Forget Dead Quote by Laura Kasischke
““We can talk to one another on telephones in banks, in cars, in line. No more sitting on the floor attached to a cord while everybody listens. No more standing outside the booth in the cold, fingering an adulterous dime. We send each other mail without stamps. Watch television without antennas. Wear seatbelts, smoke less, and never on a bus, never in the lobby while we’re waiting for the lawyer to call on us. Nowhere now, a typewriter ribbon. Quaintly the record album’s scratch and spin. Our groceries, scanned. Pump our own gas. Take off our shoes before boarding our plane. Those towers: Gone. And Pluto’s no longer a planet: Forget it. I could go on and on, but you’re still dead and nothing’s any different.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: “The End of the World” by Laura Kasischke, 2005
The speaker lists modern conveniences and absurdities, then declares that despite all change, personal loss remains unchanged.
In simple terms: Even with progress, grief stays the same.
Key Takeaway
Recognize that external change doesn’t heal inner pain.
Themes
technology
loss
modernity
impermanence
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- mourning a death
- dealing with grief
- reflecting on societal change
- coping with loss
Key Concepts
existentialism
consumerism
disillusionment
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you reconcile technological advancement with personal sorrow?
- Can external changes ever truly affect internal grief?
A Different Perspective
Progress cannot replace emotional healing.
