--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The practical joker despises his victims…" description: "\"“The practical joker despises his victims, but at the same time he envies them because their desires, however childish and mistaken, are real to them, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/w-h-auden-2-7412_joker_the-practical-joker-despises-his-victims_1938748.jpg" --- # The practical joker despises his victims, but at the same… ![“The practical joker despises his victims, but at the same time he envies them because their desires, however childish and mistaken, are real to them, whereas he has no desire which he can call his own. His goal, to make game of others, makes his existence absolutely dependent upon theirs; when he…” quote by W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/w-h-auden-2-7412_joker_the-practical-joker-despises-his-victims_1938748.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/w-h-auden-2-7412_joker_the-practical-joker-despises-his-victims_1938748.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/w-h-auden-2-7412_joker_the-practical-joker-despises-his-victims_1938748.jpg) > ““The practical joker despises his victims, but at the same time he envies them because their desires, however childish and mistaken, are real to them, whereas he has no desire which he can call his own. His goal, to make game of others, makes his existence absolutely dependent upon theirs; when he is alone, he is a nullity. Iago’s self-description, I am not what I am , is correct and the negation of the Divine I am that I am . If the word motive is given its normal meaning of a positive purpose of the self like sex, money, glory, etc., then the practical joker is without motive. Yet the professional practical joker is certainly driven, like a gambler, to his activity, but the drive is negative, a fear of lacking concrete self, of being nobody.”” [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A practical joker lacks authentic desire, living only through others' fantasies, making his existence dependent and empty when alone. **In simple terms:** He lives off others' desires, lacking his own. Key Takeaway Cultivate genuine personal purpose. Themes existence desire dependency Mood critical philosophical Type psychological literary When to use this quote - social interactions - creative work - personal development Key Concepts selfhood nihilism psychology of humor Questions to Reflect On - What authentic desires can you nurture? - How does dependence on others affect your sense of self? A Different Perspective His emptiness may stem from deeper insecurity, not just lack of motive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Iago Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iago-self-3077040/) [Joker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joker/) [Joker Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joker-motive-3077039/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) [Motive Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive-given-3077041/) [Practical joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practical-joke/) [Practical Joker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practical-joker-1076811/) [Practical-joker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practical-joker-148052/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“All practical jokes, friendly, harmless or malevolent, involve deception, but not all deceptions are practical jokes. 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I end up saying, “Oh, no, I'm joking, I'm joking .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-torv/i-m-terrible-at-practical-jokes-i-do-them-too-well-so-they-re-not/) [Anna Torv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-torv/) > [Penn & Teller stopped doing practical jokes, and the reason is we got much too good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/penn-teller-stopped-doing-practical-jokes-and-the-reason-is-we-got/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) ## More by W.H. Auden > [“Part came from Lane, and part from D.H. Lawrence; Gide, though I didn't know it then, gave part. They taught me to express my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/part-came-from-lane-and-part-from-d-h-lawrence-gide-though-i-didn-t/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) > [“As his wife, Emilia must know Iago better than anybody else. 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Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) > [“In any first-class work of art, you can find passages that in themselves are extremely boring, but try to cut them out, as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/in-any-first-class-work-of-art-you-can-find-passages-that-in/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) > [“Healing is not a science, but the intuitive art of wooing nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/healing-is-not-a-science-but-the-intuitive-art-of-wooing-nature/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) > [“For a desert island, one would choose a good dictionary rather than the greatest literary masterpiece imaginable, for, in relation to its readers, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/for-a-desert-island-one-would-choose-a-good-dictionary-rather-than/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) > [“Sorry, my dear, one mustn't be bohemian!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/sorry-my-dear-one-mustn-t-be-bohemian/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) > [“Our hunting fathers told the story Of the sadness of the creatures, Pitied the limits and the lack Set in their finished features; Saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/our-hunting-fathers-told-the-story-of-the-sadness-of-the-creatures/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) > [“After Portia has trapped Shylock through his own insistence upon the letter of the law of Contract, she produces another law by which any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/after-portia-has-trapped-shylock-through-his-own-insistence-upon-the/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) > [“Iago’s treatment of Othello conforms to Bacon’s definition of scientific enquiry as putting Nature to the Question. If a member of the audience were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/iago-s-treatment-of-othello-conforms-to-bacon-s-definition-of/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) > [“But round your image there is no fog, and the Earth can still astonish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/but-round-your-image-there-is-no-fog-and-the-earth-can-still-astonish/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) [Explore all 89 W.H. Auden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) ## More Joker quotes > [I was writing a script about the Joker menacing a regular person who had strayed into his path, and I needed to give him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/i-was-writing-a-script-about-the-joker-menacing-a-regular-person-who/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [“The great white joker in the sky dooms us all to stupidity or poverty from birth. No two things on earth are equal or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shaara/the-great-white-joker-in-the-sky-dooms-us-all-to-stupidity-or-poverty/) [Michael Shaara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shaara/) > [I think that I can do with the Penguin what Heath Ledger did with the Joker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walter-hauser/i-think-that-i-can-do-with-the-penguin-what-heath-ledger-did-with-the/) [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) > [When Joker hits his three, it opens up the game for everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-murray/when-joker-hits-his-three-it-opens-up-the-game-for-everybody/) [Jamal Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-murray/) > [So I'm an ace?' Will grinned. 'I'm flattered Halt, flattered. I had no idea you regarded me so highly.' Halt gave him a long-suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/so-i-m-an-ace-will-grinned-i-m-flattered-halt-flattered-i-had-no-idea/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [We were facing a financial crunch in the early 1970s because Mera Naam Joker' didn't work and we suffered huge losses due to that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randhir-kapoor/we-were-facing-a-financial-crunch-in-the-early-1970s-because-mera/) [Randhir Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randhir-kapoor/) > [Trump would either be the Scarecrow or the Joker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-leahy/trump-would-either-be-the-scarecrow-or-the-joker/) [Patrick Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-leahy/) > [The Joker,' I made the album in 17 days and it was my last shot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/the-joker-i-made-the-album-in-17-days-and-it-was-my-last-shot/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [Though a lot of people like 'Karz,' 'Mera Naam Joker' is still my favourite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simi-garewal/though-a-lot-of-people-like-karz-mera-naam-joker-is-still-my-favourite/) [Simi Garewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simi-garewal/) > [In between effect and cause and just beyond the range of normal sight, this glittering joker was dancing in the dragon's jaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/in-between-effect-and-cause-and-just-beyond-the-range-of-normal-sight/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [Why so serious? Has always been a question on his mind, why not yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-so-serious-has-always-been-a-question-on-his-mind-why-not-yours/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When me and Joker are on, I don't think there's anyone who can stop us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-murray/when-me-and-joker-are-on-i-don-t-think-there-s-anyone-who-can-stop-us/) [Jamal Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-murray/) > [I was kind of like the cheeky kid in school. Nothing too malicious...Nothing too nasty...I never really got into too many fights, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-monaghan/i-was-kind-of-like-the-cheeky-kid-in-school-nothing-too-malicious/) [Dominic Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-monaghan/) > [Mayne declaring war on the deck like they the joker, all the while ducking from bruce wayne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/mayne-declaring-war-on-the-deck-like-they-the-joker-all-the-while/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [ “\[On the subject of Heath Ledger's Joker\] This character who attracts psychotic henchmen may have lingering symptoms from his own past psychosis. He keeps… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-langley/on-the-subject-of-heath-ledger-s-joker-this-character-who-attracts/) [Travis Langley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-langley/) [Browse all 192 Joker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joker/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The practical joker despises his victims, but at the same time he envies them because their desires, however childish and mistaken, are real to them, whereas he has no desire which he can call his own. His goal, to make game of others, makes his existence absolutely dependent upon theirs; when he is alone, he is a nullity. Iago’s self-description, I am not what I am , is correct and the negation of the Divine I am that I am . If the word motive is given its normal meaning of a positive purpose of the self like sex, money, glory, etc., then the practical joker is without motive. 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