--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And that's what I don't like about magic…" description: "\"And that's what I don't like about magic, Captain. 'cos it's *magic*. You can't ask questions, it's magic. It doesn't explain anything, it's magic. You..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/terry-pratchett-19_ask-questions_and-that-s-what-i-don-t-like-about-magic_2810221.jpg" --- # And that's what I don't like about magic, Captain. 'cos… ![“And that's what I don't like about magic, Captain. 'cos it's *magic*. You can't ask questions, it's magic. It doesn't explain anything, it's magic. You don't know where it comes from, it's magic! That's what I don't like about magic, it does everything by magic!” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/terry-pratchett-19_ask-questions_and-that-s-what-i-don-t-like-about-magic_2810221.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/terry-pratchett-19_ask-questions_and-that-s-what-i-don-t-like-about-magic_2810221.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/terry-pratchett-19_ask-questions_and-that-s-what-i-don-t-like-about-magic_2810221.jpg) > “And that's what I don't like about magic, Captain. 'cos it's \*magic\*. You can't ask questions, it's magic. It doesn't explain anything, it's magic. You don't know where it comes from, it's magic! That's what I don't like about magic, it does everything by magic!” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Magic is portrayed as a vague, unquestionable force that avoids scrutiny and explanation, highlighting frustration with unexamined authority. **In simple terms:** Magic is mysterious and unchallengeable, which can be irritating. Key Takeaway Question and challenge the unknown. Themes skepticism frustration authority Mood irritated curious Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - academic debate - policy analysis - personal decision making - creative writing Key Concepts epistemology power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do we accept without questioning? - How does mystery affect trust? A Different Perspective Magic can be a useful metaphor but may oversimplify complex systems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ask questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-questions/) [Captains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/captains/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Explain Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explain-magic-2386745/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Magic Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-ask-3515538/) [Magic Captain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-captain-3515536/) [Magic Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-doesn-1183847/) [Questions Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions-magic-3515537/) ## Related quotes > [There are thousands of good reasons why magic doesn't rule the world. They're called Witches and Wizards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-are-thousands-of-good-reasons-why-magic-doesn-t-rule-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I believe that there will be many things that happen to me in my life that I will not be able to explain. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/i-believe-that-there-will-be-many-things-that-happen-to-me-in-my-life/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [If one must explain a magic trick, one should do so after the show is over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-niven/if-one-must-explain-a-magic-trick-one-should-do-so-after-the-show-is/) [Larry Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-niven/) > [It's easy to believe in magic when you're young. Anything you couldn't explain was magic then. It didn't matter if it was science or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/it-s-easy-to-believe-in-magic-when-you-re-young-anything-you-couldn-t/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [“You cannot explain the magic of a good run; it must be experienced.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-sorenson/you-cannot-explain-the-magic-of-a-good-run-it-must-be-experienced/) [Toni Sorenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-sorenson/) > [“Sometimes what we want or don't want doesn't matter in the end. Sometimes magic doesn't listen after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janni-lee-simner/sometimes-what-we-want-or-don-t-want-doesn-t-matter-in-the-end-2/) [Janni Lee Simner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janni-lee-simner/) > [“I thought you people had a manual for this kind of thing.” He laughed. “We have a manual. Magic doesn’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-monk/i-thought-you-people-had-a-manual-for-this-kind-of-thing-he-laughed/) [Devon Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-monk/) > [“You can almost always find chains of coincidence to disprove magic. That's because it doesn't happen the way it does in books. It makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/you-can-almost-always-find-chains-of-coincidence-to-disprove-magic-2/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [“The magic doesn’t give you a weapon,” he said softly. “It gives you a choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meagan-spooner/the-magic-doesn-t-give-you-a-weapon-he-said-softly-it-gives-you-a/) [Meagan Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meagan-spooner/) > [But witchy magic doesn’t listen to please and pretty please, and anyway, I didn’t really care. I only pretended to care because not caring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/but-witchy-magic-doesn-t-listen-to-please-and-pretty-please-and/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [Magic doesn't suit everyone. Only those prepared to take full responsibility for themselves should apply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-j-carroll/magic-doesn-t-suit-everyone-only-those-prepared-to-take-full/) [Peter J. Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-j-carroll/) > [“Not only do we all have magic, it's all around us as well. We just don't pay attention to it. Every time we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/not-only-do-we-all-have-magic-it-s-all-around-us-as-well-we-just-don/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The magic doesn't come from within the director's mind, it comes from within the hearts of the actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cameron/the-magic-doesn-t-come-from-within-the-director-s-mind-it-comes-from/) [James Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cameron/) > [It was karma, it was kismet, it was magic. It doesn't matter how it happened, just that it did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/it-was-karma-it-was-kismet-it-was-magic-it-doesn-t-matter-how-it/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [“Because the best,most long-lasting love has a magic all its own,and doesn't need any help from witchcraft.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/because-the-best-most-long-lasting-love-has-a-magic-all-its-own-and/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Ask questions quotes > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) > [I was allowed to believe things that weren't true and I would ask questions about them and talk about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/i-was-allowed-to-believe-things-that-weren-t-true-and-i-would-ask/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [What makes us human, I think, is an ability to ask questions, a consequence of our sophisticated spoken language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/what-makes-us-human-i-think-is-an-ability-to-ask-questions-a/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“you do that all the time you know. you ask me questions when you know the answer will piss you off. ask me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/you-do-that-all-the-time-you-know-you-ask-me-questions-when-you-know/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [I feel really strongly about not wanting to overly guide the reader about what he or she should think. I really trust the reader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/i-feel-really-strongly-about-not-wanting-to-overly-guide-the-reader/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [For the most part, if somebody approaches me and says, 'I'd like to interview you,' who am I to say no, when I spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/for-the-most-part-if-somebody-approaches-me-and-says-i-d-like-to/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [...all the answers are but waiting for us while we, poor fools, ask questions and wait for the secrets of God to open themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-asad/all-the-answers-are-but-waiting-for-us-while-we-poor-fools-ask/) [Muhammad Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-asad/) > [“It’s funny how the devout pretend like they want people to ask questions, but really they only want you to ask the questions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tal-m-klein/it-s-funny-how-the-devout-pretend-like-they-want-people-to-ask/) [Tal M. 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