--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Denial is stupid. We're fighting the…" description: "\"“Denial is stupid. We're fighting the living dead. Would you prefer we call them 'undead citizens'?”\" — Jonathan Maberry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/jonathan-maberry-2912_denial_denial-is-stupid-we-re-fighting-the-livi_540121.png" --- # Denial is stupid. We're fighting the living dead. Would… ![“Denial is stupid. We're fighting the living dead. Would you prefer we call them 'undead citizens'?” quote by Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/jonathan-maberry-2912_denial_denial-is-stupid-we-re-fighting-the-livi_540121.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/jonathan-maberry-2912_denial_denial-is-stupid-we-re-fighting-the-livi_540121.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/jonathan-maberry-2912_denial_denial-is-stupid-we-re-fighting-the-livi_540121.png) > ““Denial is stupid. We're fighting the living dead. Would you prefer we call them 'undead citizens'?”” [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Denial of a dire reality hampers response; naming threats clearly is crucial. **In simple terms:** Ignoring danger worsens it; label threats accurately. Key Takeaway Recognize and name problems promptly. Themes denial danger clarity Mood serious urgent Type cautionary inspirational When to use this quote - pandemic response - security planning - public health - emergency management Key Concepts critical thinking risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - How does naming a problem change your response? - What barriers prevent acknowledging reality? A Different Perspective People may resist labeling threats due to fear or politics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) ## Related quotes > [I think the general anxiety of the 1960s - '70s spawned our interest in the living dead. When people worry about the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/i-think-the-general-anxiety-of-the-1960s-70s-spawned-our-interest-in/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [“There is a very, narrow, thinness of line between the living and the dead; actually, it's just a lack of a heartbeat away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-adamson/there-is-a-very-narrow-thinness-of-line-between-the-living-and-the/) [Wes Adamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-adamson/) > [I think that's the great thing about zombies, is, you know, going back to even 'Night of the Living Dead,' they've always been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/i-think-that-s-the-great-thing-about-zombies-is-you-know-going-back/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [“The only meaningful life is that which is deepened by carrying through these commitments, living through the dead periods in order to lay the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-taylor/the-only-meaningful-life-is-that-which-is-deepened-by-carrying/) [Charles Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-taylor/) > [One could dismiss the zombie trend as merely feeding a mass public that craves the strange and bizarre. Such an explanation would be only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-drezner/one-could-dismiss-the-zombie-trend-as-merely-feeding-a-mass-public/) Daniel Drezner > [Art is a partnership not only between those who are living but between those who are dead and those who are yet to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/art-is-a-partnership-not-only-between-those-who-are-living-but/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“We were nothing but a bunch of ravenous ghosts. The barely living dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/we-were-nothing-but-a-bunch-of-ravenous-ghosts-the-barely-living-dead/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“He was a living dead man. According to official records he had died, not once, but twice. yet he still breathed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-hilton/he-was-a-living-dead-man-according-to-official-records-he-had-died/) Matt Hilton > [For when is death not within our selves? And as Heracleitus says: “Living and dead are the same, and so are awake and asleep,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/for-when-is-death-not-within-our-selves-and-as-heracleitus-says/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [Well, who’s real? The living or the dead?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-nicholson/well-who-s-real-the-living-or-the-dead/) [Scott Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-nicholson/) > [Make a mark; don't be part of the living dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-matthews/make-a-mark-don-t-be-part-of-the-living-dead/) [Terry Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-matthews/) > [Death ... obliterates family resemblance as it does personality: there is no affinity between the living and the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/death-obliterates-family-resemblance-as-it-does-personality-there-is/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [The original Return of the Living Dead, I was attached to direct it, and I wrote the story. Production was delayed. In the meantime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobe-hooper/the-original-return-of-the-living-dead-i-was-attached-to-direct-it/) [Tobe Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobe-hooper/) > [I found myself face to face with a long line of people resembling extras off the set of Night of the Living Dead: shuffling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frank/i-found-myself-face-to-face-with-a-long-line-of-people-resembling/) [Joan Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frank/) > [I don't know when the Return of the Living Dead are happening. That's been on the Internet for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobe-hooper/i-don-t-know-when-the-return-of-the-living-dead-are-happening-that-s/) [Tobe Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobe-hooper/) ## More by Jonathan Maberry > [“Maybe you should go make that call again. Ask very specifically how much of who's ass needs to be kissed here. I'm pretty sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/maybe-you-should-go-make-that-call-again-ask-very-specifically-how/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [“Lilah growled low in her throat, grabbed his shirt with both hands, and hauled him toward her. Into a kiss that was fierce and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/lilah-growled-low-in-her-throat-grabbed-his-shirt-with-both-hands-and/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [Suddenly all those careful preparations disintegrated as predators far more dangerous than the walking dead proved what all wise killers already knew: that nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/suddenly-all-those-careful-preparations-disintegrated-as-predators/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [“Suddenly we were in outer space. Aboard a rusty old piece of junk freighter. Far away. And in real trouble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/suddenly-we-were-in-outer-space-aboard-a-rusty-old-piece-of-junk/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [“The four of them stared at me. Half an hour ago we were strangers and I was beating the crap out of them; now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/the-four-of-them-stared-at-me-half-an-hour-ago-we-were-strangers-and/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [“The word "impossible" used to mean something. It was a line that couldn't be crossed. It was the outer edge of the safe zone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/the-word-impossible-used-to-mean-something-it-was-a-line-that-couldn/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [“Boy, there are people who conquered half the world, slaughtered whole populations, wiped cultures off the face of the planet, and you know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/boy-there-are-people-who-conquered-half-the-world-slaughtered-whole/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [“Okay," I said slowly, "but what the hell would you mate a horse with to get a unicorn, because I don't see horses and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/okay-i-said-slowly-but-what-the-hell-would-you-mate-a-horse-with-to/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [“There were more of them out there. More walkers. And I was being asked to step up and be... what? Some kind of Captain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/there-were-more-of-them-out-there-more-walkers-and-i-was-being-asked/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [There are moments that define a person's whole life. Moments in which everything they are and everything they may possibly become balance on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/there-are-moments-that-define-a-person-s-whole-life-moments-in-which/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [“Leaving is never easy,” said Tom. “Even when you know you have to go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/leaving-is-never-easy-said-tom-even-when-you-know-you-have-to-go/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [UNMARKED is both gorgeous and hideous. A frightening and disturbing tale spun with great beauty. Absolutely riveting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/unmarked-is-both-gorgeous-and-hideous-a-frightening-and-disturbing/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [“Benny took a steadying breath and let it out slowly. "Nix, I do understand what you're going through. I'm going through it too." "It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/benny-took-a-steadying-breath-and-let-it-out-slowly-nix-i-do/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [But sometimes shame is a more powerful engine than rage. Like rage, it burns hot; and like rage it tends to consume its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/but-sometimes-shame-is-a-more-powerful-engine-than-rage-like-rage-it/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [“I don't do martial arts for trophies or for fun. I'm a fighter, and I train to win any fight I'm in. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/i-don-t-do-martial-arts-for-trophies-or-for-fun-i-m-a-fighter-and-i/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) [Explore all 138 Jonathan Maberry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) ## More Denial quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [A mistake doesnt make you a fool, but denying it surely makes you one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-mistake-doesnt-make-you-a-fool-but-denying-it-surely-makes-you-one/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [It is through suppression that hells are formed in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/it-is-through-suppression-that-hells-are-formed-in-us/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [Atheist’s denial of God’s existence needs just as much substantiation as does the theist’s claim; the atheist must give plausible reasons for rejecting God’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/atheist-s-denial-of-god-s-existence-needs-just-as-much-substantiation/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) > [But we need to be very clear: because of our decades of collective denial, no gradual, incremental options are now available to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/but-we-need-to-be-very-clear-because-of-our-decades-of-collective/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [What you try to bury just ends up burying you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-wagner/what-you-try-to-bury-just-ends-up-burying-you/) [Jane Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-wagner/) > [Its up to any government to decide how to react to the denial of basic human rights anywhere in the world, including Egypt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/its-up-to-any-government-to-decide-how-to-react-to-the-denial-of/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Living in denial only makes finding the truth that much harder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-f/living-in-denial-only-makes-finding-the-truth-that-much-harder/) Jules F > [Sanity can take one of only two forms: that of ignorance, or denial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-r-audette/sanity-can-take-one-of-only-two-forms-that-of-ignorance-or-denial/) [Derek R. Audette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-r-audette/) > [Denial leads to closure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marwin-machiaveli/denial-leads-to-closure/) Aruho Marwin Machiaveli > [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. If I tell you a racist or dirty joke and you laugh, you're telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-are-in-denial-all-the-time-hiding-things-if-i-tell-you-a/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [It is not a question of who dances but of who or what does not dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-st-denis/it-is-not-a-question-of-who-dances-but-of-who-or-what-does-not-dance/) [Ruth St. Denis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-st-denis/) > [What’s looming in the shadows of our ignorance and denial is a critique of civilization itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lierre-keith/what-s-looming-in-the-shadows-of-our-ignorance-and-denial-is-a/) [Lierre Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lierre-keith/) > [“You can hold on to the smallest doubt and take comfort in it, stay in denial and go on with your carefree life, until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/you-can-hold-on-to-the-smallest-doubt-and-take-comfort-in-it-stay-in/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) [Browse all 1,463 Denial quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Denial is stupid. 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