--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But you can't just leave it at that!\"…" description: "\"“But you can't just leave it at that!\" said Anathema, pushing forward. \"Think of all things you could do! Good things.\" \"Like what?\" said Adam suspicio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/terry-pratchett-19_environment_but-you-can-t-just-leave-it-at-that-said_2144255.jpg" --- # But you can't just leave it at that!" said Anathema… ![“But you can't just leave it at that!" said Anathema, pushing forward. "Think of all things you could do! Good things." "Like what?" said Adam suspiciously. "Well... you could bring all the whales back, to start with." He put his head on one side. "An' that'd stop people killing them?" She…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/terry-pratchett-19_environment_but-you-can-t-just-leave-it-at-that-said_2144255.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/terry-pratchett-19_environment_but-you-can-t-just-leave-it-at-that-said_2144255.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/terry-pratchett-19_environment_but-you-can-t-just-leave-it-at-that-said_2144255.jpg) > ““But you can't just leave it at that!" said Anathema, pushing forward. "Think of all things you could do! Good things." "Like what?" said Adam suspiciously. "Well... you could bring all the whales back, to start with." He put his head on one side. "An' that'd stop people killing them?" She hesitated. It would have been nice to say yes. "An' if people do start killing 'em, what would you ask me to do about 'em?" said Adam. "No. I reckon I'm getting the hang of this now. Once I start messing around like that, there'd be no stoppin' it. Seems to me, the only sensible thing is for people to know if they kill a whale, they've got a dead whale.”” [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. Creative ideas can spark bold actions, but without planning they may lead to unintended harm. **In simple terms:** Ideas need thoughtful execution. Key Takeaway Balance imagination with responsibility. Themes creativity responsibility environment Mood hopeful critical Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - environmental activism - innovation projects - team brainstorming - policy making Key Concepts ethics conservation storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure ideas are feasible? - What safeguards prevent reckless outcomes? A Different Perspective Idealistic plans can overlook practical consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Good omens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-omens/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Pushing forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pushing-forward/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Whales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whales/) ## Related quotes > [“Adam looked at Them. They were his kind of people, too. You just had to decide who your friends really were.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/adam-looked-at-them-they-were-his-kind-of-people-too-you-just-had-to/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [One of the highlights of the first Good Omens tour was Neil and I walking through New York singing Shoehorn with Teeth. Well, we'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/one-of-the-highlights-of-the-first-good-omens-tour-was-neil-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Jesus won't cut you off before you're through With him you won't never get a crossed line, And when your bill comes it'll all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/jesus-won-t-cut-you-off-before-you-re-through-with-him-you-won-t/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Voodoo is a very interesting religion for the whole family, even those members of it who are dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/voodoo-is-a-very-interesting-religion-for-the-whole-family-even-those/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [God moves in extremely mysterious, not to say, circuitous ways. God does not play dice with the universe; He plays an ineffable game of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/god-moves-in-extremely-mysterious-not-to-say-circuitous-ways-god-does/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Were it up to me, I would be with Lilly. Were it up to me I would be asleep in her arms. She's dead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/were-it-up-to-me-i-would-be-with-lilly-were-it-up-to-me-i-would-be/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [“I'm an angel of death. I don't need night school, woman. You should just give up on this detective shit and start killing people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/i-m-an-angel-of-death-i-don-t-need-night-school-woman-you-should-just/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“He’d hate to start killing people at this stage in the game. Especially some poor schmuck who happened to marry the wrong woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-laurenston/he-d-hate-to-start-killing-people-at-this-stage-in-the-game/) [Shelly Laurenston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-laurenston/) > [“Winny didn't know what he would do without his books, except probably go berserk and start killing people and making ashtrays out of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/winny-didn-t-know-what-he-would-do-without-his-books-except-probably/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“So you went to the doctor. What did he say? - He said I have to start killing people like my boss and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-shaw/so-you-went-to-the-doctor-what-did-he-say-he-said-i-have-to-start/) [Donald Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-shaw/) > [Would you like to do something good for the future of the human race; well, start killing some of its powerful members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-brown/would-you-like-to-do-something-good-for-the-future-of-the-human-race/) [William C. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-brown/) > [When they start killing the men of ideas, you can be sure the Devil is laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mills/when-they-start-killing-the-men-of-ideas-you-can-be-sure-the-devil-is/) [Mark Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mills/) > [In hard times of severe crisis if you want to create new jobs, I recommend you to start killing some people. It's the old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-brown/in-hard-times-of-severe-crisis-if-you-want-to-create-new-jobs-i/) [William C. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-brown/) > [I want your opinion on the best way to proceed. (Eli) I’d start by killing your son and his crew of idiots before their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-want-your-opinion-on-the-best-way-to-proceed-eli-i-d-start-by/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“If the voices in your head talk to you, no one cares until they tell you to start killing people. Then you’re crazy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-armstrong/if-the-voices-in-your-head-talk-to-you-no-one-cares-until-they-tell/) [Linda Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-armstrong/) ## 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 Environment quotes > [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [This welfare for wealthy companies wastes taxpayer dollars, harms the environment, and makes a mockery of the recent reductions in federal social spending programs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/this-welfare-for-wealthy-companies-wastes-taxpayer-dollars-harms-the/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [They paved paradise and put up a parkin lot With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot Don't it always seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/they-paved-paradise-and-put-up-a-parkin-lot-with-a-pink-hotel-a/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/to-assist-a-child-we-must-provide-him-with-an-environment-which-will/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Daily life is both the subject and environment of the work I am making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-henrot/daily-life-is-both-the-subject-and-environment-of-the-work-i-am-making/) [Camille Henrot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-henrot/) > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Create an environment for people to fail, to learn, and to grow. Their creativity and productivity will increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-an-environment-for-people-to-fail-to-learn-and-to-grow-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are many more traits that the climate deniers share with the creationists and Holocaust deniers and others who distort the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-r-prothero/there-are-many-more-traits-that-the-climate-deniers-share-with-the/) [Donald R. Prothero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-r-prothero/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [It's the same with this idea of a literate public, and also of a democracy in which people have access to and really read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/it-s-the-same-with-this-idea-of-a-literate-public-and-also-of-a/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [Of course, learning is strengthened and solidified when it occurs in a safe, secure and normal environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-bertrand-aristide/of-course-learning-is-strengthened-and-solidified-when-it-occurs-in-a/) [Jean-Bertrand Aristide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-bertrand-aristide/) [Browse all 8,669 Environment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But you can't just leave it at that!\" said Anathema, pushing forward. \"Think of all things you could do! Good things.\" \"Like what?\" said Adam suspiciously. \"Well... you could bring all the whales back, to start with.\" He put his head on one side. \"An' that'd stop people killing them?\" She hesitated. It would have been nice to say yes. \"An' if people do start killing 'em, what would you ask me to do about 'em?\" said Adam. \"No. I reckon I'm getting the hang of this now. Once I start messing around like that, there'd be no stoppin' it. Seems to me, the only sensible thing is for people to know if they kill a whale, they've got a dead whale.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-you-can-t-just-leave-it-at-that-said-anathema-pushing-forward/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Environment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-you-can-t-just-leave-it-at-that-said-anathema-pushing-forward/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/terry-pratchett-19_environment_but-you-can-t-just-leave-it-at-that-said_2144255.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/terry-pratchett-19_environment_but-you-can-t-just-leave-it-at-that-said_2144255.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e8/terry-pratchett-19_environment_but-you-can-t-just-leave-it-at-that-said_2144255.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But you can't just leave it at that!\" said Anathema, pushing forward. \"Think of all things you could do!…” — Terry Pratchett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But you can't just leave it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-you-can-t-just-leave-it-at-that-said-anathema-pushing-forward/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-you-can-t-just-leave-it-at-that-said-anathema-pushing-forward/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```