--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And in our dark days, with so many…" description: "\"“And in our dark days, with so many threatening clouds on the horizon, he concluded, we puff up a story like this to drug people, to distract their att..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/andrea-camilleri-18718_dark-days_and-in-our-dark-days-with-so-many-threat_1013283.jpg" --- # And in our dark days, with so many threatening clouds on… ![“And in our dark days, with so many threatening clouds on the horizon, he concluded, we puff up a story like this to drug people, to distract their attention from the serious problems and divert them with a Romeo-and-Juliet story, one scripted, however, by a soap opera writer.” quote by Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/andrea-camilleri-18718_dark-days_and-in-our-dark-days-with-so-many-threat_1013283.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/andrea-camilleri-18718_dark-days_and-in-our-dark-days-with-so-many-threat_1013283.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/andrea-camilleri-18718_dark-days_and-in-our-dark-days-with-so-many-threat_1013283.jpg) > ““And in our dark days, with so many threatening clouds on the horizon, he concluded, we puff up a story like this to drug people, to distract their attention from the serious problems and divert them with a Romeo-and-Juliet story, one scripted, however, by a soap opera writer.”” [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stories can be used as distractions, diverting public attention from serious issues with romanticized narratives. **In simple terms:** Stories distract from real problems. Key Takeaway Critically evaluate narratives presented as entertainment. Themes media distraction politics Mood skeptical thoughtful Type literary political When to use this quote - public discourse - media consumption - political messaging Key Concepts propaganda narrative control Questions to Reflect On - What motives underlie popular stories? - How do you differentiate distraction from genuine insight? A Different Perspective Not all narratives are manipulative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dark days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-days/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Soap opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soap-opera/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“There were a story scripted on the wall, no words used though, just pictures, memories, from another world. Her happy place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stine-saugmann/there-were-a-story-scripted-on-the-wall-no-words-used-though-just/) Stine Saugmann > [Man's deliberate destruction of his own habitat -- planet Earth -- could serve as a mighty theme for a mighty book worthy of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/man-s-deliberate-destruction-of-his-own-habitat-planet-earth-could/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [WWE is just like a soap opera but with wrestling, while Reality TV is just like that but the characters are real and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-kelly/wwe-is-just-like-a-soap-opera-but-with-wrestling-while-reality-tv-is/) [Kelly Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-kelly/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [“the common thread amongst the SCRIPTED sheeple is they have no meaning. Instead, hyperreality babysits—this is why we have a society addicted to Game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-demarco/the-common-thread-amongst-the-scripted-sheeple-is-they-have-no/) [M.J. DeMarco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-demarco/) > [When I talk about my childhood I used to say it as if it was scripted and I'd make jokes because it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/when-i-talk-about-my-childhood-i-used-to-say-it-as-if-it-was-scripted/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [I've always wanted to nudge my way into writing something scripted - maybe for other people, maybe a play - and I thought it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivo-graham/i-ve-always-wanted-to-nudge-my-way-into-writing-something-scripted/) [Ivo Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivo-graham/) > [I know politicians are going to be judged on everything they say but sometimes in the heat of discussion you go a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-know-politicians-are-going-to-be-judged-on-everything-they-say-but/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I want to create and write scripted and unscripted shows, digital shows, stage shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-want-to-create-and-write-scripted-and-unscripted-shows-digital/) [Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/) > [I think when you look around this league, so much is scripted. And not scripted in a sense that the league is scripted, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/i-think-when-you-look-around-this-league-so-much-is-scripted-and-not/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [If I am comfortable, I say what I want to. But yes, while doing a comedy show, I am slightly reserved as a person.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hassanandani-reddy/if-i-am-comfortable-i-say-what-i-want-to-but-yes-while-doing-a-comedy/) [Anita Hassanandani Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hassanandani-reddy/) > [If I do a reality show, it'll have to be a real reality show. I can't do a scripted reality show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinton-jackson/if-i-do-a-reality-show-it-ll-have-to-be-a-real-reality-show-i-can-t/) [Quinton Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinton-jackson/) > [I've come up in the scripted world, and I have wished there were more time slots for us to tell compelling scripted stories and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-macchio/i-ve-come-up-in-the-scripted-world-and-i-have-wished-there-were-more/) [Ralph Macchio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-macchio/) > [I wish my real life could be as simple and scripted as it is on television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-travis/i-wish-my-real-life-could-be-as-simple-and-scripted-as-it-is-on/) [Nancy Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-travis/) > [When you're too robotic and scripted, the students tune you out. So I always tried to use different learning modalities - kinesthetic, auditory, visual,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-gruwell/when-you-re-too-robotic-and-scripted-the-students-tune-you-out-so-i/) [Erin Gruwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-gruwell/) ## More by Andrea Camilleri > [“rosticceria . . . cuddriruni . . . arancini supplì: A rosticceria is a take-out restaurant serving mostly roast meats; cuddriruni is a Sicilian sort of focaccia, served with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/rosticceria-cuddriruni-arancini-suppl-a-rosticceria-is-a-take-out/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [“They ate in religious silence, the corners of their mouths smeared with ricotta cream. Which, the rules say, must be removed with a slow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/they-ate-in-religious-silence-the-corners-of-their-mouths-smeared/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [“In grammar school he’d had an old priest as his religion teacher. “Truth is light,” the priest had said one day. Montalbano, never very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/in-grammar-school-he-d-had-an-old-priest-as-his-religion-teacher/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [Wearing glasses for reading meant surrendering to old age without the least bit of a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/wearing-glasses-for-reading-meant-surrendering-to-old-age-without-the/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [“It meant that, today, to enter any place whatsoever – an airport, a bank, a jeweller’s or watchmaker’s shop – you had to submit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/it-meant-that-today-to-enter-any-place-whatsoever-an-airport-a-bank-a/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [“To distract himself, he formulated a proposition. A philosophical proposition? Maybe, but tending towards "weak thought"--exhausted thought, in fact. He even gave this proposition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/to-distract-himself-he-formulated-a-proposition-a-philosophical/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [“From the pit of his stomach a violent spasm of nausea rose up and seized his throat. He ran to the bathroom, barely able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/from-the-pit-of-his-stomach-a-violent-spasm-of-nausea-rose-up-and/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [“Giulio was against our meeting. He didn't want me getting mixed up in things that, in his opinion, were no concern of mine. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/giulio-was-against-our-meeting-he-didn-t-want-me-getting-mixed-up-in/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [The memory of the aged becomes clearer and clearer with time. It has no pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/the-memory-of-the-aged-becomes-clearer-and-clearer-with-time-it-has/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [But then why, when talking on the phone, did they quarrel, on average at least once every four sentences? Maybe, though the inspector, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/but-then-why-when-talking-on-the-phone-did-they-quarrel-on-average-at/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [Montalbano felt moved. This was real friendship, Sicilian friendship, the kind based on intuition, on what was left unsaid. With a true friend, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/montalbano-felt-moved-this-was-real-friendship-sicilian-friendship/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [“one cannot be held forever to a less-than-honorable act, after a life of great integrity, just because of one moment of weakness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/one-cannot-be-held-forever-to-a-less-than-honorable-act-after-a-life/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [“Montalbano recalled how in now distant times, when the sea withdrew, it would leave behind only sweet-smelling algae and beautiful shells that were like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/montalbano-recalled-how-in-now-distant-times-when-the-sea-withdrew-it/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [“Unwell? I was fine, as good as one might feel in such circumstances. No, my friend, I merely pretended to faint. I'm a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/unwell-i-was-fine-as-good-as-one-might-feel-in-such-circumstances-no/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) > [“He swam and he wept.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/he-swam-and-he-wept/) [Andrea Camilleri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) [Explore all 31 Andrea Camilleri quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/) ## More Dark days quotes > [Dark days have an end but we wait so long to see the end we just give up. Why give up so much that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/destiny-hope/dark-days-have-an-end-but-we-wait-so-long-to-see-the-end-we-just-give/) Destiny Hope > [In terms of humor, it's a really powerful coping mechanism, and it gets you through really dark days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-victor/in-terms-of-humor-it-s-a-really-powerful-coping-mechanism-and-it-gets/) [Eva Victor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-victor/) > [How like a winter hath my absence been. From thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year! What freezings have I felt, what dark days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/how-like-a-winter-hath-my-absence-been-from-thee-the-pleasure-of-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I've had my share of dark days of the soul. I try not to focus on it too much so it doesn't get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/i-ve-had-my-share-of-dark-days-of-the-soul-i-try-not-to-focus-on-it/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [“Faith isn't grounded on emotions. It's grounded on the will. It's grounded in the act of taking up your cross and following the Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-morgan/faith-isn-t-grounded-on-emotions-it-s-grounded-on-the-will-it-s/) [Kathleen Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-morgan/) > [Joe was being called a liar and a traitor; I'm being accused of nepotism, of being a glorified secretary. The stresses that that places…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/joe-was-being-called-a-liar-and-a-traitor-i-m-being-accused-of/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [“We live in hope that the good we do here on earth will be rewarded in heaven. We also hope to win the war.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-willis/we-live-in-hope-that-the-good-we-do-here-on-earth-will-be-rewarded-in/) [Connie Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-willis/) > [“Something writhed inside me and for a moment I was back in those long dark days when my world was so small I couldn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-taylor/something-writhed-inside-me-and-for-a-moment-i-was-back-in-those-long/) [Jodi Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-taylor/) > [One day when I was working on a movie, I stayed at the beach a little too long, and they said, “You are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/one-day-when-i-was-working-on-a-movie-i-stayed-at-the-beach-a-little/) [George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/) > [I have lived and worked in Britain all my life. Not even in the dark days of penal Labour taxation in the Seventies did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lloyd-webber/i-have-lived-and-worked-in-britain-all-my-life-not-even-in-the-dark/) [Andrew Lloyd Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lloyd-webber/) > [“In stormy dark days, people need sunny thoughts to stand still firmly!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/in-stormy-dark-days-people-need-sunny-thoughts-to-stand-still-firmly/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [ On a good day, I view the job \[of president\] as directing an orchestra. On the dark days, it is more like that of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/on-a-good-day-i-view-the-job-of-president-as-directing-an-orchestra/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is handing you an opportunity to come full circle, to shine your light on the dark days of your break-up and to exorcise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola-http-wwwamoreloveforlifecom/life-is-handing-you-an-opportunity-to-come-full-circle-to-shine-your/) Kemmy Nola Http://wwwamoreloveforlifecom > [“My son, you are just an infant now, but on that day when the world disrobes of its alluring cloak, it is then that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakieb-orgunwall/my-son-you-are-just-an-infant-now-but-on-that-day-when-the-world/) [Shakieb Orgunwall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakieb-orgunwall/) > [Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. The joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/happiness-lies-not-in-the-mere-possession-of-money-it-lies-in-the-joy/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) [Browse all 121 Dark days quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-days/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And in our dark days, with so many threatening clouds on the horizon, he concluded, we puff up a story like this to drug people, to distract their attention from the serious problems and divert them with a Romeo-and-Juliet story, one scripted, however, by a soap opera writer.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andrea Camilleri" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/and-in-our-dark-days-with-so-many-threatening-clouds-on-the-horizon/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dark days" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/and-in-our-dark-days-with-so-many-threatening-clouds-on-the-horizon/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/andrea-camilleri-18718_dark-days_and-in-our-dark-days-with-so-many-threat_1013283.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/andrea-camilleri-18718_dark-days_and-in-our-dark-days-with-so-many-threat_1013283.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/andrea-camilleri-18718_dark-days_and-in-our-dark-days-with-so-many-threat_1013283.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And in our dark days, with so many threatening clouds on the horizon, he concluded, we puff up a story like…” — Andrea Camilleri", "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": "Andrea Camilleri", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-camilleri/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And in our dark days, with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/and-in-our-dark-days-with-so-many-threatening-clouds-on-the-horizon/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-camilleri/and-in-our-dark-days-with-so-many-threatening-clouds-on-the-horizon/#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 } } ] } ```