--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a mistake trying to cheer up…" description: "\"It is a mistake trying to cheer up camels. You may as well drop meringues into a black hole.\" — Terry Pratchett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e9/terry-pratchett-19_black_it-is-a-mistake-trying-to-cheer-up-camel_1532620.jpg" --- # It is a mistake trying to cheer up camels. You may as well… ![“It is a mistake trying to cheer up camels. You may as well drop meringues into a black hole.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e9/terry-pratchett-19_black_it-is-a-mistake-trying-to-cheer-up-camel_1532620.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e9/terry-pratchett-19_black_it-is-a-mistake-trying-to-cheer-up-camel_1532620.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e9/terry-pratchett-19_black_it-is-a-mistake-trying-to-cheer-up-camel_1532620.jpg) > “It is a mistake trying to cheer up camels. You may as well drop meringues into a black hole.” [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. Attempting to cheer a creature that cannot appreciate joy is futile, like trying to place a delicate pastry into an abyss. **In simple terms:** Cheering the impossible is pointless. Key Takeaway Accept limits of empathy. Themes humor absurdity limitations Mood wry satirical Type humorous philosophical When to use this quote - dealing with indifferent people - managing expectations - handling grief - working with unresponsive systems Key Concepts existential futility compassion Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to accept futility? - How can we redirect effort productively? A Different Perspective Humor can mask deeper frustration and may alienate listeners. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Black hole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-hole/) [Camels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/camels/) [Cheer up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheer-up/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) ## Related quotes > [“A camel in distress isn’t a shy creature. It doesn’t hang around in bars, nursing a solitary drink. It doesn’t phone up old friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-camel-in-distress-isn-t-a-shy-creature-it-doesn-t-hang-around-in/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The fact is that camels are far more intelligent than dolphins.\* \* Never trust a species that grins all the time. It's up to something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-fact-is-that-camels-are-far-more-intelligent-than-dolphins-never/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The fact is that camels are far more intelligent than dolphins. They are so much brighter that they soon realised that the most prudent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-fact-is-that-camels-are-far-more-intelligent-than-dolphins-they/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Sybil's female forebears had valiantly backed up their husbands as distant embassies were besieged, had given birth on a camel or in the shade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/sybil-s-female-forebears-had-valiantly-backed-up-their-husbands-as/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-good-bookshop-is-just-a-genteel-black-hole-that-knows-how-to-read/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You must find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/you-must-find-the-place-inside-yourself-where-nothing-is-impossible/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. 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Cheer up, you should be happy I'm here](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/haters-i-m-not-your-enemy-i-m-your-hero-cheer-up-you-should-be-happy/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [You've got to S-M-I-L-E To be H-A-Double-P-Y](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-temple/you-ve-got-to-s-m-i-l-e-to-be-h-a-double-p-y/) [Shirley Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-temple/) > [Cheer up! The worst effects of what we're doing won't be felt until after we're all dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/cheer-up-the-worst-effects-of-what-we-re-doing-won-t-be-felt-until/) [Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/) > [Have the self-confidence to say no when it is necessary and the strength to stand alone. Give yourself the approval to love and respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-olson/have-the-self-confidence-to-say-no-when-it-is-necessary-and-the/) Jackie Olson ## 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. 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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 Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. 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The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“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/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is a mistake trying to cheer up camels. 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