--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world went mad and used us as an…" description: "\"The world went mad and used us as an excuse.\" — John Lennon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/john-lennon-322_excuse_the-world-went-mad-and-used-us-as-an-exc_614973.jpg" --- # The world went mad and used us as an excuse. ![“The world went mad and used us as an excuse.” quote by John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/john-lennon-322_excuse_the-world-went-mad-and-used-us-as-an-exc_614973.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/john-lennon-322_excuse_the-world-went-mad-and-used-us-as-an-exc_614973.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/john-lennon-322_excuse_the-world-went-mad-and-used-us-as-an-exc_614973.jpg) > “The world went mad and used us as an excuse.” [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society uses chaos as an excuse, highlighting collective denial and scapegoating. **In simple terms:** People blame chaos for their actions. Key Takeaway Question excuses and seek accountability. Themes politics societal critique responsibility Mood critical reflective Type philosophical social commentary When to use this quote - activism - public discourse - education - policy making Key Concepts sociology psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why do we create excuses for societal problems? - How can we foster accountability? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse/) [Mad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mad/) [Mad Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mad-used-4987369/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-is/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Used Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-excuse-1004253/) [Went Mad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-mad-1468720/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-went-363020/) ## Related quotes > [We are told that when Hölderlin went 'mad,' he constantly repeated, 'Nothing is happening to me, nothing is happening to me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-celan/we-are-told-that-when-h-lderlin-went-mad-he-constantly-repeated/) [Paul Celan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-celan/) > [Men went mad and were rewarded with medals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/men-went-mad-and-were-rewarded-with-medals/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) > [I tried--I swear I tried. But you didn't want to hear what I was saying, and I used that as an excuse to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-tried-i-swear-i-tried-but-you-didn-t-want-to-hear-what-i-was-saying/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I even used the excuse when I was alone, as if I were somehow fooling myself with the ruse. You know your life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ellis/i-even-used-the-excuse-when-i-was-alone-as-if-i-were-somehow-fooling/) [David Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ellis/) > [The world used us as an excuse to go mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/the-world-used-us-as-an-excuse-to-go-mad/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [Things changed, people changed, and the world went rolling along right outside the window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/things-changed-people-changed-and-the-world-went-rolling-along-right/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I backpacked around the world and went to places like Mexico City and Pakistan, where I'm like, 'Oh. Things aren't quite as good.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-skoll/i-backpacked-around-the-world-and-went-to-places-like-mexico-city-and/) [Jeffrey Skoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-skoll/) > [The world went on, as it does, without my full participation, and I only woke up from the reverie when someone said my name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-world-went-on-as-it-does-without-my-full-participation-and-i-only/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“And if the world went to hell in a handbasket-as it seemed to be doing-you could say good-bye to everyone and retreat to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/and-if-the-world-went-to-hell-in-a-handbasket-as-it-seemed-to-be/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [“I wonder ... when it was that the world first went amiss, and men forgot how to live and to love and to be happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/i-wonder-when-it-was-that-the-world-first-went-amiss-and-men-forgot/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [I closed my eyes and listened to the occasional chirps of tiny birds hidden in the trees around us, the bubbling of water over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/i-closed-my-eyes-and-listened-to-the-occasional-chirps-of-tiny-birds/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [We are the people who won the Second World War and saved the world. We went to the moon. We gave the world the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-williams/we-are-the-people-who-won-the-second-world-war-and-saved-the-world-we/) [Brian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-williams/) > [In the course of my lifetime, that world went from violence to a kind of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-branagh/in-the-course-of-my-lifetime-that-world-went-from-violence-to-a-kind/) [Kenneth Branagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-branagh/) > [“It didn't feel like the last night of anything anymore, just that the world went on and would follow us home”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-mcclure/it-didn-t-feel-like-the-last-night-of-anything-anymore-just-that-the/) [Wendy McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-mcclure/) > [“The world went from black and white and into color when I laid eyes on you, my love. There'll be no going back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-lilley/the-world-went-from-black-and-white-and-into-color-when-i-laid-eyes/) [R.K. Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-lilley/) ## More by John Lennon > [Well, I don't want to be king, I want to be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/well-i-don-t-want-to-be-king-i-want-to-be-real/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [ We went to America a few times and \[Brian\] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-went-to-america-a-few-times-and-brian-epstein-always-tried-to/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [As someone from the working class I was always interested in Russia and China and everything that related to the working class, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/as-someone-from-the-working-class-i-was-always-interested-in-russia/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I never went to high school reunions. My thing is, out of sight, out of mind. That's my attitude toward life. So I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-never-went-to-high-school-reunions-my-thing-is-out-of-sight-out-of/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Today's folk song is rock and roll. Although it happened to emanate from America, that's not really important in the end because we wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/today-s-folk-song-is-rock-and-roll-although-it-happened-to-emanate/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [If you want to get peace, you can get it as soon as you like if we all pull together. ... Think peace, live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/if-you-want-to-get-peace-you-can-get-it-as-soon-as-you-like-if-we-all/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [The reason why kids are crazy is because nobody can face the responsibility of bringing them up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-reason-why-kids-are-crazy-is-because-nobody-can-face-the/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [In my case I've never not been political, though religion tended to overshadow it in my acid days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/in-my-case-i-ve-never-not-been-political-though-religion-tended-to/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Songwriting is about getting the demon out of me. It's like being possessed. You try to go to sleep, but the song won't let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/songwriting-is-about-getting-the-demon-out-of-me-it-s-like-being/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Imagine there's no heaven... it's easy if you try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/imagine-there-s-no-heaven-it-s-easy-if-you-try/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allan Poe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/man-you-should-have-seen-them-kicking-edgar-allan-poe/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Love is like a flower - you've got to let it grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/love-is-like-a-flower-you-ve-got-to-let-it-grow/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I don't know which will go first - rock 'n' roll or Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-don-t-know-which-will-go-first-rock-n-roll-or-christianity/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [The main hangup in the world today is hypocrisy and insecurity. If people can't face up to the fact of other people being naked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-main-hangup-in-the-world-today-is-hypocrisy-and-insecurity-if/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) [Explore all 681 John Lennon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) ## More Excuse quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [Win without boasting. Lose without excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-payson-terhune/win-without-boasting-lose-without-excuse/) [Albert Payson Terhune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-payson-terhune/) > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Dont leave without a reason, and then try to come back with an excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-leave-without-a-reason-and-then-try-to-come-back-with-an-excuse/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Using, as an excuse, others' failure of common sense is in itself a failure of common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/using-as-an-excuse-others-failure-of-common-sense-is-in-itself-a/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [I resolutely believe that respect for diversity is a fundamental pillar in the eradication of racism, xenophobia and intolerance. There is no excuse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rigoberta-menchu/i-resolutely-believe-that-respect-for-diversity-is-a-fundamental/) [Rigoberta Menchu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rigoberta-menchu/) > [I'm not the guy who will sit in a room with somebody who's using a bunch of big words and just act like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/i-m-not-the-guy-who-will-sit-in-a-room-with-somebody-who-s-using-a/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [Worst Break Up Excuse; 'You deserve so much better.' Translation: They've already moved on whether you like it or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/worst-break-up-excuse-you-deserve-so-much-better-translation-they-ve/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lie is an excuse guarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-lie-is-an-excuse-guarded/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Live with No Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyanendra/live-with-no-excuse/) [Gyanendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyanendra/) [Browse all 2,435 Excuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The world went mad and used us as an excuse.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Lennon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-world-went-mad-and-used-us-as-an-excuse/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-world-went-mad-and-used-us-as-an-excuse/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/john-lennon-322_excuse_the-world-went-mad-and-used-us-as-an-exc_614973.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/john-lennon-322_excuse_the-world-went-mad-and-used-us-as-an-exc_614973.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/852/john-lennon-322_excuse_the-world-went-mad-and-used-us-as-an-exc_614973.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The world went mad and used us as an excuse.” — John Lennon", "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": "John Lennon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The world went mad and used...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-world-went-mad-and-used-us-as-an-excuse/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-world-went-mad-and-used-us-as-an-excuse/#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 } } ] } ```