Crosses Quote by Flann O'Brien
“Why be a dumb dud? Do your friends shun you? Do people cross the street when they see you approaching? Do they run up the steps of strange houses, pretend they live there and force their way into the hall while you are passing by? If this is the sort of person you are, you must avail yourself today of this new service. Otherwise, you might as well be dead.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Third Policeman, 1939
He mocks social exclusion, urging action to avoid a meaningless existence.
In simple terms: Don’t be ignored; act now.
Key Takeaway
Seek purpose through engagement.
Themes
social alienation
existentialism
agency
Mood
satirical
provocative
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- activism
- community building
- self‑assertion
- creative projects
Key Concepts
literature
philosophy
identity
Questions to Reflect On
- What purpose drives your actions?
- How can you connect with others authentically?
A Different Perspective
Action alone may not guarantee acceptance.
![“I am your soul and all your souls. When I am gone you are dead. Past humanity is not only implicit in each new man born but is contained in him,[...] All humanity from its beginning to its end is already present but the beam has not yet played beyond you! [...] You are not the top of your people's…” quote by Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f2a/flann-o-brien-6916_soul_i-am-your-soul-and-all-your-souls-when-i_105303.jpg)
![“[The Community's] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it is always upon nothingness that God is pleased to rear His works. If at any day we accomplish some good here, the glory will certainly be His alone, since…” quote by Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2b8/theodore-guerin-54729_accomplish_the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give_7176.jpg)
