--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It occurred to me that my speech or my…" description: "\"It occurred to me that my speech or my silence, indeed any action of mine, would be a mere futility.\" — Joseph Conrad" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/joseph-conrad-336_action_it-occurred-to-me-that-my-speech-or-my-s_145528.jpg" --- # It occurred to me that my speech or my silence, indeed any… ![“It occurred to me that my speech or my silence, indeed any action of mine, would be a mere futility.” quote by Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/joseph-conrad-336_action_it-occurred-to-me-that-my-speech-or-my-s_145528.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/joseph-conrad-336_action_it-occurred-to-me-that-my-speech-or-my-s_145528.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/joseph-conrad-336_action_it-occurred-to-me-that-my-speech-or-my-s_145528.jpg) > “It occurred to me that my speech or my silence, indeed any action of mine, would be a mere futility.” [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Every action, even speech or silence, can feel meaningless when faced with existential futility. **In simple terms:** Actions may seem futile. Key Takeaway Recognize the weight of each act. Themes existentialism futility action silence Mood somber introspective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - moral dilemmas - political activism - personal decisions - social discourse Key Concepts philosophical doubt human agency Questions to Reflect On - When have you felt your actions were futile? - How can you find meaning despite futility? A Different Perspective Feeling powerless can paralyze action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Futility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/futility/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) ## Related quotes > [The more we have received in silence, the more we give in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hello/the-more-we-have-received-in-silence-the-more-we-give-in-action/) [Ernest Hello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hello/) > [Silence is never-ending speech. Vocal speech obstructs the other speech of silence. In silence one is in intimate contact with the surroundings. Language is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/silence-is-never-ending-speech-vocal-speech-obstructs-the-other/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [The solution when you don't like someone's speech is not to silence that person, or that corporation. It's more and louder speech of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kinsley/the-solution-when-you-don-t-like-someone-s-speech-is-not-to-silence/) [Michael Kinsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kinsley/) > [After speech, silence is the greatest power in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-henri-lacordaire/after-speech-silence-is-the-greatest-power-in-the-world/) [Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-henri-lacordaire/) > [ More have repented speech then silence. \[More have repented speech than silence.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/more-have-repented-speech-then-silence-more-have-repented-speech-than/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Speech and silence. We feel safer with a madman who talks than with one who cannot open his mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/speech-and-silence-we-feel-safer-with-a-madman-who-talks-than-with/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [I have often regretted my speech, never my silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-often-regretted-my-speech-never-my-silence/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“YOU CAN WIN THE WORLD BY TWO WAYS; EITHER BY YOUR SPEECH OR BY YOUR SILENCE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/you-can-win-the-world-by-two-ways-either-by-your-speech-or-by-your/) [P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) > [“Once, I remember, we came upon a man-of-war anchored off the coast. There wasn't even a shed there, and she was shelling the bush.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/once-i-remember-we-came-upon-a-man-of-war-anchored-off-the-coast/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [The blight of futility that lies in wait for men's speeches had fallen upon our conversation and made it a thing of empty sounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-blight-of-futility-that-lies-in-wait-for-men-s-speeches-had/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“There are the girls we love, the men we look up to, the tenderness, the friendships, the opportunities, the pleasures! But the fact remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/there-are-the-girls-we-love-the-men-we-look-up-to-the-tenderness-the/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“The cabman looked at the pieces of silver, which, appearing very minute in his big, grimy palm, symbolised the insignificant results which reward the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-cabman-looked-at-the-pieces-of-silver-which-appearing-very-minute/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [Words, as is well known, are the great foes of reality. I have been for many years a teacher of languages. It is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/words-as-is-well-known-are-the-great-foes-of-reality-i-have-been-for/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [I am alive again, now that I can no longer stand to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-am-alive-again-now-that-i-can-no-longer-stand-to-live/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Married life had taught him the futility of arguing with a female in a dark-brown mood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/married-life-had-taught-him-the-futility-of-arguing-with-a-female-in/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) ## More by Joseph Conrad > [“Hunters for gold or pursuers of fame, they all had gone out on that stream, bearing the sword, and often the torch, messengers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/hunters-for-gold-or-pursuers-of-fame-they-all-had-gone-out-on-that/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“Let the earth and the sea each have its own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/let-the-earth-and-the-sea-each-have-its-own/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [He hated all this, and somehow he couldn't get away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/he-hated-all-this-and-somehow-he-couldn-t-get-away/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“A fool, what with sheer fright and fine sentiments, is always safe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/a-fool-what-with-sheer-fright-and-fine-sentiments-is-always-safe/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“The mind of man is capable of anything-because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future. What was there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-because-everything-is-in-it/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [Few men realize that their life, the very essence of their character, their capabilities and their audacities, are only the expression of their belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/few-men-realize-that-their-life-the-very-essence-of-their-character/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“Perhaps on some quiet night the tremor of far-off drums, sinking, swelling, a tremor vast, faint; a sound weird, appealing, suggestive and wild -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/perhaps-on-some-quiet-night-the-tremor-of-far-off-drums-sinking/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“All that mysterious life of the wilderness that stirs in the forest, in the jungles, in the hearts of wild men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/all-that-mysterious-life-of-the-wilderness-that-stirs-in-the-forest/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“The fascination of the abomination—you know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-fascination-of-the-abomination-you-know/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [It's only those who do nothing that make no mistakes, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/it-s-only-those-who-do-nothing-that-make-no-mistakes-i-suppose/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“Thieving was not a sheer absurdity. It was a form of human industry, perverse indeed, but still an industry exercised in an industrious world;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/thieving-was-not-a-sheer-absurdity-it-was-a-form-of-human-industry/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [I found myself back in the sepulchral city resenting the sight of people hurrying through the streets to filch a little money from each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/i-found-myself-back-in-the-sepulchral-city-resenting-the-sight-of/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [Society was calling to its accomplished child to come, to be taken care of, to be instructed, to be judged, to be condemned; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/society-was-calling-to-its-accomplished-child-to-come-to-be-taken/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [I was constantly watching myself, my secret self, as dependent on my actions as my own personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/i-was-constantly-watching-myself-my-secret-self-as-dependent-on-my/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Explore all 645 Joseph Conrad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It occurred to me that my speech or my silence, indeed any action of mine, would be a mere futility.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Conrad" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/it-occurred-to-me-that-my-speech-or-my-silence-indeed-any-action-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/it-occurred-to-me-that-my-speech-or-my-silence-indeed-any-action-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/joseph-conrad-336_action_it-occurred-to-me-that-my-speech-or-my-s_145528.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/joseph-conrad-336_action_it-occurred-to-me-that-my-speech-or-my-s_145528.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/joseph-conrad-336_action_it-occurred-to-me-that-my-speech-or-my-s_145528.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It occurred to me that my speech or my silence, indeed any action of mine, would be a mere futility.” — Joseph Conrad", "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": "Joseph Conrad", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It occurred to me that my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/it-occurred-to-me-that-my-speech-or-my-silence-indeed-any-action-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/it-occurred-to-me-that-my-speech-or-my-silence-indeed-any-action-of/#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 } } ] } ```