--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s like before when there was a huge…" description: "\"“It’s like before when there was a huge pile up on the highway, as soon as you got to the point in the traffic jam that you could see the accident, you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/katelin-lamontagne-31161_humor_it-s-like-before-when-there-was-a-huge-p_1605117.jpg" --- # It’s like before when there was a huge pile up on the… ![“It’s like before when there was a huge pile up on the highway, as soon as you got to the point in the traffic jam that you could see the accident, your eyes were glued to the window and you nearly rear ended the guy in front of you so that you can catch a peek at the victims. Sick fucks that we…” quote by Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/katelin-lamontagne-31161_humor_it-s-like-before-when-there-was-a-huge-p_1605117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/katelin-lamontagne-31161_humor_it-s-like-before-when-there-was-a-huge-p_1605117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/katelin-lamontagne-31161_humor_it-s-like-before-when-there-was-a-huge-p_1605117.jpg) > ““It’s like before when there was a huge pile up on the highway, as soon as you got to the point in the traffic jam that you could see the accident, your eyes were glued to the window and you nearly rear ended the guy in front of you so that you can catch a peek at the victims. Sick fucks that we are, we like to witness the suffering of others and say, 'sucks to be them.' We bob our heads to the radio as we open up our engines and tear down the now cleared highway, continuing on with our lives as if we didn’t just witness someone’s spine being scraped off the ground. Come on, you know you’ve done it. Everyone has, and right now is one of those moments.”” [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often voyeuristically watch others’ suffering, treating it as entertainment while quickly moving on. **In simple terms:** We watch pain for thrills and then ignore it. Key Takeaway Recognize and resist the urge to treat tragedy as spectacle. Themes empathy human nature media consumption Mood guilty reflective critical Type observational ethical When to use this quote - commuting - social media scrolling - news consumption - casual conversations Key Concepts voyeurism desensitization psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why do we seek out others’ pain? - How can we respond more compassionately? A Different Perspective It can be hard to stay emotionally present when overwhelmed by constant exposure to distress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accident/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Traffic jam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traffic-jam/) [Victims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victims/) ## Related quotes > [“Job’s wife went with her husband from a comfortable and well-supplied lifestyle to being homeless, bankrupt, and childless. She became a caregiver, as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddick-van-zyl/job-s-wife-went-with-her-husband-from-a-comfortable-and-well-supplied/) [Paddick Van Zyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddick-van-zyl/) > [it is clearly evident that our path travels through a valley of teas well known to all farm workers, because in all valleys the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/it-is-clearly-evident-that-our-path-travels-through-a-valley-of-teas/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [Ultimately, in the battle against lies and violence, truth and love have no other weapon than the witness of suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/ultimately-in-the-battle-against-lies-and-violence-truth-and-love/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Compassion allows us to bear witness to suffering, whether it is in ourselves or others, without fear; it allows us to name injustice without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/compassion-allows-us-to-bear-witness-to-suffering-whether-it-is-in/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [Im looking in my rear view, I see the world in it. I try to slow down, and I get rear ended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/im-looking-in-my-rear-view-i-see-the-world-in-it-i-try-to-slow-down/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [“I hit a car, but it wasn’t my fault. The bicyclist who rear ended me is to blame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-hit-a-car-but-it-wasn-t-my-fault-the-bicyclist-who-rear-ended-me-is/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“But maybe her marriage wasn't a Lexus. Maybe it was a Pinto--one of those cars famous for blowing up when rear-ended. As she waited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaya-mclaren/but-maybe-her-marriage-wasn-t-a-lexus-maybe-it-was-a-pinto-one-of/) [Kaya McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaya-mclaren/) > [Whitney Houston rear-ended a city bus with her sports car, but no one was hurt. She said she didn't know what happened. One minute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/whitney-houston-rear-ended-a-city-bus-with-her-sports-car-but-no-one/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I borrowed my friends car the other day in an attempt to persuade my husband that we needed a car and literally this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-borrowed-my-friends-car-the-other-day-in-an-attempt-to-persuade-my/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [“Sorry, I didn’t know that you had a vagina, I’ll refrain from using vulgar words for now on. How about it smells like pee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/sorry-i-didn-t-know-that-you-had-a-vagina-i-ll-refrain-from-using/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“Assumptions are for assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/assumptions-are-for-assholes/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“She snores, she talks too god damn much, and she tries to cuddle.” John visibly shivers at that, so I nod and continue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/she-snores-she-talks-too-god-damn-much-and-she-tries-to-cuddle-john/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“My god, I sound like a chick. I must be suffering the debilitating condition called DIC, Dick In Charge, since obviously he's running the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/my-god-i-sound-like-a-chick-i-must-be-suffering-the-debilitating/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“I'll be your shovel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/i-ll-be-your-shovel/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“What’s wrong with you?” John asks suspiciously. I give him a ‘what chu talkin’ ‘bout Willis?’ look and he explains. “You just woke up.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/what-s-wrong-with-you-john-asks-suspiciously-i-give-him-a-what-chu/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) ## More by Katelin LaMontagne > [“Are you even listening to yourself right now? You sound like you’re from the nineteen hundreds, not the two thousands." I pointed at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/are-you-even-listening-to-yourself-right-now-you-sound-like-you-re/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“What’s wrong with you?” John asks suspiciously. I give him a ‘what chu talkin’ ‘bout Willis?’ look and he explains. “You just woke up.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/what-s-wrong-with-you-john-asks-suspiciously-i-give-him-a-what-chu/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“I'll be your shovel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/i-ll-be-your-shovel/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“My god, I sound like a chick. I must be suffering the debilitating condition called DIC, Dick In Charge, since obviously he's running the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/my-god-i-sound-like-a-chick-i-must-be-suffering-the-debilitating/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“She snores, she talks too god damn much, and she tries to cuddle.” John visibly shivers at that, so I nod and continue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/she-snores-she-talks-too-god-damn-much-and-she-tries-to-cuddle-john/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“Assumptions are for assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/assumptions-are-for-assholes/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“Sorry, I didn’t know that you had a vagina, I’ll refrain from using vulgar words for now on. How about it smells like pee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/sorry-i-didn-t-know-that-you-had-a-vagina-i-ll-refrain-from-using/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“You were supposed to be my wingman, not my freaking kamikaze pilot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/you-were-supposed-to-be-my-wingman-not-my-freaking-kamikaze-pilot/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“Fucking morning people, they just don’t understand what it a chore it is for us normal people to not want to leave our warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/fucking-morning-people-they-just-don-t-understand-what-it-a-chore-it/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“Patience is a virtue," she replies. "Why couldn't 'hurry the fuck up' be a virtue?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/patience-is-a-virtue-she-replies-why-couldn-t-hurry-the-fuck-up-be-a/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“You do know you’re a woman, right?” I ask. “Are you sure?” Olivia asks with an astonished face. “I thought I had a penis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/you-do-know-you-re-a-woman-right-i-ask-are-you-sure-olivia-asks-with/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“Who the fuck calls their priest when their son is having a crisis?" "I do, now shut up!" Ma answered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/who-the-fuck-calls-their-priest-when-their-son-is-having-a-crisis-i/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“Time is precious and should be spent doing things that make you happy, not brushing those very moments aside. That’s when you really die,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/time-is-precious-and-should-be-spent-doing-things-that-make-you-happy/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“You’re not so much of a shmuck after all, Jarry.” “Thanks, PITA. But you tell anyone that I’m going soft, and I’ll deny it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/you-re-not-so-much-of-a-shmuck-after-all-jarry-thanks-pita-but-you/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [“I should have known you’d have no taste,” Olivia says and rubs her temples. “Tacky from the tips of her toes, to her hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/i-should-have-known-you-d-have-no-taste-olivia-says-and-rubs-her/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) [Explore all 16 Katelin LaMontagne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) ## More Accident quotes > [Fame, we may understand, is no sure test of merit, but only a probability of such: it is an accident, not a property, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/fame-we-may-understand-is-no-sure-test-of-merit-but-only-a/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [“The accident in your rearview mirror already happened. The one in front of you is still preventable. Pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nakia-r-laushaul/the-accident-in-your-rearview-mirror-already-happened-the-one-in/) [Nakia R. Laushaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nakia-r-laushaul/) > [People dont get married by accident and they dont get divorced by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hayes/people-dont-get-married-by-accident-and-they-dont-get-divorced-by/) [Darren Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hayes/) > [My father had Parkinson's, though he actually died following a bicycle accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/my-father-had-parkinson-s-though-he-actually-died-following-a-bicycle/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [A tragic car accident put me in a wheelchair and dashed my hopes and dreams for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-cawthorn/a-tragic-car-accident-put-me-in-a-wheelchair-and-dashed-my-hopes-and/) [Madison Cawthorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-cawthorn/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [The spirit in the body is like wine in a glass; when it spills, it seeps into air and earth and light….It’s a mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-michaels/the-spirit-in-the-body-is-like-wine-in-a-glass-when-it-spills-it/) [Anne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-michaels/) > [accident ruled every corner of the universe except the chambers of the human heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/accident-ruled-every-corner-of-the-universe-except-the-chambers-of/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) > [There is a French expression that says: to be exposed to an accident, to cross a street without looking at the cars means exposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-is-a-french-expression-that-says-to-be-exposed-to-an-accident/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [It's no accident that most self-help groups use 'anonymous' in their names; to Americans, the first step toward redemption is a ritual wiping out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/it-s-no-accident-that-most-self-help-groups-use-anonymous-in-their/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [High birth is an accident, not a virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/high-birth-is-an-accident-not-a-virtue/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [“I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed reading accident. I hit a book mark and flew across the room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-just-got-out-of-the-hospital-i-was-in-a-speed-reading-accident-i/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [However, I met with a horrible accident while riding my bike in Sangla Valley. The accident was a wakeup call for me stop getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-shukla/however-i-met-with-a-horrible-accident-while-riding-my-bike-in-sangla/) [Abhinav Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-shukla/) > [“Because the core of my personal philosophy is that everything that happens to us benefits us, I was also spared the futility of cursing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/because-the-core-of-my-personal-philosophy-is-that-everything-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 922 Accident quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accident/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It’s like before when there was a huge pile up on the highway, as soon as you got to the point in the traffic jam that you could see the accident, your eyes were glued to the window and you nearly rear ended the guy in front of you so that you can catch a peek at the victims. Sick fucks that we are, we like to witness the suffering of others and say, 'sucks to be them.' We bob our heads to the radio as we open up our engines and tear down the now cleared highway, continuing on with our lives as if we didn’t just witness someone’s spine being scraped off the ground. Come on, you know you’ve done it. 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