--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All our family acquaintances have…" description: "\"“All our family acquaintances have followed the same path: their youth spent trying to make the most of their intelligence, squeezing their studies lik..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/muriel-barbery-1092_family_all-our-family-acquaintances-have-follow_2528710.jpg" --- # All our family acquaintances have followed the same path… ![“All our family acquaintances have followed the same path: their youth spent trying to make the most of their intelligence, squeezing their studies like a lemon to make sure they'd secure a spot among the elite, then the rest of their lives wondering with a flabbergasted look on their faces why all…” quote by Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/muriel-barbery-1092_family_all-our-family-acquaintances-have-follow_2528710.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/muriel-barbery-1092_family_all-our-family-acquaintances-have-follow_2528710.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/muriel-barbery-1092_family_all-our-family-acquaintances-have-follow_2528710.jpg) > ““All our family acquaintances have followed the same path: their youth spent trying to make the most of their intelligence, squeezing their studies like a lemon to make sure they'd secure a spot among the elite, then the rest of their lives wondering with a flabbergasted look on their faces why all that hopefulness has led to such a vain existence. People aim for the stars, and they end up like goldfish in a bowl. I wonder if it wouldn't be simpler just to teach children right from the start that life is absurd. That might deprive you of a few good moments in your childhood but it would save you a considerable amount of time as an adult - not to mention the fact that you be spared at least one traumatic experience, i.e. the goldfish bowl.”” [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the relentless pursuit of academic excellence and societal status, suggesting it leads to a hollow, absurd existence, and proposes early teaching of life's absurdity to avoid wasted effort and trauma. **In simple terms:** Chasing success can feel meaningless; teaching absurdity early may spare later pain. Key Takeaway Question early on life's absurdity to avoid hollow pursuits. Themes existentialism education societal pressure meaninglessness absurdity Mood reflective melancholic thoughtful Type philosophical critical inspirational When to use this quote - students - parents - career planning - mental health counseling - life coaching Key Concepts Philosophical critical satirical Questions to Reflect On - Is it better to confront absurdity early or to find meaning through struggle? - How can we balance ambition with awareness of life's absurdity? A Different Perspective The view may overlook the value of perseverance and personal growth that can arise from challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim For The Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim-for-the-stars/) [Experience Goldfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience-goldfish-1323099/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Goldfish Bowl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goldfish-bowl-855951/) [Good mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-mom/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Absurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-absurd-947465/) [Like Goldfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-goldfish-1323098/) [Start Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-life/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [“People aim for the stars and they end up like goldfish in a bowl.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/people-aim-for-the-stars-and-they-end-up-like-goldfish-in-a-bowl/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [People aim for the stars, and they end up like goldfish in a bowl. I wonder if it wouldn't be simpler just to teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/people-aim-for-the-stars-and-they-end-up-like-goldfish-in-a-bowl-i/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“No one seems to have thought of the fact that life is absurd, being a brilliant success has no greater value than being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/no-one-seems-to-have-thought-of-the-fact-that-life-is-absurd-being-a/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“The problem is that children believe what adults say and once they're adults themselves they exact their revenge by deceiving their own children. "Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/the-problem-is-that-children-believe-what-adults-say-and-once-they-re/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [me giving my mom romantic advice is kind of like a goldfish giving a snail advice on how to fly.” -Will Grayson (pg. 66)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/me-giving-my-mom-romantic-advice-is-kind-of-like-a-goldfish-giving-a/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“If love were a glove, I’d wear it on my foot like a goldfish in a silver mine. Ten dimes is too much money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-love-were-a-glove-i-d-wear-it-on-my-foot-like-a-goldfish-in-a/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [ “\[Adapted and condensed Valedictorian speech:\] I'm going to ask that you seriously consider modeling your life, not in the manner of the Dalai Lama… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/adapted-and-condensed-valedictorian-speech-i-m-going-to-ask-that-you/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [Starlets were always turning up dead in people's pools. They fished them out like goldfish. Nobody seemed to find it unusual that so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-rosen/starlets-were-always-turning-up-dead-in-people-s-pools-they-fished/) [Jonathan Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-rosen/) > [I'm like a goldfish. My memory is terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/i-m-like-a-goldfish-my-memory-is-terrible/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) > [In my early career I was like a goldfish. Rejection didn't affect me; I'd just forget how bad it was and keep going back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-watson/in-my-early-career-i-was-like-a-goldfish-rejection-didn-t-affect-me-i/) [Emily Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-watson/) > [There were hints of sunrise on the rim of the sky, yet it was still dark, and the traces of morning color were like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/there-were-hints-of-sunrise-on-the-rim-of-the-sky-yet-it-was-still/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [I hate reality shows like Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity. I'd rather watch a goldfish bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-street-porter/i-hate-reality-shows-like-big-brother-and-i-m-a-celebrity-i-d-rather/) [Janet Street-Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-street-porter/) > [We all live in a televised goldfish bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingman-brewster-jr/we-all-live-in-a-televised-goldfish-bowl/) [Kingman Brewster, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingman-brewster-jr/) > [Tony Fernandes is in that goldfish bowl and he's swimming against the tide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-quinn/tony-fernandes-is-in-that-goldfish-bowl-and-he-s-swimming-against-the/) [Niall Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-quinn/) > [Very few of us have any idea whatsoever of what life is like living in a goldfish bowl,except, of course, for those of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-taylor/very-few-of-us-have-any-idea-whatsoever-of-what-life-is-like-living/) [Graham Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-taylor/) ## More by Muriel Barbery > [“Those who can, do; those who can't, teach; those who can't teach, teach the teachers; and those who can't teach the teachers go into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/those-who-can-do-those-who-can-t-teach-those-who-can-t-teach-teach/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [What is writing, no matter how lavish the pieces, if it says nothing of the truth, cares little for the heart, and is merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/what-is-writing-no-matter-how-lavish-the-pieces-if-it-says-nothing-of/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [Live or die: mere consequences of what you have built. What matters is building well. So here we are I've assigned myself a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/live-or-die-mere-consequences-of-what-you-have-built-what-matters-is/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“A terroir only exists by virtue of one's childhood mythology . . . we have invented these words of tradition rooted deep in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/a-terroir-only-exists-by-virtue-of-one-s-childhood-mythology-we-have/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“The tea ritual: such a precise repetition of the same gestures and the same tastes; accession to simple,authentic and refined sensations, a license given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/the-tea-ritual-such-a-precise-repetition-of-the-same-gestures-and-the/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [As always, I am saved by the inability of living creatures to believe anything that might cause the walls of their little mental assumptions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/as-always-i-am-saved-by-the-inability-of-living-creatures-to-believe/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“I wonder if I am not turning into a contemplative . . . But those roses . They were something else. I was having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/i-wonder-if-i-am-not-turning-into-a-contemplative-but-those-roses/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [Personally I think that grammar is a way to attain beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/personally-i-think-that-grammar-is-a-way-to-attain-beauty/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [To be poor, ugly and, moreover, intelligent condemns one in our society to a dark and disillusioned life...to beauty all is forgiven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/to-be-poor-ugly-and-moreover-intelligent-condemns-one-in-our-society/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [Beautiful things should belong to beautiful souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/beautiful-things-should-belong-to-beautiful-souls/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [I know that they're all unhappy because nobody loves the right person the way they should and because they don't understand that it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/i-know-that-they-re-all-unhappy-because-nobody-loves-the-right-person/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [We never look beyond our assumptions and what's worse, we have given up trying to meet others; we just meet ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/we-never-look-beyond-our-assumptions-and-what-s-worse-we-have-given/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“To rich people it must seem that the ordinary little people..experience human emotions with less intensity and greater indifference...The fact that we might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/to-rich-people-it-must-seem-that-the-ordinary-little-people/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [I may know that the world is an ugly place, I still don't want to see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/i-may-know-that-the-world-is-an-ugly-place-i-still-don-t-want-to-see/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“Personally I think that grammar is a way to attain Beauty. When you speak, or read, or write, you can tell if you’ve said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/personally-i-think-that-grammar-is-a-way-to-attain-beauty-when-you/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) [Explore all 250 Muriel Barbery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) ## More Family quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) [Maureen Andeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-andeson/) > [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [“She knew how to play him so very well. He slipped his hand around hers. "Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/) [Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/) > [The people have always been family to me here in Las Vegas. The people have always been very, very kind to me, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-cunningham/the-people-have-always-been-family-to-me-here-in-las-vegas-the-people/) [Randall Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-cunningham/) > [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 36,913 Family quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“All our family acquaintances have followed the same path: their youth spent trying to make the most of their intelligence, squeezing their studies like a lemon to make sure they'd secure a spot among the elite, then the rest of their lives wondering with a flabbergasted look on their faces why all that hopefulness has led to such a vain existence. People aim for the stars, and they end up like goldfish in a bowl. I wonder if it wouldn't be simpler just to teach children right from the start that life is absurd. That might deprive you of a few good moments in your childhood but it would save you a considerable amount of time as an adult - not to mention the fact that you be spared at least one traumatic experience, i.e. the goldfish bowl.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Muriel Barbery" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/all-our-family-acquaintances-have-followed-the-same-path-their-youth/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Family" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/all-our-family-acquaintances-have-followed-the-same-path-their-youth/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/muriel-barbery-1092_family_all-our-family-acquaintances-have-follow_2528710.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/muriel-barbery-1092_family_all-our-family-acquaintances-have-follow_2528710.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/muriel-barbery-1092_family_all-our-family-acquaintances-have-follow_2528710.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All our family acquaintances have followed the same path: their youth spent trying to make the most of their…” — Muriel Barbery", "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": "Muriel Barbery", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“All our family acquaintances have followed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/all-our-family-acquaintances-have-followed-the-same-path-their-youth/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/all-our-family-acquaintances-have-followed-the-same-path-their-youth/#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 } } ] } ```