--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How do you know what the world is like?…" description: "\"How do you know what the world is like? Do you know the world is a foul sty? Do you know if you rip the fronts off houses you'd find swine? The world's..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/thornton-wilder-1495_do-you-know_how-do-you-know-what-the-world-is-like-d_482426.jpg" --- # How do you know what the world is like? Do you know the… ![“How do you know what the world is like? Do you know the world is a foul sty? Do you know if you rip the fronts off houses you'd find swine? The world's a hell. What does it matter what happens in it?” quote by Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/thornton-wilder-1495_do-you-know_how-do-you-know-what-the-world-is-like-d_482426.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/thornton-wilder-1495_do-you-know_how-do-you-know-what-the-world-is-like-d_482426.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/thornton-wilder-1495_do-you-know_how-do-you-know-what-the-world-is-like-d_482426.jpg) > “How do you know what the world is like? Do you know the world is a foul sty? Do you know if you rip the fronts off houses you'd find swine? The world's a hell. What does it matter what happens in it?” [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The world is portrayed as corrupt and chaotic, questioning the value of human concerns. **In simple terms:** Life seems bleak and indifferent. Key Takeaway Recognize suffering but seek meaning despite chaos. Themes existentialism nihilism human condition Mood melancholic thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - social critique - philosophical inquiry - literary analysis Key Concepts Skepticism dark humor Questions to Reflect On - What evidence counters this bleak view? - How do we find purpose amid suffering? A Different Perspective The view may be overly pessimistic, ignoring hope. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/we-are-each-our-own-devil-and-we-make-this-world-our-hell/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“world is hell!make it heaven if you have pure strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiran-dev/world-is-hell-make-it-heaven-if-you-have-pure-strength/) Kiran Dev > [To different minds, the same world is a hell, and a heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-different-minds-the-same-world-is-a-hell-and-a-heaven/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Can we change the world? No, but hell, we can all try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/can-we-change-the-world-no-but-hell-we-can-all-try/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [People like to think the younger generation's job is to steer the world to hell. But it's never true, is it? They're hopeful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/people-like-to-think-the-younger-generation-s-job-is-to-steer-the/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [To different minds, the same world is a hell, and a heaven depending on whether they compare it to something better and so feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/to-different-minds-the-same-world-is-a-hell-and-a-heaven-depending-on/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The only reason to have money is to tell any SOB in the world to go to hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humphrey-bogart/the-only-reason-to-have-money-is-to-tell-any-sob-in-the-world-to-go/) [Humphrey Bogart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphrey-bogart/) > [I would not favour a fiction to keep a whole world out of hell. The hell that a lie would keep any man out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-would-not-favour-a-fiction-to-keep-a-whole-world-out-of-hell-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell. - Oscar Wilde”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dannika-dark/we-are-each-our-own-devil-and-we-make-this-world-our-hell-oscar-wilde/) [Dannika Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dannika-dark/) > [“She was in my arms and she was safe and I was safe and the rest of the world could go to hell for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/she-was-in-my-arms-and-she-was-safe-and-i-was-safe-and-the-rest-of/) [Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [“In the Upper World, Hell once rebelled against Heaven. But in this world Heaven is rebelling against Hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-charleston/in-the-upper-world-hell-once-rebelled-against-heaven-but-in-this/) G.K. Charleston > [To be in a world which is a hell, to be of that world and neither to believe in or guess at anything but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/to-be-in-a-world-which-is-a-hell-to-be-of-that-world-and-neither-to/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [No one can tell us no. No one can make us stop. We have picked each other and the rest of the world can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/no-one-can-tell-us-no-no-one-can-make-us-stop-we-have-picked-each/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [I find it hard to believe that my God would consign four-fifths of the world to hell. I can't imagine that my God would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-find-it-hard-to-believe-that-my-god-would-consign-four-fifths-of/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“If I might share my opinion, this world is hell, and our task is to create our own heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eka-kurniawan/if-i-might-share-my-opinion-this-world-is-hell-and-our-task-is-to/) [Eka Kurniawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eka-kurniawan/) ## More by Thornton Wilder > [“He respected the slight nervous shadow that crossed her face when he came too near her. But there arose out of this denial itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/he-respected-the-slight-nervous-shadow-that-crossed-her-face-when-he/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [When you're safe at home you wish you were having an adventure; when you're having an adventure you wish you were safe at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/when-you-re-safe-at-home-you-wish-you-were-having-an-adventure-when/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“Simon Stimson: "...That's what it was to be alive. To move about in a cloud of ignorance; to go up and down trampling on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/simon-stimson-that-s-what-it-was-to-be-alive-to-move-about-in-a-cloud/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“Love as education is one of the great powers of the world, but it hangs in a delicate suspension; it achieves its harmony as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/love-as-education-is-one-of-the-great-powers-of-the-world-but-it/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Many great writers have been extraordinarily awkward in daily exchange, but the greatest give the impression that their style was nursed by the closest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/many-great-writers-have-been-extraordinarily-awkward-in-daily/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [A man looks pretty small at a wedding, George. All those good women standing shoulder to shoulder, making sure that the knot's tied in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/a-man-looks-pretty-small-at-a-wedding-george-all-those-good-women/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [The knowledge that she would never be loved in return acted upon her ideas as a tide acts upon cliffs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/the-knowledge-that-she-would-never-be-loved-in-return-acted-upon-her/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“But while they continued staring into one another’s face waiting for the miracle of science the pain grew worse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/but-while-they-continued-staring-into-one-another-s-face-waiting-for/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [I am convinced that, except in a few extraordinary cases, one form or another of an unhappy childhood is essential to the formation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/i-am-convinced-that-except-in-a-few-extraordinary-cases-one-form-or/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Many who have spent a lifetime in it can tell us less of love than the child that lost a dog yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/many-who-have-spent-a-lifetime-in-it-can-tell-us-less-of-love-than/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“Cesar is not a philosophical man. His life has been one long flight from reflection. At least he is clever enough not to expose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/cesar-is-not-a-philosophical-man-his-life-has-been-one-long-flight/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Every person who has ever lived has lived an unbroken succession of unique occasions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/every-person-who-has-ever-lived-has-lived-an-unbroken-succession-of/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [“Without your wounds where would your power be? It is your melancholy that makes your low voice tremble into the hearts of men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/without-your-wounds-where-would-your-power-be-it-is-your-melancholy/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Ninety-nine per cent of the people in the world are fools and the rest of us are in great danger of contagion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/ninety-nine-per-cent-of-the-people-in-the-world-are-fools-and-the/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [There's nothing like mixing with woman to bring out all the foolishness in a man of sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/there-s-nothing-like-mixing-with-woman-to-bring-out-all-the/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) [Explore all 232 Thornton Wilder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) ## More Do you know quotes > [Do you know what it is sir? Do you know what the Dance Dance Revolution is? It's not an actual revolution, so you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-peters/do-you-know-what-it-is-sir-do-you-know-what-the-dance-dance/) [Russell Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-peters/) > [If the watchdog doesn't bark, how do you know there's a burglar in the basement? And the press is supposed to be a watchdog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/if-the-watchdog-doesn-t-bark-how-do-you-know-there-s-a-burglar-in-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [I’m 59 and people call me middle aged. How many 118 year old men do you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-cryer/i-m-59-and-people-call-me-middle-aged-how-many-118-year-old-men-do/) [Barry Cryer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-cryer/) > [Here's the point - and Jonah Goldberg reminds us of this. He wrote a blog post that was titled "The MacGuffinization of American Politics."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/here-s-the-point-and-jonah-goldberg-reminds-us-of-this-he-wrote-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [When you read comic material and people aren't laughing how do you know they're listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/when-you-read-comic-material-and-people-aren-t-laughing-how-do-you/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I got pulled over by a cop, and he said, 'do you know the speed limit here is 55 miles per hour?'. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-got-pulled-over-by-a-cop-and-he-said-do-you-know-the-speed-limit/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I don't get the regular AIDS test anymore. I get the roundabout AIDS test. I ask my friend Brian, "Do you know anybody who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-get-the-regular-aids-test-anymore-i-get-the-roundabout-aids/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Do you know at this very moment you are surrounded by eternity? And do you know that you can use that eternity if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/do-you-know-at-this-very-moment-you-are-surrounded-by-eternity-and-do/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [Do you know, a horrible thing has happened to me. I have begun to doubt Tennyson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/do-you-know-a-horrible-thing-has-happened-to-me-i-have-begun-to-doubt/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [Do you know what elegance is? It is not only what you're wearing. It is how you wear it. who you are inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolina-herrera/do-you-know-what-elegance-is-it-is-not-only-what-you-re-wearing-it-is/) [Carolina Herrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolina-herrera/) > [O, Youth: Do you know that yours is not the first generation to yearn for a life full of beauty and freedom?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/o-youth-do-you-know-that-yours-is-not-the-first-generation-to-yearn/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Do you know that all great spurts in...progress came just after some unorthodox ideas or exotic impressions had penetrated into a closed system?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatol-rapoport/do-you-know-that-all-great-spurts-in-progress-came-just-after-some/) [Anatol Rapoport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatol-rapoport/) > [Do you know when people really become spiritual? 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