--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be 64 is appalling, so what does it…" description: "\"To be 64 is appalling, so what does it matter being 65?\" — Tom Stoppard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/tom-stoppard-437_appalling_to-be-64-is-appalling-so-what-does-it-ma_1015375.png" --- # To be 64 is appalling, so what does it matter being 65? ![“To be 64 is appalling, so what does it matter being 65?” quote by Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/tom-stoppard-437_appalling_to-be-64-is-appalling-so-what-does-it-ma_1015375.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/tom-stoppard-437_appalling_to-be-64-is-appalling-so-what-does-it-ma_1015375.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/tom-stoppard-437_appalling_to-be-64-is-appalling-so-what-does-it-ma_1015375.png) > “To be 64 is appalling, so what does it matter being 65?” [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aging is inevitable; the difference between ages is often insignificant. **In simple terms:** Ages matter little. Key Takeaway Embrace each year without fear. Themes aging perspective humor Mood reflective lighthearted Type literary humorous When to use this quote - retirement planning - health checkups - intergenerational dialogue Key Concepts existentialism absurdity Questions to Reflect On - How do you view age milestones? - What does age mean to you? A Different Perspective Ages can affect health and legal status. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [64 Appalling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/64-appalling-2230235/) [Appalling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appalling/) [Appalling Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appalling-does-2230237/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does/) [Does Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-matter/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matter 65](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-65-2230236/) ## Related quotes > [If I have a chance to hit somebody, it does not matter who it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-ovechkin/if-i-have-a-chance-to-hit-somebody-it-does-not-matter-who-it-is/) [Alexander Ovechkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-ovechkin/) > [As long as we're together, does it matter where we go?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-aplin/as-long-as-we-re-together-does-it-matter-where-we-go/) [Gabrielle Aplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-aplin/) > [After Gmail, if you have AOL, people are like, 'Are you still with this?' What does it matter what e-mail you have?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-heckerling/after-gmail-if-you-have-aol-people-are-like-are-you-still-with-this/) [Amy Heckerling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-heckerling/) > [“It does not matter where you are It does matter where you go...!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surendranath-madduru/it-does-not-matter-where-you-are-it-does-matter-where-you-go/) [Surendranath Madduru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surendranath-madduru/) > [You never know with politicians what they are really saying. And I don't say that in a negative way-they have an appalling job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lovelock/you-never-know-with-politicians-what-they-are-really-saying-and-i-don/) [James Lovelock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lovelock/) > [This new thing about liking yourself, I find that absolutely appalling. Anyone who likes themselves, I just can't go too close to them. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-bouquet/this-new-thing-about-liking-yourself-i-find-that-absolutely-appalling/) [Carole Bouquet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-bouquet/) > [What is this life but the sound of an appalling love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/what-is-this-life-but-the-sound-of-an-appalling-love/) [Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/) > [All of television's appalling, but this is hardly a new statement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/all-of-television-s-appalling-but-this-is-hardly-a-new-statement/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [“Life is short and the number of books is appalling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/life-is-short-and-the-number-of-books-is-appalling/) [John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/) > [Every other writer's process is sort of vaguely scary and appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/every-other-writer-s-process-is-sort-of-vaguely-scary-and-appalling/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [All my friends' mothers were appalling women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/all-my-friends-mothers-were-appalling-women/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [The fictional narratives that television, film, and the news provide for girls and young women are appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/the-fictional-narratives-that-television-film-and-the-news-provide/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [The quality of writing attracts me to films, also who the other actors are, who the director is, where it's being shot. Any or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dance/the-quality-of-writing-attracts-me-to-films-also-who-the-other-actors/) [Charles Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dance/) > [Regret is an appalling waste of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mansfield/regret-is-an-appalling-waste-of-time/) [Katherine Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mansfield/) > [The neglect this implied, the suffering and wasted quality of human life were appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hollows/the-neglect-this-implied-the-suffering-and-wasted-quality-of-human/) [Fred Hollows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hollows/) ## More by Tom Stoppard > [If I wanted to change the world, the last thing I would do is write a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-i-wanted-to-change-the-world-the-last-thing-i-would-do-is-write-a/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. But, if you want to just alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-you-want-to-change-something-by-tuesday-theater-is-no-good/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [After all these years, I definitely associate having a pen in my hand with having an ashtray just out of eye line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/after-all-these-years-i-definitely-associate-having-a-pen-in-my-hand/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [The universe is deterministic all right, just like Newton said, I mean it's trying to be, but the only thing going wrong is people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/the-universe-is-deterministic-all-right-just-like-newton-said-i-mean/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [For me, human rights simply endorse a view of life and a set of moral values that are perfectly clear to an eight-year-old child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-me-human-rights-simply-endorse-a-view-of-life-and-a-set-of-moral/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [“What is an artist? For every thousand people there's nine hundred doing the work, ninety doing well, nine doing good, and one lucky bastard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/what-is-an-artist-for-every-thousand-people-there-s-nine-hundred/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Dying is not romantic, and death is not a game which will soon be over... Death is not anything... death is not... It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/dying-is-not-romantic-and-death-is-not-a-game-which-will-soon-be-over/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I'm not interested in clothes; I just like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-m-not-interested-in-clothes-i-just-like-them/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [For 10 years of my life, 3 times a day, I thanked the Lord for what I was about to receive and thanked him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-10-years-of-my-life-3-times-a-day-i-thanked-the-lord-for-what-i/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [You should not translate for more than two hours at a time. After that, you lose your edge, the language becomes clumsy, rigid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/you-should-not-translate-for-more-than-two-hours-at-a-time-after-that/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [No matter how imperfect things are, if you've got a free press everything is correctable, and without it everything is concealable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/no-matter-how-imperfect-things-are-if-you-ve-got-a-free-press/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [We must be born with an intuition of mortality. Before we know the word for it. Before we know that there are words. Out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/we-must-be-born-with-an-intuition-of-mortality-before-we-know-the/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Eternity's a terrible thought. I mean, where's it all going to end?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/eternity-s-a-terrible-thought-i-mean-where-s-it-all-going-to-end/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [There is truth and falsehood in a comma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/there-is-truth-and-falsehood-in-a-comma/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) [Explore all 559 Tom Stoppard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) ## More Appalling quotes > [The neglect this implied, the suffering and wasted quality of human life were appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hollows/the-neglect-this-implied-the-suffering-and-wasted-quality-of-human/) [Fred Hollows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hollows/) > [This new thing about liking yourself, I find that absolutely appalling. Anyone who likes themselves, I just can't go too close to them. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-bouquet/this-new-thing-about-liking-yourself-i-find-that-absolutely-appalling/) [Carole Bouquet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-bouquet/) > [What is this life but the sound of an appalling love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/what-is-this-life-but-the-sound-of-an-appalling-love/) [Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/) > [The fictional narratives that television, film, and the news provide for girls and young women are appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/the-fictional-narratives-that-television-film-and-the-news-provide/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [You never know with politicians what they are really saying. And I don't say that in a negative way-they have an appalling job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lovelock/you-never-know-with-politicians-what-they-are-really-saying-and-i-don/) [James Lovelock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lovelock/) > [Regret is an appalling waste of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mansfield/regret-is-an-appalling-waste-of-time/) [Katherine Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mansfield/) > [The quality of writing attracts me to films, also who the other actors are, who the director is, where it's being shot. Any or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dance/the-quality-of-writing-attracts-me-to-films-also-who-the-other-actors/) [Charles Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dance/) > [All my friends' mothers were appalling women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/all-my-friends-mothers-were-appalling-women/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Every other writer's process is sort of vaguely scary and appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/every-other-writer-s-process-is-sort-of-vaguely-scary-and-appalling/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“Life is short and the number of books is appalling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/life-is-short-and-the-number-of-books-is-appalling/) [John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/) > [All of television's appalling, but this is hardly a new statement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/all-of-television-s-appalling-but-this-is-hardly-a-new-statement/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [“I’m tired of the news. I’m tired of the way it makes things spectacular that aren’t, and deals so simplistically with what’s truly appalling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/i-m-tired-of-the-news-i-m-tired-of-the-way-it-makes-things-2/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [New York is appalling, fantastically charmless and elaborately dire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/new-york-is-appalling-fantastically-charmless-and-elaborately-dire/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [The economic and social decline of Zimbabwe is shocking and appalling. Life there is unrecognisable from that of the recent past. Each day is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/the-economic-and-social-decline-of-zimbabwe-is-shocking-and-appalling/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [A female friend who caught me watching Fashion TV reckons its audience is largely made up of slobbering men who are just taking a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-smith/a-female-friend-who-caught-me-watching-fashion-tv-reckons-its/) [Arthur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-smith/) [Browse all 95 Appalling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appalling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To be 64 is appalling, so what does it matter being 65?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Stoppard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/to-be-64-is-appalling-so-what-does-it-matter-being-65/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appalling" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/to-be-64-is-appalling-so-what-does-it-matter-being-65/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/tom-stoppard-437_appalling_to-be-64-is-appalling-so-what-does-it-ma_1015375.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/tom-stoppard-437_appalling_to-be-64-is-appalling-so-what-does-it-ma_1015375.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/tom-stoppard-437_appalling_to-be-64-is-appalling-so-what-does-it-ma_1015375.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To be 64 is appalling, so what does it matter being 65?” — Tom Stoppard", "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": "Tom Stoppard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To be 64 is appalling, so...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/to-be-64-is-appalling-so-what-does-it-matter-being-65/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/to-be-64-is-appalling-so-what-does-it-matter-being-65/#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 } } ] } ```