--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is all but impossible to sit quietly…" description: "\"“It is all but impossible to sit quietly by when someone is throwing salad plates.”\" — James Thurber" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/james-thurber-1534_quietly_it-is-all-but-impossible-to-sit-quietly_2912470.png" --- # It is all but impossible to sit quietly by when someone is… ![“It is all but impossible to sit quietly by when someone is throwing salad plates.” quote by James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/james-thurber-1534_quietly_it-is-all-but-impossible-to-sit-quietly_2912470.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/james-thurber-1534_quietly_it-is-all-but-impossible-to-sit-quietly_2912470.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/james-thurber-1534_quietly_it-is-all-but-impossible-to-sit-quietly_2912470.png) > ““It is all but impossible to sit quietly by when someone is throwing salad plates.”” [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes the chaos of staying passive while others create turmoil. **In simple terms:** Don’t sit idle during crisis. Key Takeaway Act rather than watch. Themes activism responsibility chaos Mood urgent critical Type satirical ethical When to use this quote - community organizing - emergency response - political protest Key Concepts Social dynamics ethical action Questions to Reflect On - When is passive observation justified? - How can you intervene constructively? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex conflicts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Quietly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quietly/) [Quietly Throwing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quietly-throwing-4201110/) [Salad Plates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salad-plates-4201112/) [Sit Quietly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit-quietly/) [Throwing Salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/throwing-salad-4201111/) ## Related quotes > [“Sometimes people don’t have to say or do anything weird. They just sit there, quietly sipping tea, all the while putting out an ultrasonic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-baker/sometimes-people-don-t-have-to-say-or-do-anything-weird-they-just-sit/) [Adam Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-baker/) > [If I sit quietly in a corner waiting for the camera to roll, it doesn't mean that I am aloof and cut off from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sridevi/if-i-sit-quietly-in-a-corner-waiting-for-the-camera-to-roll-it-doesn/) [Sridevi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sridevi/) > [All the troubles of life come upon us because we refuse to sit quietly for a while each day in our rooms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/all-the-troubles-of-life-come-upon-us-because-we-refuse-to-sit/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [I am smiling at myself today There's no wish left in this heart Or perhaps there is no heart left Free from all desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/i-am-smiling-at-myself-today-there-s-no-wish-left-in-this-heart-or/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Sit quietly and open up to spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-janis/sit-quietly-and-open-up-to-spirit/) [Sharon Janis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-janis/) > [“all of man's problems come from the inability to sit quietly in a room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/all-of-man-s-problems-come-from-the-inability-to-sit-quietly-in-a-room/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Sit quietly and listen for a voice that will say, "Be more silent." As that happens, your soul starts to revive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/sit-quietly-and-listen-for-a-voice-that-will-say-be-more-silent-as/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“You can yell and scream, pound on the floor and stamp your feet. Or sit quietly, breathing slowly and do absolutely nothing. You neighbors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/little-bear/you-can-yell-and-scream-pound-on-the-floor-and-stamp-your-feet-or-sit/) [Little Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/little-bear/) > [“When you are able to sit quietly and allow all the world to go about it’s business without your interaction, comment or opinion, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-carlyle/when-you-are-able-to-sit-quietly-and-allow-all-the-world-to-go-about/) [David Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-carlyle/) > [It's amazing what you can see when you just sit quietly and look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-kelly/it-s-amazing-what-you-can-see-when-you-just-sit-quietly-and-look/) [Jacqueline Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-kelly/) > [“Most unhappiness comes from not being able to sit quietly in a room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/most-unhappiness-comes-from-not-being-able-to-sit-quietly-in-a-room/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“The process of becoming is not of doing but simply an act of observing. The internal process has been designed in such a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roshan-sharma/the-process-of-becoming-is-not-of-doing-but-simply-an-act-of/) [Roshan Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roshan-sharma/) > [At the dinner table, if you can't think of anything to say, sit quietly. Don't throw rolls, or chew on your napkin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/at-the-dinner-table-if-you-can-t-think-of-anything-to-say-sit-quietly/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“He did not suggest that she sit quietly and get to know herself so she could be all the company she needed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/he-did-not-suggest-that-she-sit-quietly-and-get-to-know-herself-so/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [ I don’t know, it is a very quiet rebellion. \[…\] I don’t get angry. I sit quietly in the corner and say 'no'. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobbie-ann-mason/i-don-t-know-it-is-a-very-quiet-rebellion-i-don-t-get-angry-i-sit/) [Bobbie Ann Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobbie-ann-mason/) ## More by James Thurber > [ Salvador \[Dali\] was brought up in Spain, a country colored by the legends of Hannibal, El Greco, and Cervantes. I was brought up in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/salvador-dali-was-brought-up-in-spain-a-country-colored-by-the/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“Her own mother lived the latter years of her life in the horrible suspicion that electricity was dripping invisibly all over the house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/her-own-mother-lived-the-latter-years-of-her-life-in-the-horrible/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“Against the may, the could be, and the should, folly 'tis to balance doubt or hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/against-the-may-the-could-be-and-the-should-folly-tis-to-balance/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Love is the strange bewilderment that overtakes one person on account of another person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/love-is-the-strange-bewilderment-that-overtakes-one-person-on-account/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“ There was an old coddle so molly, He talked in a glot that was poly, His gaws were so gew That his laps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/there-was-an-old-coddle-so-molly-he-talked-in-a-glot-that-was-poly/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“you might as well fall on your face as lean over too far backwards”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/you-might-as-well-fall-on-your-face-as-lean-over-too-far-backwards/) [james thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [I myself have known some profoundly thoughtful dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-myself-have-known-some-profoundly-thoughtful-dogs/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [He knows all about art, but he doesn't know what he likes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/he-knows-all-about-art-but-he-doesn-t-know-what-he-likes/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/all-men-should-strive-to-learn-before-they-die-what-they-are-running/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Quick, name some towns in New Jersey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/quick-name-some-towns-in-new-jersey/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Looks can be deceiving; it's eating that's believing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/looks-can-be-deceiving-it-s-eating-that-s-believing/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“I don’t understand,” said the scientist, “why you lemmings all rush down to the sea and drown yourselves.” “How curious,” said the lemming. “The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-why-you-lemmings-all-rush-down/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Humor does not include sarcasm, invalid irony, sardonicism, innuendo, or any other form of cruelty. When these things are raised to a high point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/humor-does-not-include-sarcasm-invalid-irony-sardonicism-innuendo-or/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Where most of us end up there is no knowing, but the hellbent get where they are going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-knowing-but-the-hellbent-get/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Comedy has to be done en clair. You can't blunt the edge of wit or the point of satire with obscurity. Try to imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/comedy-has-to-be-done-en-clair-you-can-t-blunt-the-edge-of-wit-or-the/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) [Explore all 229 James Thurber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) ## More Quietly quotes > [Life is such a very troublesome matter, when all is said and done, that it's as well even to take its blessings quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-braddon/life-is-such-a-very-troublesome-matter-when-all-is-said-and-done-that/) [Mary Elizabeth Braddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-braddon/) > [“You know what they say about writers: we can do it quietly, in many different positions, and all night long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-d-votey/you-know-what-they-say-about-writers-we-can-do-it-quietly-in-many/) [Christopher D. Votey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-d-votey/) > [I quietly work with my computer on the tour bus, and then I wait to make my more natural rhythms when I get home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jain/i-quietly-work-with-my-computer-on-the-tour-bus-and-then-i-wait-to/) [Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jain/) > [The church is never a place to show off. Do your good deeds quietly. Serve; don't seek to be seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/the-church-is-never-a-place-to-show-off-do-your-good-deeds-quietly/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [We will not win our rights by staying quietly in our closets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/we-will-not-win-our-rights-by-staying-quietly-in-our-closets/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [“Read it to me.” “Seriously?” he said quietly. “You want me to read you poetry? Like saving your life ten times wasn’t enough?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brynn-kelly/read-it-to-me-seriously-he-said-quietly-you-want-me-to-read-you/) [Brynn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brynn-kelly/) > [Quietly, President Obama has done warrantless wire tapping. And it was hardly covered. I don't know if any of the mainstream press bothered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/quietly-president-obama-has-done-warrantless-wire-tapping-and-it-was/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [The more I got into presenting things to the world, the further it was taking me away from what I was, which was someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bush/the-more-i-got-into-presenting-things-to-the-world-the-further-it-was/) [Kate Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bush/) > [Inspiration comes to us slowly and quietly . prime it with a little solitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-ueland/inspiration-comes-to-us-slowly-and-quietly-prime-it-with-a-little/) [Brenda Ueland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-ueland/) > [I think perhaps we manage our revolutions much more quietly in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-think-perhaps-we-manage-our-revolutions-much-more-quietly-in-this/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [When we quietly stand in the center of our own being, we find our way back to center in our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/when-we-quietly-stand-in-the-center-of-our-own-being-we-find-our-way/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Comedy, unlike drama, demands surprise. You can't quietly and thoughtfully enjoy a comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mazin/comedy-unlike-drama-demands-surprise-you-can-t-quietly-and/) [Craig Mazin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-mazin/) > [We must play music quietly, talk quietly, weep in private, because I am the all-powerful Zahir, who lays down the rules and determines the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-must-play-music-quietly-talk-quietly-weep-in-private-because-i-am/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When he time comes to leave, just walk away quietly and don't make any fuss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/when-he-time-comes-to-leave-just-walk-away-quietly-and-don-t-make-any/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [“Sometimes people don’t have to say or do anything weird. They just sit there, quietly sipping tea, all the while putting out an ultrasonic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-baker/sometimes-people-don-t-have-to-say-or-do-anything-weird-they-just-sit/) [Adam Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-baker/) [Browse all 384 Quietly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quietly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is all but impossible to sit quietly by when someone is throwing salad plates.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Thurber" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/it-is-all-but-impossible-to-sit-quietly-by-when-someone-is-throwing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Quietly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/it-is-all-but-impossible-to-sit-quietly-by-when-someone-is-throwing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/james-thurber-1534_quietly_it-is-all-but-impossible-to-sit-quietly_2912470.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/james-thurber-1534_quietly_it-is-all-but-impossible-to-sit-quietly_2912470.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/james-thurber-1534_quietly_it-is-all-but-impossible-to-sit-quietly_2912470.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is all but impossible to sit quietly by when someone is throwing salad plates.” — James Thurber", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Thurber", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is all but impossible to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/it-is-all-but-impossible-to-sit-quietly-by-when-someone-is-throwing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/it-is-all-but-impossible-to-sit-quietly-by-when-someone-is-throwing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```