--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He shook his head pityingly. “This, more…" description: "\"“He shook his head pityingly. “This, more than anything else, is what I have never understood about your people. You can roll dice, and understand that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/robin-hobb-489_change-the-world_he-shook-his-head-pityingly-this-more-th_2919967.jpg" --- # He shook his head pityingly. “This, more than anything… ![“He shook his head pityingly. “This, more than anything else, is what I have never understood about your people. You can roll dice, and understand that the whole game may hinge on one turn of a die. You deal out cards, and say that all a man's fortune for the night may turn upon one hand. But a…” quote by Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/robin-hobb-489_change-the-world_he-shook-his-head-pityingly-this-more-th_2919967.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/robin-hobb-489_change-the-world_he-shook-his-head-pityingly-this-more-th_2919967.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/736/robin-hobb-489_change-the-world_he-shook-his-head-pityingly-this-more-th_2919967.jpg) > ““He shook his head pityingly. “This, more than anything else, is what I have never understood about your people. You can roll dice, and understand that the whole game may hinge on one turn of a die. You deal out cards, and say that all a man's fortune for the night may turn upon one hand. But a man's whole life, you sniff at, and say, what, this naught of a human, this fisherman, this carpenter, this thief, this cook, why, what can they do in the great wide world? And so you putter and sputter your lives away, like candles burning in a draft.” “Not all men are destined for greatness,” I reminded him. “Are you sure, Fitz? Are you sure? What good is a life lived as if it made no difference at all to the great life of the world? A sadder thing I cannot imagine. Why should not a mother say to herself, if I raise this child aright, if I love and care for her, she shall live a life that brings joy to those about her, and thus I have changed the world? Why should not the farmer that plants a seed say to his neighbor, this seed I plant today will feed someone, and that is how I change the world today?” “This is philosophy, Fool. I have never had time to study such things.” “No, Fitz, this is life. And no one has time not to think of such things. Each creature in the world should consider this thing, every moment of the heart's beating. Otherwise, what is the point of arising each day?”” [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Every individual’s small actions matter; dismissing ordinary lives ignores their collective impact on the world. **In simple terms:** Small deeds shape the world. Key Takeaway Value everyday contributions. Themes purpose human dignity agency interconnectedness Mood hopeful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - parenting - farming - craftsmanship - community service Key Concepts ethical existential social Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure the impact of your daily actions? - What small act could you do today to help others? A Different Perspective Not all lives are destined for greatness, yet each can be meaningful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [Destined for greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destined-for-greatness/) [Every moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-moment/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love and care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-care/) [Philosophy of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [“This is philosophy, Fool. I have never had time to study such things.’ ‘No, Fitz, this is life. And no one has time not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/this-is-philosophy-fool-i-have-never-had-time-to-study-such-things-no/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [Not all men are destined for greatness," I reminded him. "Are you sure, Fitz? Are you sure? What good is a life lived as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/not-all-men-are-destined-for-greatness-i-reminded-him-are-you-sure/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [I think men were destined to become homemakers. After all, who ever heard of "Ms. Clean" or the "Woman from Glad"?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-glasbergen/i-think-men-were-destined-to-become-homemakers-after-all-who-ever/) [Randy Glasbergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-glasbergen/) > [This, more than anything else, is what I have never understood about your people. You can roll dice, and understand that the whole game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/this-more-than-anything-else-is-what-i-have-never-understood-about/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Why should not a mother say to herself, if I raise this child aright, if I love and care for her, she shall live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/why-should-not-a-mother-say-to-herself-if-i-raise-this-child-aright/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [The mould of a man's fortune is in his own hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/the-mould-of-a-man-s-fortune-is-in-his-own-hands/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [“At the end of the street was a large glass box with a female mannequin inside it, dressed as a gypsy fortune teller. “Now,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/at-the-end-of-the-street-was-a-large-glass-box-with-a-female/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [If a man's fortune does not fit him, it is like the shoe in the story; if too large it trips him up, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/if-a-man-s-fortune-does-not-fit-him-it-is-like-the-shoe-in-the-story/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [The folly of one man is the fortune of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-folly-of-one-man-is-the-fortune-of-another/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Chiefly the mold of a man's fortune is in his own hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/chiefly-the-mold-of-a-man-s-fortune-is-in-his-own-hands/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [There is scarcely an instance of a man who has made a fortune by speculation and kept it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/there-is-scarcely-an-instance-of-a-man-who-has-made-a-fortune-by/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [“I heard of a man who made a fortune selling homing pigeons, and he only had the one!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-heard-of-a-man-who-made-a-fortune-selling-homing-pigeons-and-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The truth brings no man a fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-truth-brings-no-man-a-fortune/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“Chiefly, the mould of a man's fortune is in his own hands, so why to look for excuses around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/chiefly-the-mould-of-a-man-s-fortune-is-in-his-own-hands-so-why-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Health is the working man's fortune, and he ought to watch over it more than the capitalist over his largest investments. Health lightens the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/health-is-the-working-man-s-fortune-and-he-ought-to-watch-over-it/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) ## More by Robin Hobb > [Boredom is vastly underrated. Boredom means that nothing is trying to kill you every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/boredom-is-vastly-underrated-boredom-means-that-nothing-is-trying-to/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“But that is not true for all folk. Some folk are meant to argue with fate. And win.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/but-that-is-not-true-for-all-folk-some-folk-are-meant-to-argue-with/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I tried to leave you alone, Fitz. To find what peace you could, even if it excluded me from your life.” Ten years ago,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-tried-to-leave-you-alone-fitz-to-find-what-peace-you-could-even-if/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Do you think you're taking Etta out of here?" "Yes," Kennit called over his shoulder up the sairs. "What about all these dead men?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/do-you-think-you-re-taking-etta-out-of-here-yes-kennit-called-over/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“A way out is a way in. Then,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/a-way-out-is-a-way-in-then/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Die in your dreams, wake up insane.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/die-in-your-dreams-wake-up-insane/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I felt a familiar squeezing in what I thought must be my heart. I had heard of being "heartbroken" or "heavy-hearted" but I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-felt-a-familiar-squeezing-in-what-i-thought-must-be-my-heart-i-had/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“They spoke of a dream of a child who bore the heart of a wolf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/they-spoke-of-a-dream-of-a-child-who-bore-the-heart-of-a-wolf/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“We all perish in our last attempt to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/we-all-perish-in-our-last-attempt-to-live/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“There is always power in holding a secret.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/there-is-always-power-in-holding-a-secret/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“... finally realizing that life was to be lived, rather than hoarded against an unseen tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/finally-realizing-that-life-was-to-be-lived-rather-than-hoarded/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Why, I suddenly wondered, had I wasted all those hours I could have spent with her? Why hadn’t I gone with them, to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/why-i-suddenly-wondered-had-i-wasted-all-those-hours-i-could-have/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I think I made a better boy than I do a man, I admitted ruefully to the wolf. Why not wait until you've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-think-i-made-a-better-boy-than-i-do-a-man-i-admitted-ruefully-to/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“So, with all the wide world to choose from, you didn't choose at all. You simply stopped wandering one day”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/so-with-all-the-wide-world-to-choose-from-you-didn-t-choose-at-all/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I don't think I can stand it much longer,” he warned her. “Something will have to give way. And I fear it will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-don-t-think-i-can-stand-it-much-longer-he-warned-her-something-will/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) [Explore all 500 Robin Hobb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) ## More Change the world quotes > [If you learn something that changes you, you've made progress. If you learn something that changes others, you've helped change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lanie-lane/if-you-learn-something-that-changes-you-you-ve-made-progress-if-you/) Lanie Lane > [If you wanted to put the world to rights, who should you begin with: yourself or others?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/if-you-wanted-to-put-the-world-to-rights-who-should-you-begin-with/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [Paul Gray - he believed in my art, and I believed in his music. Together, we decided to change the world, and that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-crahan/paul-gray-he-believed-in-my-art-and-i-believed-in-his-music-together/) [Shawn Crahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-crahan/) > [If I wanted to change the world, the last thing I would do is write a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-i-wanted-to-change-the-world-the-last-thing-i-would-do-is-write-a/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Some women are meant to change the world, while others are meant to hold it together. And then there are those of us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/some-women-are-meant-to-change-the-world-while-others-are-meant-to/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Curiously, the righteous Pharisees had little historical impact, save for a brief time in a remote corner of the Roman Empire. But Jesus' disciples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/curiously-the-righteous-pharisees-had-little-historical-impact-save/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [“if i am not in the world simply to adapt to it, but rather transform it, and if it is not possible to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/if-i-am-not-in-the-world-simply-to-adapt-to-it-but-rather-transform/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [I don't like lyrics to be overbearing. I like them to say something. But I'm not trying to change the world overnight. Something simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rodgers/i-don-t-like-lyrics-to-be-overbearing-i-like-them-to-say-something/) [Paul Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rodgers/) > [Larry Kramer wisely realized so early on that to change the world, people have to know you. If they know you and see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-murphy/larry-kramer-wisely-realized-so-early-on-that-to-change-the-world/) [Ryan Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-murphy/) > [“It takes a female to have a baby, It takes a woman to raise a child, It takes a mother to raise them correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-takes-a-female-to-have-a-baby-it-takes-a-woman-to-raise-a-child-it/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Don't underestimate the power of your vision to change the world. Whether that world is your office, your community, an industry or a global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/don-t-underestimate-the-power-of-your-vision-to-change-the-world/) [Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/) > [“I've been waiting for you a long time, Alina" He said. "You and I are going to change the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-ve-been-waiting-for-you-a-long-time-alina-he-said-you-and-i-are/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [The most important thing in all human relationships is conversation, but people don’t talk anymore, they don’t sit down to talk and listen. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-most-important-thing-in-all-human-relationships-is-conversation/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. We make clothes, but we have the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/we-can-use-our-art-to-become-political-to-become-something-you-want/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [“Live each day as if it's our last', that was the conventional advice, but really who had the energy for that? What if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/live-each-day-as-if-it-s-our-last-that-was-the-conventional-advice/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) [Browse all 2,043 Change the world quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He shook his head pityingly. “This, more than anything else, is what I have never understood about your people. You can roll dice, and understand that the whole game may hinge on one turn of a die. You deal out cards, and say that all a man's fortune for the night may turn upon one hand. But a man's whole life, you sniff at, and say, what, this naught of a human, this fisherman, this carpenter, this thief, this cook, why, what can they do in the great wide world? And so you putter and sputter your lives away, like candles burning in a draft.” “Not all men are destined for greatness,” I reminded him. “Are you sure, Fitz? Are you sure? What good is a life lived as if it made no difference at all to the great life of the world? A sadder thing I cannot imagine. Why should not a mother say to herself, if I raise this child aright, if I love and care for her, she shall live a life that brings joy to those about her, and thus I have changed the world? Why should not the farmer that plants a seed say to his neighbor, this seed I plant today will feed someone, and that is how I change the world today?” “This is philosophy, Fool. I have never had time to study such things.” “No, Fitz, this is life. And no one has time not to think of such things. Each creature in the world should consider this thing, every moment of the heart's beating. 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