--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: but the great thing about traveling with…" description: "\"“but the great thing about traveling with Pluto was that he only cared about you to the extent that you were interesting to him now. In that way he kep..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/neal-stephenson-362_cared_but-the-great-thing-about-traveling-with_633276.jpg" --- # but the great thing about traveling with Pluto was that he… ![“but the great thing about traveling with Pluto was that he only cared about you to the extent that you were interesting to him now. In that way he kept you on your toes. No aspect of the relationship could be counterfeited when it was being minted anew from moment to moment.” quote by Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/neal-stephenson-362_cared_but-the-great-thing-about-traveling-with_633276.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/neal-stephenson-362_cared_but-the-great-thing-about-traveling-with_633276.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/neal-stephenson-362_cared_but-the-great-thing-about-traveling-with_633276.jpg) > ““but the great thing about traveling with Pluto was that he only cared about you to the extent that you were interesting to him now. In that way he kept you on your toes. No aspect of the relationship could be counterfeited when it was being minted anew from moment to moment.”” [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relationships thrive when each person remains genuinely interesting, keeping the bond dynamic and authentic. **In simple terms:** Stay interesting to keep relationships fresh. Key Takeaway Cultivate curiosity and novelty. Themes relationships authenticity growth Mood reflective optimistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - friendships - romantic partnerships - collaborative projects Key Concepts dynamic interaction mutual interest presentness Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay genuinely interesting to others? - What habits keep you present in relationships? A Different Perspective Relationships can become exhausting if novelty is forced rather than natural. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cared/) [Kept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept/) [Pluto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pluto/) [Pluto Cared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pluto-cared-5027556/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Traveling Pluto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traveling-pluto-5027557/) ## Related quotes > [“Other people would want to sentimentalize about the old days, but the great thing about traveling with Pluto was that he only cared about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/other-people-would-want-to-sentimentalize-about-the-old-days-but-the/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“The stars’ positions were randomly generated, a fact that drove Pluto crazy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-stars-positions-were-randomly-generated-a-fact-that-drove-pluto/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Pluto's pauldrons,” Reyna cursed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/pluto-s-pauldrons-reyna-cursed/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I think that the first men to land on Pluto are going to make some very astonishing discoveries. But I am also sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-wollheim/i-think-that-the-first-men-to-land-on-pluto-are-going-to-make-some/) [Donald A. Wollheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-wollheim/) > [Among the gods, there is a dispute as to which one of them originally thought of Christianity; or, as they call it, the Great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holt/among-the-gods-there-is-a-dispute-as-to-which-one-of-them-originally/) [Tom Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holt/) > [he cut through the 21st Century Gallery, past the big plastic statues of Pluto and Mickey, animal headed gods of lost America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/he-cut-through-the-21st-century-gallery-past-the-big-plastic-statues/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [We explore because we are human and we want to know. I hope that Pluto will help us on that journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-explore-because-we-are-human-and-we-want-to-know-i-hope-that-pluto/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [We sat in silence, both of us looking up at the stars. He was probably envisioning a machine headed for Pluto. I wished i…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chandler/we-sat-in-silence-both-of-us-looking-up-at-the-stars-he-was-probably/) [Elizabeth Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chandler/) > [“Nafasi yako peponi itapotea iwapo utamruhusu Pluto (kiongozi wa ahera) akukaribishe bazarai (makao makuu ya ahera) kwa kuchukua maisha yako mwenyewe. Kujiua ni kujipenda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/nafasi-yako-peponi-itapotea-iwapo-utamruhusu-pluto-kiongozi-wa-ahera/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [The Stone trembled and threw herself outward bound, toward Saturn. In her train followed hundreds and thousands and hundreds of thousands of thousands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-stone-trembled-and-threw-herself-outward-bound-toward-saturn-in/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“Pluto was part of their mental landscape, the one they had constructed to organize their thinking about the solar system and their own place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-brown/pluto-was-part-of-their-mental-landscape-the-one-they-had-constructed/) [Mike Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-brown/) > [Imagine we could accelerate continuously at 1 g-what we're comfortable with on good old terra firma-to the midpoint of our voyage, and decelerate continuously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/imagine-we-could-accelerate-continuously-at-1-g-what-we-re/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [It used to be said that Pluto is a misfit. But now we know Earth is the misfit. This is the most populous class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/it-used-to-be-said-that-pluto-is-a-misfit-but-now-we-know-earth-is/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [Of course Pluto is a planet: It's massive enough to have its shape controlled by gravity rather than material strength, which is the hallmark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-stern/of-course-pluto-is-a-planet-it-s-massive-enough-to-have-its-shape/) [Alan Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-stern/) > [“I am Pluto. You can break me, reject me, and hurt me but I will never stop being a human being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-sedlacek/i-am-pluto-you-can-break-me-reject-me-and-hurt-me-but-i-will-never/) [Angelina Sedlacek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-sedlacek/) ## More by Neal Stephenson > [“I study dead languages for a living,” I said. “That’s why you hired me. Why should I be up to speed on your line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/i-study-dead-languages-for-a-living-i-said-that-s-why-you-hired-me/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Other people - store clerks, burger flippers, software engineers, the whole vocabulary of meaningless jobs that make up Life in America - other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/other-people-store-clerks-burger-flippers-software-engineers-the/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“It is what you don’t expect,” he’d said, “that most needs looking for.” “Do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-he-d-said-that-most-needs-looking-for-do/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“...the insects here see you as a big slab of animated but not very well defended food. The ability to move, far from being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-insects-here-see-you-as-a-big-slab-of-animated-but-not-very-well/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“There was no way that these guys were going to let a bleeding, barefoot woman simply wander off alone into the streets. Two of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/there-was-no-way-that-these-guys-were-going-to-let-a-bleeding/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Space and Time! Two minor omissions that no one is likely to notice," grumbled Newton.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/space-and-time-two-minor-omissions-that-no-one-is-likely-to-notice/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [See, the world is full of things more powerful than us. But if you know how to catch a ride, you can go places,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/see-the-world-is-full-of-things-more-powerful-than-us-but-if-you-know/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Hey,” Shaftoe says, “if we surrender to you, you’ll kill us. Right?” “Yes.” “If you guys surrender to us, we won’t kill you. Promise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/hey-shaftoe-says-if-we-surrender-to-you-you-ll-kill-us-right-yes-if/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“My men think you are dead now, and won’t waste balls on you,” Jack said. “In fact I have let you live, but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/my-men-think-you-are-dead-now-and-won-t-waste-balls-on-you-jack-said/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“You’ve probably heard the expression that the Industry feeds off of biomass, like a whale straining krill from the ocean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/you-ve-probably-heard-the-expression-that-the-industry-feeds-off-of/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He’s got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-deliverator-belongs-to-an-elite-order-a-hallowed-subcategory-he-s/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [Interesting things happen along borders - transitions - not in the middle where everything is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/interesting-things-happen-along-borders-transitions-not-in-the-middle/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“and people could only make sense of complicated matters through stories. Likewise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/and-people-could-only-make-sense-of-complicated-matters-through/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Van Eck phreaking,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/van-eck-phreaking/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“When the Deliverator puts the hammer down, shit happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/when-the-deliverator-puts-the-hammer-down-shit-happens/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) [Explore all 633 Neal Stephenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## More Cared quotes > [I never cared a lot for school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-lutke/i-never-cared-a-lot-for-school/) [Tobias Lutke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-lutke/) > [The only person I truly cared for left me with a broken heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keys/the-only-person-i-truly-cared-for-left-me-with-a-broken-heart/) [Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keys/) > [You know what would be nice? If you actually cared about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-what-would-be-nice-if-you-actually-cared-about-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's funny, I used to say on 'That 70's Show', you could really put us in any decade, and it was about the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-prepon/it-s-funny-i-used-to-say-on-that-70-s-show-you-could-really-put-us-in/) [Laura Prepon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-prepon/) > [No one cared what she wanted. No one had ever cared. And perhaps, worst of all, no one ever would care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-one-cared-what-she-wanted-no-one-had-ever-cared-and-perhaps-worst/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her underwear, her jeans, the comforter, my corduroys and my boxers between us, I thought. Five layers, and yet I felt it, the nervous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/her-underwear-her-jeans-the-comforter-my-corduroys-and-my-boxers/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [If he really cared..he would go out his way to make you happy <3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-he-really-cared-he-would-go-out-his-way-to-make-you-happy-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Did that mean she had not cared deeply for any of her husbands? I wondered. Or only that she was a woman of great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/did-that-mean-she-had-not-cared-deeply-for-any-of-her-husbands-i/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [You make me laugh, mad, happy, excited, sad, jumpy, careless, most of all you make me..well me. your my best friend, you were there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany/you-make-me-laugh-mad-happy-excited-sad-jumpy-careless-most-of-all/) [Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany/) > [I'd occasionally do some exercises at home, but I never cared for gyms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-moore/i-d-occasionally-do-some-exercises-at-home-but-i-never-cared-for-gyms/) [Roger Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-moore/) > [“Nobody cared if you plagiarized in the third grade. All”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-janz/nobody-cared-if-you-plagiarized-in-the-third-grade-all/) [Jonathan Janz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-janz/) > [He loved them and cared for them, and you don't kill kids that you love and care for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-griffith/he-loved-them-and-cared-for-them-and-you-don-t-kill-kids-that-you/) [Thomas Griffith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-griffith/) > [I was always hurting to some extent, but never really cared about it. Now, I do care, because I have a reason to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-michaels/i-was-always-hurting-to-some-extent-but-never-really-cared-about-it/) [Shawn Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-michaels/) > [“That’s all she cared about—protecting her brother, who was probably some fop with a lame sword hand and a fear of pistols!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/that-s-all-she-cared-about-protecting-her-brother-who-was-probably/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [I don't give a shit anymore, think what you think, believe what you want, but remember I cared when no one else did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-don-t-give-a-shit-anymore-think-what-you-think-believe-what-you/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) [Browse all 487 Cared quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cared/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“but the great thing about traveling with Pluto was that he only cared about you to the extent that you were interesting to him now. 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