--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If everyone in the world sat quietly at…" description: "\"If everyone in the world sat quietly at the same time, closed their eyes and concentrated as hard as they could on peace and goodwill, all the killing ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/george-carlin-155_cruelty_if-everyone-in-the-world-sat-quietly-at_955397.jpg" --- # If everyone in the world sat quietly at the same time… ![“If everyone in the world sat quietly at the same time, closed their eyes and concentrated as hard as they could on peace and goodwill, all the killing and cruelty in the world would continue. And probably increase.” quote by George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/george-carlin-155_cruelty_if-everyone-in-the-world-sat-quietly-at_955397.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/george-carlin-155_cruelty_if-everyone-in-the-world-sat-quietly-at_955397.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/george-carlin-155_cruelty_if-everyone-in-the-world-sat-quietly-at_955397.jpg) > “If everyone in the world sat quietly at the same time, closed their eyes and concentrated as hard as they could on peace and goodwill, all the killing and cruelty in the world would continue. And probably increase.” [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Collective meditation on peace would not stop violence; human nature may intensify conflict despite good intentions. **In simple terms:** Peace meditation alone won’t stop violence. Key Takeaway Address root causes, not just intentions. Themes peace human nature violence Mood skeptical thoughtful Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - political activism - education - community building Key Concepts psychology societal behavior collective action Questions to Reflect On - What practical steps can reduce violence? - How does collective intention translate into action? A Different Perspective Idealistic solutions can ignore complex motivations behind aggression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Goodwill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodwill/) [Increase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Killing Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing-cruelty-1731271/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Quietly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quietly/) [Sat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sat/) [Sat Quietly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sat-quietly-525855/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Continue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-continue-264582/) ## Related quotes > [“O quam dulcis vita fuit dum sedabamus in quieti . . . inter liborum copias. : 'Oh how sweet life was when we sat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alcuin-of-york/o-quam-dulcis-vita-fuit-dum-sedabamus-in-quieti-inter-liborum-copias/) [Alcuin of York](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alcuin-of-york/) > [Pret was a thing I did almost subliminally, often mainly for a few minutes of downtime, sat quietly alone in the middle of dozens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/pret-was-a-thing-i-did-almost-subliminally-often-mainly-for-a-few/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [“They sat quietly, shoulder to shoulder, listening to the sound of nothing. Nothing can sound very loud sometimes, louder than noise, even louder than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savita-kalhan/they-sat-quietly-shoulder-to-shoulder-listening-to-the-sound-of/) [Savita Kalhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/savita-kalhan/) > [“When I was out on the battlements it was cool and I could hardly hear them. I sat there quietly. 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Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/kilometers-are-shorter-than-miles-save-gas-take-your-next-trip-in/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“If you guys want to get a MOM tattoo and save a little money, just get two letters done. Get about a one-inch capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-you-guys-want-to-get-a-mom-tattoo-and-save-a-little-money-just-get/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-ve-built-up-so-much-speed-that-you-hit-70-after-that-it-s-a-day/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [It ended suddenly for Brenda, more slowly for me. My runs began getting shorter and less pleasurable. I'd feel bad after only one day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/it-ended-suddenly-for-brenda-more-slowly-for-me-my-runs-began-getting/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Is there another word for synonym?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/is-there-another-word-for-synonym/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The whole idea of the pursuit of goods and possessions has completely corrupted the human experience, along with religion, which I think limits the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-whole-idea-of-the-pursuit-of-goods-and-possessions-has-completely/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [These days many politicians are demanding change. Just like homeless people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/these-days-many-politicians-are-demanding-change-just-like-homeless/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [You know the good part about all those executions in Texas? Fewer Texans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-know-the-good-part-about-all-those-executions-in-texas-fewer/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [What was the best thing before sliced bread?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/what-was-the-best-thing-before-sliced-bread/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) [Explore all 1,098 George Carlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## More Cruelty quotes > [It revealed a cruelty that really made one wonder if the universe was such a good idea after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-revealed-a-cruelty-that-really-made-one-wonder-if-the-universe-was/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Nature is pitiless; she never withdraws her flowers, her music, her fragrance, and her sunlight from before human cruelty or suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/nature-is-pitiless-she-never-withdraws-her-flowers-her-music-her/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [There's a certain edge about cruelty. If you're honest about it, most people wince, but say it had to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-waterman/there-s-a-certain-edge-about-cruelty-if-you-re-honest-about-it-most/) [Pete Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-waterman/) > [He lacked tenderness; he was rude; and he had more than a streak of cruelty in him; he was a thief and a liar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/he-lacked-tenderness-he-was-rude-and-he-had-more-than-a-streak-of/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [Regarding lack of vision or disabilities of the organ of sight, it has long been known among researchers that it is the effect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-heindel/regarding-lack-of-vision-or-disabilities-of-the-organ-of-sight-it-has/) [Max Heindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-heindel/) > [“When you’re a monster, she thought, you are thanked and praised for not behaving like a monster. 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