--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because a lot of the time ever when I say…" description: "\"“Because a lot of the time ever when I say anything about how the world is goin to hell in a handbasket people will just sort of smile and tell me I'm ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/cormac-mccarthy-181_time_because-a-lot-of-the-time-ever-when-i-sa_1951740.jpg" --- # Because a lot of the time ever when I say anything about… ![“Because a lot of the time ever when I say anything about how the world is goin to hell in a handbasket people will just sort of smile and tell me I'm gettin old.” quote by Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/cormac-mccarthy-181_time_because-a-lot-of-the-time-ever-when-i-sa_1951740.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/cormac-mccarthy-181_time_because-a-lot-of-the-time-ever-when-i-sa_1951740.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/cormac-mccarthy-181_time_because-a-lot-of-the-time-ever-when-i-sa_1951740.jpg) > ““Because a lot of the time ever when I say anything about how the world is goin to hell in a handbasket people will just sort of smile and tell me I'm gettin old.”” [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels that pessimism about the world is often dismissed as old‑age grumbling. **In simple terms:** People ignore bleak views as just aging complaints. Key Takeaway Listen to concerns regardless of age. Themes age pessimism societal critique Mood reflective skeptical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - political debate - media commentary - personal reflection Key Concepts generational perspective cynicism communication Questions to Reflect On - Why do we dismiss older voices? - How can we address legitimate concerns? A Different Perspective Not all pessimism is unfounded. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Handbasket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handbasket-525194/) [Handbasket People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handbasket-people-3172060/) [Hell Handbasket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell-handbasket-1522648/) [Smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile/) [Smile Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile-tell-408004/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“If were all going to hell in a handbasket, we might as well make it a party on the way down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-st-james/if-were-all-going-to-hell-in-a-handbasket-we-might-as-well-make-it-a/) [James St. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-st-james/) > ['Hell in a Handbasket' is not dealing with the political nature of the country. It's dealing with the humanity and the compassion of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meat-loaf/hell-in-a-handbasket-is-not-dealing-with-the-political-nature-of-the/) [Meat Loaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meat-loaf/) > [“Everyone wants to know why customer service has gone to hell in a handbasket. I want to know why customer behavior has gone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/everyone-wants-to-know-why-customer-service-has-gone-to-hell-in-a/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I'm not a schmuck. Even if the world goes to hell in a handbasket, I won't lose a penny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-not-a-schmuck-even-if-the-world-goes-to-hell-in-a-handbasket-i/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Where am I going and why am I in this handbasket? ~Bumper sticker~](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/where-am-i-going-and-why-am-i-in-this-handbasket-bumper-sticker/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [“It’s Helena Handbasket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-klune/it-s-helena-handbasket/) [T.J. Klune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-klune/) > [If we're all going to hell in a handbasket, we might as well make it a party on the way down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-st-james/if-we-re-all-going-to-hell-in-a-handbasket-we-might-as-well-make-it-a/) [James St. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-st-james/) > [The first principle of freedom is the right to go to hell in your own handbasket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-first-principle-of-freedom-is-the-right-to-go-to-hell-in-your-own/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And if the world went to hell in a handbasket-as it seemed to be doing-you could say good-bye to everyone and retreat to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/and-if-the-world-went-to-hell-in-a-handbasket-as-it-seemed-to-be/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [You cant tell if someone is happy,everyone can put on a fake smile.You could tell by their skin,sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazzy/you-cant-tell-if-someone-is-happy-everyone-can-put-on-a-fake-smile/) [Jazzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazzy/) > [I put on my fake smile and tell everyone that everything is okay. but when I'm alone I cry my eyes our and tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-put-on-my-fake-smile-and-tell-everyone-that-everything-is-okay-but/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“You look good." "You look like shit." "That's how I feel." "Good. What do you want?" He gave her a faint smile. "To tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-mallery/you-look-good-you-look-like-shit-that-s-how-i-feel-good-what-do-you/) [Susan Mallery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-mallery/) > [People always ask me why I smile, I always tell them because I love my life and I love the fact that I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-melendez/people-always-ask-me-why-i-smile-i-always-tell-them-because-i-love-my/) [James Melendez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-melendez/) > [I've told several writers this, and, again, I get back to it, but if you want to make God smile, tell him your plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-scully/i-ve-told-several-writers-this-and-again-i-get-back-to-it-but-if-you/) [Vin Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-scully/) > [“You don't smile enough, Coop. I smile, I tell her defensively. She puts a hand on my shoulder and squares off with me. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-richardson/you-don-t-smile-enough-coop-i-smile-i-tell-her-defensively-she-puts-a/) [J.R. Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-richardson/) ## More by Cormac McCarthy > [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. The smell of coalsmoke in the air at night. Old times, dead years. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-cooler-days-have-brought-a-wistful-mood-upon-him-the-smell-of/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“The events of the world can have no separate life from the world. And yet the world itself can have no temporal view of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-events-of-the-world-can-have-no-separate-life-from-the-world-and/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“I had two dreams about him after he died. I dont remember the first one all that well but it was about meetin him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/i-had-two-dreams-about-him-after-he-died-i-dont-remember-the-first/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“You think people was meaner then than they are now? the deputy said. The old man was looking out at the flooded town. No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/you-think-people-was-meaner-then-than-they-are-now-the-deputy-said/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“They set forth in a crimson dawn where sky and earth closed in a razorous plane. Out there dark little archipelagos of cloud and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/they-set-forth-in-a-crimson-dawn-where-sky-and-earth-closed-in-a/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“Nothing. Where all was burnt to ash before them no fires were to be had and the nights were long and dark and cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/nothing-where-all-was-burnt-to-ash-before-them-no-fires-were-to-be/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [He said that whether a man's life was writ in a book someplace or whether it took its form day by day was one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/he-said-that-whether-a-man-s-life-was-writ-in-a-book-someplace-or/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“He lives in a room above a courtyard behind a tavern and he comes down at night like some fairybook beast to fight with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/he-lives-in-a-room-above-a-courtyard-behind-a-tavern-and-he-comes/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“Ultimo hombre. Last man standing, must've been one. Where'd he go?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/ultimo-hombre-last-man-standing-must-ve-been-one-where-d-he-go/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“To seek out the upright. No fall but preceded by a declination. He took great marching steps into the nothingness, counting them against his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/to-seek-out-the-upright-no-fall-but-preceded-by-a-declination-he-took/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“They went through the last of the cars and then walked up the track to the locomotive and climbed up to the catwalk. Rust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/they-went-through-the-last-of-the-cars-and-then-walked-up-the-track/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“Night fell upon them dark and starblown and the wagon grew swollen near mute with dew. On their chairs in such black immobility these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/night-fell-upon-them-dark-and-starblown-and-the-wagon-grew-swollen/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“When I was in school I studied biology. I learned that in making their experiments scientists will take some group - bacteria, mice, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/when-i-was-in-school-i-studied-biology-i-learned-that-in-making-their/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [ “We none of us knew him to speak \[Dutch\]. Asked him where he'd learned it you know what he said? What did he say.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/we-none-of-us-knew-him-to-speak-dutch-asked-him-where-he-d-learned-it/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“You know that the things you put it your head stay there, right?' 'Yeah. But you remember some things, don't you?' 'Yeah. You remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/you-know-that-the-things-you-put-it-your-head-stay-there-right-yeah/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) [Explore all 927 Cormac McCarthy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) ## More Smile quotes > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People often take me wrong I didn't feel bad I just smile beause onely god knows what is in person heart :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/musfirah/people-often-take-me-wrong-i-didn-t-feel-bad-i-just-smile-beause/) [Musfirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/musfirah/) > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I love the way you smile at me... knocks me on my arse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/i-love-the-way-you-smile-at-me-knocks-me-on-my-arse/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [A real boyfriend can see the pain behind a girls smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/a-real-boyfriend-can-see-the-pain-behind-a-girls-smile/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience/) > [I'm happy. I'm always with a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-monfils/i-m-happy-i-m-always-with-a-smile/) [Gael Monfils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-monfils/) > [Smile and show him that life is still going on and is happier without him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumika/smile-and-show-him-that-life-is-still-going-on-and-is-happier-without/) [Bhumika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumika/) > [Im not as strong as I wanna be and I'm not as brave as you. But what ive been through is enough to break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-not-as-strong-as-i-wanna-be-and-i-m-not-as-brave-as-you-but-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always keep the smile, because the smile is the beginning of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-imad/always-keep-the-smile-because-the-smile-is-the-beginning-of-love/) [Adam Imad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-imad/) > [Wherever I go I'm always wearing my smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewshy/wherever-i-go-i-m-always-wearing-my-smile/) [Ewshy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewshy/) > [Nothing costs as little and is worth as much as a smile. Relax, let yourself smile, and see the light come back to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-costs-as-little-and-is-worth-as-much-as-a-smile-relax-let/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Stay strong, make them wonder how youre still smiling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/superman/stay-strong-make-them-wonder-how-youre-still-smiling/) [Superman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/superman/) > [You'll know they're special when no matter what kind of mood you're in, they can always manage to make you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-tomasello/you-ll-know-they-re-special-when-no-matter-what-kind-of-mood-you-re/) [Mario Tomasello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-tomasello/) [Browse all 7,605 Smile quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Because a lot of the time ever when I say anything about how the world is goin to hell in a handbasket people will just sort of smile and tell me I'm gettin old.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cormac McCarthy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/because-a-lot-of-the-time-ever-when-i-say-anything-about-how-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Smile" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/because-a-lot-of-the-time-ever-when-i-say-anything-about-how-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/cormac-mccarthy-181_time_because-a-lot-of-the-time-ever-when-i-sa_1951740.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/cormac-mccarthy-181_time_because-a-lot-of-the-time-ever-when-i-sa_1951740.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/cormac-mccarthy-181_time_because-a-lot-of-the-time-ever-when-i-sa_1951740.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Because a lot of the time ever when I say anything about how the world is goin to hell in a handbasket…” — Cormac McCarthy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cormac McCarthy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Because a lot of the time...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/because-a-lot-of-the-time-ever-when-i-say-anything-about-how-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/because-a-lot-of-the-time-ever-when-i-say-anything-about-how-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```