--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thousands stand and chant. Around…" description: "\"“The thousands stand and chant. Around them in the world, people ride escalators going up and sneak secret glances at the faces coming down. People dan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/don-delillo-294_hot-water_the-thousands-stand-and-chant-around-the_618063.jpg" --- # The thousands stand and chant. Around them in the world… ![“The thousands stand and chant. Around them in the world, people ride escalators going up and sneak secret glances at the faces coming down. People dangle teabags over hot water in white cups. Cars run silently on the autobahns, streaks of painted light. People sit at desks and stare at office…” quote by Don Delillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/don-delillo-294_hot-water_the-thousands-stand-and-chant-around-the_618063.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/don-delillo-294_hot-water_the-thousands-stand-and-chant-around-the_618063.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/don-delillo-294_hot-water_the-thousands-stand-and-chant-around-the_618063.jpg) > ““The thousands stand and chant. Around them in the world, people ride escalators going up and sneak secret glances at the faces coming down. People dangle teabags over hot water in white cups. Cars run silently on the autobahns, streaks of painted light. People sit at desks and stare at office walls. They smell their shirts and drop them in the hamper. People bind themselves into numbered seats and fly across time zones and high cirrus and deep night, knowing there is something they've forgotten to do.”” [Don Delillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage portrays modern life's fragmented, repetitive routines that distract us from deeper responsibilities and forgotten tasks. **In simple terms:** Every life is filled with routine distractions that hide important duties. Key Takeaway Recognize and act on what you’ve forgotten. Themes modernity distraction routine memory alienation Mood reflective melancholic observational Type literary social commentary philosophical When to use this quote - commuting - office work - travel - daily chores - personal reflection Key Concepts existentialism consumerism time perception Questions to Reflect On - What essential task have you neglected? - How do daily habits affect your sense of purpose? A Different Perspective The narrative may overemphasize chaos, ignoring moments of genuine connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [CIA Man 1: Hey, wanna get baked and ride the escalators at the mall? CIA Man 2: Do I!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/american-dad/cia-man-1-hey-wanna-get-baked-and-ride-the-escalators-at-the-mall-cia/) [American Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/american-dad/) > [A woman is like a tea bag. She only knows her strength when put in hot water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/a-woman-is-like-a-tea-bag-she-only-knows-her-strength-when-put-in-hot/) [Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/) > [“In a pocket of his knapsack he'd found a last half packet of cocoa and he fixed it for the boy and then poured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/in-a-pocket-of-his-knapsack-he-d-found-a-last-half-packet-of-cocoa/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“This sour cream will result in a thicker and slightly richer product than the first recipe. Ingredients 1 cup heavy cream at room temperature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-helweg/this-sour-cream-will-result-in-a-thicker-and-slightly-richer-product/) Rick Helweg > [a women is like a tea bag.it's only when she is in hot water that you realize how strong she is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/a-women-is-like-a-tea-bag-it-s-only-when-she-is-in-hot-water-that-you/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [“Pain. It’s there for a reason. Whether your’e shredding your legs on a raspberry bush, scalding your hand in hot water, or taking an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-pasricha/pain-it-s-there-for-a-reason-whether-your-e-shredding-your-legs-on-a/) [Neil Pasricha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-pasricha/) > [“Herbs to use for a good sleep bath and no rash. My grandma on my father’s side was a biologist and botanist. She gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-shayk/herbs-to-use-for-a-good-sleep-bath-and-no-rash-my-grandma-on-my/) Julia Shayk > [“Matcha This jade-colored powder, pulverized from newly plucked tea buds, is whisked (with a special bamboo tool) into hot water to make ceremonial tea.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-andoh/matcha-this-jade-colored-powder-pulverized-from-newly-plucked-tea/) Elizabeth Andoh > [“God, I’ve just figured out what’s missing – you ditched the hallowed Albermarle Teddy Bear!’ I nodded.   ‘Banished to a dark cupboard for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabitha-mcgowan/god-i-ve-just-figured-out-what-s-missing-you-ditched-the-hallowed/) [Tabitha McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabitha-mcgowan/) > [“Epsom Salt - Don't underestimate the powerful healing effects of regular Epsom salt.  Soaking in hot water infused with Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) boosts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-the-veggie-goddess-matthews/epsom-salt-don-t-underestimate-the-powerful-healing-effects-of/) Gina 'The Veggie Goddess' Matthews > [Nobody ever says, 'Hey daddy, thanks for knockin' out this rent.' 'Hey daddy, I sure love this hot water.' 'Hey daddy, it's easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/nobody-ever-says-hey-daddy-thanks-for-knockin-out-this-rent-hey-daddy/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Political correctness is a major defect of the western ethos. Some Western countries have even passed blasphemy laws that would put you in legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-sina/political-correctness-is-a-major-defect-of-the-western-ethos-some/) [Ali Sina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-sina/) > [“The hot water pools are steaming, Fagan and Monsanto and the others are all sitting peacefully up to their necks, they're all naked, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-hot-water-pools-are-steaming-fagan-and-monsanto-and-the-others/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“See? Injustice. Here we are, risking our lives to rescue Kai and this whole planet, and Adri and Pearl get to go to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/see-injustice-here-we-are-risking-our-lives-to-rescue-kai-and-this/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) ## More by Don Delillo > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Everything is barely weeks. Everything is days. We have minutes to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/everything-is-barely-weeks-everything-is-days-we-have-minutes-to-live/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [The novel is the dream release, the suspension of reality that history needs to escape its own brutal confinements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-novel-is-the-dream-release-the-suspension-of-reality-that-history/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“As I listened I thought a featureless baggy man was striking me in slow motion with a well-polished stone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/as-i-listened-i-thought-a-featureless-baggy-man-was-striking-me-in/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Murray said, 'I don't trust anybody's nostalgia but my own. Nostalgia is a product of dissatisfaction and rage. It´s a settling of grievances between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/murray-said-i-don-t-trust-anybody-s-nostalgia-but-my-own-nostalgia-is/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“She is beginning to think it is possible that all creation is a spurt of blank matter that chances to make an emerald planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/she-is-beginning-to-think-it-is-possible-that-all-creation-is-a-spurt/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Those who have abandoned belief must still believe in us. They are sure that they are right not to believe but they know belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/those-who-have-abandoned-belief-must-still-believe-in-us-they-are/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“The plane had lost power in all three engines, dropped from thirty-four thousand feet to twelve thousand feet. Something like four miles. When the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-plane-had-lost-power-in-all-three-engines-dropped-from-thirty/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Grass: I live in a great steel tower that reflects the blazing sun. People catch fire just walking by. The more bodies that pile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/grass-i-live-in-a-great-steel-tower-that-reflects-the-blazing-sun/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“What people discard could make a nation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/what-people-discard-could-make-a-nation/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Marriage is something we make from available materials. In this sense it’s improvised, it’s almost offhand. Maybe this is why we know so little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/marriage-is-something-we-make-from-available-materials-in-this-sense/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [The true life is not reducible to words spoken or written, not by anyone, ever. The true life takes place when we're alone, thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-true-life-is-not-reducible-to-words-spoken-or-written-not-by/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [I've come to think of Europe as a hardcover book, America as the paperback version.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-ve-come-to-think-of-europe-as-a-hardcover-book-america-as-the/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [There is a set of balances and rhythms to a novel that we can't experience in real life. So I think there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/there-is-a-set-of-balances-and-rhythms-to-a-novel-that-we-can-t/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“There is no lie in war or preparation of war that can't be defended. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/there-is-no-lie-in-war-or-preparation-of-war-that-can-t-be-defended/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) [Explore all 699 Don Delillo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) ## More Hot water quotes > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [“See? Injustice. Here we are, risking our lives to rescue Kai and this whole planet, and Adri and Pearl get to go to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/see-injustice-here-we-are-risking-our-lives-to-rescue-kai-and-this/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [“The hot water pools are steaming, Fagan and Monsanto and the others are all sitting peacefully up to their necks, they're all naked, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-hot-water-pools-are-steaming-fagan-and-monsanto-and-the-others/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Political correctness is a major defect of the western ethos. Some Western countries have even passed blasphemy laws that would put you in legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-sina/political-correctness-is-a-major-defect-of-the-western-ethos-some/) [Ali Sina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-sina/) > [Nobody ever says, 'Hey daddy, thanks for knockin' out this rent.' 'Hey daddy, I sure love this hot water.' 'Hey daddy, it's easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/nobody-ever-says-hey-daddy-thanks-for-knockin-out-this-rent-hey-daddy/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [“Epsom Salt - Don't underestimate the powerful healing effects of regular Epsom salt.  Soaking in hot water infused with Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) boosts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-the-veggie-goddess-matthews/epsom-salt-don-t-underestimate-the-powerful-healing-effects-of/) Gina 'The Veggie Goddess' Matthews > [“God, I’ve just figured out what’s missing – you ditched the hallowed Albermarle Teddy Bear!’ I nodded.   ‘Banished to a dark cupboard for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabitha-mcgowan/god-i-ve-just-figured-out-what-s-missing-you-ditched-the-hallowed/) [Tabitha McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabitha-mcgowan/) > [“Matcha This jade-colored powder, pulverized from newly plucked tea buds, is whisked (with a special bamboo tool) into hot water to make ceremonial tea.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-andoh/matcha-this-jade-colored-powder-pulverized-from-newly-plucked-tea/) Elizabeth Andoh > [“Herbs to use for a good sleep bath and no rash. My grandma on my father’s side was a biologist and botanist. She gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-shayk/herbs-to-use-for-a-good-sleep-bath-and-no-rash-my-grandma-on-my/) Julia Shayk > [“Pain. It’s there for a reason. Whether your’e shredding your legs on a raspberry bush, scalding your hand in hot water, or taking an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-pasricha/pain-it-s-there-for-a-reason-whether-your-e-shredding-your-legs-on-a/) [Neil Pasricha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-pasricha/) > [a women is like a tea bag.it's only when she is in hot water that you realize how strong she is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/a-women-is-like-a-tea-bag-it-s-only-when-she-is-in-hot-water-that-you/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [“This sour cream will result in a thicker and slightly richer product than the first recipe. Ingredients 1 cup heavy cream at room temperature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-helweg/this-sour-cream-will-result-in-a-thicker-and-slightly-richer-product/) Rick Helweg > [“In a pocket of his knapsack he'd found a last half packet of cocoa and he fixed it for the boy and then poured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/in-a-pocket-of-his-knapsack-he-d-found-a-last-half-packet-of-cocoa/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [A woman is like a tea bag. She only knows her strength when put in hot water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/a-woman-is-like-a-tea-bag-she-only-knows-her-strength-when-put-in-hot/) [Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/) > [I have a deep-down belief that there are folks in the world who are good through and through, and others who came in mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-e-turner/i-have-a-deep-down-belief-that-there-are-folks-in-the-world-who-are/) [Nancy E. Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-e-turner/) Browse all 256 Hot water quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The thousands stand and chant. Around them in the world, people ride escalators going up and sneak secret glances at the faces coming down. People dangle teabags over hot water in white cups. Cars run silently on the autobahns, streaks of painted light. People sit at desks and stare at office walls. They smell their shirts and drop them in the hamper. 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