--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is depressing and hopeless enough…" description: "\"“Life is depressing and hopeless enough, without imbibing further depression and hopelessness through story. I don’t care how realistic people like to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66f/brad-torgersen-139664_life_life-is-depressing-and-hopeless-enough-w_1526710.jpg" --- # Life is depressing and hopeless enough, without imbibing… ![“Life is depressing and hopeless enough, without imbibing further depression and hopelessness through story. I don’t care how realistic people like to think that is. It’s not what inspires me, or makes me love and cherish a book or a television show or a movie. When I am imbibing fiction, I want to…” quote by Brad Torgersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66f/brad-torgersen-139664_life_life-is-depressing-and-hopeless-enough-w_1526710.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66f/brad-torgersen-139664_life_life-is-depressing-and-hopeless-enough-w_1526710.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66f/brad-torgersen-139664_life_life-is-depressing-and-hopeless-enough-w_1526710.jpg) > ““Life is depressing and hopeless enough, without imbibing further depression and hopelessness through story. I don’t care how realistic people like to think that is. It’s not what inspires me, or makes me love and cherish a book or a television show or a movie. When I am imbibing fiction, I want to be inspired. I want bold tales, told boldly. I want genuine Good People who, while not perfect, are capable of rising beyond their ordinary beginnings. To make a positive difference in their world. Even when all hope or purpose might seem lost. Because this is what I think fiction—as originally told around the campfires, through verbal legend—ought to do, more than anything else: Illuminate the way, shine a spiritual beacon, tell us that there is a bright point in the darkness, a light to guide the way, when all other paths are cast in shadow.”” [Brad Torgersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-torgersen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues that fiction should inspire and illuminate hope, presenting bold, uplifting narratives that guide readers through darkness toward a brighter future. **In simple terms:** Fiction should inspire hope and guide readers toward light. Key Takeaway Seek or create uplifting, hopeful stories. Themes inspiration hope fiction storytelling guidance Mood hopeful motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - reading groups - media production Key Concepts literature psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What stories have inspired you most? - How can fiction balance realism and hope? A Different Perspective Overly idealistic stories may ignore real struggles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fiction Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-want-538063/) [Good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) [Hopelessness Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopelessness-story-5655281/) [Inspired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspired/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Science-fiction-writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction-writers-164670/) [Television show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television-show/) [Think Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-fiction/) [Want Inspired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-inspired-806462/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“The writer’s special talent is to empathize with people and imagine their lives. We know them as we write them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kenyon/the-writer-s-special-talent-is-to-empathize-with-people-and-imagine/) [Kay Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kenyon/) > [“...the next time you need a piece of apparently obscure information, try asking a science fiction writer. You might be surprised.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/the-next-time-you-need-a-piece-of-apparently-obscure-information-try/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“Even when I’m writing about shape shifters and magical lands, I’m looking into my own heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kenyon/even-when-i-m-writing-about-shape-shifters-and-magical-lands-i-m/) [Kay Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kenyon/) > [“A novel in progress doesn't have a clear, forward process. It’s messy, like a beloved, balky child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kenyon/a-novel-in-progress-doesn-t-have-a-clear-forward-process-it-s-messy/) [Kay Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kenyon/) > [“I love storytelling when the writing spins through me like photons on their way to lighting the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kenyon/i-love-storytelling-when-the-writing-spins-through-me-like-photons-on/) [Kay Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kenyon/) > [The test of any good fiction is that you should care something for the characters; the good to succeed, the bad to fail. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-test-of-any-good-fiction-is-that-you-should-care-something-for/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [If you want to make a documentary you should automatically go to the fiction, and if you want to nourish your fiction you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/if-you-want-to-make-a-documentary-you-should-automatically-go-to-the/) [Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/) > [I would never never read a work of fiction and want to know about the person's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/i-would-never-never-read-a-work-of-fiction-and-want-to-know-about-the/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [If it's commercial fiction that you want to write, it's story, story, story. You've got to get a story where if you tell it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/if-it-s-commercial-fiction-that-you-want-to-write-it-s-story-story/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [There are so many stories to tell in the worlds of science fiction, the worlds of fantasy and horror that to confine yourself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/there-are-so-many-stories-to-tell-in-the-worlds-of-science-fiction/) [Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/) > [“I don't want to write soft, easy fiction; I want to write fiction that challenges.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-a-mcbride/i-don-t-want-to-write-soft-easy-fiction-i-want-to-write-fiction-that/) [Brian A. McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-a-mcbride/) > [My writing, it's mostly fiction, but I want it to feel intimate and real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martine-syms/my-writing-it-s-mostly-fiction-but-i-want-it-to-feel-intimate-and-real/) [Martine Syms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martine-syms/) > [If critics of 'readable fiction' want literature to change the ways people dream, they need first to come down from the mountain and speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-joyce/if-critics-of-readable-fiction-want-literature-to-change-the-ways/) [Graham Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-joyce/) > [I come out of an academic background, and I'm aware that what I'm doing is simultaneously research and fiction. I want to meet both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/i-come-out-of-an-academic-background-and-i-m-aware-that-what-i-m/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [Read non-fiction. History, biology, entomology, mineralogy, paleontology. Get a bodyguard and do fieldwork. Find your inner fish. Don't publish too soon. Not before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-van-niekerk/read-non-fiction-history-biology-entomology-mineralogy-paleontology/) [Marlene van Niekerk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-van-niekerk/) ## More Good people quotes > [“Any discussion of money and success would be lacking if I did not state that money is neither good nor bad. In the hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/any-discussion-of-money-and-success-would-be-lacking-if-i-did-not/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [From what I have seen, I am driven to the conclusion that religion is only good for good people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/from-what-i-have-seen-i-am-driven-to-the-conclusion-that-religion-is/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Constantly look for the good in people and in situations. When you find it, tell the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/constantly-look-for-the-good-in-people-and-in-situations-when-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Life is all about experiences and being able to work with good people is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumika-chawla/life-is-all-about-experiences-and-being-able-to-work-with-good-people/) [Bhumika Chawla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumika-chawla/) > [Good people do not let others suffer needlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/good-people-do-not-let-others-suffer-needlessly/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Freedom and liberty lose out by default because good people are not vigilant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/freedom-and-liberty-lose-out-by-default-because-good-people-are-not/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [One of the things that I miss about Canada is that even the strangers, you have an immediate rapport, there's just an understanding that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/one-of-the-things-that-i-miss-about-canada-is-that-even-the-strangers/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [“...I'd be interested in any tips you have for somebody starting out.” “Uh-huh,” I said, looking out the window. I decided, as we drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-jenkins-reid/i-d-be-interested-in-any-tips-you-have-for-somebody-starting-out-uh/) [Taylor Jenkins Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-jenkins-reid/) > [I've had a lot of good people, lot of good mentors, coaches along the way to get me where I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sale/i-ve-had-a-lot-of-good-people-lot-of-good-mentors-coaches-along-the/) [Chris Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sale/) > [On the West Coast, things are more relaxed, maybe because people have more fun outdoors. In the East, where the weather is not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-parish/on-the-west-coast-things-are-more-relaxed-maybe-because-people-have/) [Robert Parish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-parish/) > [I want to spend my time with people who don't look to be respected. But such good people won't want to spend their time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/i-want-to-spend-my-time-with-people-who-don-t-look-to-be-respected/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) [Browse all 2,064 Good people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Life is depressing and hopeless enough, without imbibing further depression and hopelessness through story. I don’t care how realistic people like to think that is. It’s not what inspires me, or makes me love and cherish a book or a television show or a movie. When I am imbibing fiction, I want to be inspired. I want bold tales, told boldly. I want genuine Good People who, while not perfect, are capable of rising beyond their ordinary beginnings. To make a positive difference in their world. Even when all hope or purpose might seem lost. 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