--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everybody watched. Nobody stopped them." description: "\"“Everybody watched. Nobody stopped them.”\" — Arundhati Roy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1d/arundhati-roy-346_stopped_everybody-watched-nobody-stopped-them-31_3140205.png" --- # Everybody watched. Nobody stopped them. ![“Everybody watched. Nobody stopped them.” quote by Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1d/arundhati-roy-346_stopped_everybody-watched-nobody-stopped-them-31_3140205.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1d/arundhati-roy-346_stopped_everybody-watched-nobody-stopped-them-31_3140205.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1d/arundhati-roy-346_stopped_everybody-watched-nobody-stopped-them-31_3140205.png) > ““Everybody watched. Nobody stopped them.”” [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Witnessing injustice without intervening perpetuates suffering and erodes moral responsibility. **In simple terms:** Seeing harm and doing nothing is complicit. Key Takeaway Act when you can. Themes justice responsibility indifference Mood somber urgent Type ethical social commentary When to use this quote - protests - community aid - workplace harassment - environmental crises Key Concepts ethical duty social accountability Questions to Reflect On - What would you do if you saw injustice? - How can you overcome by to act? A Different Perspective Inaction may stem from fear or perceived powerlessness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Everybody Watched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everybody-watched-5592344/) [Stopped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stopped/) [Watched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watched/) [Watched Stopped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watched-stopped-5592345/) ## Related quotes > [I loved 'Chicago Code;' I watched that a lot. It was great because it really captured the city - I'm from Chicago, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessy-schram/i-loved-chicago-code-i-watched-that-a-lot-it-was-great-because-it/) [Jessy Schram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessy-schram/) > [I wondered to myself why no one else had seen him standing so far away, before he was suddenly, impossibly saving my life. With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-wondered-to-myself-why-no-one-else-had-seen-him-standing-so-far/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Growing up I always watched WWF with my dad on Saturdays. It was our thing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-rae/growing-up-i-always-watched-wwf-with-my-dad-on-saturdays-it-was-our/) [Summer Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-rae/) > [Look at Greg Jbara! I've watched him work for years, always switching. He's literally a different human being when he's onstage in 'Billy Elliot.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-chase/look-at-greg-jbara-i-ve-watched-him-work-for-years-always-switching/) [Will Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-chase/) > [I watched 'Seeta Aur Geeta' everyday when I was growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esha-deol/i-watched-seeta-aur-geeta-everyday-when-i-was-growing-up/) [Esha Deol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esha-deol/) > [I would have to say that because I've lived in so many cities, by no means do I feel it's fair to call myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bauer/i-would-have-to-say-that-because-i-ve-lived-in-so-many-cities-by-no/) [Chris Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bauer/) > [I would spend hours absorbing every intonation, every inflection - how the singer would convey a sentiment and how it would sound coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-edmonson/i-would-spend-hours-absorbing-every-intonation-every-inflection-how/) [Kat Edmonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-edmonson/) > [I was terrifed. Would you mind if I sat next to you and watched you smile? So many kids but I only see you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fall-out-boy/i-was-terrifed-would-you-mind-if-i-sat-next-to-you-and-watched-you/) [Fall Out Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fall-out-boy/) > [I watched 'Holiday' in college, and that was when I had my first fantasy of being Katharine Hepburn, standing at the top of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/i-watched-holiday-in-college-and-that-was-when-i-had-my-first-fantasy/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [My growing up years, we watched 'Happy Days,' every night. I don't know what was reruns and what was new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-silverman/my-growing-up-years-we-watched-happy-days-every-night-i-don-t-know/) [Sarah Silverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-silverman/) > [I watched movies, obviously, just like anybody else, but there was nothing to make me think, 'I'm going to go to L.A. and become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-boseman/i-watched-movies-obviously-just-like-anybody-else-but-there-was/) [Chadwick Boseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chadwick-boseman/) > [I don't know how 'X Factor' works. I was only there as a guest judge for a day. But I watched 'The Voice' a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-ora/i-don-t-know-how-x-factor-works-i-was-only-there-as-a-guest-judge-for/) [Rita Ora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-ora/) > [It was a realization for me when Oprah was talking about New Moon. I was like, "Oh, my god, she's watched a movie that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinsel-korey/it-was-a-realization-for-me-when-oprah-was-talking-about-new-moon-i/) [Tinsel Korey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinsel-korey/) > [I've followed Gary Oldman his whole career... I've watched the movies he's directed, like 'Nil by Mouth' - I've seen that five times!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-ve-followed-gary-oldman-his-whole-career-i-ve-watched-the-movies-he/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [My mother was a famous photographer for actresses, including Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, and so many. I remember I went to school close to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-argento/my-mother-was-a-famous-photographer-for-actresses-including-sophia/) [Dario Argento](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-argento/) ## More by Arundhati Roy > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Poverty is a crime and the poor are terrorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/poverty-is-a-crime-and-the-poor-are-terrorists/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Flat muscled and honey coloured. Sea secrets in his eyes. A silver raindrop in his ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/flat-muscled-and-honey-coloured-sea-secrets-in-his-eyes-a-silver/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Fiction and non-fiction are only different techniques of story telling. For reasons I do not fully understand, fiction dances out of me. Non-fiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/fiction-and-non-fiction-are-only-different-techniques-of-story/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [NGOs have a complicated space in neoliberal politics. They are supposed to mop up the anger. Even when they are doing good work, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/ngos-have-a-complicated-space-in-neoliberal-politics-they-are/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I've never been that person who thought that because I've written one novel, I should write another and another. It's only when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-ve-never-been-that-person-who-thought-that-because-i-ve-written-one/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [It is such a supreme folly to believe that nuclear weapons are deadly only if they're used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-is-such-a-supreme-folly-to-believe-that-nuclear-weapons-are-deadly/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I think one of the saddest things that's happening to literature is that it's getting over-simplified by this diet of simple political ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-think-one-of-the-saddest-things-that-s-happening-to-literature-is/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you're alive and die only when you're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-only-dream-worth-having-i-told-her-is-to-dream-that-you-will-live/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [But what was there to say? Only that there were tears. Only that Quietness and Emptiness fitted together like stacked spoons. Only that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/but-what-was-there-to-say-only-that-there-were-tears-only-that/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Truly, there's no alternative to stupidity. Cretinism is the mother of fascism. I have no defence against it, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/truly-there-s-no-alternative-to-stupidity-cretinism-is-the-mother-of/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-secret-of-the-great-stories-is-that-they-have-no-secrets-the/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“stilts, the ground floors given over to parking. It’s a good idea in this car-maddened city,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/stilts-the-ground-floors-given-over-to-parking-it-s-a-good-idea-in/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Perhaps it’s true that things can change in a day. That a few dozen hours can affect the outcome of whole lifetimes. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/perhaps-it-s-true-that-things-can-change-in-a-day-that-a-few-dozen/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) [Explore all 628 Arundhati Roy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## More Stopped quotes > [Would she understand that time had stopped while she was gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-july/would-she-understand-that-time-had-stopped-while-she-was-gone/) [Miranda July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-july/) > [“But for Ricky,Andrew,Mary & me the world stopped when those dogs entered the room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-carlos-montalv-n/but-for-ricky-andrew-mary-me-the-world-stopped-when-those-dogs/) [Luis Carlos Montalván](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-carlos-montalv-n/) > [The moment I met you I stopped existing and started living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-moment-i-met-you-i-stopped-existing-and-started-living/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I always tell Asian actors, especially Filipinos wanting to break into Hollywood, to study, study and study and show their best. I haven't stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/i-always-tell-asian-actors-especially-filipinos-wanting-to-break-into/) [Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/) > [I have stopped thinking too much. It all started against West Indies. I told myself that I want to enjoy my life. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreyas-iyer/i-have-stopped-thinking-too-much-it-all-started-against-west-indies-i/) [Shreyas Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shreyas-iyer/) > [I've learned to suck in my stomach when photographers are around. I used to read gossip magazines all the time, but I stopped when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergie/i-ve-learned-to-suck-in-my-stomach-when-photographers-are-around-i/) [Fergie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergie/) > [I ended up becoming so self-conscious that my songs stopped being about my life and started being about what people thought of my music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-phair/i-ended-up-becoming-so-self-conscious-that-my-songs-stopped-being/) [Liz Phair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-phair/) > [I stopped drinking on 24 September 1986.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-skinner/i-stopped-drinking-on-24-september-1986/) [Frank Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-skinner/) > [“One day, at least it seemed that fast, she just stopped wanting to be a part of anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/one-day-at-least-it-seemed-that-fast-she-just-stopped-wanting-to-be-a/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [“She stopped caring... and started laughing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-j-ginger/she-stopped-caring-and-started-laughing/) [Coco J. Ginger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-j-ginger/) > [I stopped making films to look after animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigitte-bardot/i-stopped-making-films-to-look-after-animals/) [Brigitte Bardot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigitte-bardot/) > [“\*\*“I get it,” he said. “I was supposed to give you your space. I didn’t want to. So...I compromised. Only, you frustrate the hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kauffman/i-get-it-he-said-i-was-supposed-to-give-you-your-space-i-didn-t-want/) [Donna Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kauffman/) > [School bored me. Being educated and being intelligent are two different things. I thought I was smart enough. And I wanted to be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/school-bored-me-being-educated-and-being-intelligent-are-two/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [I stopped playing in Jr. events when I was 12 and played women's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-gulbis/i-stopped-playing-in-jr-events-when-i-was-12-and-played-women-s/) [Natalie Gulbis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-gulbis/) > [“You can choose when and when not to be stopped... Choose to be stopped after you die... when your work is done and done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-can-choose-when-and-when-not-to-be-stopped-choose-to-be-stopped/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) [Browse all 757 Stopped quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stopped/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Everybody watched. Nobody stopped them.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arundhati Roy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/everybody-watched-nobody-stopped-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Stopped" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/everybody-watched-nobody-stopped-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1d/arundhati-roy-346_stopped_everybody-watched-nobody-stopped-them-31_3140205.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1d/arundhati-roy-346_stopped_everybody-watched-nobody-stopped-them-31_3140205.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1d/arundhati-roy-346_stopped_everybody-watched-nobody-stopped-them-31_3140205.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everybody watched. Nobody stopped them.” — Arundhati Roy", "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": "Arundhati Roy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Everybody watched. Nobody stopped them.”", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/everybody-watched-nobody-stopped-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/everybody-watched-nobody-stopped-them/#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 } } ] } ```