--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Purpose! Purposes are for animals with a…" description: "\"“Purpose! Purposes are for animals with a hell of a lot more dignity than the human race! Just hop on that strange torpedo and ride it to wherever it's..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/tom-robbins-169_animal_purpose-purposes-are-for-animals-with-a_1210127.jpg" --- # Purpose! Purposes are for animals with a hell of a lot… ![“Purpose! Purposes are for animals with a hell of a lot more dignity than the human race! Just hop on that strange torpedo and ride it to wherever it's going” quote by Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/tom-robbins-169_animal_purpose-purposes-are-for-animals-with-a_1210127.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/tom-robbins-169_animal_purpose-purposes-are-for-animals-with-a_1210127.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/tom-robbins-169_animal_purpose-purposes-are-for-animals-with-a_1210127.jpg) > ““Purpose! Purposes are for animals with a hell of a lot more dignity than the human race! Just hop on that strange torpedo and ride it to wherever it's going”” [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Purpose is portrayed as a human construct, suggesting we should embrace absurdity and ride life's unpredictable currents. **In simple terms:** Purpose is a human illusion. Key Takeaway Embrace absurdity, go with the flow. Themes existentialism absurdism humanism freedom adventure Mood playful defiant inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - daily decisions - career choices - creative projects - travel - spontaneous adventures Key Concepts meaninglessness self‑determination playfulness Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life meaning? - Can absurdity coexist with purpose? A Different Perspective The quote may dismiss the value many personal goals and direction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Torpedoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torpedoes/) ## Related quotes > [The first thing to do in life is to do with purpose what one purposes to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-casals/the-first-thing-to-do-in-life-is-to-do-with-purpose-what-one-purposes/) [Pablo Casals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-casals/) > [“I don't trust people who don't like animals. Hell, animals are the finest people I know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-johnson/i-don-t-trust-people-who-don-t-like-animals-hell-animals-are-the/) [Craig Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-johnson/) > [If there were no hell, we would be like the animals. No hell, no dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/if-there-were-no-hell-we-would-be-like-the-animals-no-hell-no-dignity/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“We are social animals; hell is other people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/we-are-social-animals-hell-is-other-people/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Isn't a policy of conventional weapons, with the terrible bombs raining down, with the missiles, with the aircraft, with the submarines, with the torpedoes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/isn-t-a-policy-of-conventional-weapons-with-the-terrible-bombs/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [We must ride this strange torpedo out until the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/we-must-ride-this-strange-torpedo-out-until-the-end/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [What do I advise? Forget it all. Don't be afraid. Do what you get the most pleasure from. Is it to build a cloud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/what-do-i-advise-forget-it-all-don-t-be-afraid-do-what-you-get-the/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“The greatest missile in the world is useless...unless it's targeted. A torpedo is adrift unless it has someplace to go. An arrow is pointless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/the-greatest-missile-in-the-world-is-useless-unless-it-s-targeted-a/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [I can sit down and watch the Discovery channel and see something on nuclear submarines that gets me thinking about torpedoes and darts .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/i-can-sit-down-and-watch-the-discovery-channel-and-see-something-on/) [Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/) > [What's one more torpedo in a sinking ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-dickey/what-s-one-more-torpedo-in-a-sinking-ship/) Lynn Dickey > [In brief, we who write are all in the same boat, as if we are survivors of torpedoes, and we hope to reach the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ritter-beard/in-brief-we-who-write-are-all-in-the-same-boat-as-if-we-are-survivors/) [Mary Ritter Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ritter-beard/) > [\*\*\*\* the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-farragut/the-torpedoes-full-speed-ahead/) David Farragut > [“Even then I knew that happiness was something in which to plunge headlong, and damn the torpedoes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-rosoff/even-then-i-knew-that-happiness-was-something-in-which-to-plunge/) [Meg Rosoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-rosoff/) > [The true art of being young is knowing how to defy gravity and upset as many people as possible while doing it. How to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-rock/the-true-art-of-being-young-is-knowing-how-to-defy-gravity-and-upset/) [Mick Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-rock/) > [Other men puffed, snorted, and splashed. George passed through the ocean with the silent dignity of a torpedo. Other men swallowed water, here a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/other-men-puffed-snorted-and-splashed-george-passed-through-the-ocean/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tom Robbins > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/love-is-the-ultimate-outlaw-it-just-won-t-adhere-to-any-rules-the/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Anyone who maintains absolute standards of good and evil is dangerous. As dangerous as a maniac with a loaded revolver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/anyone-who-maintains-absolute-standards-of-good-and-evil-is-dangerous/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“I believe in everything; nothing is sacred. I believe in nothing; everything is sacred. Ha Ha Ho Ho Hee Hee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/i-believe-in-everything-nothing-is-sacred-i-believe-in-nothing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [A sense of humor...is superior to any religion so far devised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/a-sense-of-humor-is-superior-to-any-religion-so-far-devised/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/love-is-the-ultimate-outlaw-it-just-won-t-adhere-to-any-rules-the-2/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“The glue that holds the natural world together appears to be a harmonious balance of opposites: day and night, light and dark, winter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-glue-that-holds-the-natural-world-together-appears-to-be-a/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Zippers are primal and modern at the very same time. On the one hand, your zipper is primitive and reptilian, on the other, mechanical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/zippers-are-primal-and-modern-at-the-very-same-time-on-the-one-hand/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“religion is a paramount contributor to human misery. It is not merely the opium of the masses, it is the cyanide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/religion-is-a-paramount-contributor-to-human-misery-it-is-not-merely/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [She continued weeping until the heat of her tear water, the sheer velocity of its flow, finally obscured the already vague circumstances of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/she-continued-weeping-until-the-heat-of-her-tear-water-the-sheer/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The bottom line is that (a) people are never perfect, but love can be, (b) that is the one and only way that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-bottom-line-is-that-a-people-are-never-perfect-but-love-can-be-b/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Virtually every advancement made by our species since civilization first peeked out of its nest of stone has been initiated by lone individuals, mavericks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/virtually-every-advancement-made-by-our-species-since-civilization/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [When we accept small wonders, we qualify ourselves to imagine great wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/when-we-accept-small-wonders-we-qualify-ourselves-to-imagine-great/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) [Explore all 994 Tom Robbins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) Mak\_786 > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“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/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Purpose! Purposes are for animals with a hell of a lot more dignity than the human race! 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