--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mort wandered hopelessly along the…" description: "\"“Mort wandered hopelessly along the winding streets. Anyone hovering at rooftop heightwould have noticed a certain pattern in the crowds behind him, su..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d89/terry-pratchett-19_life-expectancy_mort-wandered-hopelessly-along-the-windi_3018951.jpg" --- # Mort wandered hopelessly along the winding streets. Anyone… ![“Mort wandered hopelessly along the winding streets. Anyone hovering at rooftop heightwould have noticed a certain pattern in the crowds behind him, suggesting a number of men converging nonchalantly on a target, and would rightly have concluded that Mort and his gold had about the same life…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d89/terry-pratchett-19_life-expectancy_mort-wandered-hopelessly-along-the-windi_3018951.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d89/terry-pratchett-19_life-expectancy_mort-wandered-hopelessly-along-the-windi_3018951.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d89/terry-pratchett-19_life-expectancy_mort-wandered-hopelessly-along-the-windi_3018951.jpg) > ““Mort wandered hopelessly along the winding streets. Anyone hovering at rooftop heightwould have noticed a certain pattern in the crowds behind him, suggesting a number of men converging nonchalantly on a target, and would rightly have concluded that Mort and his gold had about the same life expectancy as a three-legged hedgehog on a six-lane motorway.”” [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. Mort’s futile quest is likened to a hedgehog on a highway, emphasizing the absurdity of his dangerous mission. **In simple terms:** Mort’s mission is absurdly risky. Key Takeaway Recognize when goals are hopelessly dangerous. Themes risk absurdity fate Mood satirical dark reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career choices - adventure planning - risk assessment - life decisions Key Concepts literary satire dark humor Questions to Reflect On - When is a goal too dangerous? - How can you assess risk realistically? A Different Perspective Humor masks underlying danger. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life expectancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-expectancy/) ## Related quotes > [He had about the same life expectancy as a three legged hedgehog on a six lane motorway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/he-had-about-the-same-life-expectancy-as-a-three-legged-hedgehog-on-a/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“It was a large room, heavily outfitted with the usual badly ventilated furnaces, rows of bubbling crucibles, and one stuffed alligator. Things floated in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-was-a-large-room-heavily-outfitted-with-the-usual-badly-ventilated/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You know, the dirty secret in the Director's Guild is that the average life expectancy of Director's Guild members is 57 years old. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/you-know-the-dirty-secret-in-the-director-s-guild-is-that-the-average/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [“Poverty certainly causes many other health problems, and malnutrition shortens life expectancy even in the richest countries on earth. In France, for example, 6…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/poverty-certainly-causes-many-other-health-problems-and-malnutrition/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“Politicians are like dogs... Their life expectancy is too short for a commitment to be bearable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/politicians-are-like-dogs-their-life-expectancy-is-too-short-for-a/) [Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/) > [“And when, after fifteen years of bingeing, barfing, starving, needles and tubes and terror and rage, and medical crises and personal failure and loss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-hornbacher/and-when-after-fifteen-years-of-bingeing-barfing-starving-needles-and/) [Marya Hornbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-hornbacher/) > [Latinas' life expectancies are relatively long. When a current retiree hits 65 and begins receiving her benefit check, she can expect to live another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-napolitano/latinas-life-expectancies-are-relatively-long-when-a-current-retiree/) [Grace Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-napolitano/) > [“The difference in life expectancy and income between China’s wealthiest cities and its poorest provinces is the difference between New York and Ghana.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-osnos/the-difference-in-life-expectancy-and-income-between-china-s/) [Evan Osnos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-osnos/) > [“It was unhealthy to get too attached. Such things were best reserved for people who had a life expectancy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-s-williams/it-was-unhealthy-to-get-too-attached-such-things-were-best-reserved/) [Matthew S. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-s-williams/) > [“By not burning their poppy fields to the ground but instead maintaining a security umbrella that international development agencies could safely work under as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-wood/by-not-burning-their-poppy-fields-to-the-ground-but-instead/) [Jake Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-wood/) > [“Violence has to become a part of your thinking. It makes you cautious, suspicious as hell, and lengthens your life expectancy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/violence-has-to-become-a-part-of-your-thinking-it-makes-you-cautious/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Advances in science and medical research and public health policies have meant that life expectancy for Australians is one of the highest in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-bishop/advances-in-science-and-medical-research-and-public-health-policies/) [Julie Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-bishop/) > [“So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you’ll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/so-here-you-are-in-your-twenties-thinking-that-you-ll-have-another-40/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [“Death was a constant fact of life. The reaper struck with fire and drowning; typhus, malaria, yellow fever, and a host of other diseases;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-weisberg/death-was-a-constant-fact-of-life-the-reaper-struck-with-fire-and/) Barbara Weisberg > [“While significant strides have been made in the pursuit of life expectancy, healthcare, educational opportunities, and constitutional protections for women, the Supreme Court, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-wilkins/while-significant-strides-have-been-made-in-the-pursuit-of-life/) David E. Wilkins ## 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. 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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 Life expectancy quotes > [“While significant strides have been made in the pursuit of life expectancy, healthcare, educational opportunities, and constitutional protections for women, the Supreme Court, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-wilkins/while-significant-strides-have-been-made-in-the-pursuit-of-life/) David E. Wilkins > [“Death was a constant fact of life. The reaper struck with fire and drowning; typhus, malaria, yellow fever, and a host of other diseases;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-weisberg/death-was-a-constant-fact-of-life-the-reaper-struck-with-fire-and/) Barbara Weisberg > [“So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you’ll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/so-here-you-are-in-your-twenties-thinking-that-you-ll-have-another-40/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [Advances in science and medical research and public health policies have meant that life expectancy for Australians is one of the highest in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-bishop/advances-in-science-and-medical-research-and-public-health-policies/) [Julie Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-bishop/) > [“Violence has to become a part of your thinking. It makes you cautious, suspicious as hell, and lengthens your life expectancy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/violence-has-to-become-a-part-of-your-thinking-it-makes-you-cautious/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“By not burning their poppy fields to the ground but instead maintaining a security umbrella that international development agencies could safely work under as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-wood/by-not-burning-their-poppy-fields-to-the-ground-but-instead/) [Jake Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-wood/) > [“It was unhealthy to get too attached. Such things were best reserved for people who had a life expectancy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-s-williams/it-was-unhealthy-to-get-too-attached-such-things-were-best-reserved/) [Matthew S. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-s-williams/) > [“The difference in life expectancy and income between China’s wealthiest cities and its poorest provinces is the difference between New York and Ghana.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-osnos/the-difference-in-life-expectancy-and-income-between-china-s/) [Evan Osnos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-osnos/) > [Latinas' life expectancies are relatively long. When a current retiree hits 65 and begins receiving her benefit check, she can expect to live another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-napolitano/latinas-life-expectancies-are-relatively-long-when-a-current-retiree/) [Grace Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-napolitano/) > [“And when, after fifteen years of bingeing, barfing, starving, needles and tubes and terror and rage, and medical crises and personal failure and loss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-hornbacher/and-when-after-fifteen-years-of-bingeing-barfing-starving-needles-and/) [Marya Hornbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-hornbacher/) > [“Politicians are like dogs... 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