--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The people in the line scratched and…" description: "\"“The people in the line scratched and twitched and jumped depending on whether they were on their way up or down. They all wanted breakfast. The body w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/nicole-trope-12924_fair_the-people-in-the-line-scratched-and-twi_3030423.jpg" --- # The people in the line scratched and twitched and jumped… ![“The people in the line scratched and twitched and jumped depending on whether they were on their way up or down. They all wanted breakfast. The body was strange that way. Regardless of what you did to it, it wanted to keep running. Unless, of course, it turned on you.In a fair world the people who…” quote by Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/nicole-trope-12924_fair_the-people-in-the-line-scratched-and-twi_3030423.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/nicole-trope-12924_fair_the-people-in-the-line-scratched-and-twi_3030423.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/nicole-trope-12924_fair_the-people-in-the-line-scratched-and-twi_3030423.jpg) > ““The people in the line scratched and twitched and jumped depending on whether they were on their way up or down. They all wanted breakfast. The body was strange that way. Regardless of what you did to it, it wanted to keep running. Unless, of course, it turned on you.In a fair world the people who set out to destroy themselves would be the ones to get the diseases and little kids would get to grow up without worrying. In a fair world . . . but fuck-all in the world was fair.”” [Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-trope/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human existence is chaotic; fairness is an illusion, and suffering is indiscriminate. **In simple terms:** Life is chaotic and often unfair. Key Takeaway Accept chaos, seek personal meaning. Themes existentialism inequality human condition Mood somber critical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - social justice work - personal resilience - creative writing Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you find meaning amid unfairness? - What actions can you take to alleviate suffering? A Different Perspective Chaos does not excuse moral responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair/) ## Related quotes > [All earthly suns have their spots: the fair world itself has its wilderness. We cannot love the whole of most lovely things: but Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/all-earthly-suns-have-their-spots-the-fair-world-itself-has-its/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Yea, foolish mortals, Noah's flood is not yet subsided; two thirds of the fair world it yet covers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/yea-foolish-mortals-noah-s-flood-is-not-yet-subsided-two-thirds-of/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Never expect that the world is fair... 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Its just like expecting the lion not to eat u…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/if-u-expect-the-world-to-b-fair-with-u-because-u-r-fair-its-just-like/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [It was Chicago with its World's Fair which vivified the national desire for civic beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-burnham/it-was-chicago-with-its-world-s-fair-which-vivified-the-national/) [Daniel Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-burnham/) > [I want to be free again. I want to be free like when I was a kid, working with my brother and making toy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-want-to-be-free-again-i-want-to-be-free-like-when-i-was-a-kid/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [“a world fair celebrated the progress of the nations of the world. It did not investigate its underpinnings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-emmerson/a-world-fair-celebrated-the-progress-of-the-nations-of-the-world-it/) [Charles Emmerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-emmerson/) > [Nothing in this world is fair except chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin/nothing-in-this-world-is-fair-except-chance/) [Alvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin/) > [ \[Drawing\] and making things was all we ever did. My brother and I built the entire New York World's Fair of 1939 in miniature… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/drawing-and-making-things-was-all-we-ever-did-my-brother-and-i-built/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [If u expect the world to b fair with u cuz u r fair. Its Just like expecting the lion not to eat u…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/addy/if-u-expect-the-world-to-b-fair-with-u-cuz-u-r-fair-its-just-like/) [Addy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/addy/) > [We went to the New York World's Fair, saw what the past had been like, according to the Ford Motor Car Company and Walt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/we-went-to-the-new-york-world-s-fair-saw-what-the-past-had-been-like/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [When I was 15 years old, I saw my first production of a Shakespeare play at the British pavilion at the Century of Progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-wanamaker/when-i-was-15-years-old-i-saw-my-first-production-of-a-shakespeare/) [Sam Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-wanamaker/) > [“The World's Fair audience tended to think of the machine as unqualifiedly good, strong, stupid and obedient. They thought of it as a giant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hughes/the-world-s-fair-audience-tended-to-think-of-the-machine-as/) [Robert Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hughes/) > [Who ever said the world was fair?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/who-ever-said-the-world-was-fair/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) ## More by Nicole Trope > [“He said I was a dirty boy,’ whispered Lockie. ‘I was a dirty boy and that was why he did stuff to me, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-trope/he-said-i-was-a-dirty-boy-whispered-lockie-i-was-a-dirty-boy-and-that/) [Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-trope/) > [“And then to win the prize had been incredible. She felt like she was being seen, actually being seen, for the first time in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-trope/and-then-to-win-the-prize-had-been-incredible-she-felt-like-she-was/) [Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-trope/) > [“Tina thought about the idea of how much a person could take. People only survived because they turned the real into the surreal. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-trope/tina-thought-about-the-idea-of-how-much-a-person-could-take-people/) [Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-trope/) > [“Lockie got lost.’ ‘Yeah, he did.’ ‘But you found him.’ ‘I think we kind of found each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-trope/lockie-got-lost-yeah-he-did-but-you-found-him-i-think-we-kind-of/) [Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-trope/) > [“Tina wondered how long it had taken Lockie to give up on his parents. How long had he shouted and screamed and hoped for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-trope/tina-wondered-how-long-it-had-taken-lockie-to-give-up-on-his-parents/) [Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-trope/) > [“The police up in the city had endless files filled with people who were so malevolent it was almost impossible to believe they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-trope/the-police-up-in-the-city-had-endless-files-filled-with-people-who/) [Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-trope/) > [“Tina and her mother were in the process of healing; they had to heal and soon they would be healed. But Tina knew that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-trope/tina-and-her-mother-were-in-the-process-of-healing-they-had-to-heal/) [Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-trope/) > [“Tina knew she could have taken the man a tree that grew its own money and he would say, ‘Not much call for money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-trope/tina-knew-she-could-have-taken-the-man-a-tree-that-grew-its-own-money/) [Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-trope/) > [“Sarah put the man and the other dead children out of her head. 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She had willingly given that Sarah up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-trope/she-could-not-remember-the-casual-sarah-who-needed-her-morning-latte/) [Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-trope/) > [“Kids didn’t just disappear unless someone made them disappear.‘Relax, mate,’ the head of security said. ‘We’ve never lost one yet.’ Lots of kids wandered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-trope/kids-didn-t-just-disappear-unless-someone-made-them-disappear-relax/) [Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-trope/) > [“Maybe it was easier if you knew your child was dead. 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It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > ['Vanity Fair' is a left-wing rag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/vanity-fair-is-a-left-wing-rag/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [Marylanders have led the nation in adopting a balanced approach to revenues and investments because we know that in order to maintain and build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/marylanders-have-led-the-nation-in-adopting-a-balanced-approach-to/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [We did a 'Vanity Fair' spread for 'The Hunger Games,' and we were on set, and I saw a little head pop up from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-ludwig/we-did-a-vanity-fair-spread-for-the-hunger-games-and-we-were-on-set/) [Alexander Ludwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-ludwig/) > [It's encouraging to watch bipartisan leaders from different states recognize the need for fair and rational legislation focused on creating second chances for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/it-s-encouraging-to-watch-bipartisan-leaders-from-different-states/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [There's nothing fair nor beautiful, but takes Something from thee, that makes it beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/there-s-nothing-fair-nor-beautiful-but-takes-something-from-thee-that/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [I believe that free but fair trade is an absolute imperative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/i-believe-that-free-but-fair-trade-is-an-absolute-imperative/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) > ['Fair' is, like, this incredibly overused term in negotiations: 'I just want what's fair.' 'What's the fair market price?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-voss/fair-is-like-this-incredibly-overused-term-in-negotiations-i-just/) [Christopher Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-voss/) > [“Sometimes I feel that the only concept of fairness in our society is creams like fair & lovely or fair & handsome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeroninio-almeida/sometimes-i-feel-that-the-only-concept-of-fairness-in-our-society-is/) [Jeroninio Almeida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeroninio-almeida/) > [When President Obama first came into office in 2009, I spent a fair amount of time in Michigan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-deese/when-president-obama-first-came-into-office-in-2009-i-spent-a-fair/) [Brian Deese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-deese/) > [I suggest you to do war but never love because in war either you live or you die. But in love neither you live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-suggest-you-to-do-war-but-never-love-because-in-war-either-you-live/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) [Browse all 1,541 Fair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The people in the line scratched and twitched and jumped depending on whether they were on their way up or down. They all wanted breakfast. The body was strange that way. Regardless of what you did to it, it wanted to keep running. Unless, of course, it turned on you.In a fair world the people who set out to destroy themselves would be the ones to get the diseases and little kids would get to grow up without worrying. 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