--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The population at large is neither…" description: "\"The population at large is neither 'ordinary' or 'normal'. They seem to be bound together by a collective ignorance of themselves and what they are. Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/dennis-nilsen-36882_believe_the-population-at-large-is-neither-ordin_59264.jpg" --- # The population at large is neither 'ordinary' or 'normal'… ![“The population at large is neither 'ordinary' or 'normal'. They seem to be bound together by a collective ignorance of themselves and what they are. They have, every one of them, got their deep dark thoughts with many a skeleton rattling in their secret cupboards. Their fascination with 'types'…” quote by Dennis Nilsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/dennis-nilsen-36882_believe_the-population-at-large-is-neither-ordin_59264.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/dennis-nilsen-36882_believe_the-population-at-large-is-neither-ordin_59264.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/dennis-nilsen-36882_believe_the-population-at-large-is-neither-ordin_59264.jpg) > “The population at large is neither 'ordinary' or 'normal'. They seem to be bound together by a collective ignorance of themselves and what they are. They have, every one of them, got their deep dark thoughts with many a skeleton rattling in their secret cupboards. Their fascination with 'types' like myself plagues them with the mystery of why and how a living person can actually do things which may be only those dark images and acts secretly within them. I believe they can identify with these 'dark images and acts' and loathe anything which reminds them of this dark side of themselves.” [Dennis Nilsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/) ## 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 suggests that people hide dark, unsettling thoughts and are unaware of their own inner darkness, leading to a collective denial of self-awareness. **In simple terms:** People conceal their inner darkness. Key Takeaway Self‑deception masks true nature. Themes self‑awareness collective denial dark psychology identity inner conflict Mood reflective somber introspective Type philosophical psychological literary When to use this quote - personal introspection - therapy sessions - literary analysis - philosophical debate Key Concepts psychology human nature social perception Practical Applications - psychological counseling - creative writing Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to truly know oneself? - How does society enforce the denial of inner darkness? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Collective Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collective-ignorance-812789/) [Collectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectives/) [Cupboards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cupboards/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Dark side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-side/) [Dark thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-thoughts/) [Deep dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-dark/) [Fascination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascination/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) [Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Plague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plague/) [Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Skeletons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeletons/) [Things Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-dark-334167/) [Thoughts Skeleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-skeleton-812788/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Type](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/type/) ## Related quotes > [ They expected to lose. And therefore, they lost. \[..\] People who start thinking deep dark thoughts in the middle of a war start expecting… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/they-expected-to-lose-and-therefore-they-lost-people-who-start/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [Beware of ignorance when in motion; look out for inexperience when in action, and beware of the majority when mentally poisoned with misinformation, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-h-boetcker/beware-of-ignorance-when-in-motion-look-out-for-inexperience-when-in/) [William J. H. Boetcker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-h-boetcker/) > [“Modern-day science is a unique tradition of knowledge, inasmuch as it openly admits collective ignorance regarding the most important questions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/modern-day-science-is-a-unique-tradition-of-knowledge-inasmuch-as-it/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [A good many things go around in the dark besides Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/a-good-many-things-go-around-in-the-dark-besides-santa-claus/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [“These were the distractions I had to choose from. There were no other lights burning downtown after nine o'clock. On starlight nights I used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/these-were-the-distractions-i-had-to-choose-from-there-were-no-other/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [All art is a memory of age-old things, dark things, whose fragments live on in the artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/all-art-is-a-memory-of-age-old-things-dark-things-whose-fragments/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) > [I think all kids are curious. They're drawn to the bad guy and they're drawn to things that are dark. It's not just simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-think-all-kids-are-curious-they-re-drawn-to-the-bad-guy-and-they-re/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [“I imagine the game wouldn’t be the same in the light,” Scarlett answered. “People think no one sees all the nasty things they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/i-imagine-the-game-wouldn-t-be-the-same-in-the-light-scarlett/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [Things that are dark and close to the other side are what bring me joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/things-that-are-dark-and-close-to-the-other-side-are-what-bring-me-joy/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [I'm continually wrestling with the idea that there are certain things in this world that simply don't fit. The idea that I have this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/i-m-continually-wrestling-with-the-idea-that-there-are-certain-things/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) > [Comedy arises out of necessity, because some things are so dark that you have to laugh about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zosia-mamet/comedy-arises-out-of-necessity-because-some-things-are-so-dark-that/) [Zosia Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zosia-mamet/) > [“Shin: a device for finding things in the dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-nevil/shin-a-device-for-finding-things-in-the-dark/) [Madison Nevil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-nevil/) > [All things are dark to sorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusta-jane-evans/all-things-are-dark-to-sorrow/) [Augusta Jane Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusta-jane-evans/) > [It is so much easier to tell intimate things in the dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcfee/it-is-so-much-easier-to-tell-intimate-things-in-the-dark/) [William McFee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcfee/) > [When things get dark, they're going to get darker, and at that very moment, that's when you hang on that much tighter because that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilmer-valderrama/when-things-get-dark-they-re-going-to-get-darker-and-at-that-very/) [Wilmer Valderrama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilmer-valderrama/) ## More by Dennis Nilsen > [I saw him...at peace in my armchair. I remember wishing he could stay in peace like that forever. I had a feeling of easing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/i-saw-him-at-peace-in-my-armchair-i-remember-wishing-he-could-stay-in/) [Dennis Nilsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/) > [I am damned and damned and damned. How in heaven's name could I have done any of it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/i-am-damned-and-damned-and-damned-how-in-heaven-s-name-could-i-have/) [Dennis Nilsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/) > [Loneliness is a long, unbearable pain…There was never a place for me in the scheme of things…I had become a living fantasy on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/loneliness-is-a-long-unbearable-pain-there-was-never-a-place-for-me/) [Dennis Nilsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/) > [I don't lose sleep over what I have done or have nightmares about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/i-don-t-lose-sleep-over-what-i-have-done-or-have-nightmares-about-it/) [Dennis Nilsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/) > [I caused dreams which caused death. This is my crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/i-caused-dreams-which-caused-death-this-is-my-crime/) [Dennis Nilsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/) > [I have judged myself more harshly than any court ever could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/i-have-judged-myself-more-harshly-than-any-court-ever-could/) [Dennis Nilsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/) > [“I did it all for me. Purely selfish. I worshiped the art and the act of death, over and over. It’s as simple as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/i-did-it-all-for-me-purely-selfish-i-worshiped-the-art-and-the-act-of/) [Dennis Nilsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/) > [I wish I could stop but I could not. I had no other thrill or happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/i-wish-i-could-stop-but-i-could-not-i-had-no-other-thrill-or-happiness/) [Dennis Nilsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/) > [Loneliness is a long unbearable pain,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/loneliness-is-a-long-unbearable-pain/) [Dennis Nilsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/) > [In the morning he was lying dead on one of the beds fully clothed. He was dead. I got the impression he wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/in-the-morning-he-was-lying-dead-on-one-of-the-beds-fully-clothed-he/) [Dennis Nilsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/) > [I stood there amazed. I found it all hard to believe, that I, Des Nilsen, had actually done all that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/i-stood-there-amazed-i-found-it-all-hard-to-believe-that-i-des-nilsen/) [Dennis Nilsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/) [Explore all 12 Dennis Nilsen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The population at large is neither 'ordinary' or 'normal'. They seem to be bound together by a collective ignorance of themselves and what they are. They have, every one of them, got their deep dark thoughts with many a skeleton rattling in their secret cupboards. Their fascination with 'types' like myself plagues them with the mystery of why and how a living person can actually do things which may be only those dark images and acts secretly within them. I believe they can identify with these 'dark images and acts' and loathe anything which reminds them of this dark side of themselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dennis Nilsen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/the-population-at-large-is-neither-ordinary-or-normal-they-seem-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/the-population-at-large-is-neither-ordinary-or-normal-they-seem-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/dennis-nilsen-36882_believe_the-population-at-large-is-neither-ordin_59264.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/dennis-nilsen-36882_believe_the-population-at-large-is-neither-ordin_59264.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/dennis-nilsen-36882_believe_the-population-at-large-is-neither-ordin_59264.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The population at large is neither 'ordinary' or 'normal'. They seem to be bound together by a collective…” — Dennis Nilsen", "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": "Dennis Nilsen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-nilsen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The population at large is neither...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/the-population-at-large-is-neither-ordinary-or-normal-they-seem-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-nilsen/the-population-at-large-is-neither-ordinary-or-normal-they-seem-to-be/#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 } } ] } ```