--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We cry for ourselves, don't we? Not for…" description: "\"“We cry for ourselves, don't we? Not for the dead. The dead are past caring.”\" — Clive Barker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8be/clive-barker-773_caring_we-cry-for-ourselves-don-t-we-not-for-th_2725522.png" --- # We cry for ourselves, don't we? Not for the dead. The dead… ![“We cry for ourselves, don't we? Not for the dead. The dead are past caring.” quote by Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8be/clive-barker-773_caring_we-cry-for-ourselves-don-t-we-not-for-th_2725522.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8be/clive-barker-773_caring_we-cry-for-ourselves-don-t-we-not-for-th_2725522.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8be/clive-barker-773_caring_we-cry-for-ourselves-don-t-we-not-for-th_2725522.png) > ““We cry for ourselves, don't we? Not for the dead. The dead are past caring.”” [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People mourn for themselves rather than the dead, indicating self‑centered grief. **In simple terms:** Grief often focuses on self. Key Takeaway Reflect on empathy beyond personal loss. Themes mortality empathy psychology literature Mood somber thoughtful Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal loss - community mourning - creative writing Key Concepts self‑absorption existential reflection Questions to Reflect On - How can we shift grief toward honoring others? - What practices foster broader compassion? A Different Perspective Self‑focused grief can hinder collective healing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Caring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caring/) [Dead Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-dead/) [Dead Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-past-815028/) [Death and dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-and-dying/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past Caring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-caring-2914719/) ## Related quotes > [“The dead are past our help though it's hard sometimes to live without them. They take a piece of us with them when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-nordhause/the-dead-are-past-our-help-though-it-s-hard-sometimes-to-live-without/) [Hannah Nordhause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-nordhause/) > [The dead and past stories that I have told again in divers fashions, are not set down without authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-de-france/the-dead-and-past-stories-that-i-have-told-again-in-divers-fashions/) [Marie de France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-de-france/) > [“The dead are the past and we cannot escape the past. Without the past there will be no future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-gott/the-dead-are-the-past-and-we-cannot-escape-the-past-without-the-past/) [M.R. Gott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-gott/) > [The past is not dead. Indeed, it is often not even past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/the-past-is-not-dead-indeed-it-is-often-not-even-past/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [If you can't write the next line, well, you're dead. The past doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/if-you-can-t-write-the-next-line-well-you-re-dead-the-past-doesn-t/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Memory, the priestess, kills the present and offers its heart to the shrine of the dead past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/memory-the-priestess-kills-the-present-and-offers-its-heart-to-the/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The past has to be seen to be dead; or the past will kill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/the-past-has-to-be-seen-to-be-dead-or-the-past-will-kill/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [“The past is never dead. It’s not even past. —William Faulkner”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-tyler/the-past-is-never-dead-it-s-not-even-past-william-faulkner/) [Stephanie Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-tyler/) > [Let no-one say the past is dead, the past is all about us and within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oodgeroo-noonuccal/let-no-one-say-the-past-is-dead-the-past-is-all-about-us-and-within/) [Oodgeroo Noonuccal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oodgeroo-noonuccal/) > [Let the dead Past bury its dead!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/let-the-dead-past-bury-its-dead/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [The past is never dead. It's not even past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/the-past-is-never-dead-it-s-not-even-past/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [Something was dead in each of us, and what was dead was hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/something-was-dead-in-each-of-us-and-what-was-dead-was-hope/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I prefer my history dead. Dead history is writ in ink, the living sort in blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-prefer-my-history-dead-dead-history-is-writ-in-ink-the-living-sort/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The dead are dead, and talking won't bring them back to life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otfried-preu-ler/the-dead-are-dead-and-talking-won-t-bring-them-back-to-life/) [Otfried Preußler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otfried-preu-ler/) > [“All the deaths are dead for nothing but you're not dead at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/all-the-deaths-are-dead-for-nothing-but-you-re-not-dead-at-all/) [daniel handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) ## More by Clive Barker > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Those old hypocrites. They talk about killing witches but the Good Book’s full of magic. Turning the Nile to blood and parting the Red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/those-old-hypocrites-they-talk-about-killing-witches-but-the-good/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I dreamt a limitless book, A book unbound, Its leaves scattered in fantastic abundance On every line there was a new horizon drawn, New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-dreamt-a-limitless-book-a-book-unbound-its-leaves-scattered-in/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Only when they have outrun the all-too-eager shadows of the Canyon and they are back in the glare of the billboards on Sunset Boulevard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/only-when-they-have-outrun-the-all-too-eager-shadows-of-the-canyon/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I firmly believe that a story is only as good as the villain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-firmly-believe-that-a-story-is-only-as-good-as-the-villain/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Let us not neglect the forbidden. Let us not sophisticate ourselves out of the cheap thrill and chill of it: the story told for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/let-us-not-neglect-the-forbidden-let-us-not-sophisticate-ourselves/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [You can plan to be brave - it's even better if you just try to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/you-can-plan-to-be-brave-it-s-even-better-if-you-just-try-to-be-brave/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Pleasure is a reward, given to the human system by evolution in return for services rendered to the preservation and increase of the species.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/pleasure-is-a-reward-given-to-the-human-system-by-evolution-in-return/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I love meeting people who've read my books. The prime reason to be on the planet is to make things I can show to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-love-meeting-people-who-ve-read-my-books-the-prime-reason-to-be-on/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Nothing happens carelessly. We’re not brought into the world without reason, even though we may never understand the reason. An infant that lives an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/nothing-happens-carelessly-we-re-not-brought-into-the-world-without/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Despite his intent, tears sprang to his eyes, and he went into her embrace, both of them sobbing freely, like enemies joined by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/despite-his-intent-tears-sprang-to-his-eyes-and-he-went-into-her/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Always, worlds within worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/always-worlds-within-worlds/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“I'm an inclusionist. I've always divided up (very, very broadly, I admit) the artistic instincts into the inclusionist and the exclusionist. The exclusionist is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-m-an-inclusionist-i-ve-always-divided-up-very-very-broadly-i-admit/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I think I'm less and less labelled a 'horror writer'. The books tend not to go on horror shelves any more, and when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-think-i-m-less-and-less-labelled-a-horror-writer-the-books-tend-not/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Horror shows us that the control we believe we have is purely illusory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/horror-shows-us-that-the-control-we-believe-we-have-is-purely-illusory/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) [Explore all 365 Clive Barker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) ## More Caring quotes > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [There is nothing about myself that I wouldn't reveal or write about. I don't care how horrendous or ridiculous I may appear in person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/there-is-nothing-about-myself-that-i-wouldn-t-reveal-or-write-about-i/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [A happy family needs a loving and caring father, and he who knows how to be a mother sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-happy-family-needs-a-loving-and-caring-father-and-he-who-knows-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [Just remember that when nobody was there for you, I was. And when nobody else gave a damn, I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-remember-that-when-nobody-was-there-for-you-i-was-and-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Without a vision there is no possibility of creating something larger than what al-ready exists. An entrepreneur has to be able to bring something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/without-a-vision-there-is-no-possibility-of-creating-something-larger/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Hmmm! life zz about caring the life that u have as the rest of the things are of secondary value tc n ks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sardar-hyder-abbas/hmmm-life-zz-about-caring-the-life-that-u-have-as-the-rest-of-the/) [Sardar Hyder Abbas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sardar-hyder-abbas/) > [You can't make someone love you, all you can do is be someone who can be loved ,the rest is up to the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-make-someone-love-you-all-you-can-do-is-be-someone-who-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [When you're 20 you care what everyone thinks, when you're 40 you stop caring what everyone thinks, when you're 60 you realize no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/when-you-re-20-you-care-what-everyone-thinks-when-you-re-40-you-stop/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“English: "Being an adult doesn't mean killing the child we once were; it means being able to protect him." Česky: „Být dospělým neznamená zabít…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebasti-n-wortys/english-being-an-adult-doesn-t-mean-killing-the-child-we-once-were-it/) [Sebastián Wortys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebasti-n-wortys/) > [“As you travel along the roads in life, there is a certain kind of peace that comes with knowing you're on the right path.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaka-nkosazana/as-you-travel-along-the-roads-in-life-there-is-a-certain-kind-of/) [Amaka Nkosazana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaka-nkosazana/) > [“I am sick with caring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-am-sick-with-caring/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) [Browse all 2,651 Caring quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caring/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We cry for ourselves, don't we? Not for the dead. 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