---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The dead worry the living because their…"
description: "\"“The dead worry the living because their silence reminds us how little the great comedies and tragedies in our lives matter and how little the universe..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/307/jordan-maclean-57656_dead_the-dead-worry-the-living-because-their_2785229.jpg"
---

#  The dead worry the living because their silence reminds us…

![“The dead worry the living because their silence reminds us how little the great comedies and tragedies in our lives matter and how little the universe would care if we'd never lived at all.” -- Nara” quote by Jordan MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/307/jordan-maclean-57656_dead_the-dead-worry-the-living-because-their_2785229.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/307/jordan-maclean-57656_dead_the-dead-worry-the-living-because-their_2785229.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/307/jordan-maclean-57656_dead_the-dead-worry-the-living-because-their_2785229.jpg)

> ““The dead worry the living because their silence reminds us how little the great comedies and tragedies in our lives matter and how little the universe would care if we'd never lived at all.” -- Nara””

[Jordan MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-maclean/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He reflects on how death makes the living aware of life's insignificance and the universe’s indifference.

**In simple terms:** Death highlights life's fleeting nature.

Key Takeaway

Contemplate mortality and meaning.

Themes

existentialism mortality humor tragic comedy

Mood

somber reflective

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- philosophical writing
- personal reflection
- creative literature

Key Concepts

absurdity meaninglessness

Questions to Reflect On

- How does humor soften existential dread?
- What gives life meaning despite insignificance?

A Different Perspective

May induce nihilism if misinterpreted.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Fantasy-fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy-fiction/) [Fantasy-ya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy-ya/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/)

## Related quotes

> [Perhaps the Wilderness we fear is the pause between our own heartbeats, the silence that reminds us we live by grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/perhaps-the-wilderness-we-fear-is-the-pause-between-our-own/)

[Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/)

> [Quiet people, people who aren't given to emotional outbursts, people who are economic with words - they're also fun to play, but you find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/quiet-people-people-who-aren-t-given-to-emotional-outbursts-people/)

[Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/)

> [If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn't rise from the dead, then why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-jesus-rose-from-the-dead-then-you-have-to-accept-all-that-he-said/)

[Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/)

> [“We tell the dead to rest in peace, when we should worry about the living to live in peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/we-tell-the-dead-to-rest-in-peace-when-we-should-worry-about-the/)

[Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/)

> [How about you stop worrying about finding that special someone and worry about living your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-about-you-stop-worrying-about-finding-that-special-someone-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [What Im trying to say is that what makes you up, its always been around, and it always will be around. So really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-halpern/what-im-trying-to-say-is-that-what-makes-you-up-its-always-been/)

[Justin Halpern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-halpern/)

> [“Draw a cart with horses, or push it down a hill...Both move the cart, aye?” -- Daerwin of Brannagh”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-maclean/draw-a-cart-with-horses-or-push-it-down-a-hill-both-move-the-cart-aye/)

[Jordan MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-maclean/)

> [“We hope you have found challenge in your path this morning.” -- Laniel, Abbot of Bilkar the Furred”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-maclean/we-hope-you-have-found-challenge-in-your-path-this-morning-laniel/)

[Jordan MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-maclean/)

> [“We forgive only that which requires forgiveness. To do otherwise is wasteful of grace.” -- Laniel, Abbot of Bilkar the Furred”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-maclean/we-forgive-only-that-which-requires-forgiveness-to-do-otherwise-is/)

[Jordan MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-maclean/)

> [“A woman of battle cannot take the same risks as a woman of the fields or a woman of the town. One may not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-maclean/a-woman-of-battle-cannot-take-the-same-risks-as-a-woman-of-the-fields/)

[Jordan MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-maclean/)

> [“The main thing that I loved about living alone was the silence. Sometimes simply talking to people was like listening to white noise. Often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrianne-brooks/the-main-thing-that-i-loved-about-living-alone-was-the-silence/)

[Adrianne Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrianne-brooks/)

> [To know of someone here and there whom we accord with, who is living on with us, even in silence - - this makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/to-know-of-someone-here-and-there-whom-we-accord-with-who-is-living/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [“Though no longer living in silence, I continued to carry pain and memories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-merryn/though-no-longer-living-in-silence-i-continued-to-carry-pain-and/)

[Erin Merryn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-merryn/)

> [“What’s been the most difficult aspect of living with us?” There was silence, but it was the kind where you can sense someone wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawthorne/what-s-been-the-most-difficult-aspect-of-living-with-us-there-was/)

[Rachel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawthorne/)

> [“Then he realised (in some odd way) that the silence was rather a living silence than a dead one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/then-he-realised-in-some-odd-way-that-the-silence-was-rather-a-living/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

## More by Jordan MacLean

> [“A woman of battle cannot take the same risks as a woman of the fields or a woman of the town. One may not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-maclean/a-woman-of-battle-cannot-take-the-same-risks-as-a-woman-of-the-fields/)

[Jordan MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-maclean/)

> [“We hope you have found challenge in your path this morning.” -- Laniel, Abbot of Bilkar the Furred”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-maclean/we-hope-you-have-found-challenge-in-your-path-this-morning-laniel/)

[Jordan MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-maclean/)

> [“Few of us ever touch eternity, and if we do, it is not in the ways we expect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-maclean/few-of-us-ever-touch-eternity-and-if-we-do-it-is-not-in-the-ways-we/)

[Jordan MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-maclean/)

> [“Draw a cart with horses, or push it down a hill...Both move the cart, aye?” -- Daerwin of Brannagh”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-maclean/draw-a-cart-with-horses-or-push-it-down-a-hill-both-move-the-cart-aye/)

[Jordan MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-maclean/)

> [“We forgive only that which requires forgiveness. To do otherwise is wasteful of grace.” -- Laniel, Abbot of Bilkar the Furred”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-maclean/we-forgive-only-that-which-requires-forgiveness-to-do-otherwise-is/)

[Jordan MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-maclean/)

[Explore all 6 Jordan MacLean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-maclean/)

## More Dead quotes

> [I'm going to stay on stage until I drop dead. Then I'm going to have myself stuffed, like Trigger, and I'm going to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/i-m-going-to-stay-on-stage-until-i-drop-dead-then-i-m-going-to-have/)

[Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/)

> [I can't be a legend yet. I'm not dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-can-t-be-a-legend-yet-i-m-not-dead/)

[Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/)

> [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/)

[Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/)

> [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/)

[Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/)

> [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/)

[Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/)

> [“I’m just–” She wanted to say “not in the mood,” but that was not only a cliché but a vast understatement. She was dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mcintosh/i-m-just-she-wanted-to-say-not-in-the-mood-but-that-was-not-only-a/)

[Will McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcintosh/)

> [Library: A place where the dead lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/library-a-place-where-the-dead-lie/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [When we dead awaken ... we see that we have never lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/when-we-dead-awaken-we-see-that-we-have-never-lived/)

[Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/)

> [Rather be dead than cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/rather-be-dead-than-cool/)

[Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/)

> [He was obviously dead. But since he was a vampire that wasn't as hopless a thing as it might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/he-was-obviously-dead-but-since-he-was-a-vampire-that-wasn-t-as/)

[Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/)

> [Ireland starts for me with the end of 'The Dead,' which my father read to me from his desk in his basement office in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/ireland-starts-for-me-with-the-end-of-the-dead-which-my-father-read/)

[John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/)

> [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [I intend to do the Penn &amp; Teller show until they pry my cheesy magic wand from my cold dead fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-intend-to-do-the-penn-teller-show-until-they-pry-my-cheesy-magic/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> ['Misery' left a lasting mark on me. When I die, it will be 'Kathy 'Misery' Bates Is Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-bates/misery-left-a-lasting-mark-on-me-when-i-die-it-will-be-kathy-misery/)

[Kathy Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-bates/)

> [The only good Indian is a dead Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/the-only-good-indian-is-a-dead-indian/)

[William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/)

Browse all 3,376 Dead quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“The dead worry the living because their silence reminds us how little the great comedies and tragedies in our lives matter and how little the universe would care if we'd never lived at all.” -- Nara”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jordan MacLean"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-maclean/the-dead-worry-the-living-because-their-silence-reminds-us-how-little/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dead"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-maclean/the-dead-worry-the-living-because-their-silence-reminds-us-how-little/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/307/jordan-maclean-57656_dead_the-dead-worry-the-living-because-their_2785229.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/307/jordan-maclean-57656_dead_the-dead-worry-the-living-because-their_2785229.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/307/jordan-maclean-57656_dead_the-dead-worry-the-living-because-their_2785229.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The dead worry the living because their silence reminds us how little the great comedies and tragedies in…” — Jordan MacLean",
                "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": "Jordan MacLean",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-maclean/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“The dead worry the living because...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-maclean/the-dead-worry-the-living-because-their-silence-reminds-us-how-little/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-maclean/the-dead-worry-the-living-because-their-silence-reminds-us-how-little/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
