--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once we were driving in the midwest and…" description: "\"Once we were driving in the midwest and we pulled into a McDonald's. Someone came up to me and asked me why I have Feynman diagrams all over my van. I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/richard-p-feynman-495_atheism_once-we-were-driving-in-the-midwest-and_1512485.png" --- # Once we were driving in the midwest and we pulled into a… ![“Once we were driving in the midwest and we pulled into a McDonald's. Someone came up to me and asked me why I have Feynman diagrams all over my van. I replied, "Because I am Feynman!" The young man went, "Ahhhhh!"” quote by Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/richard-p-feynman-495_atheism_once-we-were-driving-in-the-midwest-and_1512485.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/richard-p-feynman-495_atheism_once-we-were-driving-in-the-midwest-and_1512485.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/richard-p-feynman-495_atheism_once-we-were-driving-in-the-midwest-and_1512485.png) > “Once we were driving in the midwest and we pulled into a McDonald's. Someone came up to me and asked me why I have Feynman diagrams all over my van. I replied, "Because I am Feynman!" The young man went, "Ahhhhh!"” [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous encounter shows how self‑identification with a famous scientist can spark curiosity. **In simple terms:** He claimed to be Feynman because of his diagrams. Key Takeaway Own your passions proudly. Themes humor identity science Mood playful inspirational Type anecdotal motivational When to use this quote - education outreach - personal branding - science communication Key Concepts self‑expression public perception Questions to Reflect On - What symbols do you display to show your interests? - How do others react to bold self‑identification? A Different Perspective Self‑identification can be misinterpreted as bragging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asked Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-feynman-5570809/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Diagrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diagrams/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feynman/) [Feynman Diagrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feynman-diagrams-5570812/) [Feynman Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feynman-young-5570811/) [Mcdonalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mcdonalds/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Midwest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/midwest/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Replied Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/replied-feynman-5570810/) [Vans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vans/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-man/) ## Related quotes > [“Another time somebody gave a talk about poetry. He talked about the structure of the poem and the emotions that come with it; he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/another-time-somebody-gave-a-talk-about-poetry-he-talked-about-the/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“I have a friend who's an artist and has sometimes taken a view which I don't agree with very well. He'll hold up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/i-have-a-friend-who-s-an-artist-and-has-sometimes-taken-a-view-which/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“I don't mind not knowing. It doesn't scare me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/i-don-t-mind-not-knowing-it-doesn-t-scare-me/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“Richard Feynman had to say this about energy in his 1961 lecture: “There is a fact, or if you wish, a law, governing all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/richard-feynman-had-to-say-this-about-energy-in-his-1961-lecture/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [“Richard P Feynman was fascinated by the Moon; he tried in earnest to see the Moon. But science could only see the Moon as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/richard-p-feynman-was-fascinated-by-the-moon-he-tried-in-earnest-to/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [“Until I was twenty I was sure there was a being who could see everything I did and who didn't like most of it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/until-i-was-twenty-i-was-sure-there-was-a-being-who-could-see/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [ \[On Richard P. Feynman's live demonstration of the rigidity of the O-rings when cold that doomed the space shuttle Challenger, killing seven astronauts:\] The… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/on-richard-p-feynman-s-live-demonstration-of-the-rigidity-of-the-o/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [My faith in the expertise of physicists like Richard Feynman, for instance, permits me to endorse—and, if it comes to it, bet heavily on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-faith-in-the-expertise-of-physicists-like-richard-feynman-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Brighter Than a Thousand Suns' by Robert Jungk and 'Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman!' by Richard Feynman were both books my father purchased for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baiju-bhatt/brighter-than-a-thousand-suns-by-robert-jungk-and-surely-you-re/) [Baiju Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baiju-bhatt/) > [“Take this neat little equation here. It tells me all the ways an electron can make itself comfortable in or around an atom. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/take-this-neat-little-equation-here-it-tells-me-all-the-ways-an/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [“First you guess. Don't laugh, this is the most important step. Then you compute the consequences. Compare the consequences to experience. If it disagrees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-you-guess-don-t-laugh-this-is-the-most-important-step-then-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The reason Dick 's physics was so hard for ordinary people to grasp was that he did not use equations. The usual theoretical physics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/the-reason-dick-s-physics-was-so-hard-for-ordinary-people-to-grasp/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“All our bright minds,” Feynman said sardonically, “and we can’t figure how to stop the enemy from dumping dirt on us.” Freeman said with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-benford/all-our-bright-minds-feynman-said-sardonically-and-we-can-t-figure/) [Gregory Benford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-benford/) > [ \[Richard Feynman\] truly believed that if you couldn't explain something simply, you didn't understand it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-susskind/richard-feynman-truly-believed-that-if-you-couldn-t-explain-something/) [Leonard Susskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-susskind/) > [“Dick Feynman was a genius of visualization (he was also no slouch with equations): he made a mental picture of anything he was working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-susskind/dick-feynman-was-a-genius-of-visualization-he-was-also-no-slouch-with/) [Leonard Susskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-susskind/) ## More by Richard P. Feynman > [“Philosophers have said before that one of the fundamental requisites of science is that whenever you set up the same conditions, the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/philosophers-have-said-before-that-one-of-the-fundamental-requisites/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [My rule is, when you are unhappy, think about it. But when you're happy, don't. Why spoil it? You're probably happy for some ridiculous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/my-rule-is-when-you-are-unhappy-think-about-it-but-when-you-re-happy/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Trying to understand the way nature works involves a most terrible test of human reasoning ability. It involves subtle trickery, beautiful tightropes of logic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/trying-to-understand-the-way-nature-works-involves-a-most-terrible/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Today's brains are yesterday's mashed potatoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/today-s-brains-are-yesterday-s-mashed-potatoes/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Mathematics is a language plus reasoning; it is like a language plus logic. Mathematics is a tool for reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/mathematics-is-a-language-plus-reasoning-it-is-like-a-language-plus/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [It is necessary for the very existence of science that minds exist which do not allow that nature must satisfy some preconceived conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/it-is-necessary-for-the-very-existence-of-science-that-minds-exist/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“There was a Princess Somebody of Denmark sitting at a table with a number of people around her, and I saw an empty chair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-was-a-princess-somebody-of-denmark-sitting-at-a-table-with-a/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [All the time you're saying to yourself, 'I could do that, but I won't,'--which is just another way of saying that you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/all-the-time-you-re-saying-to-yourself-i-could-do-that-but-i-won-t/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“There's a big difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-s-a-big-difference-between-knowing-the-name-of-something-and/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [The fact that you are not sure means that it is possible that there is another way someday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-fact-that-you-are-not-sure-means-that-it-is-possible-that-there/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [You can always recognize truth by its beauty and simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/you-can-always-recognize-truth-by-its-beauty-and-simplicity/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [One cannot understand... the universality of laws of nature, the relationship of things, without an understanding of mathematics. There is no other way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/one-cannot-understand-the-universality-of-laws-of-nature-the/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Mathematics is not just a language. Mathematics is a language plus reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/mathematics-is-not-just-a-language-mathematics-is-a-language-plus/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [A poet once said, "The whole universe is in a glass of wine." We will probably never know in what sense he meant that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/a-poet-once-said-the-whole-universe-is-in-a-glass-of-wine-we-will/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [I was a very shy character, always feeling uncomfortable because everybody was stronger than I, and always afraid I would look like a sissy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/i-was-a-very-shy-character-always-feeling-uncomfortable-because/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) [Explore all 515 Richard P. Feynman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) ## More Atheism quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/no-philosophy-no-religion-has-ever-brought-so-glad-a-message-to-the/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? Do you think it was godlike? What would you think of a physician, if a woman came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-h-gardener/do-you-think-that-was-kind-do-you-think-it-was-godlike-what-would-you/) [Helen H. Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-h-gardener/) > [Science can destroy religion by ignoring it as well as by disproving its tenets. No one ever demonstrated, so far as I am aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/science-can-destroy-religion-by-ignoring-it-as-well-as-by-disproving/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Honest investigation is utterly impossible within the pale of any church, for the reason, that if you think the church is right you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/honest-investigation-is-utterly-impossible-within-the-pale-of-any/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) [Browse all 4,769 Atheism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Once we were driving in the midwest and we pulled into a McDonald's. Someone came up to me and asked me why I have Feynman diagrams all over my van. I replied, \"Because I am Feynman!\" The young man went, \"Ahhhhh!\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard P. Feynman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/once-we-were-driving-in-the-midwest-and-we-pulled-into-a-mcdonald-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atheism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/once-we-were-driving-in-the-midwest-and-we-pulled-into-a-mcdonald-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/richard-p-feynman-495_atheism_once-we-were-driving-in-the-midwest-and_1512485.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/richard-p-feynman-495_atheism_once-we-were-driving-in-the-midwest-and_1512485.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/richard-p-feynman-495_atheism_once-we-were-driving-in-the-midwest-and_1512485.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Once we were driving in the midwest and we pulled into a McDonald's. Someone came up to me and asked me why…” — Richard P. Feynman", "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": "Richard P. Feynman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Once we were driving in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/once-we-were-driving-in-the-midwest-and-we-pulled-into-a-mcdonald-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/once-we-were-driving-in-the-midwest-and-we-pulled-into-a-mcdonald-s/#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 } } ] } ```