--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anything is depressing if you dwell on…" description: "\"Anything is depressing if you dwell on it. The fact that religion could end the world? Yeah, I guess that could be considered depressing. But consideri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/090/bill-maher-211_balance_anything-is-depressing-if-you-dwell-on-i_1884005.png" --- # Anything is depressing if you dwell on it. The fact that… ![“Anything is depressing if you dwell on it. The fact that religion could end the world? Yeah, I guess that could be considered depressing. But considering that there's also a lot to laugh at, I think it's a good balance.” quote by Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/090/bill-maher-211_balance_anything-is-depressing-if-you-dwell-on-i_1884005.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/090/bill-maher-211_balance_anything-is-depressing-if-you-dwell-on-i_1884005.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/090/bill-maher-211_balance_anything-is-depressing-if-you-dwell-on-i_1884005.png) > “Anything is depressing if you dwell on it. The fact that religion could end the world? Yeah, I guess that could be considered depressing. But considering that there's also a lot to laugh at, I think it's a good balance.” [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing that focusing on negative possibilities can be bleak, but balancing it with humor provides perspective and resilience. **In simple terms:** Balancing gloom with humor helps cope. Key Takeaway Find humor to offset gloom. Themes balance humor perspective resilience faith Mood thoughtful balanced witty Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - debate - media commentary - stress management - finding joy Key Concepts existential risk psychology optimism Questions to Reflect On - How can humor be used without dismissing real threats? - What role does faith play in coping with existential dread? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay serious concerns, leading to complacency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I think Australians are rightly suspicious of people who will try and use religion for another end. I don't think that's right and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-costello/i-think-australians-are-rightly-suspicious-of-people-who-will-try-and/) [Peter Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-costello/) > [“Religion became an end, rather than a means, a substitute for God. Until alcoholism intervened and forced the issue: God, or religion? – p. 125”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-a/religion-became-an-end-rather-than-a-means-a-substitute-for-god-until/) [Ray A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-a/) > [When the masses become better informed about science, they will feel less need for help form supernatural Higher Powers. The need for religion will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/when-the-masses-become-better-informed-about-science-they-will-feel/) [Francesc Ferrer i Guardia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesc-ferrer-i-guardia/) > [Religion is not an end in itself. One's union with God is the ultimate goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/religion-is-not-an-end-in-itself-one-s-union-with-god-is-the-ultimate-2/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [Organized religions in general, in my opinion, are dying forms. They were all very important when we didn't know why the sun moved, why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-willis/organized-religions-in-general-in-my-opinion-are-dying-forms-they/) [Bruce Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-willis/) > [Religion is not an end in itself. One's union with God is the ultimate goal. There are so many religions because immature people tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/religion-is-not-an-end-in-itself-one-s-union-with-god-is-the-ultimate/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [“Never mix business with religion, or you might end up losing your testimony when the business agreement is no longer something you or Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/never-mix-business-with-religion-or-you-might-end-up-losing-your/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [I'm a hardened atheist but I feel that we have an inbuilt need for God. If you eradicate religion, you end up with something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-trigell/i-m-a-hardened-atheist-but-i-feel-that-we-have-an-inbuilt-need-for/) [Jonathan Trigell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-trigell/) > [Mitt Romney was attacking Obama about our failing education system. He has a point. We are graduating millions of people in this country who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/mitt-romney-was-attacking-obama-about-our-failing-education-system-he/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [There is no reason not to consider the world as one gigantic painting,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/there-is-no-reason-not-to-consider-the-world-as-one-gigantic-painting/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [“Have you ever considered the idea that some of our life experiences should be looked upon as stepping stones, needed in order to cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-turano/have-you-ever-considered-the-idea-that-some-of-our-life-experiences/) [Jen Turano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-turano/) > [One of the most destructive mistakes we Christians make is to prioritize shared beliefs over shared relationship, which is deeply ironic considering we worship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/one-of-the-most-destructive-mistakes-we-christians-make-is-to/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [“... she took her husband's jokes and joviality as patiently as everything else, considering that "men would be so", and viewing the stronger sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/she-took-her-husband-s-jokes-and-joviality-as-patiently-as-everything/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) ## More by Bill Maher > [A lot of people say they are dyslexic; some have to realize that they are just stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/a-lot-of-people-say-they-are-dyslexic-some-have-to-realize-that-they/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Curious people are intersting people, I wonder why that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/curious-people-are-intersting-people-i-wonder-why-that-is/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [You see, the difference is the Republicans' hatred of Obama is based on a paranoid feeling about what he might do, what he's thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/you-see-the-difference-is-the-republicans-hatred-of-obama-is-based-on/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [The food is out of this world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-food-is-out-of-this-world/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [New Rule: There is no devil, so stop blaming your screw-ups on him. Last week, one of the biggest evangelical leaders in America, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-there-is-no-devil-so-stop-blaming-your-screw-ups-on-him-last/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [If we were a dog and God owned us, the cops would come and take us away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-we-were-a-dog-and-god-owned-us-the-cops-would-come-and-take-us-away/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“New Rule: The White House doesn't have to release the dead Bin Laden photos, but don't pretend we can't take it. We've seen pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-the-white-house-doesn-t-have-to-release-the-dead-bin-laden/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I think religion is bad and drugs are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-think-religion-is-bad-and-drugs-are-good/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I don't hate America. I love America. I want it to be better. The only way we can get it to be better is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-don-t-hate-america-i-love-america-i-want-it-to-be-better-the-only/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“New Rule: Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That's right, the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-americans-must-realize-what-makes-nfl-football-so-great/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [So many kids are fat drug addicts these days, it's almost as if Rush Limbaugh had puppies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/so-many-kids-are-fat-drug-addicts-these-days-it-s-almost-as-if-rush/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [What we don't know is about Jeb Bush and cocaine. But we do know that he did once had his brother Florida on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-we-don-t-know-is-about-jeb-bush-and-cocaine-but-we-do-know-that/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“I find that the world is changing much, much faster than I can even bitch about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-find-that-the-world-is-changing-much-much-faster-than-i-can-even/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) [Explore all 897 Bill Maher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## More Balance quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [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/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/life-s-unfairness-is-not-irrevocable-we-can-help-balance-the-scales/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“We don't need to strive towards balance, we rather need to work on the obstacles that are preventing the natural flow of balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-alebraheem/we-don-t-need-to-strive-towards-balance-we-rather-need-to-work-on-the/) [A.A. Alebraheem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-alebraheem/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/) [John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/) > [Once you've gotten your money in balance, you know how much you have to spend on things that are just fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/once-you-ve-gotten-your-money-in-balance-you-know-how-much-you-have/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I never understood how much running changes your life. I'm now obsessed. When not trying to beat my personal best, I'm talking to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/i-never-understood-how-much-running-changes-your-life-i-m-now/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [Whatever needed to be done, I need to know how to do it just as well as my wife. You know, for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/whatever-needed-to-be-done-i-need-to-know-how-to-do-it-just-as-well/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [I don't think my parents would have let me go straight into acting full time when I was 12. I do like to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-don-t-think-my-parents-would-have-let-me-go-straight-into-acting/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [When it comes down to music, I have no balance. I am 100 percent. It is like full throttle. Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) [Browse all 5,166 Balance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Anything is depressing if you dwell on it. The fact that religion could end the world? Yeah, I guess that could be considered depressing. But considering that there's also a lot to laugh at, I think it's a good balance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Maher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/anything-is-depressing-if-you-dwell-on-it-the-fact-that-religion/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/anything-is-depressing-if-you-dwell-on-it-the-fact-that-religion/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/090/bill-maher-211_balance_anything-is-depressing-if-you-dwell-on-i_1884005.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/090/bill-maher-211_balance_anything-is-depressing-if-you-dwell-on-i_1884005.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/090/bill-maher-211_balance_anything-is-depressing-if-you-dwell-on-i_1884005.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Anything is depressing if you dwell on it. The fact that religion could end the world? Yeah, I guess that…” — Bill Maher", "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": "Bill Maher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Anything is depressing if you dwell...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/anything-is-depressing-if-you-dwell-on-it-the-fact-that-religion/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/anything-is-depressing-if-you-dwell-on-it-the-fact-that-religion/#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 } } ] } ```