--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And now the question: what do we do with…" description: "\"And now the question: what do we do with the longing for what can destroy us?\" — Mary Jo Bang" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d2/mary-jo-bang-35145_funny_and-now-the-question-what-do-we-do-with_1412792.jpg" --- # And now the question: what do we do with the longing for… ![“And now the question: what do we do with the longing for what can destroy us?” quote by Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d2/mary-jo-bang-35145_funny_and-now-the-question-what-do-we-do-with_1412792.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d2/mary-jo-bang-35145_funny_and-now-the-question-what-do-we-do-with_1412792.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d2/mary-jo-bang-35145_funny_and-now-the-question-what-do-we-do-with_1412792.jpg) > “And now the question: what do we do with the longing for what can destroy us?” [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poet asks how to handle the desire that could lead to self‑destruction. **In simple terms:** What to do with a dangerous longing? Key Takeaway Find healthy outlets for destructive urges. Themes desire self‑destruction choice Mood reflective somber Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - creative expression - therapy sessions Key Concepts psychology temptation self‑control Questions to Reflect On - What transforms destructive desire into growth? - When have you faced a harmful longing? A Different Perspective Ignoring the longing can worsen it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) ## Related quotes > [“Haunted by the longing to feel something real, deep and magical; I searched for a shared ecstasy... that's when you came along.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/haunted-by-the-longing-to-feel-something-real-deep-and-magical-i/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [“Life is a collection of memories and feelings. Mawkish sentimentally urges us to engage in artistic overtures, we yearn to share with other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/life-is-a-collection-of-memories-and-feelings-mawkish-sentimentally/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [You don't know why, but you know you have to go home. It's an eternal longing. 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Sometimes you go elsewhere not because you are not liking the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/sometimes-it-has-to-do-with-other-longings-that-are-much-more/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [“Longing for you is the sweetest anticipation I’ve ever known.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cari-quinn/longing-for-you-is-the-sweetest-anticipation-i-ve-ever-known/) [Cari Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-quinn/) ## More by Mary Jo Bang > [“He appointed a general Overseer who would, as time went on, transfer All the pointless wealth from nation to nation, From one family to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/he-appointed-a-general-overseer-who-would-as-time-went-on-transfer/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [What is desire but the hard wire argument given to the mind's unstoppable mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/what-is-desire-but-the-hard-wire-argument-given-to-the-mind-s/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [“Hoarding and wasting kept them out of Heaven And brought them to this barroom brawl; I won't try to prettify it with words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/hoarding-and-wasting-kept-them-out-of-heaven-and-brought-them-to-this/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [“You were. You are The brightest thing in the shop window And the most beautiful seldom I ever saw”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/you-were-you-are-the-brightest-thing-in-the-shop-window-and-the-most/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [Why are you not where you belong? / A black hat on a hook says nothing. / Ashes mirror ashes / In a mirroring window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/why-are-you-not-where-you-belong-a-black-hat-on-a-hook-says-nothing/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [Bertrand Russell said, 'Electricity is not a thing like St. Paul's Cathedral; it is a way in which things behave.' 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Difference is slippery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/i-say-every-dog-looks-like-no-other-but-that-isn-t-true-not-entirely/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) [Explore all 13 Mary Jo Bang quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) ## More Destroy quotes > [“That would be just like me-ruin everything, destroy the world, in a moment of klutziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/that-would-be-just-like-me-ruin-everything-destroy-the-world-in-a/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [We shall fight against them, throw them in prisons and destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-shall-fight-against-them-throw-them-in-prisons-and-destroy-them/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? 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