--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why don't they live in Illusions?'…" description: "\"“Why don't they live in Illusions?' suggested the Humbug. 'It's much prettier.' 'Many of them do,' he answered, walking in the direction of the forest ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/norton-juster-2113_humbug_why-don-t-they-live-in-illusions-suggest_1871083.png" --- # Why don't they live in Illusions?' suggested the Humbug… ![“Why don't they live in Illusions?' suggested the Humbug. 'It's much prettier.' 'Many of them do,' he answered, walking in the direction of the forest once again, 'but it's just as bad to live in a place where what you do see isn't there as it is to live in one where what you don't see is.” quote by Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/norton-juster-2113_humbug_why-don-t-they-live-in-illusions-suggest_1871083.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/norton-juster-2113_humbug_why-don-t-they-live-in-illusions-suggest_1871083.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/norton-juster-2113_humbug_why-don-t-they-live-in-illusions-suggest_1871083.png) > ““Why don't they live in Illusions?' suggested the Humbug. 'It's much prettier.' 'Many of them do,' he answered, walking in the direction of the forest once again, 'but it's just as bad to live in a place where what you do see isn't there as it is to live in one where what you don't see is.”” [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living in illusion versus confronting reality both have drawbacks; neither offers true fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Both illusion and harsh reality can be unsatisfying. Key Takeaway Seek balance between imagination and truth. Themes illusion reality perception choice Mood thoughtful curious Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - education - personal growth - creative work Key Concepts philosophy literary Questions to Reflect On - What truths are you avoiding? - How can imagination serve reality? A Different Perspective Illusions may provide comfort but hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Illusions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusions/) ## Related quotes > [Most people like to live in illusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/most-people-like-to-live-in-illusions/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [If I live by illusions, you live by excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/if-i-live-by-illusions-you-live-by-excuses/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [You can't live without illusions, even if you must fight for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dietrich/you-can-t-live-without-illusions-even-if-you-must-fight-for-them/) [Marlene Dietrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dietrich/) > [I am determined to live without illusions. I want to look at reality straight. Without hiding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-am-determined-to-live-without-illusions-i-want-to-look-at-reality/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [How can you see something that isn't there?" yawned the Humbug, who wasn't fully awake yet. "Sometimes, it's much simpler than seeing things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/how-can-you-see-something-that-isn-t-there-yawned-the-humbug-who-wasn/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Things which are equally bad are also equally good. Try to look at the bright side of things. - Humbug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/things-which-are-equally-bad-are-also-equally-good-try-to-look-at-the-2/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Why, did you know that if a beaver two feet long with a tail a foot and a half long can build a dam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/why-did-you-know-that-if-a-beaver-two-feet-long-with-a-tail-a-foot/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [ \[You write out of the\] desire to seem clever, to be talked about, to be remembered after death, etc., etc., etc. It is humbug… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/you-write-out-of-the-desire-to-seem-clever-to-be-talked-about-to-be/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“We must have humbug, we all like humbug, we couldn't get on without humbug.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/we-must-have-humbug-we-all-like-humbug-we-couldn-t-get-on-without/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [It boils down to this: we should have done with humbug, and let war be war, and not a game ... If there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/it-boils-down-to-this-we-should-have-done-with-humbug-and-let-war-be/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Sensitive, humbug. Everybody thinks I'm sensitive. Wait until they hear my new album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-king/sensitive-humbug-everybody-thinks-i-m-sensitive-wait-until-they-hear/) [Carole King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-king/) > [Christmas a humbug, uncle!" said Scrooge's nephew. "You don't mean that, I am sure?" "I do," said Scrooge. "Merry Christmas! What right have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/christmas-a-humbug-uncle-said-scrooge-s-nephew-you-don-t-mean-that-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The humorist has a good eye for the humbug; he does not always recognize the saint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-humorist-has-a-good-eye-for-the-humbug-he-does-not-always/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The man is a humbug — a vulgar, shallow, self-satisfied mind, absolutely inaccessible to the complexities and delicacies of the real world. He has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-man-is-a-humbug-a-vulgar-shallow-self-satisfied-mind-absolutely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The more intelligent and cultured a man is, the more subtly he can humbug himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-more-intelligent-and-cultured-a-man-is-the-more-subtly-he-can/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) ## More by Norton Juster > [You see, years ago I was just an ordinary bee minding my own business, smelling flowers all day, and occasionally picking up part-time work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/you-see-years-ago-i-was-just-an-ordinary-bee-minding-my-own-business/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“How are you going to make it move? It doesn't have a – " "Be very quiet," advised the duke, "for it goes without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/how-are-you-going-to-make-it-move-it-doesn-t-have-a-be-very-quiet/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [It was really written as most, I think, books are by writers - for themselves. There was something that just had to be written,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/it-was-really-written-as-most-i-think-books-are-by-writers-for/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“What kind of a place is Expectations?" inquired Milo, unable to see the humor and feeling very doubtful of the little man's sanity. "Good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/what-kind-of-a-place-is-expectations-inquired-milo-unable-to-see-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [There is much worth noticing that often escapes the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/there-is-much-worth-noticing-that-often-escapes-the-eye/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/the-most-important-reason-for-going-from-one-place-to-another-is-to/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“As the cheering continued, Rhyme leaned forward and touched Milo gently on the shoulder. "They're cheering for you," she said with a smile. "But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/as-the-cheering-continued-rhyme-leaned-forward-and-touched-milo/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [He paused again as a tear of longing rolled from cheek to lip with the sweet-salty taste of an old memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/he-paused-again-as-a-tear-of-longing-rolled-from-cheek-to-lip-with/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“Kad god se nasmiješiš, radost se oko tebe širi poput kolobara u bari, i kad god si tužan, nitko nigdje ne može biti stvarno…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/kad-god-se-nasmije-i-radost-se-oko-tebe-iri-poput-kolobara-u-bari-i/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“Why not take a few pounds of ‘happys’?” advised the salesman. “They’re much more practical—and very useful for Happy Birthday, Happy New Year, happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/why-not-take-a-few-pounds-of-happys-advised-the-salesman-they-re-much/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [...it's not just learning that's important. It's learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/it-s-not-just-learning-that-s-important-it-s-learning-what-to-do-with/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Sometimes I find the best way of getting from one place to another is simply to erase everything and begin again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/sometimes-i-find-the-best-way-of-getting-from-one-place-to-another-is/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Have you ever heard the wonderful silence just before the dawn? Or the quiet and calm just as a storm ends? Or perhaps you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/have-you-ever-heard-the-wonderful-silence-just-before-the-dawn-or-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [How can you see something that isn't there?" yawned the Humbug, who wasn't fully awake yet. "Sometimes, it's much simpler than seeing things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/how-can-you-see-something-that-isn-t-there-yawned-the-humbug-who-wasn/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“I wonder where I am," said Milo in a very worried tone. "You're . . . in . . . the . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/i-wonder-where-i-am-said-milo-in-a-very-worried-tone-you-re-in-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) [Explore all 185 Norton Juster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) ## More Humbug quotes > [The more intelligent and cultured a man is, the more subtly he can humbug himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-more-intelligent-and-cultured-a-man-is-the-more-subtly-he-can/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [How can you see something that isn't there?" yawned the Humbug, who wasn't fully awake yet. "Sometimes, it's much simpler than seeing things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/how-can-you-see-something-that-isn-t-there-yawned-the-humbug-who-wasn/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [The man is a humbug — a vulgar, shallow, self-satisfied mind, absolutely inaccessible to the complexities and delicacies of the real world. He has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-man-is-a-humbug-a-vulgar-shallow-self-satisfied-mind-absolutely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The humorist has a good eye for the humbug; he does not always recognize the saint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-humorist-has-a-good-eye-for-the-humbug-he-does-not-always/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Christmas a humbug, uncle!" said Scrooge's nephew. "You don't mean that, I am sure?" "I do," said Scrooge. "Merry Christmas! What right have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/christmas-a-humbug-uncle-said-scrooge-s-nephew-you-don-t-mean-that-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Sensitive, humbug. Everybody thinks I'm sensitive. Wait until they hear my new album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-king/sensitive-humbug-everybody-thinks-i-m-sensitive-wait-until-they-hear/) [Carole King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-king/) > [It boils down to this: we should have done with humbug, and let war be war, and not a game ... If there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/it-boils-down-to-this-we-should-have-done-with-humbug-and-let-war-be/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“We must have humbug, we all like humbug, we couldn't get on without humbug.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/we-must-have-humbug-we-all-like-humbug-we-couldn-t-get-on-without/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [ \[You write out of the\] desire to seem clever, to be talked about, to be remembered after death, etc., etc., etc. It is humbug… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/you-write-out-of-the-desire-to-seem-clever-to-be-talked-about-to-be/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Witchcraft is one of the most baseless, absurd, disgusting and silly of all the humbugs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-barnum/witchcraft-is-one-of-the-most-baseless-absurd-disgusting-and-silly-of/) [P. T. Barnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-barnum/) > [In the end we shall have had enough of cynicism and skepticism and humbug and we shall want to live more musically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/in-the-end-we-shall-have-had-enough-of-cynicism-and-skepticism-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I am prepared to maintain that Honesty is essentially an anarchistic and disintegrating force in society, that communities are held together and the progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/i-am-prepared-to-maintain-that-honesty-is-essentially-an-anarchistic/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [I would, like any other scientist, willingly change my mind if the evidence led me to do so. So I care about what's true,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-would-like-any-other-scientist-willingly-change-my-mind-if-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The bigger the humbug, the better people will like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-barnum/the-bigger-the-humbug-the-better-people-will-like-it/) [P. T. Barnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-barnum/) > [I am glad that the country world...retains a power to use our English tongue. It is a part of its sense of reality, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-beston/i-am-glad-that-the-country-world-retains-a-power-to-use-our-english/) [Henry Beston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-beston/) Browse all 78 Humbug quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Why don't they live in Illusions?' suggested the Humbug. 'It's much prettier.' 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