Better place Quote by Bret Easton Ellis
““This was the geography around which my reality revolved: it did not occur to me, ever, that people were good or that a man was capable of change or that the world could be a better place through one’s taking pleasure in a feeling or a look or a gesture, of receiving another person’s love or kindness. Nothing was affirmative, the term “generosity of spirit” applied to nothing, was a cliche, was some kind of bad joke. Sex is mathematics. Individuality no longer an issue. What does intelligence signify? Define reason. Desire—meaningless. Intellect is not a cure. Justice is dead. Fear, recrimination, innocence, sympathy, guilt, waste, failure, grief, were things, emotions, that no one really felt anymore. Reflection is useless, the world is senseless. Evil is its only permanence. God is not alive. Love cannot be trusted. Surface, surface, surface was all that anyone found meaning in … this was civilization as I saw it, colossal and jagged …””
About This Quote
Source Novel: American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis, 1991
A bleak view that modern civilization is hollow, lacking genuine kindness, meaning, or hope, reducing life to superficiality and nihilism.
In simple terms: Modern life feels empty, lacking true goodness or purpose.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and seek authentic connection despite cynicism.
Themes
nihilism
alienation
materialism
existential dread
cynicism
Mood
despair
detached
critical
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- urban life
- personal relationships
- mental health
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
philosophy
psychology
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What small acts of kindness can counteract this emptiness?
- How might one find purpose in a seemingly indifferent world?
A Different Perspective
Human connection can restore meaning beyond surface appearances.
