--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A long time ago Marty once compared me to…" description: "\"“A long time ago Marty once compared me to Hitler. I laughed then for I didn’t understand what he meant. Now I know. I learned it from living with Ruth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/harold-robbins-13319_common-man_a-long-time-ago-marty-once-compared-me-t_542873.jpg" --- # A long time ago Marty once compared me to Hitler. I… ![“A long time ago Marty once compared me to Hitler. I laughed then for I didn’t understand what he meant. Now I know. I learned it from living with Ruth and I learned from these last five months in Europe. I learned that you cannot live without regard for society and the so-called common man. For to…” quote by Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/harold-robbins-13319_common-man_a-long-time-ago-marty-once-compared-me-t_542873.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/harold-robbins-13319_common-man_a-long-time-ago-marty-once-compared-me-t_542873.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/harold-robbins-13319_common-man_a-long-time-ago-marty-once-compared-me-t_542873.jpg) > ““A long time ago Marty once compared me to Hitler. I laughed then for I didn’t understand what he meant. Now I know. I learned it from living with Ruth and I learned from these last five months in Europe. I learned that you cannot live without regard for society and the so-called common man. For to live so, is to live without regard for yourself. And I began to wonder, what it was that made me what I became. Then I realized for the first time it was from living alone. A man can live alone if he shares his rooms with twenty other humans and shares his heart with none.”” [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living isolated from genuine human connection erodes personal identity and empathy, turning one into a hollow existence despite superficial companionship. **In simple terms:** Isolation harms identity and empathy. Key Takeaway Seek true connections, not just proximity. Themes identity isolation human connection empathy self-awareness Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - living alone - shared housing - remote work - digital social life - loneliness Key Concepts existentialism psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What relationships truly nourish you? - How do you balance independence with belonging? A Different Perspective Even surrounded by many, lack of heartfelt bonds leaves one empty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-man/) [Live alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-alone/) [Living alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-alone/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Regard the society of women as a necessary unpleasantness of social life, and avoid it as much as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/regard-the-society-of-women-as-a-necessary-unpleasantness-of-social/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“But I was not quite with him in my thoughts, and I wonder whether that is how we got to be after living alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/but-i-was-not-quite-with-him-in-my-thoughts-and-i-wonder-whether-that/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [“I had chosen to leave, and live alone in a foreign country. And in fleeing thousands of miles across the Pacific, I chose myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-singh-gee/i-had-chosen-to-leave-and-live-alone-in-a-foreign-country-and-in/) Alison Singh Gee > [Let us not forget that violence does not live alone and is not capable of living alone: it is necessarily interwoven with falsehood. Between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/let-us-not-forget-that-violence-does-not-live-alone-and-is-not/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“One of the best things Dr. G. told me was that I didn't have to judge every new situation I encountered. Living alone, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-taylor/one-of-the-best-things-dr-g-told-me-was-that-i-didn-t-have-to-judge/) [Natalie Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-taylor/) > [I'm starting to understand why librarians end up single and living alone with a cat. Cause people suck a big one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-starting-to-understand-why-librarians-end-up-single-and-living/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let me tell you something, Mari. The ground we stand on looks solid enough, but if something happens it can drop right out from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/let-me-tell-you-something-mari-the-ground-we-stand-on-looks-solid/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Can anyone understand how it is to have lived in the White House and then, suddenly, to be living alone as the President's widow?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-kennedy/can-anyone-understand-how-it-is-to-have-lived-in-the-white-house-and/) [Jackie Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-kennedy/) > [“Evie says, “It's not living alone if you keep a rifle under the bed.” I write: i know girls who say that about their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/evie-says-it-s-not-living-alone-if-you-keep-a-rifle-under-the-bed-i/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won't either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-will-break-you-nobody-can-protect-you-from-that-and-living-alone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Living alone makes it harder to find someone to blame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/living-alone-makes-it-harder-to-find-someone-to-blame/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [I like living alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-blake/i-like-living-alone/) [Amanda Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-blake/) > [“The Gift that Keeps on Giving I once had a lovely real estate client named Jane who was an elderly lady living alone. Her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving-i-once-had-a-lovely-real-estate-client/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [The thing about living alone is that it gives you a lot of time to think. You don't necessarily reach any conclusions, because wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/the-thing-about-living-alone-is-that-it-gives-you-a-lot-of-time-to/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) ## More by Harold Robbins > [“I walked over to her. She took my hand. “You’re a fine kid, Frank. There’s something wild and hard inside you that needs gentling,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/i-walked-over-to-her-she-took-my-hand-you-re-a-fine-kid-frank-there-s/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [“When I wrote The Betsy, I spent a lot of time in Detroit with the Ford family. The old man running the place had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/when-i-wrote-the-betsy-i-spent-a-lot-of-time-in-detroit-with-the-ford/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [Sex got me into trouble from the age of fifteen: I'm hoping that by the time I'm seventy I'll straighten it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/sex-got-me-into-trouble-from-the-age-of-fifteen-i-m-hoping-that-by/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [“You’re getting two C-notes and a one-way ticket. Make sure you never come back this way.” He jerked back on her finger. She screamed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/you-re-getting-two-c-notes-and-a-one-way-ticket-make-sure-you-never/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [Hemmingway was a jerk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/hemmingway-was-a-jerk/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [I've always found it much more dangerous to fool with a man's mistress than his wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/i-ve-always-found-it-much-more-dangerous-to-fool-with-a-man-s/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [“My salary was ten dollars a week, to which I added the extra two dollars Harry used to give me and about three dollars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/my-salary-was-ten-dollars-a-week-to-which-i-added-the-extra-two/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [“It wasn’t too tough a trip. There were many others like me riding the rods for one reason or another, some heading nowhere in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/it-wasn-t-too-tough-a-trip-there-were-many-others-like-me-riding-the/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [“laughed aloud. “Don’t worry, Mr. Moroni. It’s as safe as an automobile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/laughed-aloud-don-t-worry-mr-moroni-it-s-as-safe-as-an-automobile/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [“I can wait,’ she said simply. ‘He has to have this chance.’ She drew me down to the chair beside her and rested my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/i-can-wait-she-said-simply-he-has-to-have-this-chance-she-drew-me/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [“My aunt touched my shoulder, I opened my eyes startled for a moment. She was smiling softly but I could see the tears sparkling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/my-aunt-touched-my-shoulder-i-opened-my-eyes-startled-for-a-moment/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [“Sometimes something happens and you find that all the people you knew are like nothing and someone you never saw before will reach out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/sometimes-something-happens-and-you-find-that-all-the-people-you-knew/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [“He stood up at the side of my bed. “Now go to sleep, lad. Ye’ll be needing ye’re strength for tomorrow. I’m after taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/he-stood-up-at-the-side-of-my-bed-now-go-to-sleep-lad-ye-ll-be/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [“It is a mortal sin to be a Jew?” I blurted out. His face softened as he stood there looking at me. When he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/it-is-a-mortal-sin-to-be-a-jew-i-blurted-out-his-face-softened-as-he/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) > [“Jerry looked at me and then laughed. Jerry was no dunce. He knew what was on my mind. Jerry was a strange friend. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-robbins/jerry-looked-at-me-and-then-laughed-jerry-was-no-dunce-he-knew-what/) [Harold Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) [Explore all 51 Harold Robbins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-robbins/) ## More Common man quotes > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [In a democracy, voting is a huge and most important right of a common man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/in-a-democracy-voting-is-a-huge-and-most-important-right-of-a-common/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [Through my singing and acting and speaking, I want to make freedom ring. Maybe I can touch people's hearts better than I can their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-robeson/through-my-singing-and-acting-and-speaking-i-want-to-make-freedom/) [Paul Robeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-robeson/) > [It's nice that people can call me an artist and it's nice that I can refer to myself as such, but it also kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matana-roberts/it-s-nice-that-people-can-call-me-an-artist-and-it-s-nice-that-i-can/) [Matana Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matana-roberts/) > [The common man, finding himself in a world so excellent, technically and socially, believes it has been produced by nature, and never thinks of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/the-common-man-finding-himself-in-a-world-so-excellent-technically/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [No one got rich on a government program. Do not choose to be a common man. You can be uncommon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/no-one-got-rich-on-a-government-program-do-not-choose-to-be-a-common/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [Under capitalism the common man enjoys amenities which in ages gone by were unknown and therefore inaccessible even to the richest people. But, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/under-capitalism-the-common-man-enjoys-amenities-which-in-ages-gone/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [The founder of any branch must be more ingenious than the common man. However, if his achievement is not carried on by disciples of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/the-founder-of-any-branch-must-be-more-ingenious-than-the-common-man/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [I am terrified of restrictive religious doctrine, having learned from history that when men who adhere to any form of it are in control,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/i-am-terrified-of-restrictive-religious-doctrine-having-learned-from/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [“Creative writer has artistic sensibility. He observes the world like any common men. But his vision observes the world quite differently. He can perceive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/creative-writer-has-artistic-sensibility-he-observes-the-world-like/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The commander of the forces of a large State may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-commander-of-the-forces-of-a-large-state-may-be-carried-off-but/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Common men should esteem learning as silver, noble men prize it as gold, and princes as jewels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-ii/common-men-should-esteem-learning-as-silver-noble-men-prize-it-as/) Pope Pius II > [Hathiram Choudhary is a vulnerable, intense and deep character. Like every common man, he just wants to prove himself and better himself. But he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaideep-ahlawat/hathiram-choudhary-is-a-vulnerable-intense-and-deep-character-like/) [Jaideep Ahlawat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaideep-ahlawat/) > [Those who respect the intelligence of the common man have always been masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suhasini-maniratnam/those-who-respect-the-intelligence-of-the-common-man-have-always-been/) [Suhasini Maniratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suhasini-maniratnam/) > [I know that a lot of people take inspiration from the fact that I was just a common man with no film background who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uday-kiran/i-know-that-a-lot-of-people-take-inspiration-from-the-fact-that-i-was/) [Uday Kiran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uday-kiran/) [Browse all 367 Common man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A long time ago Marty once compared me to Hitler. 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