--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You explain how it went, and as far as…" description: "\"You explain how it went, and as far as you can figure out how it got that way.\" — Virgil Thomson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc7/virgil-thomson-25552_explain_you-explain-how-it-went-and-as-far-as-yo_2494436.jpg" --- # You explain how it went, and as far as you can figure out… ![“You explain how it went, and as far as you can figure out how it got that way.” quote by Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc7/virgil-thomson-25552_explain_you-explain-how-it-went-and-as-far-as-yo_2494436.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc7/virgil-thomson-25552_explain_you-explain-how-it-went-and-as-far-as-yo_2494436.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc7/virgil-thomson-25552_explain_you-explain-how-it-went-and-as-far-as-yo_2494436.jpg) > “You explain how it went, and as far as you can figure out how it got that way.” [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages explaining events by tracing their causes and outcomes **In simple terms:** Understand how things happen by analyzing their origins and results Key Takeaway Analyze causes to understand outcomes Themes analysis cause and effect explanation Mood inquisitive methodical Type analytical educational When to use this quote - problem solving - historical research - creative writing - project planning Key Concepts critical thinking systems thinking narrative construction Questions to Reflect On - What methods help identify hidden causes? - How do you handle unknown factors when analyzing events? A Different Perspective May ignore unpredictable variables in complex systems ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Explain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explain/) [Explain Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explain-went-998995/) [Far Figure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far-figure-998996/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went/) [Went Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-far-305632/) ## Related quotes > [I went so far as to learn how to rap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimin/i-went-so-far-as-to-learn-how-to-rap/) [Jimin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimin/) > [I went far and now I see that the only one I needed was me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-duff/i-went-far-and-now-i-see-that-the-only-one-i-needed-was-me/) [Hilary Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-duff/) > [“said, “went far out”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/said-went-far-out/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“How did one begin an adventure? Almost any road you took would lead there, if only you went on far enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-newhall-follett/how-did-one-begin-an-adventure-almost-any-road-you-took-would-lead/) [Barbara Newhall Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-newhall-follett/) > [Hitler was good in the beginning, but he went too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-schott/hitler-was-good-in-the-beginning-but-he-went-too-far/) [Marge Schott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-schott/) > [This is also something I've learned from experience. Didn't they perhaps give us the vote because we went too far?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/this-is-also-something-i-ve-learned-from-experience-didn-t-they/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [I even went so far as to become a Southern Baptist for a while, until I realized that they didn't hold 'em under long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/i-even-went-so-far-as-to-become-a-southern-baptist-for-a-while-until/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [O was infinitely more moving when her body was covered with marks, of whatever kind, if only because these marks made it impossible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/o-was-infinitely-more-moving-when-her-body-was-covered-with-marks-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man invented the gods. Then the gods went off on their own, but not far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/man-invented-the-gods-then-the-gods-went-off-on-their-own-but-not-far/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“I'm sorry. You went too far.' Lovely. What an epitaph.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/i-m-sorry-you-went-too-far-lovely-what-an-epitaph/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [My childhood went on far too long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-llewellyn/my-childhood-went-on-far-too-long/) [Roddy Llewellyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-llewellyn/) > [“The Nazis went as far as to take away all bicycles from Jews. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferris-smithers/the-nazis-went-as-far-as-to-take-away-all-bicycles-from-jews/) [Ferris Smithers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferris-smithers/) > [“And the farther away she got, the faster it spun, like there was an invisible cord unreeling from it that stretched between us, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/and-the-farther-away-she-got-the-faster-it-spun-like-there-was-an/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) > [Y'know, Nature's unpredictable -- that's why we had to tame her. Maybe we went too far, but in principle we made the right decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/y-know-nature-s-unpredictable-that-s-why-we-had-to-tame-her-maybe-we/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“When a vampire thought your religion went too far, you definitely had problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/when-a-vampire-thought-your-religion-went-too-far-you-definitely-had/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) ## More by Virgil Thomson > [I don't have to worry No matter what they do to it, it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-don-t-have-to-worry-no-matter-what-they-do-to-it-it-works/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I got myself into a lovely little shall we say controversy with André Breton, by pointing out that the discipline of spontaneity, which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-got-myself-into-a-lovely-little-shall-we-say-controversy-with-andr/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Every composer's music reflects in its subject-matter and in its style the source of the money the composer is living on while writing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/every-composer-s-music-reflects-in-its-subject-matter-and-in-its/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I let her alone and when she got that finished she left me alone. We trusted each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-let-her-alone-and-when-she-got-that-finished-she-left-me-alone-we/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I never learned to verbalize an abstract musical concept. No thank you. The whole point of being a serious musician is to avoid verbalization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-never-learned-to-verbalize-an-abstract-musical-concept-no-thank-you/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [In Paris, you learn wit, in London you learn to crush your social rivals, and in Florence you learn poise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/in-paris-you-learn-wit-in-london-you-learn-to-crush-your-social/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I listened to the pure crystalline notes of one of Mozart's concertos dropping at my feet like leaves from the trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-listened-to-the-pure-crystalline-notes-of-one-of-mozart-s-concertos/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I don't care what other critics say, I only hope to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-don-t-care-what-other-critics-say-i-only-hope-to-be-played/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I seem to write an opera about every 20 years; if you live long enough you can write four operas. I finished my third in 1970.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-seem-to-write-an-opera-about-every-20-years-if-you-live-long-enough/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Musicians own music because music owns them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/musicians-own-music-because-music-owns-them/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Let your mind alone, and see what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/let-your-mind-alone-and-see-what-happens/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Verbal communication about music is impossible except among musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/verbal-communication-about-music-is-impossible-except-among-musicians/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Whatever deceptions life may have in store for you, music itself is not going to let you down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/whatever-deceptions-life-may-have-in-store-for-you-music-itself-is/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [The description and explanation is the best part of music reviewing. There is such a thing, and you know it too, as a gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/the-description-and-explanation-is-the-best-part-of-music-reviewing/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I look at you and I write down what I hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-look-at-you-and-i-write-down-what-i-hear/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) [Explore all 23 Virgil Thomson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) ## More Explain quotes > [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [Back home I get to see my old friends!(: But they don't understand the change in me and I can't explain it to them...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/back-home-i-get-to-see-my-old-friends-but-they-don-t-understand-the/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [If you have a good idea you must explain it or you will fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-you-have-a-good-idea-you-must-explain-it-or-you-will-fail/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [How do you explain a person like Asha Bhosle? A star or a super star or just someone from the Gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anu-malik/how-do-you-explain-a-person-like-asha-bhosle-a-star-or-a-super-star/) [Anu Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anu-malik/) > [If you win you need not explain……But if you lose you should not be there to explain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-win-you-need-not-explain-but-if-you-lose-you-should-not-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm afraid I can't explain myself, sir. Because I am not myself, you see?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/i-m-afraid-i-can-t-explain-myself-sir-because-i-am-not-myself-you-see/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [There is an indefinable quality possessed by some artists. You simply can't explain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-ellen/there-is-an-indefinable-quality-possessed-by-some-artists-you-simply/) [Vera-Ellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-ellen/) > [To be in a room and have to explain your point of view is a huge skill in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-savage/to-be-in-a-room-and-have-to-explain-your-point-of-view-is-a-huge/) [Stephanie Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-savage/) > [“I am not sure how to explain it, except that - truth matters to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/i-am-not-sure-how-to-explain-it-except-that-truth-matters-to-us/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [When I'm creating art or music, when something is resonating or a scene is going well, that almost feels religious to me... there's this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-thatcher/when-i-m-creating-art-or-music-when-something-is-resonating-or-a/) [Sophie Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-thatcher/) > [In a Western, you don't over-explain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dean-morgan/in-a-western-you-don-t-over-explain/) [Jeffrey Dean Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dean-morgan/) > [I'm not the guy who will sit in a room with somebody who's using a bunch of big words and just act like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/i-m-not-the-guy-who-will-sit-in-a-room-with-somebody-who-s-using-a/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [I explain at the parties that I believe knitting is a transformative and intriguing act that can change the life and brain of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/i-explain-at-the-parties-that-i-believe-knitting-is-a-transformative/) [Stephanie Pearl-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-pearl-mcphee/) > [Old cookbooks connect you to your past and explain the history of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/old-cookbooks-connect-you-to-your-past-and-explain-the-history-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no way to explain enlightenment. It is just a word to indicate something beyond, something very, very far beyond the normal human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-is-no-way-to-explain-enlightenment-it-is-just-a-word-to/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 989 Explain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You explain how it went, and as far as you can figure out how it got that way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Virgil Thomson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/you-explain-how-it-went-and-as-far-as-you-can-figure-out-how-it-got/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Explain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/you-explain-how-it-went-and-as-far-as-you-can-figure-out-how-it-got/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc7/virgil-thomson-25552_explain_you-explain-how-it-went-and-as-far-as-yo_2494436.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc7/virgil-thomson-25552_explain_you-explain-how-it-went-and-as-far-as-yo_2494436.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc7/virgil-thomson-25552_explain_you-explain-how-it-went-and-as-far-as-yo_2494436.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You explain how it went, and as far as you can figure out how it got that way.” — Virgil Thomson", "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": "Virgil Thomson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You explain how it went, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/you-explain-how-it-went-and-as-far-as-you-can-figure-out-how-it-got/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/you-explain-how-it-went-and-as-far-as-you-can-figure-out-how-it-got/#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 } } ] } ```