--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do nothing, with as little shame as…" description: "\"“I do nothing, with as little shame as satisfaction. It is the state that suits me best. I write the odd poem when it is there, that is the only thing ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f79/samuel-beckett-365_chaos_i-do-nothing-with-as-little-shame-as-sat_416306.png" --- # I do nothing, with as little shame as satisfaction. It is… ![“I do nothing, with as little shame as satisfaction. It is the state that suits me best. I write the odd poem when it is there, that is the only thing worth doing. There is an ecstasy of accidia — will-less in a grey tumult of idées obscures . There is an end to the temptation of light, its polite…” quote by Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f79/samuel-beckett-365_chaos_i-do-nothing-with-as-little-shame-as-sat_416306.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f79/samuel-beckett-365_chaos_i-do-nothing-with-as-little-shame-as-sat_416306.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f79/samuel-beckett-365_chaos_i-do-nothing-with-as-little-shame-as-sat_416306.png) > ““I do nothing, with as little shame as satisfaction. It is the state that suits me best. I write the odd poem when it is there, that is the only thing worth doing. There is an ecstasy of accidia — will-less in a grey tumult of idées obscures . There is an end to the temptation of light, its polite scorchings & consolations. It is good for children & insects. There is an end of making up one's mind, like a pound of tea, an end of patting the butter of consciousness into opinions. The real consciousness is the chaos, a grey commotion of mind, with no premises or conclusions or problems or solutions or cases or judgments.”” [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote celebrates embracing idleness and letting the mind drift without forcing conclusions, finding value in spontaneous creation and the chaotic nature of consciousness. **In simple terms:** Embrace idleness, let thoughts flow without forcing meaning. Key Takeaway Allow thoughts to wander without judgment. Themes idleness creativity consciousness chaos philosophy Mood reflective introspective calm Type philosophical literary existential When to use this quote - writing poetry - contemplating life - avoiding overanalysis - mindful relaxation - creative inspiration Key Concepts existentialism nihilism creative spontaneity Questions to Reflect On - How does embracing idleness affect productivity? - Can chaos be a source of insight? A Different Perspective May lead to stagnation or avoidance of necessary decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chaos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chaos/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Consciousness Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness-opinions-3700019/) [Consolations Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consolations-good-3700020/) [Indolence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indolence/) [Obscurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obscurity/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Real Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-consciousness-1908624/) [Satisfaction State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfaction-state-2997619/) ## Related quotes > [Satisfaction is only the STATE of mind without any CAPITAL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj-somany/satisfaction-is-only-the-state-of-mind-without-any-capital/) [Anuj Somany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj-somany/) > [Self-satisfaction is the state of mind of those who have the happy conviction that they are not as other men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-allingham/self-satisfaction-is-the-state-of-mind-of-those-who-have-the-happy/) [Margery Allingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-allingham/) > [“Any computer that developed real consciousness was immediately identified by the Genesis subroutine and destroyed. It had been that way since the WikiWars a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rubens/any-computer-that-developed-real-consciousness-was-immediately/) [Michael Rubens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rubens/) > [“He who knows himself is wise; yet have we no sooner acquired real consciousness of our being than we learn that true wisdom is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/he-who-knows-himself-is-wise-yet-have-we-no-sooner-acquired-real/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [The only thing that is fundamental (real) is consciousness itself; all else is virtual- i.e., a result of an exchange of information within consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-campbell/the-only-thing-that-is-fundamental-real-is-consciousness-itself-all/) [Thomas Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-campbell/) > [“are not truly real in the consciousness of human experience until they are unraveled and correlated, until their relevant facts actually become meaning through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urantia-foundation/are-not-truly-real-in-the-consciousness-of-human-experience-until/) [Urantia Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urantia-foundation/) > [The world is real. Consciousness is the illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bruce/the-world-is-real-consciousness-is-the-illusion/) [Craig Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bruce/) > [“Skeptical scientists often point out, as Carl Sagan has, that the wonders of real science far surpass the supposed wonders of fringe science. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/skeptical-scientists-often-point-out-as-carl-sagan-has-that-the/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [The sorcerer is a Simple Realist: the world is real--but then so must consciousness be real since its effects are so tangible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-bey/the-sorcerer-is-a-simple-realist-the-world-is-real-but-then-so-must/) [Hakim Bey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-bey/) > [The time is perhaps not altogether too green for the vile suggestion that art has nothing to do with clarity, does not dabble in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/the-time-is-perhaps-not-altogether-too-green-for-the-vile-suggestion/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [ Do they \[the publishers of Murphy\] not understand that if the book is slightly obscure it is because it is a compression and thatto… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/do-they-the-publishers-of-murphy-not-understand-that-if-the-book-is/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [And all these questions I ask myself. It is not in a spirit of curiosity. I cannot be silent. About myself I need know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/and-all-these-questions-i-ask-myself-it-is-not-in-a-spirit-of/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [And indeed nothing but the most determined scepticism, along with a great degree of indolence, can justify this aversion to metaphysics. For if truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/and-indeed-nothing-but-the-most-determined-scepticism-along-with-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [There are two sorts of content; one is connected with exertion, the other with habits of indolence. The first is a virtue; the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/there-are-two-sorts-of-content-one-is-connected-with-exertion-the/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [In our own time the whole of Greece has been subject to a low birth rate and a general decrease of the population, owing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polybius/in-our-own-time-the-whole-of-greece-has-been-subject-to-a-low-birth/) [Polybius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polybius/) ## More by Samuel Beckett > [“It was December, I had never felt so cold, the eel soup lay heavy on my stomach, I was afraid I'd die, I turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/it-was-december-i-had-never-felt-so-cold-the-eel-soup-lay-heavy-on-my/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“To be always what I am - and so changed from what I was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/to-be-always-what-i-am-and-so-changed-from-what-i-was/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [To what will love not stoop!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/to-what-will-love-not-stoop/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [With all this darkness round me I feel less alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/with-all-this-darkness-round-me-i-feel-less-alone/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“You may say it is all in my head, and indeed sometimes it seems to me I am in a head and that these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/you-may-say-it-is-all-in-my-head-and-indeed-sometimes-it-seems-to-me/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“Here he stood. 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Yes, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/what-are-we-doing-here-that-is-the-question-and-we-are-blessed-in/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [I shall state silences more competently than ever a better man spangled the butterflies of vertigo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/i-shall-state-silences-more-competently-than-ever-a-better-man/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [It is useless not to seek, not to want, for when you cease to seek you start to find, and when you cease to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/it-is-useless-not-to-seek-not-to-want-for-when-you-cease-to-seek-you/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [We are not saints, but we have kept our appointment. How many people can boast as much?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/we-are-not-saints-but-we-have-kept-our-appointment-how-many-people/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [The new light above my table is a great improvement. With all this darkness around me I feel less alone. (Pause.) In a way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/the-new-light-above-my-table-is-a-great-improvement-with-all-this/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [I lay down across her with my face in her breasts and my hand on her. We lay there without moving. But under us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/i-lay-down-across-her-with-my-face-in-her-breasts-and-my-hand-on-her/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Women are all the bloody sameyou can't love for five minutes without wanting it abolished in brats and house bloody wifery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/women-are-all-the-bloody-sameyou-can-t-love-for-five-minutes-without/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“ESTRAGON: Do you think God sees me? VLADIMIR: You must close your eyes. Estragon closes his eyes, staggers worse. ESTRAGON: (stopping, brandishing his fists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/estragon-do-you-think-god-sees-me-vladimir-you-must-close-your-eyes/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Deplorable mania, when something happens, to inquire what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/deplorable-mania-when-something-happens-to-inquire-what/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) [Explore all 609 Samuel Beckett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) ## More Chaos quotes > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [If I meet a wise person, I think, 'Yes, tell me more about parenting, about marriage, about how to stay in love. 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One moment tender, funny or romantic, the next, visceral,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/i-love-derrick-brown-for-the-surprise-of-one-word-waking-up-next-to/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/chaos-often-breeds-life-when-order-breeds-habit/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [There seems to be a kind of order in the universe…in the movement of the stars and the turning of the Earth and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-anne-porter/there-seems-to-be-a-kind-of-order-in-the-universe-in-the-movement-of/) [Katherine Anne Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-anne-porter/) > [In the ring, there's not a lot of room for mistakes. 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