--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our fellow-citizens, as they now…" description: "\"“Our fellow-citizens, as they now realized, had never thought that our little town might be a place particularly chosen as one where rats die in the su..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/albert-camus-47_little-town_our-fellow-citizens-as-they-now-realized_110939.jpg" --- # Our fellow-citizens, as they now realized, had never… ![“Our fellow-citizens, as they now realized, had never thought that our little town might be a place particularly chosen as one where rats die in the sun and concierges perish from peculiar illnesses.” quote by Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/albert-camus-47_little-town_our-fellow-citizens-as-they-now-realized_110939.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/albert-camus-47_little-town_our-fellow-citizens-as-they-now-realized_110939.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/albert-camus-47_little-town_our-fellow-citizens-as-they-now-realized_110939.jpg) > ““Our fellow-citizens, as they now realized, had never thought that our little town might be a place particularly chosen as one where rats die in the sun and concierges perish from peculiar illnesses.”” [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator observes that townspeople never imagined their place could be a chosen setting for bizarre deaths and odd illnesses. **In simple terms:** People overlook hidden dangers in familiar places. Key Takeaway Familiarity can blind us to unusual threats. Themes awareness danger mundane surreal Mood uneasy thoughtful Type observational social When to use this quote - urban planning risk assessments - public health alerts in small towns - tourist safety briefings Key Concepts cognitive bias environmental hazard Practical Applications - conduct regular health inspections - educate residents about rare hazards Questions to Reflect On - How can communities stay vigilant without becoming fearful? - What signs indicate a hidden risk in a familiar setting? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on rarity may cause unnecessary panic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chosen Rats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chosen-rats-1317719/) [Citizens Realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens-realized-1317718/) [Little town](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-town/) [Rats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rats/) [Rats Die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rats-die-1317717/) ## Related quotes > [“Rats died in the street; men in their homes. And newspapers are concerned only with the street.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/rats-died-in-the-street-men-in-their-homes-and-newspapers-are/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“On the opposite side, at about seven o’clock, is the little town of Urbanna where the famous Oyster Festival is held every year.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/on-the-opposite-side-at-about-seven-o-clock-is-the-little-town-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Lake Wobegon, the little town that time forgot and the decades cannot improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/lake-wobegon-the-little-town-that-time-forgot-and-the-decades-cannot/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [A little town is like a lantern. Nothing's hid from sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-field/a-little-town-is-like-a-lantern-nothing-s-hid-from-sight/) [Rachel Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-field/) > [I was born in Saratoga, Texas, a little town there in the Big Thicket about 60 miles north of Beaumont. Needless to say, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/i-was-born-in-saratoga-texas-a-little-town-there-in-the-big-thicket/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [I live in Derry, a little town in Ireland, and I don't have the background of Hollywood or Broadway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-mcginty/i-live-in-derry-a-little-town-in-ireland-and-i-don-t-have-the/) [Damian McGinty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-mcginty/) > [M. Myriel had to undergo the fate of every newcomer in a little town, where there are many mouths which talk, and very few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/m-myriel-had-to-undergo-the-fate-of-every-newcomer-in-a-little-town/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [I'm from a really little town called Quincy, five hours southwest of Chicago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/i-m-from-a-really-little-town-called-quincy-five-hours-southwest-of/) [Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/) > [I often think of setting as an important character in my story. 'Dark Powers' takes place in Doncaster, a Maryland Eastern Shore community rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-glick/i-often-think-of-setting-as-an-important-character-in-my-story-dark/) [Ruth Glick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-glick/) > [I was a 16-year-old little girl from this little town who just wanted to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-roberts/i-was-a-16-year-old-little-girl-from-this-little-town-who-just-wanted/) [Nicola Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-roberts/) > [I grew up in a little town in Minnesota, 500 people. I went out to Princeton, and I wasn't very well-accepted out there by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/i-grew-up-in-a-little-town-in-minnesota-500-people-i-went-out-to/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [I'm trying to show that it doesn't matter where you are from, even a little town like Green Cove. You can make it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caeleb-dressel/i-m-trying-to-show-that-it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-are-from-even-a/) [Caeleb Dressel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caeleb-dressel/) > [We did not go to that many movies in a theater in the little town I grew up in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lee-hancock/we-did-not-go-to-that-many-movies-in-a-theater-in-the-little-town-i/) [John Lee Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lee-hancock/) > [My family life reads a bit like 'Little House on the Prairie.' I was big sister to Joan, Renee, and brother William, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/my-family-life-reads-a-bit-like-little-house-on-the-prairie-i-was-big/) [Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/) > [I did not grow up in a cosmopolitan environment. I grew up in a little town in the middle of nowhere, pre-Internet, pre-college radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/i-did-not-grow-up-in-a-cosmopolitan-environment-i-grew-up-in-a-little/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) ## More by Albert Camus > [“The whole town rushed outside to celebrate this crowded minute when the time of suffering had ended and the time of forgetting had not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-whole-town-rushed-outside-to-celebrate-this-crowded-minute-when/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Generally, I like all islands. There, it is easier to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/generally-i-like-all-islands-there-it-is-easier-to-rule/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Being is good, but getting rich is better… If the gods had only the riches of men's adoration, they would be as poor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/being-is-good-but-getting-rich-is-better-if-the-gods-had-only-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The more I produce, the less I am certain. On the road along which the artist walks, night falls ever more densely. Finally, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-more-i-produce-the-less-i-am-certain-on-the-road-along-which-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Having been, not only mutilated in our country, wounded in our very flesh, but also divested of our most beautiful images, for you gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/having-been-not-only-mutilated-in-our-country-wounded-in-our-very/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I've seen of enough of people who die for an idea. I don't believe in heroism; I know it's easy and I've learned it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-ve-seen-of-enough-of-people-who-die-for-an-idea-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The best are led to make greater demands upon themselves. As for those who succumb, they did not deserve to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-best-are-led-to-make-greater-demands-upon-themselves-as-for-those/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Then he asked me if I wasn’t interested in a change of life. I said that people never change their lives, that in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/then-he-asked-me-if-i-wasn-t-interested-in-a-change-of-life-i-said/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Life is meaningless, but worth living, provided you recognize it's meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/life-is-meaningless-but-worth-living-provided-you-recognize-it-s/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Thinking of the future, establishing aims for oneself, having preferences-all this presupposes a belief in freedom, even if one occasionally ascertains that one doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/thinking-of-the-future-establishing-aims-for-oneself-having/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I explained to him, however, that my nature was such that my physical needs often got in the way of my feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-explained-to-him-however-that-my-nature-was-such-that-my-physical/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-only-way-to-deal-with-an-unfree-world-is-to-become-so-absolutely/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“We love people not because for good they did for us, but for good we did for them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/we-love-people-not-because-for-good-they-did-for-us-but-for-good-we/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [You have so much inside you, and the noblest happiness of all. Don’t just wait for a man to come along. That’s the mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-have-so-much-inside-you-and-the-noblest-happiness-of-all-don-t/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The desire for possession is insatiable, to such a point that it can survive even love itself. To love, therefore, is to sterilize the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-desire-for-possession-is-insatiable-to-such-a-point-that-it-can/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) [Explore all 1,600 Albert Camus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## More Little town quotes > [“On the opposite side, at about seven o’clock, is the little town of Urbanna where the famous Oyster Festival is held every year.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/on-the-opposite-side-at-about-seven-o-clock-is-the-little-town-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My family life reads a bit like 'Little House on the Prairie.' I was big sister to Joan, Renee, and brother William, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/my-family-life-reads-a-bit-like-little-house-on-the-prairie-i-was-big/) [Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/) > [We did not go to that many movies in a theater in the little town I grew up in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lee-hancock/we-did-not-go-to-that-many-movies-in-a-theater-in-the-little-town-i/) [John Lee Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lee-hancock/) > [I'm trying to show that it doesn't matter where you are from, even a little town like Green Cove. You can make it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caeleb-dressel/i-m-trying-to-show-that-it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-are-from-even-a/) [Caeleb Dressel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caeleb-dressel/) > [I grew up in a little town in Minnesota, 500 people. I went out to Princeton, and I wasn't very well-accepted out there by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/i-grew-up-in-a-little-town-in-minnesota-500-people-i-went-out-to/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [I was a 16-year-old little girl from this little town who just wanted to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-roberts/i-was-a-16-year-old-little-girl-from-this-little-town-who-just-wanted/) [Nicola Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-roberts/) > [I often think of setting as an important character in my story. 'Dark Powers' takes place in Doncaster, a Maryland Eastern Shore community rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-glick/i-often-think-of-setting-as-an-important-character-in-my-story-dark/) [Ruth Glick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-glick/) > [I'm from a really little town called Quincy, five hours southwest of Chicago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/i-m-from-a-really-little-town-called-quincy-five-hours-southwest-of/) [Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/) > [M. Myriel had to undergo the fate of every newcomer in a little town, where there are many mouths which talk, and very few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/m-myriel-had-to-undergo-the-fate-of-every-newcomer-in-a-little-town/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [I live in Derry, a little town in Ireland, and I don't have the background of Hollywood or Broadway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-mcginty/i-live-in-derry-a-little-town-in-ireland-and-i-don-t-have-the/) [Damian McGinty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-mcginty/) > [I was born in Saratoga, Texas, a little town there in the Big Thicket about 60 miles north of Beaumont. Needless to say, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/i-was-born-in-saratoga-texas-a-little-town-there-in-the-big-thicket/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [A little town is like a lantern. Nothing's hid from sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-field/a-little-town-is-like-a-lantern-nothing-s-hid-from-sight/) [Rachel Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-field/) > [Lake Wobegon, the little town that time forgot and the decades cannot improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/lake-wobegon-the-little-town-that-time-forgot-and-the-decades-cannot/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I did not grow up in a cosmopolitan environment. I grew up in a little town in the middle of nowhere, pre-Internet, pre-college radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/i-did-not-grow-up-in-a-cosmopolitan-environment-i-grew-up-in-a-little/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [I grew up in a little town between Bath and Bristol with my parents and grandparents in the same house. It was rural and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/i-grew-up-in-a-little-town-between-bath-and-bristol-with-my-parents/) [Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/) [Browse all 50 Little town quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-town/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Our fellow-citizens, as they now realized, had never thought that our little town might be a place particularly chosen as one where rats die in the sun and concierges perish from peculiar illnesses.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Albert Camus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/our-fellow-citizens-as-they-now-realized-had-never-thought-that-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Little town" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/our-fellow-citizens-as-they-now-realized-had-never-thought-that-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/albert-camus-47_little-town_our-fellow-citizens-as-they-now-realized_110939.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/albert-camus-47_little-town_our-fellow-citizens-as-they-now-realized_110939.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/albert-camus-47_little-town_our-fellow-citizens-as-they-now-realized_110939.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our fellow-citizens, as they now realized, had never thought that our little town might be a place…” — Albert Camus", "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": "Albert Camus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Our fellow-citizens, as they now realized,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/our-fellow-citizens-as-they-now-realized-had-never-thought-that-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/our-fellow-citizens-as-they-now-realized-had-never-thought-that-our/#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 } } ] } ```