--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nature, machine-like, works definitely…" description: "\"Nature, machine-like, works definitely and heartlessly, if in the main beautifully. Hence, if we, as individuals, do not make this dream of a god or wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/theodore-dreiser-8057_deeds_nature-machine-like-works-definitely-and_3195447.jpg" --- # Nature, machine-like, works definitely and heartlessly, if… ![“Nature, machine-like, works definitely and heartlessly, if in the main beautifully. Hence, if we, as individuals, do not make this dream of a god or what he stands for us real in our thoughts and deeds, then he is not real or true.” quote by Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/theodore-dreiser-8057_deeds_nature-machine-like-works-definitely-and_3195447.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/theodore-dreiser-8057_deeds_nature-machine-like-works-definitely-and_3195447.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/theodore-dreiser-8057_deeds_nature-machine-like-works-definitely-and_3195447.jpg) > “Nature, machine-like, works definitely and heartlessly, if in the main beautifully. Hence, if we, as individuals, do not make this dream of a god or what he stands for us real in our thoughts and deeds, then he is not real or true.” [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human nature can be efficient yet cold; without personal vision, higher ideals remain unreal. **In simple terms:** Efficiency without purpose feels empty. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal meaning. Themes purpose human nature idealism Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal goal setting - leadership - creative projects Key Concepts existentialism individualism Questions to Reflect On - How do you turn abstract ideals into daily actions? - What purpose fuels your work? A Different Perspective Idealism may clash with practical constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-god-759509/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Make Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-dream/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Our thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-thoughts/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-thoughts/) [Thoughts Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-deeds-382108/) ## Related quotes > [The World's a Printing-House, our words, our thoughts, Our deeds, are characters of several sizes. Each soul is a Compos'tor, of whose faults The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-world-s-a-printing-house-our-words-our-thoughts-our-deeds-are/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/the-range-of-what-we-think-and-do-is-limited-by-what-we-fail-to-2/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [Let not the dirt of the sanskaras of your thoughts and deeds touch you, by surrendering every thought and act at the feet of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meher-baba/let-not-the-dirt-of-the-sanskaras-of-your-thoughts-and-deeds-touch/) [Meher Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meher-baba/) > [The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/the-range-of-what-we-think-and-do-is-limited-by-what-we-fail-to/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [PRACTICE THE Art of Peace sincerely, and evil thoughts and deeds will naturally disappear. The only desire that should remain is the thirst for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/practice-the-art-of-peace-sincerely-and-evil-thoughts-and-deeds-will/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) > [“There is no such thing as pure good or pure evil, least of all in people. In the best of us there are thoughts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/there-is-no-such-thing-as-pure-good-or-pure-evil-least-of-all-in-3/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Deeds are thoughts. Deeds are seeds. They are thoughts made manifest. Except your thoughts are made manifest as deeds, they abide alone as mere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/okwudili-iloka/deeds-are-thoughts-deeds-are-seeds-they-are-thoughts-made-manifest/) [Okwudili Iloka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/okwudili-iloka/) > [I'll tell you truly: I value my thought and work terribly, but in essence - think about it - this whole world of ours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ll-tell-you-truly-i-value-my-thought-and-work-terribly-but-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [God will judge us by our own thoughts and deeds, not by what others say about us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/god-will-judge-us-by-our-own-thoughts-and-deeds-not-by-what-others/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [Arise my soul, and review your deeds which have preceeded from you. Scrutinize them closely, and shed the rain of your tears, declaring openly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-of-crete/arise-my-soul-and-review-your-deeds-which-have-preceeded-from-you/) [Andrew of Crete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-of-crete/) > [“I tried to think and hope for the best, but it didn’t change who I was. It didn’t change my core, my desires, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-heil/i-tried-to-think-and-hope-for-the-best-but-it-didn-t-change-who-i-was/) [Michael J Heil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-heil/) > [“Love frees my thoughts and deeds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-kristian-goldmund-aumann/love-frees-my-thoughts-and-deeds/) [sir kristian goldmund aumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-kristian-goldmund-aumann/) > [There is no such thing as a "self-made" man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-self-made-man-we-are-made-up-of-thousands/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [The dream God gives you guarantees, no matter what it looks like now, when it’s all over, your dream will come to pass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-d-jakes/the-dream-god-gives-you-guarantees-no-matter-what-it-looks-like-now/) [T. D. Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-d-jakes/) > [IT'S TIME TO DREAM AGAIN - Are you hurting? Are you in a crisis? Did the doctors say that you have no more hope?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-kang/it-s-time-to-dream-again-are-you-hurting-are-you-in-a-crisis-did-the/) [Albert Kang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-kang/) ## More by Theodore Dreiser > [A real flame of love is a subtle thing. It burns as a will-o'-the-wisp, dancing onward to fairy lands of delight. It roars as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/a-real-flame-of-love-is-a-subtle-thing-it-burns-as-a-will-o-the-wisp/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“Cowperwood was shocked by the nudity of the Venus which conveyed an atmosphere of European freedom not common to America;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/cowperwood-was-shocked-by-the-nudity-of-the-venus-which-conveyed-an/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“...the past was so painful at any point. It seared and burned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/the-past-was-so-painful-at-any-point-it-seared-and-burned/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“His eyes expressed the difficulty he felt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/his-eyes-expressed-the-difficulty-he-felt/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“Who were these people with money, and what had they done that they should enjoy so much luxury, where others as good seemingly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/who-were-these-people-with-money-and-what-had-they-done-that-they/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [To the untraveled, territory other than their own familiar heath is invariably fascinating. Next to love it is the one thing that solaces and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/to-the-untraveled-territory-other-than-their-own-familiar-heath-is/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [The true meaning of money yet remains to be popularly explained and comprehended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/the-true-meaning-of-money-yet-remains-to-be-popularly-explained-and/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“now. If any habits ever had time to fix upon her, they would have operated here. Habits are peculiar things. They will drive the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/now-if-any-habits-ever-had-time-to-fix-upon-her-they-would-have/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“Here were these two, bandying little phrases, drawing purses, looking at cards, and both unconscious of how inarticulate all their real feelings were. Neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/here-were-these-two-bandying-little-phrases-drawing-purses-looking-at/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [Assure a man that he has a soul and then frighten him with old wives' tales as to what is to become of him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/assure-a-man-that-he-has-a-soul-and-then-frighten-him-with-old-wives/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [If we are to extract any joy out of our span, we must think and plan and make things better not only for ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/if-we-are-to-extract-any-joy-out-of-our-span-we-must-think-and-plan/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“In your rocking-chair, by your window dreaming, shall you long, alone. In your rocking- chair, by your window, shall you dream such happiness as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/in-your-rocking-chair-by-your-window-dreaming-shall-you-long-alone-in/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“Carrie felt this as a personal reproof. She read "Dora Thorne," or had a great deal in the past. It seemed only fair to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/carrie-felt-this-as-a-personal-reproof-she-read-dora-thorne-or-had-a/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [You walk into a room, see a woman, and something happens. It's chemical. What are you going to do about it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/you-walk-into-a-room-see-a-woman-and-something-happens-it-s-chemical/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [Theodore Dreiser Should ought to write nicer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/theodore-dreiser-should-ought-to-write-nicer/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) [Explore all 82 Theodore Dreiser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) ## More Deeds quotes > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/) [Donald P. Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-p-ryan/) > [When deeds speak, words are nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/when-deeds-speak-words-are-nothing/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [Somehow, what's in our hearts, good or bad is eventually translated into words and deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/somehow-what-s-in-our-hearts-good-or-bad-is-eventually-translated/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [Honest people don't hide their deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/honest-people-don-t-hide-their-deeds/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [Mechanical instruments, potentially a vehicle of rational human purposes, are scarcely a blessing when they enable the gossip of the village idiot and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/mechanical-instruments-potentially-a-vehicle-of-rational-human/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barth/tis-e-er-the-wont-of-simple-folk-to-prize-the-deed-and-o-erlook-the/) [John Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barth/) > [How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/how-oft-the-sight-of-means-to-do-ill-deeds-makes-ill-deeds-done/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A nation of character is filled with citizens who gradually build lives based on the living awareness that their deeds are judged by eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/a-nation-of-character-is-filled-with-citizens-who-gradually-build/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [I rejoice that the reign of Christ is such, while it thrills the soul with emotions, and opens before the highest intellect the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-simpson/i-rejoice-that-the-reign-of-christ-is-such-while-it-thrills-the-soul/) [Matthew Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-simpson/) > [The final estimate of men shows that history cares not an iota for the rank or title a man has borne, or the office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders/the-final-estimate-of-men-shows-that-history-cares-not-an-iota-for/) [J. Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/) > [The World's a Printing-House, our words, our thoughts, Our deeds, are characters of several sizes. Each soul is a Compos'tor, of whose faults The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-world-s-a-printing-house-our-words-our-thoughts-our-deeds-are/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) [Browse all 2,029 Deeds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nature, machine-like, works definitely and heartlessly, if in the main beautifully. 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