--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is understood that the world does not…" description: "\"“It is understood that the world does not want to be understood. The world would not be this world if it did.”\" — Mark Z. Danielewski" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/mark-z-danielewski-2497_understood_it-is-understood-that-the-world-does-not_3170100.png" --- # It is understood that the world does not want to be… ![“It is understood that the world does not want to be understood. The world would not be this world if it did.” quote by Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/mark-z-danielewski-2497_understood_it-is-understood-that-the-world-does-not_3170100.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/mark-z-danielewski-2497_understood_it-is-understood-that-the-world-does-not_3170100.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/mark-z-danielewski-2497_understood_it-is-understood-that-the-world-does-not_3170100.png) > ““It is understood that the world does not want to be understood. The world would not be this world if it did.”” [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The world resists being fully comprehended; its mystery is essential to its existence. **In simple terms:** The world can’t be fully understood, and that’s okay. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and explore without demanding total clarity. Themes mystery knowledge existence Mood curious reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - philosophical personalcreative writing - personal reflection Key Concepts postmodernism epistemology chaos Questions to Reflect On - How does embracing mystery change your view of reality? - What aspects of life resist clear explanation? A Different Perspective Understanding may be limited; mystery can be unsettling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [Understood World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood-world-695894/) [Want Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-understood-259074/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-world/) ## Related quotes > [It has to be understood that the world doesn't exist with people who are exactly like us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-i/it-has-to-be-understood-that-the-world-doesn-t-exist-with-people-who/) [T.I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-i/) > [If you haven't understood the world you're living in, it's impossible to think that the solution you're coming up with fits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-obeng/if-you-haven-t-understood-the-world-you-re-living-in-it-s-impossible/) [Eddie Obeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-obeng/) > [Photography is the only language that can be understood anywhere in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-barbey/photography-is-the-only-language-that-can-be-understood-anywhere-in/) [Bruno Barbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-barbey/) > [As in an explosion, I would erupt with all the wonderful things I saw and understood in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/as-in-an-explosion-i-would-erupt-with-all-the-wonderful-things-i-saw/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [“If Froi understood anything, it was that in this world one's worth came from others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/if-froi-understood-anything-it-was-that-in-this-world-one-s-worth/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“I finally understood that what we put into the world, into the universe, often has a way of coming right back to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-kendall/i-finally-understood-that-what-we-put-into-the-world-into-the/) [Andrew Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-kendall/) > [The human species produces a certain percentage of scum. That is the way in which I have understood the world my whole life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-human-species-produces-a-certain-percentage-of-scum-that-is-the/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [“I thought everything in the world was already discovered. Already in my books. A lot of dead stuff that put me to sleep. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-thought-everything-in-the-world-was-already-discovered-already-in/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“But we have not understood the world; how its way is to destroy without destroying, the way air levels a mountain; things fly apart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-williamson/but-we-have-not-understood-the-world-how-its-way-is-to-destroy/) [Alan Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-williamson/) > [And we went our separate ways without having understood each other. As in this world nobody understands the other easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/and-we-went-our-separate-ways-without-having-understood-each-other-as/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“What she didn’t understand when she was fourteen, but understood very well now, was that not everyone in the world could be saved or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-rasmussen/what-she-didn-t-understand-when-she-was-fourteen-but-understood-very/) [Rebecca Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-rasmussen/) > [“When you maintain silence, you would have said to have understood the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/when-you-maintain-silence-you-would-have-said-to-have-understood-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Ever since I was young I never understood anything about the world and anything that happened in my life. The only thing that ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-meets-world/ever-since-i-was-young-i-never-understood-anything-about-the-world/) [Boy Meets World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-meets-world/) > [If we understood the world, we would realize that there is a logic of harmony underlying its manifold apparent dissonances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-sibelius/if-we-understood-the-world-we-would-realize-that-there-is-a-logic-of/) [Jean Sibelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-sibelius/) > [Inside the heart of each and every one of us there is a longing to be understood by someone who really cares. When a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rev-ed-hird/inside-the-heart-of-each-and-every-one-of-us-there-is-a-longing-to-be/) [Rev Ed Hird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rev-ed-hird/) ## More by Mark Z. Danielewski > [“Her. Her. Her. Future breezes implore me to stay. But I'm no future. I'm no past. Only ever contemporary of this path. I'll sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/her-her-her-future-breezes-implore-me-to-stay-but-i-m-no-future-i-m/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [Keep true to the rare music in your heart, to the marvelous and unique form that is and shall always be nothing else but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/keep-true-to-the-rare-music-in-your-heart-to-the-marvelous-and-unique/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [We all create stories to protect ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/we-all-create-stories-to-protect-ourselves/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [“Even up until these final eons of time, we felt we could create anything. We could build ourselves a heaven. But why? We were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/even-up-until-these-final-eons-of-time-we-felt-we-could-create/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [I'm a big believer in big books, and that doesn't necessarily mean long books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/i-m-a-big-believer-in-big-books-and-that-doesn-t-necessarily-mean/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [“the seriousness of emotional deprivation: It is not difficult to understand how children who have suffered from malnutrition or starvation need food and plenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/the-seriousness-of-emotional-deprivation-it-is-not-difficult-to/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [The greatest of love letters are always coded for the one and not the many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/the-greatest-of-love-letters-are-always-coded-for-the-one-and-not-the/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [Scientists estimate the universe unfolded from its state of infinite destiny\* - a moment commonly referred to as "the big bang" - approximately 1.3-2…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/scientists-estimate-the-universe-unfolded-from-its-state-of-infinite/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [“- Whenever we roam be beside me. When you're allone. When you go. When no one comes along. And for all we Wander. Encounter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/whenever-we-roam-be-beside-me-when-you-re-allone-when-you-go-when-no/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [I want something else. I'm not even sure what to call it anymore except I know it feels roomy and it's drenched in sunlight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/i-want-something-else-i-m-not-even-sure-what-to-call-it-anymore/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [“However, The haven-Slocum Theory also points out that this course is not without risk. An even greater number of people dwelling on The Navidson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/however-the-haven-slocum-theory-also-points-out-that-this-course-is/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [“What can I say? I'm taken; I love how enthralled she remains by this festival of living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/what-can-i-say-i-m-taken-i-love-how-enthralled-she-remains-by-this/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [“There's only one choice now: finish what Zampanò himself failed to finish. Re-inter this thing in a binding tomb. Make it only a book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/there-s-only-one-choice-now-finish-what-zampan-himself-failed-to/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [No gunfire, famine, or flies. Just lots of toothpaste, gardening and people stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/no-gunfire-famine-or-flies-just-lots-of-toothpaste-gardening-and/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > ['Lord of the Rings' was a set of books in which the world had been conceived before the characters were placed within that context.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/lord-of-the-rings-was-a-set-of-books-in-which-the-world-had-been/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) [Explore all 162 Mark Z. Danielewski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) ## More Understood quotes > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Thoroughly understand what it is to understand, and not only will you understand the broad lines of all there is to be understood but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lonergan/thoroughly-understand-what-it-is-to-understand-and-not-only-will-you/) [Bernard Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lonergan/) > [Jesus' kingdom was not like the popular expectation. He used the phrase 'kingdom of God' with a different meaning. His kingdom was not of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harpur/jesus-kingdom-was-not-like-the-popular-expectation-he-used-the-phrase/) [Tom Harpur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harpur/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [Mr. Speaker, on September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked, and Britain stood with us. This was not only an attack against America,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-fossella/mr-speaker-on-september-11-2001-the-united-states-was-attacked-and/) [Vito Fossella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-fossella/) > ["Spirituality" wrongly understood or pursued is a major source of human misery and rebellion against God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spirituality-wrongly-understood-or-pursued-is-a-major-source-of-human/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Many people, including myself, thought of Jobs as an inventor, an Edison-like figure, but he wasn't. I did a documentary on James Brown recently;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gibney/many-people-including-myself-thought-of-jobs-as-an-inventor-an-edison/) [Alex Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gibney/) > [I'd like to think Helen very much understood what it was to be disadvantaged in the medical field. And that that was something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-stuart-masterson/i-d-like-to-think-helen-very-much-understood-what-it-was-to-be/) [Mary Stuart Masterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-stuart-masterson/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [By amusing myself with all these games, all this nonsense, all these picture puzzles, I became famous... I am only a public entertainer who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/by-amusing-myself-with-all-these-games-all-this-nonsense-all-these/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [The problem with merely writing so that you can be understood is that the wrong people, in advancing their agendas, are only too ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-dembski/the-problem-with-merely-writing-so-that-you-can-be-understood-is-that/) [William A. Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/) > [“I like few things better than to have my work read and understood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackwell/i-like-few-things-better-than-to-have-my-work-read-and-understood/) [William Blackwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackwell/) > [It was a realization for me when Oprah was talking about New Moon. I was like, "Oh, my god, she's watched a movie that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinsel-korey/it-was-a-realization-for-me-when-oprah-was-talking-about-new-moon-i/) [Tinsel Korey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinsel-korey/) [Browse all 3,871 Understood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is understood that the world does not want to be understood. The world would not be this world if it did.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Z. Danielewski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/it-is-understood-that-the-world-does-not-want-to-be-understood-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Understood" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/it-is-understood-that-the-world-does-not-want-to-be-understood-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/mark-z-danielewski-2497_understood_it-is-understood-that-the-world-does-not_3170100.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/mark-z-danielewski-2497_understood_it-is-understood-that-the-world-does-not_3170100.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/mark-z-danielewski-2497_understood_it-is-understood-that-the-world-does-not_3170100.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is understood that the world does not want to be understood. The world would not be this world if it did.” — Mark Z. Danielewski", "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": "Mark Z. Danielewski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is understood that the world...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/it-is-understood-that-the-world-does-not-want-to-be-understood-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/it-is-understood-that-the-world-does-not-want-to-be-understood-the/#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 } } ] } ```