--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You don't want the world destroyed…" description: "\"You don't want the world destroyed, because, you know, that's where your shoes are.\" — Patrick Rothfuss" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/patrick-rothfuss-145_because_you-don-t-want-the-world-destroyed-becau_158945.jpg" --- # You don't want the world destroyed, because, you know… ![“You don't want the world destroyed, because, you know, that's where your shoes are.” quote by Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/patrick-rothfuss-145_because_you-don-t-want-the-world-destroyed-becau_158945.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/patrick-rothfuss-145_because_you-don-t-want-the-world-destroyed-becau_158945.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/patrick-rothfuss-145_because_you-don-t-want-the-world-destroyed-becau_158945.jpg) > “You don't want the world destroyed, because, you know, that's where your shoes are.” [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## 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 humorously warns that personal comfort (your shoes) ties you to the world, implying self‑interest can motivate preservation. **In simple terms:** You stay because the world holds your belongings. Key Takeaway Recognize how personal stakes can drive care for the planet. Themes environment self‑interest humor Mood wry thoughtful Type humorous philosophical When to use this quote - daily life - climate activism - personal finance - travel Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What personal comforts keep you engaged in global problems? - Can self‑interest be a reliable catalyst for collective action? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex environmental issues to personal convenience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroyed/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Shoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-shoes-1747786/) [Shoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoes/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-world/) [Where](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-destroyed-819504/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [We do not need to be shoemakers to know if our shoes fit, and just as little have we any need to be professionals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/we-do-not-need-to-be-shoemakers-to-know-if-our-shoes-fit-and-just-as/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [I have an unending shoe closet. In fact, I don't even know how many shoes I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonam-kapoor/i-have-an-unending-shoe-closet-in-fact-i-don-t-even-know-how-many/) [Sonam Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonam-kapoor/) > [“how can the world go on when mine has been destroyed?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherise-sinclair/how-can-the-world-go-on-when-mine-has-been-destroyed/) [Cherise Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherise-sinclair/) > [Again, if the world is destroyed, it must needs either be destroyed according to nature or against nature. Against nature is impossible, for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sallust/again-if-the-world-is-destroyed-it-must-needs-either-be-destroyed/) [Sallust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sallust/) > [“It is so heartbreaking what we do to children in this world; how they are destroyed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/it-is-so-heartbreaking-what-we-do-to-children-in-this-world-how-they/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [The most likely way for the world to be destroyed, most experts agree, is by accident. That's where we come in; we're computer professionals.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-likely-way-for-the-world-to-be-destroyed-most-experts-agree/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When the world is destroyed, it will be destroyed not by its madmen but by the sanity of its experts and the superior ignorance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/when-the-world-is-destroyed-it-will-be-destroyed-not-by-its-madmen/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [A world united is better than a world divided, but a world divided is better than a world destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/a-world-united-is-better-than-a-world-divided-but-a-world-divided-is/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Almost all these hotspots around the world, most have been destroyed to the point where there is no wildlife and very little of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-fowler/almost-all-these-hotspots-around-the-world-most-have-been-destroyed/) [Jim Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-fowler/) > [The remaining liberty of the world was to be destroyed in the place where it stood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucan/the-remaining-liberty-of-the-world-was-to-be-destroyed-in-the-place/) [Lucan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucan/) > [If I was not assured by the best authority on earth that the world is to be destroyed by fire, I should conclude that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/if-i-was-not-assured-by-the-best-authority-on-earth-that-the-world-is/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [Every religion in the world that has destroyed people is based on love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-religion-in-the-world-that-has-destroyed-people-is-based-on-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Other people must be destroyed. In order that I might truly face the sun, the world itself must be destroyed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukio-mishima/other-people-must-be-destroyed-in-order-that-i-might-truly-face-the/) [Yukio Mishima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukio-mishima/) > [The world will not be destroyed by those do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-world-will-not-be-destroyed-by-those-do-evil-but-by-those-who/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The world is being destroyed by psychopaths, so of all the things to be concerned about - acting, it's not really up there, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reg-e-cathey/the-world-is-being-destroyed-by-psychopaths-so-of-all-the-things-to/) [Reg E. Cathey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reg-e-cathey/) ## More by Patrick Rothfuss > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Prefiero tocar canciones que divierten a mis amigos que complacer a quienes me juzgan basándose solo en habladurías" - Kvothe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/prefiero-tocar-canciones-que-divierten-a-mis-amigos-que-complacer-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Wilem snorted."That doesn't sound suspicious at all," he said. "And you wonder why people talk about you." "I don't wonder why they talk," I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/wilem-snorted-that-doesn-t-sound-suspicious-at-all-he-said-and-you/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“The point isn't to win the game. The point is to play a beautiful game. (paraphrased)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/the-point-isn-t-to-win-the-game-the-point-is-to-play-a-beautiful-game/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I was nervous about writing Slow Regard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-was-nervous-about-writing-slow-regard/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I am no poet. I do not love words for the sake of words. I love words for what they can accomplish. Similarly, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-am-no-poet-i-do-not-love-words-for-the-sake-of-words-i-love-words/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“There is something deeply satisfying in shaping something with your hands. Proper artificing is like a song made solid. It is an act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/there-is-something-deeply-satisfying-in-shaping-something-with-your/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [He had a bright, reckless tenor that was always wandering off, looking for notes in the wrong places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/he-had-a-bright-reckless-tenor-that-was-always-wandering-off-looking/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I smiled,"Deoch, my heart is made of stronger stuff than glass. When she strikes she'll find it strong as iron-bound brass, or gold and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-smiled-deoch-my-heart-is-made-of-stronger-stuff-than-glass-when-she/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I have a blog where I keep in touch with my fans. I write about things that are important to me. Sometimes on there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-have-a-blog-where-i-keep-in-touch-with-my-fans-i-write-about-things/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Soft fantasy worlds have a much looser cause-and-effect relationship. Alchemists can turn lead into gold and nobody wonders about how it will impact the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/soft-fantasy-worlds-have-a-much-looser-cause-and-effect-relationship/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [But how awful would that be? How terrible to live surrounded by the stark, sharp, hollowness of things that simply were enough?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/but-how-awful-would-that-be-how-terrible-to-live-surrounded-by-the/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [ Here's the thing: Authors live or die by recommendations. \[That's one of the reason I review so many books on Goodreads.\] Giving books you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/here-s-the-thing-authors-live-or-die-by-recommendations-that-s-one-of/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I was pretty poor for a long time. Not \*poor\* poor. But college student poor. I lived for most of my adult life living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-was-pretty-poor-for-a-long-time-not-poor-poor-but-college-student/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) [Explore all 895 Patrick Rothfuss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## More Because quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I was also known as Frodo because I was an early adopter of 'The Lord of the Rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/i-was-also-known-as-frodo-because-i-was-an-early-adopter-of-the-lord/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [Sometimes, when full and in fear that I will continue to eat unwanted food just because it's staring at me, I will place my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/sometimes-when-full-and-in-fear-that-i-will-continue-to-eat-unwanted/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I was contacted by Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, MP, through the Pune Film Institute and offered the post in the NFDC. I accepted it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/i-was-contacted-by-rajyavardhan-singh-rathore-mp-through-the-pune/) [Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Browse all 15,485 Because quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You don't want the world destroyed, because, you know, that's where your shoes are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patrick Rothfuss" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/you-don-t-want-the-world-destroyed-because-you-know-that-s-where-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Because" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/you-don-t-want-the-world-destroyed-because-you-know-that-s-where-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/patrick-rothfuss-145_because_you-don-t-want-the-world-destroyed-becau_158945.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/patrick-rothfuss-145_because_you-don-t-want-the-world-destroyed-becau_158945.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/patrick-rothfuss-145_because_you-don-t-want-the-world-destroyed-becau_158945.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You don't want the world destroyed, because, you know, that's where your shoes are.” — Patrick Rothfuss", "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": "Patrick Rothfuss", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You don't want the world destroyed,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/you-don-t-want-the-world-destroyed-because-you-know-that-s-where-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/you-don-t-want-the-world-destroyed-because-you-know-that-s-where-your/#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 } } ] } ```