Book Quote by Elizabeth Kenny
“He looked at the book, took my name, and consulted his records. Then he informed me I had been lost at sea and was dead. Under the circumstances, he could not possibly give me any money... Even the fact that he was dealing with someone who had been dead for several days failed to awaken interest in his official heart.”
About This Quote
The speaker describes an absurd bureaucratic exchange where official records label a living person as dead, highlighting the call of detached paperwork.
In simple terms: Officials treat people as data, ignoring reality.
Key Takeaway
Bureaucracy can dehumanize individuals.
Themes
bureaucracy
dehumanization
absurdity
record‑keeping
Mood
ironic
critical
Type
observational
cautionary
When to use this quote
- government agencies processing benefits
- hospital intake forms
- legal identity verification
Key Concepts
institutional inertia
ethical neglect
Practical Applications
- Implement cross‑checks before finalizing status decisions
Questions to Reflect On
- How does reliance on paperwork affect personal dignity?
- What safeguards can prevent misclassification?
A Different Perspective
The anecdote may exaggerate for effect; real systems often have safeguards against such fatal errors.
![“[...] he made it a rule never to touch a book by any author who had not been dead at least 30 years. "That's the only kind of book I can trust", he said. "It's not that I don't believe in contemporary literature," he added, "but I don't want to waste valuable time reading any book that has not had…” quote by Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/02b/haruki-murakami-21_book_he-made-it-a-rule-never-to-touch-a-book_1535746.jpg)
