Panic Quote by Martin Amis
““Now they were all moving to no effect-just moving, just switching things off and switching things on, just picking things up and putting things down and picking things up and stroking the cat and counting the mugs and fighting for air. It seemed that everything they did had already been done and done, and that everything they thought had already been thought and thought, and that this would never end. Excuse me said panic to each of them in turn. They had no mouth and they had to scream.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Money, Martin Amis, 1984
Characters are trapped in repetitive, meaningless actions, highlighting existential dread and the futility of routine.
In simple terms: They feel stuck in endless loops of pointless activity.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and break cycles of mindless behavior.
Themes
existentialism
routine
despair
absurdity
Mood
anxious
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- daily chores
- office work
- mental health
- creative burnout
Key Concepts
nihilism
monotony
psychological stress
Questions to Reflect On
- What habits feel endless to you?
- How can you inject meaning into routine?
A Different Perspective
The quote dramatizes inner panic but may overstate monotony.
![“As an actor, if you step to the side and you look at [Thornton's performance] technically, and you try to imagine doing what he was doing, most people would panic. Most people would be on the set, and they would be panicking, going, "I'm not doing anything!" All the ham instincts in you would be…” quote by Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f09/edward-norton-2203_actors_as-an-actor-if-you-step-to-the-side-and_15751.jpg)
