelius-139_care_it-is-not-right-to-vex-ourselves-at-thin_1152383.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/marcus-aurelius-139_care_it-is-not-right-to-vex-ourselves-at-thin_1152383.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is not right to vex ourselves at things, for they care not about it.” — Marcus Aurelius", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Marcus Aurelius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is not right to vex...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/it-is-not-right-to-vex-ourselves-at-things-for-they-care-not-about-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/it-is-not-right-to-vex-ourselves-at-things-for-they-care-not-about-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```