--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fantasies are things that can't happen…" description: "\"Fantasies are things that can't happen, and science fiction is about things that can happen.\" — Ray Bradbury" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/187/ray-bradbury-75_fantasies_fantasies-are-things-that-can-t-happen-a_2272123.jpg" --- # Fantasies are things that can't happen, and science… ![“Fantasies are things that can't happen, and science fiction is about things that can happen.” quote by Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/187/ray-bradbury-75_fantasies_fantasies-are-things-that-can-t-happen-a_2272123.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/187/ray-bradbury-75_fantasies_fantasies-are-things-that-can-t-happen-a_2272123.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/187/ray-bradbury-75_fantasies_fantasies-are-things-that-can-t-happen-a_2272123.jpg) > “Fantasies are things that can't happen, and science fiction is about things that can happen.” [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science fiction explores plausible futures while fantasy embraces the impossible. **In simple terms:** Sci‑fi imagines possible, fantasy imagines impossible. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of both imagination types. Themes imagination genre future Mood curious inspired Type analytical creative When to use this quote - writing - storytelling - world‑building - inspiration Key Concepts speculative fiction creative limits Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance wonder and realism? - What role does plausibility play in your creative work? A Different Perspective Fantasy cannot predict reality; sci‑fi may still be speculative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fantasies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasies/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) ## Related quotes > [Growning up I felt incredibly guilty anout my fantasies and the things I wanted sexually. I was like: "Why do I feel this way?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-grey/growning-up-i-felt-incredibly-guilty-anout-my-fantasies-and-the/) [Sasha Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-grey/) > [Most of what I do is science fiction. Some of the things I do are fantasy. I don't like the labels, they're marketing tools,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/most-of-what-i-do-is-science-fiction-some-of-the-things-i-do-are/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [To me, it's science fiction for me to do the things I've been blessed to do in this industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/to-me-it-s-science-fiction-for-me-to-do-the-things-i-ve-been-blessed/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I can't do fiction unless I visualize what's going on. When I began to write science fiction, one of the things I found lacking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/i-can-t-do-fiction-unless-i-visualize-what-s-going-on-when-i-began-to/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [I define science fiction as fiction in which things happen that are not possible today - that depend, for instance, on advanced space travel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-define-science-fiction-as-fiction-in-which-things-happen-that-are/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [When you write fiction, there were things about Washington that I've experienced and wanted to write about, including the swamping nature of it, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/when-you-write-fiction-there-were-things-about-washington-that-i-ve/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [“The only things that one can use in fiction are the things that one has ceased to use in fact.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-only-things-that-one-can-use-in-fiction-are-the-things-that-one/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [At DePauw, I was teaching writing and fiction. The things I wanted to teach, more than anything else, were form and theory of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-pizzolatto/at-depauw-i-was-teaching-writing-and-fiction-the-things-i-wanted-to/) [Nic Pizzolatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-pizzolatto/) > [Science fiction, to me, has not only things that wouldn't happen, but other planets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/science-fiction-to-me-has-not-only-things-that-wouldn-t-happen-but/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [There were a couple times when we started working out the stories - and I was doing this with Jim Vallely and our friend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-hurwitz/there-were-a-couple-times-when-we-started-working-out-the-stories-and/) [Mitchell Hurwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-hurwitz/) > [Science fiction is about things that plausibly might happen. Grounding my work in the real world helps make that clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-sawyer/science-fiction-is-about-things-that-plausibly-might-happen-grounding/) [Robert J. Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-sawyer/) > [What did i know of your fantasies? Why do we know so little about the fantasies of our parents? What do we know of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascal-mercier/what-did-i-know-of-your-fantasies-why-do-we-know-so-little-about-the/) [Pascal Mercier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pascal-mercier/) > [“Fictional worlds are a great place to indulge in unspoken fantasies. . . like writing the dad you never had. . . but desperately wanted growing up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jc-morrows/fictional-worlds-are-a-great-place-to-indulge-in-unspoken-fantasies/) Jc Morrows > [Fantasies were safe. It was a break from reality. A chance to act on desires for a short period of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/fantasies-were-safe-it-was-a-break-from-reality-a-chance-to-act-on/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [“Leaders spend time reviewing their mistakes rather than having fantasies over their achievements! They look for every way to do the undone!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/leaders-spend-time-reviewing-their-mistakes-rather-than-having/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## More by Ray Bradbury > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Do you ever read any of the books you burn?" He laughed. "That's against the law!" "Oh. Of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/do-you-ever-read-any-of-the-books-you-burn-he-laughed-that-s-against/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There's no reason to burn books if you don't read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-s-no-reason-to-burn-books-if-you-don-t-read-them/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Remember, with writing, what you’re looking for is just one person to come up and tell you, 'I love you for what you do.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/remember-with-writing-what-you-re-looking-for-is-just-one-person-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“You can’t learn to write in college. It’s a very bad place for writers because the teachers always think they know more than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-can-t-learn-to-write-in-college-it-s-a-very-bad-place-for-writers/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We're going to become the martians when we land there. When we explore and build communities, we become the martians. That's a wonderful destiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-re-going-to-become-the-martians-when-we-land-there-when-we-explore/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. ... I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-wish-you-a-wrestling-match-with-your-creative-muse-that-will-last-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The library is the biggest cracker box factory in the world. The more you eat, the more you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-library-is-the-biggest-cracker-box-factory-in-the-world-the-more/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We travel for romance, we travel for architecture, and we travel to be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-travel-for-romance-we-travel-for-architecture-and-we-travel-to-be/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I spent three days a week for 10 years educating myself in the public library, and it's better than college. People should educate themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-spent-three-days-a-week-for-10-years-educating-myself-in-the-public/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [If we try to deny the darkness in our souls then we'll become completely dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/if-we-try-to-deny-the-darkness-in-our-souls-then-we-ll-become/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-remember-that-the-captain-belongs-to-the-most-dangerous-enemy-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Explore all 1,520 Ray Bradbury quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## More Fantasies quotes > [Fashion comes out of the world in which you live, your needs, hopes and fantasies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurizio-gucci/fashion-comes-out-of-the-world-in-which-you-live-your-needs-hopes-and/) [Maurizio Gucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurizio-gucci/) > [“I set my glass down and met his eyes, feeling an overwhelming surge of affection for this man. "That ... makes sense," I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-lauren/i-set-my-glass-down-and-met-his-eyes-feeling-an-overwhelming-surge-of/) [Christina Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-lauren/) > [It turns out that the God whose word will stand forever does not exist to insure our fantasies that we will not have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/it-turns-out-that-the-god-whose-word-will-stand-forever-does-not/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [“Leaders spend time reviewing their mistakes rather than having fantasies over their achievements! They look for every way to do the undone!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/leaders-spend-time-reviewing-their-mistakes-rather-than-having/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Oskar is the fruit of those fantasies -- the idea that what needed to be saved was not just lives but hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simon/oskar-is-the-fruit-of-those-fantasies-the-idea-that-what-needed-to-be/) Richard Simon > [Fantasies were safe. It was a break from reality. A chance to act on desires for a short period of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/fantasies-were-safe-it-was-a-break-from-reality-a-chance-to-act-on/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [“Fictional worlds are a great place to indulge in unspoken fantasies. . . like writing the dad you never had. . . but desperately wanted growing up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jc-morrows/fictional-worlds-are-a-great-place-to-indulge-in-unspoken-fantasies/) Jc Morrows > [What did i know of your fantasies? Why do we know so little about the fantasies of our parents? What do we know of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascal-mercier/what-did-i-know-of-your-fantasies-why-do-we-know-so-little-about-the/) [Pascal Mercier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pascal-mercier/) > [If truth be known, I carried some rather potent messianic fantasies with me from childhood which I felt I had to control, otherwise I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/if-truth-be-known-i-carried-some-rather-potent-messianic-fantasies/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [Too busy chasing fantasies that you're blind to reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/too-busy-chasing-fantasies-that-you-re-blind-to-reality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A daydreamer is a writer just waiting for pen and paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/a-daydreamer-is-a-writer-just-waiting-for-pen-and-paper/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“The empty rooms always had a terribly depressing effect upon my father when he considered, he said, that the person who dwelt in them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bernhard/the-empty-rooms-always-had-a-terribly-depressing-effect-upon-my/) [Thomas Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bernhard/) > [Who you are is always enough. If your partner wants something different, it does not reflect upon you, but upon their needs and fantasies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-shoshanna/who-you-are-is-always-enough-if-your-partner-wants-something/) [Brenda Shoshanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-shoshanna/) > [I have a tendency to face my bad fantasies in my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/i-have-a-tendency-to-face-my-bad-fantasies-in-my-books/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [Fantasies are more than substitutes for unpleasant reality; they are also dress rehearsals, plans. All acts performed in the world begin in the imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-grizzuti-harrison/fantasies-are-more-than-substitutes-for-unpleasant-reality-they-are/) [Barbara Grizzuti Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-grizzuti-harrison/) [Browse all 344 Fantasies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fantasies are things that can't happen, and science fiction is about things that can happen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ray Bradbury" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/fantasies-are-things-that-can-t-happen-and-science-fiction-is-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fantasies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/fantasies-are-things-that-can-t-happen-and-science-fiction-is-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/187/ray-bradbury-75_fantasies_fantasies-are-things-that-can-t-happen-a_2272123.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/187/ray-bradbury-75_fantasies_fantasies-are-things-that-can-t-happen-a_2272123.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/187/ray-bradbury-75_fantasies_fantasies-are-things-that-can-t-happen-a_2272123.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fantasies are things that can't happen, and science fiction is about things that can happen.” — Ray Bradbury", "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": "Ray Bradbury", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Fantasies are things that can't happen,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/fantasies-are-things-that-can-t-happen-and-science-fiction-is-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/fantasies-are-things-that-can-t-happen-and-science-fiction-is-about/#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 } } ] } ```