--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some humans would do anything to see if…" description: "\"Some humans would do anything to see if it was possible to do it. If you put a large switch in some cave somewhere, with a sign on it saying 'End-of-th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/terry-pratchett-19_caves_some-humans-would-do-anything-to-see-if_2229321.jpg" --- # Some humans would do anything to see if it was possible to… ![“Some humans would do anything to see if it was possible to do it. If you put a large switch in some cave somewhere, with a sign on it saying 'End-of-the-World Switch. PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH', the paint wouldn't even have time to dry.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/terry-pratchett-19_caves_some-humans-would-do-anything-to-see-if_2229321.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/terry-pratchett-19_caves_some-humans-would-do-anything-to-see-if_2229321.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/terry-pratchett-19_caves_some-humans-would-do-anything-to-see-if_2229321.jpg) > “Some humans would do anything to see if it was possible to do it. If you put a large switch in some cave somewhere, with a sign on it saying 'End-of-the-World Switch. PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH', the paint wouldn't even have time to dry.” [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. Curiosity drives people to test even forbidden limits, often ignoring warnings. **In simple terms:** People will try anything if curious enough. Key Takeaway Question assumptions before acting. Themes curiosity risk human nature Mood cautious inquisitive Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - science experiments - exploration - prank - dangerous curiosity Key Concepts psychology boundary testing ethics Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to ignore warnings? - When is curiosity justified? A Different Perspective Ignoring warnings can lead to harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Caves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caves/) [Dry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dry/) [End of the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-the-world/) [End World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-world/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Humans Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans-possible-5009786/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint/) [Paint Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint-wouldn-5004536/) [Please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) [Switch Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/switch-cave-5004537/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Switch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-switch-3107884/) ## Related quotes > [If you put a large switch in some cave somewhere, and a sign on it saying, "End-of-the-World Switch. PLEASE TO NOT TOUCH," the paint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-garreau/if-you-put-a-large-switch-in-some-cave-somewhere-and-a-sign-on-it/) [Joel Garreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-garreau/) > [We are indeed the light of the world-but only if our switch is turned on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/we-are-indeed-the-light-of-the-world-but-only-if-our-switch-is-turned/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [The jurisdiction of a good man extends to the end of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-jurisdiction-of-a-good-man-extends-to-the-end-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Consider the situation. There you are, forehead like a set of balconies, worrying about the long-term effects of all this new 'fire' stuff on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/consider-the-situation-there-you-are-forehead-like-a-set-of-balconies/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“That’s the thing about the End of the World. It doesn’t send out Save the Date cards before it destroys everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-meyers/that-s-the-thing-about-the-end-of-the-world-it-doesn-t-send-out-save/) [Jessica Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-meyers/) > [“2)"Even though this planet is round, there are just too many spots where you can find yourself hanging on to the edge just like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/2-even-though-this-planet-is-round-there-are-just-too-many-spots/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [The awkward moment when you predict the end of the world and nothing happens :P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-awkward-moment-when-you-predict-the-end-of-the-world-and-nothing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“People have always been good at imagining the end of the world, which is much easier to picture than the strange sidelong paths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/people-have-always-been-good-at-imagining-the-end-of-the-world-which/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [Let the end of the world be inside you, then you don't need to fear the end of the world out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/let-the-end-of-the-world-be-inside-you-then-you-don-t-need-to-fear/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [When a good thing goes bad its not the ned of the world,its just the end of a world,that you had with one girl.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/when-a-good-thing-goes-bad-its-not-the-ned-of-the-world-its-just-the/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [Funerals and weddings were commonplace, and nothing could have been so interesting to them as the coming of the end of the world ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-eggleston/funerals-and-weddings-were-commonplace-and-nothing-could-have-been-so/) [Edward Eggleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-eggleston/) > [The end of the world begins the moment you die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/the-end-of-the-world-begins-the-moment-you-die/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [End-of-the-world stories tend to ring true. I've always been drawn to them, but as I wrote my own, I found surprising pleasure in creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/end-of-the-world-stories-tend-to-ring-true-i-ve-always-been-drawn-to/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [The end of the world is on people's minds. We have the power to destroy or save ourselves, but the question is what do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/the-end-of-the-world-is-on-people-s-minds-we-have-the-power-to/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [“Is it necessary to recall that the earth is not infinite, and that our civilization is close to having invaded all of it? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-tarde/is-it-necessary-to-recall-that-the-earth-is-not-infinite-and-that-our/) [Gabriel Tarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-tarde/) ## 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 Caves quotes > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [There is nothing to do, just be. Do nothing. Be. No climbing mountains and sitting in caves. I do not even say "be yourself"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/there-is-nothing-to-do-just-be-do-nothing-be-no-climbing-mountains/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [A man in a cave or in a camp, a nomad, will die with no more estate than the wolf or the horse leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-in-a-cave-or-in-a-camp-a-nomad-will-die-with-no-more-estate/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [(At the back of the cave, Phoebe placed her hand against one of the stones where a spring release opened an elevator door. Chris…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/at-the-back-of-the-cave-phoebe-placed-her-hand-against-one-of-the/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [There were doors that looked like large keyholes, others that resembled the entrances to caves, there were golden doors, some were padded and some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/there-were-doors-that-looked-like-large-keyholes-others-that/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [Many of us didn't believe in the image of bin Laden as a wandering Old Man of the Mountains, living on plants and insects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/many-of-us-didn-t-believe-in-the-image-of-bin-laden-as-a-wandering/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [You know,” he said, “I wish you could see this cave.” “What’s it like?” He paused. “It’s...beautiful, really.” “Tell me.” And so Po described…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/you-know-he-said-i-wish-you-could-see-this-cave-what-s-it-like-he/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [Do you know, I always imagine that the subway trains are dragons,' Rose said to Bear as they clung to his coat for support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-doman/do-you-know-i-always-imagine-that-the-subway-trains-are-dragons-rose/) [Regina Doman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-doman/) > [Imagine an American Hans Christian Andersen, conceive of the Brothers Grimm living in Missouri, and you will approximate Howard Schwartz, a fable-maker and fable-gatherer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/imagine-an-american-hans-christian-andersen-conceive-of-the-brothers/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [There is no civilization that did not begin with art, Whether it was drawing a line in the sand, painting a cave or dancing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-is-no-civilization-that-did-not-begin-with-art-whether-it-was/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Some are nice and some aren't. Some are smart, and others are about as bright as a wet match in a dark cave. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/some-are-nice-and-some-aren-t-some-are-smart-and-others-are-about-as/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [Endure, put up with whatever comes your way, learn to overcome weakness and pain, push yourself to breaking point but never cave in. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-nadal/endure-put-up-with-whatever-comes-your-way-learn-to-overcome-weakness/) [Toni Nadal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-nadal/) > [I'm Andrea Thompson, and unless you've been living in a cave, you probably already know that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-thompson/i-m-andrea-thompson-and-unless-you-ve-been-living-in-a-cave-you/) [Andrea Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-thompson/) > [There are lifetimes where one goes off into the Himalayas and meditate in a cave. But this is not really one of those lifetimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-lifetimes-where-one-goes-off-into-the-himalayas-and/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [As her sons have seen her: the mother in patriarchy: controlling, erotic, castrating, heart-suffering, guilt-ridden, and guilt-provoking; a marble brow, a huge breast, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/as-her-sons-have-seen-her-the-mother-in-patriarchy-controlling-erotic/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) [Browse all 558 Caves quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caves/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Some humans would do anything to see if it was possible to do it. If you put a large switch in some cave somewhere, with a sign on it saying 'End-of-the-World Switch. 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