--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why do you beat the air and run in vain?…" description: "\"Why do you beat the air and run in vain? Every occupation has a purpose, obviously. Tell me then, what is the purpose of all the activity of the world?..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/545/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_activity_why-do-you-beat-the-air-and-run-in-vain_2469915.jpg" --- # Why do you beat the air and run in vain? Every occupation… ![“Why do you beat the air and run in vain? Every occupation has a purpose, obviously. Tell me then, what is the purpose of all the activity of the world? Answer, I challenge you! It is vanity of vanity: all is vanity.” quote by Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/545/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_activity_why-do-you-beat-the-air-and-run-in-vain_2469915.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/545/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_activity_why-do-you-beat-the-air-and-run-in-vain_2469915.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/545/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_activity_why-do-you-beat-the-air-and-run-in-vain_2469915.jpg) > “Why do you beat the air and run in vain? Every occupation has a purpose, obviously. Tell me then, what is the purpose of all the activity of the world? Answer, I challenge you! It is vanity of vanity: all is vanity.” [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker questions the purpose of worldly activity, concluding that all is ultimately futile and vain **In simple terms:** Worldly pursuits are ultimately meaningless Key Takeaway Recognize the emptiness of vanity Themes vanity purpose existence Mood contemplative serious Type philosophical existential When to use this quote - daily work - career ambition - material accumulation - social status Key Concepts theology philosophy existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life meaning beyond material success? - Can recognizing vanity inspire deeper values? A Different Perspective Human desire for meaning can give life purpose despite vanity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air/) [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Beats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beats/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Occupation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occupation/) [Occupation Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occupation-purpose-750744/) [Orthodox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orthodox/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purpose Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-activity-750743/) [Purpose Obviously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-obviously-750745/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) [Vanity Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity-vanity-750742/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Each pitch, swing, shot, serve, or step must be done with a purpose. No purpose, no activity. Do not waste precious preparation and training.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/each-pitch-swing-shot-serve-or-step-must-be-done-with-a-purpose-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything you should be an expression of your purpose. If an activity doesn't fit that formula, you wouldn't work on it. Period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/everything-you-should-be-an-expression-of-your-purpose-if-an-activity/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [“Ah woe is me, how sad a thing Is life within this vale of tears, Death’s angel triumphs like a king, And calls aloud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/ah-woe-is-me-how-sad-a-thing-is-life-within-this-vale-of-tears-death/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [Your vanity and my vanity will never be friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/your-vanity-and-my-vanity-will-never-be-friends/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“All that on earth hath life and breath To earth must fall before his spear, And sorrow, saved alone from death, Inscribes above the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/all-that-on-earth-hath-life-and-breath-to-earth-must-fall-before-his/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [Everyone has his vanity, and each one's vanity is his forgetting that there are others with an equal soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/everyone-has-his-vanity-and-each-one-s-vanity-is-his-forgetting-that/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [For it is a matter of daily observation that people take the greatest pleasure in that which satisfies their vanity; and vanity cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/for-it-is-a-matter-of-daily-observation-that-people-take-the-greatest/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“vanity, vanity, all is vanity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ecclesiastes-7-5/vanity-vanity-all-is-vanity/) [Ecclesiastes 7:5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ecclesiastes-7-5/) > [“Beg pardon?" I detected large deposits of vanity. Vanity is the softest of bedrocks to sink shafts into.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/beg-pardon-i-detected-large-deposits-of-vanity-vanity-is-the-softest/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Let no one out of laziness or continuous worldly occupations miss these holy Sunday gatherings, which God Himself handed down to us, lest he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-palamas/let-no-one-out-of-laziness-or-continuous-worldly-occupations-miss/) [Gregory Palamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-palamas/) > [God loves us more than a father, mother, friend, or any else could love, and even more than we are able to love ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/god-loves-us-more-than-a-father-mother-friend-or-any-else-could-love/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Are you angry? Be angry at your sins, beat your soul, afflict your conscience, but strict in judgement and a terrible punisher of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/are-you-angry-be-angry-at-your-sins-beat-your-soul-afflict-your/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Every time that we sin, we are born of the devil. But every time that we do good, we are born of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/every-time-that-we-sin-we-are-born-of-the-devil-but-every-time-that/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Do you think that the man-loving God has given you much so that you could use it only for your own benefit? No, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/do-you-think-that-the-man-loving-god-has-given-you-much-so-that-you/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [If we were not passionately inclined to money or to vainglory, then we would not fear death or poverty. We would not know enmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/if-we-were-not-passionately-inclined-to-money-or-to-vainglory-then-we/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) ## More by Saint John Chrysostom > [God measures out affliction to our need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/god-measures-out-affliction-to-our-need/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [If we approach with faith, we too will see Jesus... for the Eucharistic table takes the place of the crib. Here the Body of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/if-we-approach-with-faith-we-too-will-see-jesus-for-the-eucharistic/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [The slave should be resigned to his lot, in obeying his master he is obeying God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/the-slave-should-be-resigned-to-his-lot-in-obeying-his-master-he-is/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Every trace of the old philosophy and literatureof the ancient world has vanished from the face of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/every-trace-of-the-old-philosophy-and-literatureof-the-ancient-world/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [What the soul is in the body, let Christians be in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/what-the-soul-is-in-the-body-let-christians-be-in-the-world/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [...there is nothing that has been created without some reason, even if human nature is incapable of knowing precisely the reason for them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/there-is-nothing-that-has-been-created-without-some-reason-even-if/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [It is certainly a greater and more wonderful work to change the minds of enemies, bringing about a change of soul, than to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/it-is-certainly-a-greater-and-more-wonderful-work-to-change-the-minds/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [As a moth gnaws a garment, so doth envy consume a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/as-a-moth-gnaws-a-garment-so-doth-envy-consume-a-man/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [What is it to be a fool for Christ? It is to control one's thoughts when they stray out of line. It is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/what-is-it-to-be-a-fool-for-christ-it-is-to-control-one-s-thoughts/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Let us always guard our tongue; not that it should always be silent, but that it should speak at the proper time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/let-us-always-guard-our-tongue-not-that-it-should-always-be-silent/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [It brings comfort to have companions in whatever happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/it-brings-comfort-to-have-companions-in-whatever-happens/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [I do not think there are many among Bishops that will be saved, but many more that perish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/i-do-not-think-there-are-many-among-bishops-that-will-be-saved-but/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [When an archer desires to shoot his arrows successfully, he first takes great pains over his posture and aligns himself accurately with his mark.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/when-an-archer-desires-to-shoot-his-arrows-successfully-he-first/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Whether, therefore, we receive what we ask for, or do not receive it, let us still continue steadfast in prayer. For to fail in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/whether-therefore-we-receive-what-we-ask-for-or-do-not-receive-it-let/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Not to share our own wealth with the poor is theft from the poor and deprivation of their means of life; we do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/not-to-share-our-own-wealth-with-the-poor-is-theft-from-the-poor-and/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) [Explore all 169 Saint John Chrysostom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. 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