--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This was the geography around which my…" description: "\"“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 th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/bret-easton-ellis-1028_better-place_this-was-the-geography-around-which-my-r_1445058.jpg" --- # This was the geography around which my reality revolved… ![“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…” quote by Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/bret-easton-ellis-1028_better-place_this-was-the-geography-around-which-my-r_1445058.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/bret-easton-ellis-1028_better-place_this-was-the-geography-around-which-my-r_1445058.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/bret-easton-ellis-1028_better-place_this-was-the-geography-around-which-my-r_1445058.jpg) > ““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 …”” [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-place/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Depersonalization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depersonalization/) [Disbelief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disbelief/) [Generosity of spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity-of-spirit/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Satire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satire/) ## Related quotes > [“Nothing was affirmative, the term "generosity of spirit" applied to nothing, was a cliché, was some kind of bad joke. Sex is mathematics. Individuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/nothing-was-affirmative-the-term-generosity-of-spirit-applied-to/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“Where there was nature and earth, life and water, I saw a desert landscape that was unending, resembling some sort of crater, so devoid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/where-there-was-nature-and-earth-life-and-water-i-saw-a-desert/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“Sex is mathematics. Individuality no longer an issue. What does intelligence signify? Define reason. Desire -- meaningless. Intellect is not a cure. Justice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/sex-is-mathematics-individuality-no-longer-an-issue-what-does-2/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“Reflection is useless, the world is senseless. Evil is its only permanence. God is not alive. Love cannot be trusted. Surface, surface, surface was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/reflection-is-useless-the-world-is-senseless-evil-is-its-only/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [Sex is mathematics. Individuality no longer an issue. What does intelligence signify? Define reason. Desire - meaningless. Intellect is not a cure. 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What is to be insisted upon is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot-2/shakespeare-acquired-more-essential-history-from-plutarch-than-most/) [T.S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot-2/) ## More by Bret Easton Ellis > [“he looked at me with such vehemence that I felt like a blip, a fart, in the course of his life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/he-looked-at-me-with-such-vehemence-that-i-felt-like-a-blip-a-fart-in/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“This isn't a script," Julian says. "It's not going to add up. 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But isn't that what people do?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/why-was-i-holding-on-to-something-that-would-never-be-mine-but-isn-t/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [The seeds of love have taken hold and if we won't burn together, I'll burn alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/the-seeds-of-love-have-taken-hold-and-if-we-won-t-burn-together-i-ll/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“It wasn't until the show was almost over that I figured out what it was: the crack above my David Onica that I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/it-wasn-t-until-the-show-was-almost-over-that-i-figured-out-what-it/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [What do you do?' she asks, holding out the vest. 'What do you do?' 'What do you do?' she asks, her voice shaking. 'Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/what-do-you-do-she-asks-holding-out-the-vest-what-do-you-do-what-do/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“Sometimes when you’re standing in a crowd I feel those sultry dark eyes of yours stop on me. 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I suddenly realized how alone I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-kept-staring-into-the-blackness-of-the-woods-drawn-into-the/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) [Explore all 286 Bret Easton Ellis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) ## More Better place quotes > [Angela Merkel has been focused on the right things. She has focused on the interests of her citizens - and not just in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/angela-merkel-has-been-focused-on-the-right-things-she-has-focused-on/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [Business school graduates from the best schools earn large salaries and frequently rise to positions of great power. 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When I was at home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/rosalind-well-this-is-the-forest-of-arden-touchstone-ay-now-am-i-in/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“The gifts and the lessons my father left me will last forever: Never take yourself too seriously, never miss a chance to laugh long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-serling/the-gifts-and-the-lessons-my-father-left-me-will-last-forever-never/) Anne Serling > [It is our job to make a difference and leave the world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karol-g/it-is-our-job-to-make-a-difference-and-leave-the-world-a-better-place/) [Karol G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karol-g/) > [“The world is indeed a better place when there is love, friendship, acceptance and hope. 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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. 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