---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it was true that all effort led to a…"
description: "\"“If it was true that all effort led to a vast abyss, she had two recommendations to begin with, first, not to cheat people, and, second, to treat them ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/roberto-bola-o-725_advice_if-it-was-true-that-all-effort-led-to-a_1598816.jpg"
---

#  If it was true that all effort led to a vast abyss, she…

![“If it was true that all effort led to a vast abyss, she had two recommendations to begin with, first, not to cheat people, and, second, to treat them properly. Beyond that, there was room for discussion.” quote by Roberto Bolaño](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/roberto-bola-o-725_advice_if-it-was-true-that-all-effort-led-to-a_1598816.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/roberto-bola-o-725_advice_if-it-was-true-that-all-effort-led-to-a_1598816.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/roberto-bola-o-725_advice_if-it-was-true-that-all-effort-led-to-a_1598816.jpg)

> ““If it was true that all effort led to a vast abyss, she had two recommendations to begin with, first, not to cheat people, and, second, to treat them properly. Beyond that, there was room for discussion.””

[Roberto Bolaño](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Ethical conduct and respect are foundational before any deeper discussion can occur

**In simple terms:** Treat people honestly and respectfully first

Key Takeaway

Act with integrity before debating

Themes

ethics respect dialogue

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- Workplace meetings
- academic debates
- personal relationships
- community forums

Key Concepts

Moral philosophy social interaction

Questions to Reflect On

- Is honesty always practical in conflict?
- Can respect exist without agreement?

A Different Perspective

Idealism may overlook practical constraints

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Golden rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden-rule/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/)

## Related quotes

> [“The next time believers tell you that 'separation of church and state' does not appear in our founding document, tell them to stop using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/the-next-time-believers-tell-you-that-separation-of-church-and-state/)

[Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/)

> [When I'm faced with difficult times, I actually usually remember the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-rasoul/when-i-m-faced-with-difficult-times-i-actually-usually-remember-the/)

[Sam Rasoul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-rasoul/)

> [“It’s often said that cleaning your house is like polishing yourself. I think that this is a golden rule. It isn’t just dust and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumio-sasaki/it-s-often-said-that-cleaning-your-house-is-like-polishing-yourself-i/)

[Fumio Sasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fumio-sasaki/)

> [“Unfortunately we treat others as we treat ourselves. We should try being genuinely kind to ourselves and the rest will come naturally, like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/unfortunately-we-treat-others-as-we-treat-ourselves-we-should-try/)

[Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/)

> [Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thales/avoid-doing-what-you-would-blame-others-for-doing/)

[Thales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thales/)

> [The Golden Rule of Relationships: Never hold on to someone who doesn't want to be held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/the-golden-rule-of-relationships-never-hold-on-to-someone-who-doesn-t/)

[Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/)

> [There's one golden rule to keep before you: laugh about everything and don't bother yourself about the others!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/there-s-one-golden-rule-to-keep-before-you-laugh-about-everything-and/)

[Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/)

> [If we don't manage to implement the Golden Rule globally, so that we treat all peoples, wherever and whoever they may be, as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-we-don-t-manage-to-implement-the-golden-rule-globally-so-that-we/)

[Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/)

> [I have become convinced, through my studies, that the only way to achieve a safe, just and viable world is to live by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-have-become-convinced-through-my-studies-that-the-only-way-to/)

[Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/)

> [The golden rule in the arts, as far as I am concerned, is that all rules are meant to be broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/the-golden-rule-in-the-arts-as-far-as-i-am-concerned-is-that-all/)

[Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/)

> [I consider that the Golden Rule requires that if I like a program I must share it with other people who like it. Software…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/i-consider-that-the-golden-rule-requires-that-if-i-like-a-program-i/)

[Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/)

> [The most important guideline when it comes to argument is the golden rule. If someone were addressing your point, what tone, what overall approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/the-most-important-guideline-when-it-comes-to-argument-is-the-golden/)

[Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/)

> [“THEY NEVER TAUGHT MARCUS GARVEY IN OUR SCHOOL CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS IS THEIR GOLDEN RULE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/they-never-taught-marcus-garvey-in-our-school-christopher-columbus-is/)

[Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/)

> [Let everyone regulate his conduct... by the golden rule of doing to others as in similar circumstances we would have them do to us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/let-everyone-regulate-his-conduct-by-the-golden-rule-of-doing-to/)

[William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/)

> [“...The Presidential election has given me less anxiety than I myself could have imagined. The next administration will be a troublesome one, to whomsoever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-presidential-election-has-given-me-less-anxiety-than-i-myself/)

[John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/)

## More by Roberto Bolaño

> [Literature + Illness = Illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/literature-illness-illness/)

[Roberto Bolano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [“Brief like beauty, Absolute beauty, That which contains all the world's majesty and misery And which is only visible to those who love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/brief-like-beauty-absolute-beauty-that-which-contains-all-the-world-s/)

[Roberto Bolaño](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [“There are books for when you’re bored. Plenty of them. There are books for when you’re calm. The best kind, in my opinion. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/there-are-books-for-when-you-re-bored-plenty-of-them-there-are-books/)

[Roberto Bolaño](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [“I try to find the books that I lost or forgot more than 30 years ago on another continent, with the hope and dedication…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/i-try-to-find-the-books-that-i-lost-or-forgot-more-than-30-years-ago/)

[Roberto Bolaño](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [“In a word, and bluntly: as they walked around Sankt Pauli, it came to Pelletier and Espinoza that the search for Archimboldi could never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/in-a-word-and-bluntly-as-they-walked-around-sankt-pauli-it-came-to/)

[Roberto Bolaño](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [We're artists too, but we do a good job hiding it, don't we?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/we-re-artists-too-but-we-do-a-good-job-hiding-it-don-t-we/)

[Roberto Bolano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [Nothing good ever comes of love. What comes of love is always something better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/nothing-good-ever-comes-of-love-what-comes-of-love-is-always/)

[Roberto Bolano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [“book on Archimboldi, a book that might be the grand Archimboldian opus, the pilot fish that would swim for a long time beside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/book-on-archimboldi-a-book-that-might-be-the-grand-archimboldian-opus/)

[Roberto Bolaño](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [Literature is the product of a strange rain of blood, sweat, semen, and tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/literature-is-the-product-of-a-strange-rain-of-blood-sweat-semen-and/)

[Roberto Bolano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [“The brief sound is like a color swallowed by a crack. But what color?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/the-brief-sound-is-like-a-color-swallowed-by-a-crack-but-what-color/)

[Roberto Bolaño](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [“All horrors are dulled by routine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/all-horrors-are-dulled-by-routine/)

[Roberto Bolaño](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [“The fourth dimension, he liked to say, encompasses the three dimensions and consequently puts them in their place, that is, it obliterates the dictatorship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/the-fourth-dimension-he-liked-to-say-encompasses-the-three-dimensions/)

[Roberto Bolaño](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [Every book in the world is out there waiting to be read by me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/every-book-in-the-world-is-out-there-waiting-to-be-read-by-me/)

[Roberto Bolano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [“Y después de coger a mi general le gustaba salir al patio a fumarse su cigarro y a pensar en la tristeza poscoito, en…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/y-despu-s-de-coger-a-mi-general-le-gustaba-salir-al-patio-a-fumarse/)

[Roberto Bolaño](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [“I enjoy vegetarian food like I enjoy a kick in the stomach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/i-enjoy-vegetarian-food-like-i-enjoy-a-kick-in-the-stomach/)

[Roberto Bolano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

[Explore all 303 Roberto Bolaño quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

## More Advice quotes

> [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/)

Mak\_786

> [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/)

[Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/)

> [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

> [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/)

[Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/)

> [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/)

[Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/)

> [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

> [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/)

[Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/)

> [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/)

[Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/)

> [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/)

[Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/)

> [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/)

[Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/)

> [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/)

[Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/)

[Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“If it was true that all effort led to a vast abyss, she had two recommendations to begin with, first, not to cheat people, and, second, to treat them properly. Beyond that, there was room for discussion.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Roberto Bolaño"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/if-it-was-true-that-all-effort-led-to-a-vast-abyss-she-had-two/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Advice"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/if-it-was-true-that-all-effort-led-to-a-vast-abyss-she-had-two/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/roberto-bola-o-725_advice_if-it-was-true-that-all-effort-led-to-a_1598816.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/roberto-bola-o-725_advice_if-it-was-true-that-all-effort-led-to-a_1598816.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/roberto-bola-o-725_advice_if-it-was-true-that-all-effort-led-to-a_1598816.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If it was true that all effort led to a vast abyss, she had two recommendations to begin with, first, not to…” — Roberto Bolaño",
                "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": "Roberto Bolaño",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“If it was true that all...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/if-it-was-true-that-all-effort-led-to-a-vast-abyss-she-had-two/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/if-it-was-true-that-all-effort-led-to-a-vast-abyss-she-had-two/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
