--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anything that smiles often needs to be…" description: "\"“Anything that smiles often needs to be reminded that the world is a cruel, dark place.”\" — The Oatmeal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/the-oatmeal-106471_dark-place_anything-that-smiles-often-needs-to-be-r_1803166.jpg" --- # Anything that smiles often needs to be reminded that the… ![“Anything that smiles often needs to be reminded that the world is a cruel, dark place.” quote by The Oatmeal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/the-oatmeal-106471_dark-place_anything-that-smiles-often-needs-to-be-r_1803166.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/the-oatmeal-106471_dark-place_anything-that-smiles-often-needs-to-be-r_1803166.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/the-oatmeal-106471_dark-place_anything-that-smiles-often-needs-to-be-r_1803166.jpg) > ““Anything that smiles often needs to be reminded that the world is a cruel, dark place.”” [The Oatmeal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-oatmeal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Smiles often need reminders that the world can be cruel and dark. **In simple terms:** Happiness needs awareness of harsh realities. Key Takeaway Balance optimism with realism. Themes cruelty darkness life truth world smiles reminders Mood cynical thoughtful Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - social media commentary - mental health awareness Key Concepts psychology philosophy dark humor Questions to Reflect On - Do you remind yourself of life's harshness? - How can you keep joy without ignoring reality? A Different Perspective Ignoring darkness can lead to denial of suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cruel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel/) [Cruel Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel-dark-2049885/) [Dark place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-place/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Needs Reminded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs-reminded-2049887/) [Reminded World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reminded-world-1304479/) [Smiles Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiles-needs-2049886/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [World Cruel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-cruel-578562/) ## Related quotes > [“something about the stillness or my state of mind reminded me of the world’s remarkable capacity to carry on in every place at once.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-keegan/something-about-the-stillness-or-my-state-of-mind-reminded-me-of-the/) [Marina Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-keegan/) > [“One always needs to be reminded; one is by no means always in possession of one’s whole self. Our consciousness is feeble; only in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/one-always-needs-to-be-reminded-one-is-by-no-means-always-in/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) > [We need above all to know about changes; no one wants or needs to be reminded 16 hours a day that his shoes are on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-hubel/we-need-above-all-to-know-about-changes-no-one-wants-or-needs-to-be/) [David H. Hubel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-hubel/) > [Cancer women sometimes need to be reminded there is a world outside the home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cancer-women-sometimes-need-to-be-reminded-there-is-a-world-outside/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The world can be very cruel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/the-world-can-be-very-cruel/) [Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/) > [The real world is cruel, but in the comfort of literature it can bring some light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/the-real-world-is-cruel-but-in-the-comfort-of-literature-it-can-bring/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [The world might seem so cruel, but we can't deny its miracle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniya/the-world-might-seem-so-cruel-but-we-can-t-deny-its-miracle/) [Daniya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniya/) > [“The world is cruel, give me thy heart to take with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-world-is-cruel-give-me-thy-heart-to-take-with-me/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [There is a strange and mighty race of people called the Americans who are rapidly becoming the coldest in the world because of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-dahlberg/there-is-a-strange-and-mighty-race-of-people-called-the-americans-who/) [Edward Dahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-dahlberg/) > [We live in a world that is cruel to the earth itself. Man is a biological terrorist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sufjan-stevens/we-live-in-a-world-that-is-cruel-to-the-earth-itself-man-is-a/) [Sufjan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sufjan-stevens/) > [We live in a cruel world with cruel people and suicidal teens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-live-in-a-cruel-world-with-cruel-people-and-suicidal-teens/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The world is a cruel place, Petrosinella, and it wounds the weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-forsyth/the-world-is-a-cruel-place-petrosinella-and-it-wounds-the-weak/) [Kate Forsyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-forsyth/) > [“The world is cruel enough without our compounding it; I approve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/the-world-is-cruel-enough-without-our-compounding-it-i-approve/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“The world is a cruel place sometimes, and warm-hearted people do most of the good in it. And much of the time, they're mocked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/the-world-is-a-cruel-place-sometimes-and-warm-hearted-people-do-most/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [My childhood did not prepare me for the fact that the world is full of cruel and bitter things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/my-childhood-did-not-prepare-me-for-the-fact-that-the-world-is-full/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) ## More by The Oatmeal > [“Don't be a baked potato. Be a person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-oatmeal/don-t-be-a-baked-potato-be-a-person/) [The Oatmeal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-oatmeal/) [Explore all 2 The Oatmeal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-oatmeal/) ## More Cruel quotes > [“History has a cruel way of disappointing optimists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-thompson/history-has-a-cruel-way-of-disappointing-optimists/) [Keith Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-thompson/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [“Don't be so cruel to me. Don't promise me anything. I've got everything that i need. I need love in a good way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tegan-quin/don-t-be-so-cruel-to-me-don-t-promise-me-anything-i-ve-got-everything/) [Tegan Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tegan-quin/) > [Pity is cruel. Pity destroys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/pity-is-cruel-pity-destroys/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“Even the cruel feel pain. And even the cruel can change. I hope this changes him. He could do so much, if only he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/even-the-cruel-feel-pain-and-even-the-cruel-can-change-i-hope-this/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [You must learn that to endure cruelty is to become cruel yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bleach/you-must-learn-that-to-endure-cruelty-is-to-become-cruel-yourself/) [Bleach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bleach/) > [“my power is as cruel a joke as it can get? That’s”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-d-anderson/my-power-is-as-cruel-a-joke-as-it-can-get-that-s/) [Katie D. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-d-anderson/) > [I must be cruel only to be kind; Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-must-be-cruel-only-to-be-kind-thus-bad-begins-and-worse-remains/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Huamns, uregulated, are cruel and capricious; violet and selfish; miserable and quarrelsome. It is only after their instincts and basic emotions have been controlled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/huamns-uregulated-are-cruel-and-capricious-violet-and-selfish/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“You would think those who have endured unkindness would be kinder as a result, intent on sparing others the awful suffering they abhorred firsthand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/you-would-think-those-who-have-endured-unkindness-would-be-kinder-as/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [how cruel, your veins are full of ice-water and mine are boiling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/how-cruel-your-veins-are-full-of-ice-water-and-mine-are-boiling/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [There is no kindness more cruel than the kindness which consigns another person to their sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-is-no-kindness-more-cruel-than-the-kindness-which-consigns/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Vanity can create a very cruel space for you if you don't know how to manage it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/vanity-can-create-a-very-cruel-space-for-you-if-you-don-t-know-how-to/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [Life is cruel and we do terrible things to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-pym/life-is-cruel-and-we-do-terrible-things-to-each-other/) [Barbara Pym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-pym/) > [What people loathe the most is to be orphaned, desolate, unworthy. But this is what princes and kings call themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-people-loathe-the-most-is-to-be-orphaned-desolate-unworthy-but/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) [Browse all 1,069 Cruel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Anything that smiles often needs to be reminded that the world is a cruel, dark place.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "The Oatmeal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-oatmeal/anything-that-smiles-often-needs-to-be-reminded-that-the-world-is-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cruel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-oatmeal/anything-that-smiles-often-needs-to-be-reminded-that-the-world-is-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/the-oatmeal-106471_dark-place_anything-that-smiles-often-needs-to-be-r_1803166.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/the-oatmeal-106471_dark-place_anything-that-smiles-often-needs-to-be-r_1803166.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/434/the-oatmeal-106471_dark-place_anything-that-smiles-often-needs-to-be-r_1803166.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Anything that smiles often needs to be reminded that the world is a cruel, dark place.” — The Oatmeal", "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": "The Oatmeal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-oatmeal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Anything that smiles often needs to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-oatmeal/anything-that-smiles-often-needs-to-be-reminded-that-the-world-is-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-oatmeal/anything-that-smiles-often-needs-to-be-reminded-that-the-world-is-a/#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 } } ] } ```