Ageing Quote by Barbara Pym
““So many things seemed to come in plastic bags now that it was difficult to keep track of them. The main thing was not to throw it away carelessly, better still to put it away in a safe place, because there was a note printed on it which read 'To avoid danger of suffocation keep this wrapper away from babies and children'. They could have said from middle-aged and elderly persons too, who might well have an irresistible urge to suffocate themselves.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: No Fond Return of the Day, 1961
Excessive warnings can become absurd, highlighting how overprotection may ignore broader realities.
In simple terms: Overcautious warnings can be absurd
Key Takeaway
Avoid overcomplicating safety messages
Themes
humor
society
safety
Mood
wry
critical
Type
satirical
observational
When to use this quote
- Parenting
- product labeling
- public policy
Key Concepts
Risk communication
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How can warnings be both clear and reasonable?
- When does safety become absurd?
A Different Perspective
Overwarning can cause complacency or ignore other hazards
![“[I remember going] to a hotel gym at six o'clock in the morning, and the television was on, and it's some drama in which two men have clearly kidnapped a woman. They're interrogating her, and they put a plastic bag over her head. They're suffocating her, and I'm thinking, It's six o'clock in the…” quote by Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/72d/ann-patchett-670_bags_i-remember-going-to-a-hotel-gym-at-six-o_614390.jpg)
![“I saw this vision with a beautiful plastic bag in Kensington High Street, ... and then you didn't see the face because he had this blond thing [indicating a sweeping fringe across his face] that was, you know, too much!” quote by Manolo Blahnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1be/manolo-blahnik-4329_bags_i-saw-this-vision-with-a-beautiful-plast_433916.jpg)
