---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People don't care about books. They care…"
description: "\"People don't care about books. They care about ideas.\" — Tim O'Reilly"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/tim-o-reilly-7147_about_people-don-t-care-about-books-they-care_3233470.png"
---

#  People don't care about books. They care about ideas.

![“People don't care about books. They care about ideas.” quote by Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/tim-o-reilly-7147_about_people-don-t-care-about-books-they-care_3233470.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/tim-o-reilly-7147_about_people-don-t-care-about-books-they-care_3233470.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/tim-o-reilly-7147_about_people-don-t-care-about-books-they-care_3233470.png)

> “People don't care about books. They care about ideas.”

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Ideas hold power; books are merely vessels for those ideas.

**In simple terms:** Ideas matter more than books.

Key Takeaway

Focus on sharing ideas, not just books.

Themes

ideas communication culture media influence

Mood

inspirational critical

Type

aphilosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- marketing
- education
- publishing
- social media campaigns

Key Concepts

information theory memetics

Questions to Reflect On

- What idea has changed your life?
- How do you ensure ideas stay true to their source?

A Different Perspective

Ideas can be distorted when removed from context.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/)

## Related quotes

> [I am too fond of reading books to care to write them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-am-too-fond-of-reading-books-to-care-to-write-them/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [I have a real soft spot in my heart for librarians and people who care about books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-richards/i-have-a-real-soft-spot-in-my-heart-for-librarians-and-people-who/)

[Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-richards/)

> [“Everybody in the world ought to care for books, and if there are some who do not, why that is a perfectly convincing reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-johnson/everybody-in-the-world-ought-to-care-for-books-and-if-there-are-some/)

Willis Johnson

> [“The library was full of wizards, who care about their books in the same way that ants care about their eggs and in time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-library-was-full-of-wizards-who-care-about-their-books-in-the/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [Why wouldn't - how couldn't - an author care about how his or her books look?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/why-wouldn-t-how-couldn-t-an-author-care-about-how-his-or-her-books/)

[Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/)

> [My mom laid the foundation that in order for you to be successful, you have to take care of the books first. That's one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-covington/my-mom-laid-the-foundation-that-in-order-for-you-to-be-successful-you/)

[Robert Covington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-covington/)

> [Every day, I read about new ideas and research that could help someone I care about live a longer and healthier life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/every-day-i-read-about-new-ideas-and-research-that-could-help-someone/)

[Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/)

> [I always feel like I've been slightly misunderstood. As a woman, you get judged for appearances or things like that I don't really care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/i-always-feel-like-i-ve-been-slightly-misunderstood-as-a-woman-you/)

[Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/)

> [It's true, I'm the youngest, highest-grossing French director. I have a few records, but no one knows or simply doesn't care. That's good, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-leterrier/it-s-true-i-m-the-youngest-highest-grossing-french-director-i-have-a/)

[Louis Leterrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-leterrier/)

> [I'm about winning football games and playing hard. That's all I care about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-agholor/i-m-about-winning-football-games-and-playing-hard-that-s-all-i-care/)

[Nelson Agholor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-agholor/)

> [When the only people in mainstream discourse who care about the working class are Wall Street investors, it really is time to ask where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/when-the-only-people-in-mainstream-discourse-who-care-about-the/)

[Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/)

> [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/)

[Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/)

> [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/)

[Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/)

> [The person viewing your work has no idea what the scene really looked like, nor do they care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-svob/the-person-viewing-your-work-has-no-idea-what-the-scene-really-looked/)

[Mike Svob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-svob/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

## More by Tim O'Reilly

> [Empowerment of individuals is a key part of what makes open source work, since in the end, innovations tend to come from small groups,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/empowerment-of-individuals-is-a-key-part-of-what-makes-open-source/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [In social networks, you gain and bestow status through those you associate with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/in-social-networks-you-gain-and-bestow-status-through-those-you/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [Programming is how we talk to the machines that are increasingly woven into our lives. If you aren't a programmer, you're like one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/programming-is-how-we-talk-to-the-machines-that-are-increasingly/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [When you have to prove the value of your ideas by persuading other people to pay for them, it clears out an awful lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/when-you-have-to-prove-the-value-of-your-ideas-by-persuading-other/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [Anyone who puts a small gloss on a fundamental technology, calls it proprietary, and then tries to keep others from building on it, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/anyone-who-puts-a-small-gloss-on-a-fundamental-technology-calls-it/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [We often get blinded by the forms in which content is produced, rather than the job that the content does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/we-often-get-blinded-by-the-forms-in-which-content-is-produced-rather/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [It's hard to make something as large as a government change. It's a little bit like building the transcontinental railroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/it-s-hard-to-make-something-as-large-as-a-government-change-it-s-a/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [The problem for most artists isn't piracy, it's obscurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/the-problem-for-most-artists-isn-t-piracy-it-s-obscurity/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [We were the first people to do advertising on the Web. I actually saw in 1993 that the ad could be the content, the destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/we-were-the-first-people-to-do-advertising-on-the-web-i-actually-saw/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [Obscurity is a far greater threat to authors and creative artists than piracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/obscurity-is-a-far-greater-threat-to-authors-and-creative-artists/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [You have to pay attention to money, but it shouldn't be about the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/you-have-to-pay-attention-to-money-but-it-shouldn-t-be-about-the-money/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [The thing we should all be looking for are people who want to make a difference. I'm a big believer in the Silicon Valley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/the-thing-we-should-all-be-looking-for-are-people-who-want-to-make-a/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [Amazon is now the definitive source for data about whole sets of products - fungible consumer products. EBay is the authoritative source for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/amazon-is-now-the-definitive-source-for-data-about-whole-sets-of/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [Everybody's enamored of the iPhone, the Google phone. But the applications are going to change. You know, we're going to start using our phones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/everybody-s-enamored-of-the-iphone-the-google-phone-but-the/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [Being too early is indistinguishable from being wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/being-too-early-is-indistinguishable-from-being-wrong/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

[Explore all 94 Tim O'Reilly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

Browse all 26,122 About quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "People don't care about books. They care about ideas.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Tim O'Reilly"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/people-don-t-care-about-books-they-care-about-ideas/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/people-don-t-care-about-books-they-care-about-ideas/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/tim-o-reilly-7147_about_people-don-t-care-about-books-they-care_3233470.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/tim-o-reilly-7147_about_people-don-t-care-about-books-they-care_3233470.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/tim-o-reilly-7147_about_people-don-t-care-about-books-they-care_3233470.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“People don't care about books. They care about ideas.” — Tim O'Reilly",
                "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": "Tim O'Reilly",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "People don't care about books. They...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/people-don-t-care-about-books-they-care-about-ideas/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/people-don-t-care-about-books-they-care-about-ideas/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
