--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are terrible disasters and…" description: "\"There are terrible disasters and tragedies and miseries all over the place, in places like Africa with the atrocities in Darfur, India until recently, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/colin-dexter-22150_atrocities_there-are-terrible-disasters-and-tragedi_2786806.jpg" --- # There are terrible disasters and tragedies and miseries… ![“There are terrible disasters and tragedies and miseries all over the place, in places like Africa with the atrocities in Darfur, India until recently, and China. So many of them have been brought to our notice by television that we've almost become inured to cruelty and disasters and hopelessness…” quote by Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/colin-dexter-22150_atrocities_there-are-terrible-disasters-and-tragedi_2786806.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/colin-dexter-22150_atrocities_there-are-terrible-disasters-and-tragedi_2786806.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/colin-dexter-22150_atrocities_there-are-terrible-disasters-and-tragedi_2786806.jpg) > “There are terrible disasters and tragedies and miseries all over the place, in places like Africa with the atrocities in Darfur, India until recently, and China. So many of them have been brought to our notice by television that we've almost become inured to cruelty and disasters and hopelessness in the world. We don't seem to have made an awfully good job of running things as a sort of planetary cabinet.” [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Media exposure to global tragedies desensitizes us, hindering effective collective action and responsibility. **In simple terms:** Media can numb empathy. Key Takeaway Stay engaged, act responsibly. Themes media influence desensitization global responsibility Mood concerned urgent Type analytical activist When to use this quote - news consumption - policy making - humanitarian work Key Concepts psychology of compassion social activism Questions to Reflect On - How can we maintain empathy? - What actions counteract desensitization? A Different Perspective May overgeneralize media effect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atrocities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atrocities/) [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) [Darfur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darfur/) [Disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disaster/) [Disasters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disasters/) [Hopelessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopelessness/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [There are something like 300 anti-genocide chapters on college campuses around the country. It's bigger than the anti-apartheid movement. There are something like 500…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/there-are-something-like-300-anti-genocide-chapters-on-college/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [The Coalition for International Justice estimated that 450,000 people in Darfur have died since the deadly genocide began some three years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-meek/the-coalition-for-international-justice-estimated-that-450-000-people/) [Kendrick Meek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-meek/) > [Despite the increase in world attention toward Sudan in the past months, the genocide in Darfur has continued without any serious attempt by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/despite-the-increase-in-world-attention-toward-sudan-in-the-past/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [Rebels in Darfur have learned the value of mobilizing western human rights groups to prolong wars, and this lesson is working gloriously for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/rebels-in-darfur-have-learned-the-value-of-mobilizing-western-human/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [...in the eyes of her oldest friends and colleagues and extended family, she wasn't a painfully thin seventy-five-year-old gray haired woman dying of cancer-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-schwalbe/in-the-eyes-of-her-oldest-friends-and-colleagues-and-extended-family/) [Will Schwalbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-schwalbe/) > [Right. So you go into Darfur and you go into South Africa, you get rid of the white government there. You put sanctions on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/right-so-you-go-into-darfur-and-you-go-into-south-africa-you-get-rid/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“And there’s one other matter I must raise. The epidemic of domestic sexual violence that lacerates the soul of South Africa is mirrored in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-lewis/and-there-s-one-other-matter-i-must-raise-the-epidemic-of-domestic/) [Stephen Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-lewis/) > [The news media's silence, particularly television news, is reprehensible. If we knew as much about Darfur as we do about Michael Jackson, we might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/the-news-media-s-silence-particularly-television-news-is/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [ The report \[by a UN commission on Darfur\] demonstrates beyond all doubt that the last two years have been little short of hell on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/the-report-by-a-un-commission-on-darfur-demonstrates-beyond-all-doubt/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [No question that the spotlight on Darfur has, for all intents and purposes, disappeared. And that's deeply problematic, because it hasn't disappeared because Darfur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hamilton/no-question-that-the-spotlight-on-darfur-has-for-all-intents-and/) [Rebecca Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hamilton/) > [One's own self-worth is tied to the worth of the community to which one belongs, which is intimately connected to humanity in general. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/one-s-own-self-worth-is-tied-to-the-worth-of-the-community-to-which/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [When you are dealing with a mass movement, as opposed to a quote-unquote "elite," you are talking to people who don't have time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hamilton/when-you-are-dealing-with-a-mass-movement-as-opposed-to-a-quote/) [Rebecca Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hamilton/) > [In issues of recent ethnic wars and genocides - particularly if you look at Darfur - one of the most remarkable things is our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-daldry/in-issues-of-recent-ethnic-wars-and-genocides-particularly-if-you/) [Stephen Daldry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-daldry/) > [Virtually all of Darfur's six million residents are Muslim, and, because of decades of intermarriage, almost everyone has dark skin and African features.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/virtually-all-of-darfur-s-six-million-residents-are-muslim-and/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [Almost 30 years before Rwanda, before Darfur, more than 2 million people – mothers, children, babies, civilians – lost their lives as a result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/almost-30-years-before-rwanda-before-darfur-more-than-2-million/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) ## More by Colin Dexter > [“He'd no time for reports. He suspected that about 95% of the written word was never read by anyone anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/he-d-no-time-for-reports-he-suspected-that-about-95-of-the-written/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“Morse poured himself a can of beer. "Champagne's a lovely drink, but it makes you thirsty, doesn't it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/morse-poured-himself-a-can-of-beer-champagne-s-a-lovely-drink-but-it/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“Walters looked quizzically at Morse, who sat reading one of the glossy 'porno' magazines he had brought from upstairs. "You still sex-mad, I see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/walters-looked-quizzically-at-morse-who-sat-reading-one-of-the-glossy/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“He sighed and knew that life was full of ‘if only’ for everyone”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/he-sighed-and-knew-that-life-was-full-of-if-only-for-everyone/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [I think that you've got to be prepared to write a load of nonsense to start with and then you can tart it up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/i-think-that-you-ve-got-to-be-prepared-to-write-a-load-of-nonsense-to/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [We read so much about incompetence and corruption in all sorts of places. I'm not just thinking of the United Kingdom and the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/we-read-so-much-about-incompetence-and-corruption-in-all-sorts-of/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“It is strange to relate (for a man in his profession) that in addition to incurable acrophobia, arachnophobia, myophobia, and ornithophobia, Morse also suffered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/it-is-strange-to-relate-for-a-man-in-his-profession-that-in-addition/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“and Lewis felt excitement, and gratification. Somebody—some”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/and-lewis-felt-excitement-and-gratification-somebody-some/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [I've not much faith in the future of the planet and I'm not just thinking about Mr. Bush or global warming. I feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/i-ve-not-much-faith-in-the-future-of-the-planet-and-i-m-not-just/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“Nothing quite like it in the whole history of music," announced Morse magisterially, after Brünnhilde had ridden into the flames and the waves of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/nothing-quite-like-it-in-the-whole-history-of-music-announced-morse/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“As he lay abed on Sunday, 21 September, Morse was beset by the nagging feeling that there was so much to be done if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/as-he-lay-abed-on-sunday-21-september-morse-was-beset-by-the-nagging/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“you’ve never seen any evidence of drugs—any packets of drugs? Crack? Speed? Ecstasy? Anything? Anything at all?” Had she? “No,” she said. Almost truthfully.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/you-ve-never-seen-any-evidence-of-drugs-any-packets-of-drugs-crack/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“A man is little use when his wife’s a widow. Scottish proverb”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/a-man-is-little-use-when-his-wife-s-a-widow-scottish-proverb/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“was virtually certain of that. As the coach drew into St. Giles’, the sky was an open blue, and the sunlight gleamed on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/was-virtually-certain-of-that-as-the-coach-drew-into-st-giles-the-sky/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) > [“As he lay abed on Sunday, 21 September, Morse was beset by the nagging feeling that there was so much to be done if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-dexter/as-he-lay-abed-on-sunday-21-september-morse-was-beset-by-the-nagging-2/) [Colin Dexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) [Explore all 28 Colin Dexter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-dexter/) ## More Atrocities quotes > [A furious Peeta hammers Haymitch with the atrocity he could become party to, but I can feel Haymitch watching me. This is the moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/a-furious-peeta-hammers-haymitch-with-the-atrocity-he-could-become/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [As far as I know, the question of whether and how it could be strategically or morally justified was never the subject of open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-far-as-i-know-the-question-of-whether-and-how-it-could-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“I do not know where Viktor and Rudolf were taken. I cannot find the records. I never Elisabeth or Iggie. It is possible that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-de-waal/i-do-not-know-where-viktor-and-rudolf-were-taken-i-cannot-find-the/) [Edmund de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-de-waal/) > [I have become convinced, through my studies, that the only way to achieve a safe, just and viable world is to live by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-have-become-convinced-through-my-studies-that-the-only-way-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Yet only the atrocities of the conquered are referred to as criminal acts; those of the conqueror are justified as necessary, heroic, and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-fergus/yet-only-the-atrocities-of-the-conquered-are-referred-to-as-criminal/) [Jim Fergus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-fergus/) > [“I don't know how to stop the atrocities. I don't know how to make people care. But looking into my sister's eyes, we seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-shannon/i-don-t-know-how-to-stop-the-atrocities-i-don-t-know-how-to-make/) [Lisa Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-shannon/) > [War is horrible no matter what. There's going to be atrocities, there's going to be horrible things that happen in war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-hoffman/war-is-horrible-no-matter-what-there-s-going-to-be-atrocities-there-s/) Mike Hoffman > [Man is the only animal that deals in that atrocity of atrocities War. He is the only one that gathers his brethren about him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/man-is-the-only-animal-that-deals-in-that-atrocity-of-atrocities-war/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Well before September 11, it was understood that with modern technology, the rich and powerful will lose their near monopoly of the means of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/well-before-september-11-it-was-understood-that-with-modern/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Every Christian who studies history can only grieve over the atrocities that have been committed in the name of God by people who refuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berit-kjos/every-christian-who-studies-history-can-only-grieve-over-the/) Berit Kjos > [Fanatics can justify practically any atrocity to themselves. The more untenable their position becomes, the harder they hold to it, and the worse the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/fanatics-can-justify-practically-any-atrocity-to-themselves-the-more/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [We must never forget the atrocities of slavery as we continue to work towards equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-n-green/we-must-never-forget-the-atrocities-of-slavery-as-we-continue-to-work/) [Al N. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-n-green/) > [“The terrified men did not move. Then Nadia Fedin did something instinctive; she drew her Nagant revolver and fired three short bursts into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kge-konkel/the-terrified-men-did-not-move-then-nadia-fedin-did-something/) KGE Konkel > [Human beings can be redeemed. Empires cannot. Our refusal to face the truth about empire, our refusal to defy the multitudinous crimes and atrocities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/human-beings-can-be-redeemed-empires-cannot-our-refusal-to-face-the/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) [Browse all 335 Atrocities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atrocities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are terrible disasters and tragedies and miseries all over the place, in places like Africa with the atrocities in Darfur, India until recently, and China. So many of them have been brought to our notice by television that we've almost become inured to cruelty and disasters and hopelessness in the world. 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