--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone looked up, as startled as if…" description: "\"“Everyone looked up, as startled as if there had been an explosion—even the new guy who had been so clueless just an instant earlier. Still bellowing e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df1/barry-eisler-1009_good-job_everyone-looked-up-as-startled-as-if-the_2116113.jpg" --- # Everyone looked up, as startled as if there had been an… ![“Everyone looked up, as startled as if there had been an explosion—even the new guy who had been so clueless just an instant earlier. Still bellowing expletives, the yakuza strode directly to the bench-press station, doing a good job of using his voice, either by instinct or design, to disorient…” quote by Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df1/barry-eisler-1009_good-job_everyone-looked-up-as-startled-as-if-the_2116113.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df1/barry-eisler-1009_good-job_everyone-looked-up-as-startled-as-if-the_2116113.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df1/barry-eisler-1009_good-job_everyone-looked-up-as-startled-as-if-the_2116113.jpg) > ““Everyone looked up, as startled as if there had been an explosion—even the new guy who had been so clueless just an instant earlier. Still bellowing expletives, the yakuza strode directly to the bench-press station, doing a good job of using his voice, either by instinct or design, to disorient his victim. Everything about the yakuza—his words, his tone, his movement and posture, screamed Attack! But the man was too frozen, either by fear or denial, to move off the line of assault. And though he was holding a ten-kilo iron plate with edges considerably harder than the yakuza’s cranium, the man did nothing but drop his mouth open, perhaps in surprise, perhaps in inchoate and certainly futile apology.”” [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A hostile, intimidating figure can paralyze a victim, even when the victim has physical means to defend himself. **In simple terms:** Intimidation can freeze people despite their strength. Key Takeaway Don’t let fear stop you from acting. Themes power fear intimidation conflict apology Mood tense dramatic Type narrative descriptive When to use this quote - self‑defense - workplace safety - personal confrontations Key Concepts psychology coercion human behavior Questions to Reflect On - How could the victim have responded differently? - What tactics do aggressors use to dominate? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing A Good Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-a-good-job/) [Yakuza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yakuza/) ## Related quotes > [“When I got home, I took a bat and examined my back in detail in the bathroom mirror. This tattoo would be for myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-got-home-i-took-a-bat-and-examined-my-back-in-detail-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I didn't really discover yakuza films until about five or six years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster/i-didn-t-really-discover-yakuza-films-until-about-five-or-six-years/) [John Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster/) > [I'd love to do a yakuza movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/i-d-love-to-do-a-yakuza-movie/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [“but don't worry about the yakuza.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/but-don-t-worry-about-the-yakuza/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“Revenge requires taking oneself apart from the noise of men and of things, even from what resembles them; only the twisted soul remains. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylin-mcfarren/revenge-requires-taking-oneself-apart-from-the-noise-of-men-and-of/) Kaylin McFarren > [I honestly do feel like the Yakuza film genre is going away. And I don't personally feel like there's any meaning in trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takashi-miike/i-honestly-do-feel-like-the-yakuza-film-genre-is-going-away-and-i-don/) [Takashi Miike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takashi-miike/) > [Pre-'Tokyo Drift,' I was like: 'Am I gonna play Yakuza #1 and Chinese Waiter #2 for the rest of my life? Is America even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sung-kang/pre-tokyo-drift-i-was-like-am-i-gonna-play-yakuza-1-and-chinese/) [Sung Kang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sung-kang/) > [I want to do a Yakuza movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-evans/i-want-to-do-a-yakuza-movie/) [Gareth Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-evans/) > [There aren't many American directors here trying to direct a Japanese yakuza film. When you combine that with the fact that I don't speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster/there-aren-t-many-american-directors-here-trying-to-direct-a-japanese/) [John Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster/) > [Japanese of my generation try to get through life without stepping on anyone's toes; in some ways that's unnatural and stressful. The yakuza are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takashi-miike/japanese-of-my-generation-try-to-get-through-life-without-stepping-on/) [Takashi Miike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takashi-miike/) > [I would be lying, if I said that sometimes it is just a job that you show up for because you're getting paid, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-would-be-lying-if-i-said-that-sometimes-it-is-just-a-job-that-you/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Research indicates that employees have three prime needs: Interesting work, recognition for doing a good job, and being let in on things that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/research-indicates-that-employees-have-three-prime-needs-interesting/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [I think I'm slightly OCD. I'll be desperate to get a part, but as soon as I do, the sense of pride wears off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/i-think-i-m-slightly-ocd-i-ll-be-desperate-to-get-a-part-but-as-soon/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [If Bill O'Reilly is calling you a far-left critic, in my book, no matter what your political persuasion is, that's probably - that probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/if-bill-o-reilly-is-calling-you-a-far-left-critic-in-my-book-no/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [Well, just that there would be somebody in the office and the voters - it was more or less an understanding in the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/well-just-that-there-would-be-somebody-in-the-office-and-the-voters/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) ## More by Barry Eisler > [“But, like all indulgences that are valued not just for their product but for their process, the sento will never entirely disappear. For in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/but-like-all-indulgences-that-are-valued-not-just-for-their-product/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“She’s a bargirl. You don’t know where her loyalties lie. That one was unconvincing. No one had directed her against me—I was the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/she-s-a-bargirl-you-don-t-know-where-her-loyalties-lie-that-one-was/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“In my unpleasant experience, unarmed against a knife, you’ve basically got four options. Your best bet is to run like hell, if you can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/in-my-unpleasant-experience-unarmed-against-a-knife-you-ve-basically/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [The most important guideline when it comes to argument is the golden rule. If someone were addressing your point, what tone, what overall approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/the-most-important-guideline-when-it-comes-to-argument-is-the-golden/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“That I was apparently into body building at all at this stage in my life probably meant affairs with young women, for whom a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/that-i-was-apparently-into-body-building-at-all-at-this-stage-in-my/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“Immediately the sounds of the street below grew detached, distant, the meaningless echoes of urban voices whose urgent notes reached but held no sway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/immediately-the-sounds-of-the-street-below-grew-detached-distant-the/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“I heard laughter and looked up. Some kids at the terminal next to me, playing an online game. I wondered for a moment how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-heard-laughter-and-looked-up-some-kids-at-the-terminal-next-to-me/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“I shifted my head slightly. The corners of our mouths brushed together. I felt her breath on my cheek. Then we were kissing. Her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-shifted-my-head-slightly-the-corners-of-our-mouths-brushed-together/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“I looked at her. Why was it her question seemed suffused with double entendre? She was attractive, of course, more than attractive, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-looked-at-her-why-was-it-her-question-seemed-suffused-with-double/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“I realized my knowledge of that potentially damning evidence gave Delilah a reason to want me out of the way. “Out of the way”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-realized-my-knowledge-of-that-potentially-damning-evidence-gave/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“I wouldn’t want to try to take this guy out with anything less than a scoped rifle. Which is something that’s hard to confuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-wouldn-t-want-to-try-to-take-this-guy-out-with-anything-less-than-a/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“I picked up the earthen cup and went to take a sip. “Not like that,” Miyamoto said. “Let it cool a little. Give yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-picked-up-the-earthen-cup-and-went-to-take-a-sip-not-like-that/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“It seemed he’d recently learned the value of playing up the difficulty of accomplishing whatever he was tasked with, the better to play the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/it-seemed-he-d-recently-learned-the-value-of-playing-up-the/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“Yukiko walked over, her mouth stretching into a feline grin at the sight of Murakami. Naomi followed a moment later. She was wearing another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/yukiko-walked-over-her-mouth-stretching-into-a-feline-grin-at-the/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [It would be awesome to be so impressive that we could sway people to our way of thinking just by declaiming our thoughts, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/it-would-be-awesome-to-be-so-impressive-that-we-could-sway-people-to/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) [Explore all 305 Barry Eisler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) ## More Good job quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/) [Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/) > [If you want to edit your photos and make yourself look different, go for it. That is up to you, but in my opinion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-list/if-you-want-to-edit-your-photos-and-make-yourself-look-different-go/) [Peyton List](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-list/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [We wanted to incorporate lights and the like to really accentuate the music. We play mostly small venues, so we don't use it overboard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zacky-vengeance/we-wanted-to-incorporate-lights-and-the-like-to-really-accentuate-the/) [Zacky Vengeance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zacky-vengeance/) > [Well, just that there would be somebody in the office and the voters - it was more or less an understanding in the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/well-just-that-there-would-be-somebody-in-the-office-and-the-voters/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [“A long time ago I realized that, as psychiatrists, we had to have a healthy respect for our own humanness, and our own smallness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-schiller/a-long-time-ago-i-realized-that-as-psychiatrists-we-had-to-have-a/) [Lori Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-schiller/) > [When I'm away from basketball, I'm the biggest kid. I do a good job of keeping myself sane. But on the other hand, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-duncan/when-i-m-away-from-basketball-i-m-the-biggest-kid-i-do-a-good-job-of/) [Tim Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-duncan/) > [I think it's really important to talk education, to talk infrastructure, to talk good jobs and the future of work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-garcetti/i-think-it-s-really-important-to-talk-education-to-talk/) [Eric Garcetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-garcetti/) > [Go to a playground: Little girls get called 'bossy' all the time, a word that's almost never used for boys. And that leads directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/go-to-a-playground-little-girls-get-called-bossy-all-the-time-a-word/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [If you really think everything in your life, everything that you benefit from comes from socially aware, like-minded, good-hearted people, then you're out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-che/if-you-really-think-everything-in-your-life-everything-that-you/) [Michael Che](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-che/) > [People say to me all the time, "Oh, you do such a good job unifying the House Democrats." I say, "I don't. 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