--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People build something that works. Then…" description: "\"“People build something that works. Then circumstances change, and they have to tinker with it to make it continue to work, and they are so busy tinker..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/terry-pratchett-19_people-build_people-build-something-that-works-then-c_503828.jpg" --- # People build something that works. Then circumstances… ![“People build something that works. Then circumstances change, and they have to tinker with it to make it continue to work, and they are so busy tinkering that they cannot see that a much better idea would be to build a whole new system to deal with the new circumstances. But to an outsider, the…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/terry-pratchett-19_people-build_people-build-something-that-works-then-c_503828.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/terry-pratchett-19_people-build_people-build-something-that-works-then-c_503828.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/terry-pratchett-19_people-build_people-build-something-that-works-then-c_503828.jpg) > ““People build something that works. Then circumstances change, and they have to tinker with it to make it continue to work, and they are so busy tinkering that they cannot see that a much better idea would be to build a whole new system to deal with the new circumstances. But to an outsider, the idea is obvious.”” [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. When systems become outdated, people focus on patching them instead of redesigning, missing obvious better solutions. **In simple terms:** Fixing old systems blocks seeing new ones. Key Takeaway Consider redesign, not just repair. Themes innovation systems obsolescence Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - software development - business strategy - public policy - personal habits Key Concepts systems thinking incremental vs radical change Questions to Reflect On - What would a fresh start look like? - How can we balance fixing and redesigning? A Different Perspective New designs may be costly and risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Together with this Brazilian people, we will build a new nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jair-bolsonaro/together-with-this-brazilian-people-we-will-build-a-new-nation/) [Jair Bolsonaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jair-bolsonaro/) > [I love the idea that if you build something with enough depth and texture, you can watch it again and again and see new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bobin/i-love-the-idea-that-if-you-build-something-with-enough-depth-and/) [James Bobin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bobin/) > [It is not about whether you are an executive, a studio or a network. 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To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” - Buckminster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-seba/you-never-change-things-by-fighting-the-existing-reality-to-change/) Tony Seba > [“A new building built on old foundation can't last. Maybe for a while; but when the earthquakes come and the floods flow in, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/a-new-building-built-on-old-foundation-can-t-last-maybe-for-a-while/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [One way to go about revolution is not trying to change the system within, but trying to build a new system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-johnson/one-way-to-go-about-revolution-is-not-trying-to-change-the-system/) [Bryan Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-johnson/) > [Celebrate the excitement of trying build something new and wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/celebrate-the-excitement-of-trying-build-something-new-and-wonderful/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) ## 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 People Build quotes > [Two people could build an outhouse in four hours. They're not complicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-maxwell/two-people-could-build-an-outhouse-in-four-hours-they-re-not/) [Robert Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-maxwell/) > [“It might interest you to know," Tully says, "that there's a reason people build miniatures. Doesn't matter if it's guys laying out model railroads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lotter/it-might-interest-you-to-know-tully-says-that-there-s-a-reason-people/) [Jane Lotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lotter/) > [Why do people have to build such depressing places? I'm not saying that every nook and cranny of the world has to be beautiful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/why-do-people-have-to-build-such-depressing-places-i-m-not-saying/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“White people build a really big fire and stand way back. Indians build a little-bitty fire and get real close.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-bray/white-people-build-a-really-big-fire-and-stand-way-back-indians-build/) Rickey Bray > [Be around people who build you up not build you down...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serenity-c/be-around-people-who-build-you-up-not-build-you-down/) [Serenity C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serenity-c/) > [Another thing I find extremely eerie is that when people build a house, they almost exactly get it wrong. They don't just get it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/another-thing-i-find-extremely-eerie-is-that-when-people-build-a/) [Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/) > [People who build their own home tend to be very courageous. These people are curious about life. They're thinking about what it means to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-kundig/people-who-build-their-own-home-tend-to-be-very-courageous-these/) Tom Kundig > [Isn't it strange that ... people build walls to keep an enemy out, and there's only one part of the world and one philosophy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/isn-t-it-strange-that-people-build-walls-to-keep-an-enemy-out-and/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [For better or worse, a lot of people who build things don't want to part ways. They don't have the short exit plan that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-winklevoss/for-better-or-worse-a-lot-of-people-who-build-things-don-t-want-to/) [Cameron Winklevoss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-winklevoss/) > [Turbos are people who can't build engines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-duckworth/turbos-are-people-who-can-t-build-engines/) [Keith Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-duckworth/) > [You can't go around building a better world for people. Only people can build a better world for people. Otherwise it's just a cage.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-go-around-building-a-better-world-for-people-only-people-2/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Some people build fences to keep people out; some people build fences to keep people in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-hornsby/some-people-build-fences-to-keep-people-out-some-people-build-fences/) [Russell Hornsby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-hornsby/) > [I show people how to build their own immortality device.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-chiu/i-show-people-how-to-build-their-own-immortality-device/) [Alex Chiu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-chiu/) > [People build up walls, not to keep other out but to see who cares enough to break them down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-build-up-walls-not-to-keep-other-out-but-to-see-who-cares/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scientists are people who build the Brooklyn Bridge and then buy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/scientists-are-people-who-build-the-brooklyn-bridge-and-then-buy-it/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) Browse all 46 People Build quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People build something that works. Then circumstances change, and they have to tinker with it to make it continue to work, and they are so busy tinkering that they cannot see that a much better idea would be to build a whole new system to deal with the new circumstances. 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