--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was in fact the ordinary nature of…" description: "\"“It was in fact the ordinary nature of everything preceding the event that prevented me from truly believing it had happened, absorbing it, incorporati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/joan-didion-497_blue-sky_it-was-in-fact-the-ordinary-nature-of-ev_1106751.jpg" --- # It was in fact the ordinary nature of everything preceding… ![“It was in fact the ordinary nature of everything preceding the event that prevented me from truly believing it had happened, absorbing it, incorporating it, getting past it. I recognize now there was nothing unusual in this: confronted with sudden disaster we all focus on how unremarkable the…” quote by joan didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/joan-didion-497_blue-sky_it-was-in-fact-the-ordinary-nature-of-ev_1106751.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/joan-didion-497_blue-sky_it-was-in-fact-the-ordinary-nature-of-ev_1106751.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/joan-didion-497_blue-sky_it-was-in-fact-the-ordinary-nature-of-ev_1106751.jpg) > ““It was in fact the ordinary nature of everything preceding the event that prevented me from truly believing it had happened, absorbing it, incorporating it, getting past it. I recognize now there was nothing unusual in this: confronted with sudden disaster we all focus on how unremarkable the circumstances were in which the unthinkable occurred, the clear blue sky from which the plane fell, the routine errand that ended on the shoulder with the car in flames, the swings were the children were playing as usual when the rattlesnake struck from the ivy.”” [joan didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When disaster strikes, we down‑play the normalcy before it, making the tragedy seem more shocking than it truly is. **In simple terms:** We ignore ordinary context before a disaster. Key Takeaway Notice everyday details before crises. Themes perception disaster normalcy memory psychology Mood reflective analytical somber Type observational critical philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - news reporting - emergency response - mental health - historical analysis Key Concepts cognitive bias narrative framing Questions to Reflect On - How does emphasizing routine affect our response to crises? - What can we learn by examining ordinary details before a disaster? 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