--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Numbers have dehumanized us. Over…" description: "\"Numbers have dehumanized us. Over breakfast coffee we read of 40,000 American dead in Vietnam. Instead of vomiting, we reach for the toast. Our morning..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a65/dalton-trumbo-9732_breakfast_numbers-have-dehumanized-us-over-breakfa_2142193.jpg" --- # Numbers have dehumanized us. Over breakfast coffee we read… ![“Numbers have dehumanized us. Over breakfast coffee we read of 40,000 American dead in Vietnam. Instead of vomiting, we reach for the toast. Our morning rush through crowded streets is not to cry murder but to hit that trough before somebody else gobbles our share.” quote by Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a65/dalton-trumbo-9732_breakfast_numbers-have-dehumanized-us-over-breakfa_2142193.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a65/dalton-trumbo-9732_breakfast_numbers-have-dehumanized-us-over-breakfa_2142193.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a65/dalton-trumbo-9732_breakfast_numbers-have-dehumanized-us-over-breakfa_2142193.jpg) > “Numbers have dehumanized us. Over breakfast coffee we read of 40,000 American dead in Vietnam. Instead of vomiting, we reach for the toast. Our morning rush through crowded streets is not to cry murder but to hit that trough before somebody else gobbles our share.” [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques how statistics about war casualties become abstract, allowing people to continue daily routines without confronting the human cost. **In simple terms:** Numbers desensitize us to suffering, letting us ignore tragedy. Key Takeaway Recognize the humanity behind statistics. Themes war dehumanization media morality Mood somber reflective Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - news consumption - political discourse - personal reflection - activism - education Key Concepts statistics psychology social apathy Questions to Reflect On - How do numbers affect your empathy? - What actions can counteract desensitization? A Different Perspective It may overlook personal agency and the complexity of coping mechanisms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffee/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Dehumanized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dehumanized/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Toasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toasts/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) [Vietnam war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam-war/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Life is like walking along a crowded street--there always seem to be fewer obstacles to getting along on the opposite pavement--and yet, if one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/life-is-like-walking-along-a-crowded-street-there-always-seem-to-be/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [The filth and noise of the crowded streets soon destroy the elasticity of health which belongs to the country boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/the-filth-and-noise-of-the-crowded-streets-soon-destroy-the/) [Rutherford B. 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