---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had a very depressing response because…"
description: "\"I had a very depressing response because I realized that these were my own people, these were Negroes throwing eggs at me. I'm concerned about the fact..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/martin-luther-king-jr-127_causes_i-had-a-very-depressing-response-because_2068629.png"
---

#  I had a very depressing response because I realized that…

![“I had a very depressing response because I realized that these were my own people, these were Negroes throwing eggs at me. I'm concerned about the fact that maybe all of us have contributed to this by not working harder to get rid of the conditions, the poverty, the social isolation, and all of…” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/martin-luther-king-jr-127_causes_i-had-a-very-depressing-response-because_2068629.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/martin-luther-king-jr-127_causes_i-had-a-very-depressing-response-because_2068629.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/martin-luther-king-jr-127_causes_i-had-a-very-depressing-response-because_2068629.png)

> “I had a very depressing response because I realized that these were my own people, these were Negroes throwing eggs at me. I'm concerned about the fact that maybe all of us have contributed to this by not working harder to get rid of the conditions, the poverty, the social isolation, and all of the conditions that cause individuals to respond like this.”

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

## About This Quote

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

The speaker reflects on personal disappointment seeing his own community act out, recognizing systemic poverty and isolation as root causes, and urges collective effort to improve conditions.

**In simple terms:** Seeing community pain reveals deeper social problems needing collective action.

Key Takeaway

Address systemic issues, not just individual behavior.

Themes

social justice poverty community responsibility

Mood

reflective concerned

Type

sociopolitical motivational

When to use this quote

- urban neighborhoods
- public policy
- community outreach
- education programs
- economic development

Key Concepts

systemic inequality social isolation economic disparity

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we effectively address systemic poverty?
- What role does community involvement play in solving social isolation?

A Different Perspective

Changing deep-rooted conditions requires long-term commitment and resources.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned/) [Conditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conditions/) [Depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing/) [Depressing Response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing-response-3983936/) [Eggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eggs/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harder/) [I realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-realized/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individuals Respond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuals-respond-3983937/) [Isolation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isolation/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Negroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-negroes-3983938/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response/) [Response Realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response-realized-3983939/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social isolation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-isolation/) [Throwing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/throwing/) [Very depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-depressing/)

## Related quotes

> [Despite my extremely modest prices, dealers and art lovers are turning their backs on me. It is very depressing to see the lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/despite-my-extremely-modest-prices-dealers-and-art-lovers-are-turning/)

[Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/)

> [Over the years I've never written or made movies about political themes 'cause while they do have current critical importance, in the large, large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/over-the-years-i-ve-never-written-or-made-movies-about-political/)

[Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/)

> [I think the biggest pushback comes from people who perceive me to be a threat. Having bloggers who are dedicated to making up false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/i-think-the-biggest-pushback-comes-from-people-who-perceive-me-to-be/)

[Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/)

> [The process of making films is so technically demanding that it's a distraction. You don't spend your time thinking about the philosophical content, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/the-process-of-making-films-is-so-technically-demanding-that-it-s-a/)

[Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/)

> [I hope we don't have to keep going back over the same territory and winning the same rights over and over again. The battle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/i-hope-we-don-t-have-to-keep-going-back-over-the-same-territory-and/)

[Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/)

> [When you're out there in America, meeting with regular people, it's a pretty mellow, relaxed, kind-hearted country. The direction from the top, from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/when-you-re-out-there-in-america-meeting-with-regular-people-it-s-a/)

[George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/)

> [It is very depressing to see that in the 21st century people are still using the same 1950s and '60s style of propaganda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/it-is-very-depressing-to-see-that-in-the-21st-century-people-are/)

[Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/)

> [It was very depressing to realize that, when looking around for regimes that have systematically corrupted science within the past century or so, three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/it-was-very-depressing-to-realize-that-when-looking-around-for/)

[John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/)

> [Decline and Fall was a very depressing Evelyn Waugh novel, I think it was his first. I didn't get it at all, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/decline-and-fall-was-a-very-depressing-evelyn-waugh-novel-i-think-it/)

[Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/)

> [I think my music's kind of cold, but I don't know if it's related to the weather. It might be because it's always grey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grimes/i-think-my-music-s-kind-of-cold-but-i-don-t-know-if-it-s-related-to/)

[Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grimes/)

> [I once got a call from a bank, asking me to compute a mortgage, since their computers were down. This was a very depressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/i-once-got-a-call-from-a-bank-asking-me-to-compute-a-mortgage-since/)

[Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/)

> [This whole issue of limits to growth, which provides a psychological, as well as a physical, cap on potential expansion of activity and awareness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-schweickart/this-whole-issue-of-limits-to-growth-which-provides-a-psychological/)

[Rusty Schweickart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-schweickart/)

> [The music business, and the travel that comes with it, is stressful, challenging, redundant, exhausting, exciting, and often very depressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kozelek/the-music-business-and-the-travel-that-comes-with-it-is-stressful/)

[Mark Kozelek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kozelek/)

> [It's very depressing to live in a time where it's easier to break an atom than a prejudice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/it-s-very-depressing-to-live-in-a-time-where-it-s-easier-to-break-an/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [Sooner or later, the great men turn out to be all alike. They never stop working. They never lose a minute. It is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/sooner-or-later-the-great-men-turn-out-to-be-all-alike-they-never/)

[V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/)

## More by Martin Luther King, Jr

> [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

[Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

## More Causes quotes

> [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/)

[David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/)

> [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/)

[Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/)

> [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/)

[Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/)

> [Many patients imagine that they have tried everything. True, they have used many remedies, but they have never had the cause of their infirmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/many-patients-imagine-that-they-have-tried-everything-true-they-have/)

[Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/)

> [Get out from that kitchen and rattle those pots and pans. Well, roll my breakfast cause I'm a hungry man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-joe-turner/get-out-from-that-kitchen-and-rattle-those-pots-and-pans-well-roll-my/)

[Big Joe Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-joe-turner/)

> [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/)

[Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/)

> [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

> [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/)

[Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/)

> [Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. The causes of youth violence are working parents who put their kids into daycare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/guns-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-juvenile-violence-the-causes/)

[Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/)

> [I don't wear rubbers cause you can't catch it twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/i-don-t-wear-rubbers-cause-you-can-t-catch-it-twice/)

[Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/)

> [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/)

[Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/)

> [Well the first time I performed, my mom was like how she is now when sees me on stage – all red, smiling from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/well-the-first-time-i-performed-my-mom-was-like-how-she-is-now-when/)

[Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/)

> [I love a lot of things, a whole lot of things / Like / My cousin comes to visit and you know he's from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eloise-greenfield/i-love-a-lot-of-things-a-whole-lot-of-things-like-my-cousin-comes-to/)

[Eloise Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eloise-greenfield/)

> [Many companies have long contended that stress in the home causes productivity loss in the market place.. and it does. But research now reveals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/many-companies-have-long-contended-that-stress-in-the-home-causes/)

[Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/)

> [The miracle drugs (neuroleptics) cause the worst plague of brain damage in medical history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-breggin/the-miracle-drugs-neuroleptics-cause-the-worst-plague-of-brain-damage/)

[Peter Breggin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-breggin/)

[Browse all 9,070 Causes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I had a very depressing response because I realized that these were my own people, these were Negroes throwing eggs at me. I'm concerned about the fact that maybe all of us have contributed to this by not working harder to get rid of the conditions, the poverty, the social isolation, and all of the conditions that cause individuals to respond like this.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Martin Luther King, Jr"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-had-a-very-depressing-response-because-i-realized-that-these-were/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Causes"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-had-a-very-depressing-response-because-i-realized-that-these-were/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/martin-luther-king-jr-127_causes_i-had-a-very-depressing-response-because_2068629.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/martin-luther-king-jr-127_causes_i-had-a-very-depressing-response-because_2068629.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/martin-luther-king-jr-127_causes_i-had-a-very-depressing-response-because_2068629.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I had a very depressing response because I realized that these were my own people, these were Negroes…” — Martin Luther King, Jr",
                "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": "Martin Luther King, Jr",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I had a very depressing response...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-had-a-very-depressing-response-because-i-realized-that-these-were/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-had-a-very-depressing-response-because-i-realized-that-these-were/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
