Business Quote by Terry Pratchett
““I? KILL? said Death, obviously offended. CERTAINLY NOT. PEOPLE GET KILLED, BUT THAT'S THEIR BUSINESS. I JUST TAKE OVER FROM THEN ON. AFTER ALL, IT'D BE A BLOODY STUPID WORLD IF PEOPLE GOT KILLED WITHOUT DYING, WOULDN'T IT?””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Mort, Terry Pratchett, 1987
Death humorously declares that killing is not his role; he only takes over after death, implying a world without death would be absurd.
In simple terms: Death says he doesn’t kill, only follows death.
Key Takeaway
Accept that some roles are inherent and unavoidable.
Themes
death
humor
existentialism
Mood
darkly humorous
thought‑provoking
Type
satirical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- writing fiction
- philosophical debates
- ethical discussions
- role analysis
Key Concepts
role reversal
absurdity
mortality
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this say about responsibility?
A Different Perspective
The humor may downplay the seriousness of death.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)