---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Post-apocalyptic novels tell you that in…"
description: "\"Post-apocalyptic novels tell you that in the future there is some great war. I would tell you that most cops say that it's going on right now.\" — Lisa ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/lisa-gardner-7497_apocalyptic_post-apocalyptic-novels-tell-you-that-in_102177.jpg"
---

#  Post-apocalyptic novels tell you that in the future there…

![“Post-apocalyptic novels tell you that in the future there is some great war. I would tell you that most cops say that it's going on right now.” quote by Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/lisa-gardner-7497_apocalyptic_post-apocalyptic-novels-tell-you-that-in_102177.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/lisa-gardner-7497_apocalyptic_post-apocalyptic-novels-tell-you-that-in_102177.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/lisa-gardner-7497_apocalyptic_post-apocalyptic-novels-tell-you-that-in_102177.jpg)

> “Post-apocalyptic novels tell you that in the future there is some great war. I would tell you that most cops say that it's going on right now.”

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

## About This Quote

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

The quote blurs fiction and reality, suggesting that the chaos depicted in dystopian stories is already present in everyday law enforcement.

**In simple terms:** Real life already feels like a post‑apocalypse.

Key Takeaway

Current societal issues mirror dystopian narratives.

Themes

dystopia law enforcement social critique reality vs fiction

Mood

wry critical

Type

satirical philosophical

When to use this quote

- reading crime novels
- watching news
- community policing meetings
- political debates

Key Concepts

media perception social decay

Practical Applications

- Use fiction to highlight real problems
- Engage citizens in civic discussions

Questions to Reflect On

- What aspects of daily life feel dystopian to you?
- How can fiction inspire concrete change?

A Different Perspective

The statement may exaggerate for effect; many communities experience safety and order.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Apocalyptic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apocalyptic/) [Apocalyptic Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apocalyptic-novels-764332/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cop/) [Cops Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cops-say-402432/) [Great war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-war/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Novels Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novels-tell-579287/) [Post apocalyptic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/post-apocalyptic/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/)

## Related quotes

> [ I am glad it's \[California novel\] resonated with people because, for me, most apocalyptic novels aren't scary, because they feel so very far off. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edan-lepucki/i-am-glad-it-s-california-novel-resonated-with-people-because-for-me/)

[Edan Lepucki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edan-lepucki/)

> [I oppose preserving civilization because I have a better chance of getting laid in a post-apocalyptic world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-oppose-preserving-civilization-because-i-have-a-better-chance-of/)

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

> [“You can't take highways during the apocalypse, because they'll be packed with panicky people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-cornell-michel/you-can-t-take-highways-during-the-apocalypse-because-they-ll-be/)

[J. Cornell Michel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-cornell-michel/)

> [I think it worked two ways. One, a lot of people writing about the movie used that as shorthand and it could either be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-burger/i-think-it-worked-two-ways-one-a-lot-of-people-writing-about-the/)

[Neil Burger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-burger/)

> [Analysis of President Bush's tax plan has revealed that several elaborate tricks and gimmicks were used to make it look like a $1.35 trillion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/analysis-of-president-bush-s-tax-plan-has-revealed-that-several/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [“If humans one day become extinct from a catastrophic collision, there would be no greater tragedy in the history of life in the universe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/if-humans-one-day-become-extinct-from-a-catastrophic-collision-there/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [I grew up in the '80s where there's a lot of these kind of post-apocalyptic, post-comet, post-whatever it was, so that always captured my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/i-grew-up-in-the-80s-where-there-s-a-lot-of-these-kind-of-post/)

[Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/)

> ['Borne,' in a weird way, even though it's a totally different universe, picks up where the 'Southern Reach Trilogy' leaves off, because it's post-apocalyptic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/borne-in-a-weird-way-even-though-it-s-a-totally-different-universe/)

[Jeff Vandermeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/)

> [“The world is a goddamned evil place, the strong prey on the weak, the rich on the poor; I’ve given up hope that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-b-powell/the-world-is-a-goddamned-evil-place-the-strong-prey-on-the-weak-the/)

[Aaron B. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-b-powell/)

> [Another thing we wanted to do, a lot of shows or movies that are in the future or the post-apocalyptic are very bleached, desaturated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-millar/another-thing-we-wanted-to-do-a-lot-of-shows-or-movies-that-are-in/)

[Miles Millar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-millar/)

> [I think everyone envisions what their life would be like if they were to live in this post-apocalyptic world. I love the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-mikulak/i-think-everyone-envisions-what-their-life-would-be-like-if-they-were/)

[Sam Mikulak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-mikulak/)

> [Dude. Post-apocalyptic world. Who does job applications anymore?” “I do.” I squint at it, then him. “What are you paying me?” I angle. “Dude.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/dude-post-apocalyptic-world-who-does-job-applications-anymore-i-do-i/)

[Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/)

> [You turn on the shower or you do whatever, but especially right now with the drought in California, there are so many resources that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailene-woodley/you-turn-on-the-shower-or-you-do-whatever-but-especially-right-now/)

[Shailene Woodley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailene-woodley/)

> [In the event of a Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic dystopia, people with supplies of food and water could become warlords or chieftains in the social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nish-kumar/in-the-event-of-a-mad-max-style-post-apocalyptic-dystopia-people-with/)

[Nish Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nish-kumar/)

> [I feel like when we talk about post-apocalyptic themes that's what we're really talking about. We're always returning to this sense of being alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-stetson/i-feel-like-when-we-talk-about-post-apocalyptic-themes-that-s-what-we/)

[Colin Stetson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-stetson/)

## More by Lisa Gardner

> [It's kind of the yin and yang that fascinate me. That for all the evil men do, there are also people who work obnoxiously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/it-s-kind-of-the-yin-and-yang-that-fascinate-me-that-for-all-the-evil/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [Everyone should say what they wanted. It saved time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/everyone-should-say-what-they-wanted-it-saved-time/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [You try as a parent. You love beyond reason. You fight beyond endurance. You hope beyond despair. You never think, until the very last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/you-try-as-a-parent-you-love-beyond-reason-you-fight-beyond-endurance/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [“The results are about as meaningful as a sixth toe - gives you something to look at, but doesn't do a damn thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/the-results-are-about-as-meaningful-as-a-sixth-toe-gives-you/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [“Not the cute kind of cuckoo, or the lights-on-but-nobody's-home loony. She's really, genuinely, sold my-soul-to-the-devil crazy. She don't care about me or anyone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/not-the-cute-kind-of-cuckoo-or-the-lights-on-but-nobody-s-home-loony/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [“God give me the strength to change the things I can change, the courage to let go of the things I need to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/god-give-me-the-strength-to-change-the-things-i-can-change-the/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [If you choose to do something, do it with your utmost. And remember, expect nothing and life will be velvet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/if-you-choose-to-do-something-do-it-with-your-utmost-and-remember/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [I still read romance, and I read suspense. I read them both. And part of it is, I like stories with strong characters, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/i-still-read-romance-and-i-read-suspense-i-read-them-both-and-part-of/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [“MY PAIN IS NAMED”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/my-pain-is-named/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [You can be the hunter, or you can be the hunted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/you-can-be-the-hunter-or-you-can-be-the-hunted/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [“Alex said, his voice subdued, tense. “So it would seem,” D.D.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/alex-said-his-voice-subdued-tense-so-it-would-seem-d-d/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [All I've really ever done is write since I was 17, so I don't know anything about anything. For me to do a novel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/all-i-ve-really-ever-done-is-write-since-i-was-17-so-i-don-t-know/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [My secret vice is Sudoku puzzles. Can't stop playing them. My parents are accountants. I blame them entirely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/my-secret-vice-is-sudoku-puzzles-can-t-stop-playing-them-my-parents/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [“For a bit, he picked up the paperbacks, thumbed the worn edges. Military thrillers. Books with clear right and wrong where the good guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/for-a-bit-he-picked-up-the-paperbacks-thumbed-the-worn-edges-military/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

> [What I learned is that it's arrogant to be certain of anything. The world is a complex place and only idiots or assholes think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/what-i-learned-is-that-it-s-arrogant-to-be-certain-of-anything-the/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

[Explore all 86 Lisa Gardner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

## More Apocalyptic quotes

> [Texting is apocalyptic on some level. It's a reduction of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/texting-is-apocalyptic-on-some-level-it-s-a-reduction-of-things/)

[Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/)

> [What until recently seemed to be only the apocalyptic fantasies of the Christian faith has today entered the sphere of the soberest scientific calculations;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-brunner/what-until-recently-seemed-to-be-only-the-apocalyptic-fantasies-of/)

[Emil Brunner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-brunner/)

> [America has always had an apocalyptic strain. Yet it also seems to believe that if, or when, The End comes, it will still come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/america-has-always-had-an-apocalyptic-strain-yet-it-also-seems-to/)

[Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/)

> [When forced to survive in an apocalyptic world, there are some characters that embrace their higher selves with some emerging as natural born leaders,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/when-forced-to-survive-in-an-apocalyptic-world-there-are-some/)

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

> [I oppose preserving civilization because I have a better chance of getting laid in a post-apocalyptic world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-oppose-preserving-civilization-because-i-have-a-better-chance-of/)

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

> [“Strange, how in all those apocalyptic movies, when their society breaks down into lawlessness and anarchy, Canada is always the haven of safety, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenifer-mohammed/strange-how-in-all-those-apocalyptic-movies-when-their-society-breaks/)

[Jenifer Mohammed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenifer-mohammed/)

> [ I am glad it's \[California novel\] resonated with people because, for me, most apocalyptic novels aren't scary, because they feel so very far off. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edan-lepucki/i-am-glad-it-s-california-novel-resonated-with-people-because-for-me/)

[Edan Lepucki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edan-lepucki/)

> [I'm not a peak oil person. I'm not a biohazard apocalyptic kind of freak. I don't have a supply of weapons or gold bars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hecker/i-m-not-a-peak-oil-person-i-m-not-a-biohazard-apocalyptic-kind-of/)

[Tim Hecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hecker/)

> [It is fashionable to wax apocalyptic about the threat to humanity posed by the AIDS virus, "mad cow" disease, and many others, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-is-fashionable-to-wax-apocalyptic-about-the-threat-to-humanity/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [Todayart is moving in a direction of which our fathers would never even have dreamed.We stand before the new pictures as in a dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-marc/todayart-is-moving-in-a-direction-of-which-our-fathers-would-never/)

[Franz Marc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-marc/)

> [In the event of a Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic dystopia, people with supplies of food and water could become warlords or chieftains in the social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nish-kumar/in-the-event-of-a-mad-max-style-post-apocalyptic-dystopia-people-with/)

[Nish Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nish-kumar/)

> [Today's mom watches her every child-rearing step lest she commit some egregious and apocalyptic parenting faux pas that will certainly doom her child to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rosemond/today-s-mom-watches-her-every-child-rearing-step-lest-she-commit-some/)

[John Rosemond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rosemond/)

> [People are hungry in these communities. They don't know how they are going to get food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiji-fukuda/people-are-hungry-in-these-communities-they-don-t-know-how-they-are/)

[Keiji Fukuda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiji-fukuda/)

> [“In my view, the gospels are true, not historically, but theologically, or, as I would argue, prophetically! What we have is, the Messiah’s history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-of-kittim/in-my-view-the-gospels-are-true-not-historically-but-theologically-or/)

[Eli Of Kittim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-of-kittim/)

> [It was one of those sort of apocalyptic moments. I remember within ten minutes of seeing the graphical user interface stuff, just knowing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-was-one-of-those-sort-of-apocalyptic-moments-i-remember-within-ten/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

[Browse all 225 Apocalyptic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apocalyptic/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Post-apocalyptic novels tell you that in the future there is some great war. I would tell you that most cops say that it's going on right now.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Lisa Gardner"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/post-apocalyptic-novels-tell-you-that-in-the-future-there-is-some/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Apocalyptic"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/post-apocalyptic-novels-tell-you-that-in-the-future-there-is-some/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/lisa-gardner-7497_apocalyptic_post-apocalyptic-novels-tell-you-that-in_102177.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/lisa-gardner-7497_apocalyptic_post-apocalyptic-novels-tell-you-that-in_102177.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/lisa-gardner-7497_apocalyptic_post-apocalyptic-novels-tell-you-that-in_102177.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Post-apocalyptic novels tell you that in the future there is some great war. I would tell you that most cops…” — Lisa Gardner",
                "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": "Lisa Gardner",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Post-apocalyptic novels tell you that in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/post-apocalyptic-novels-tell-you-that-in-the-future-there-is-some/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/post-apocalyptic-novels-tell-you-that-in-the-future-there-is-some/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
