--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world is full of bastards, the number…" description: "\"The world is full of bastards, the number increasing rapidly the further one gets from Missoula, Montana.\" — Norman Maclean" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/norman-maclean-10625_montana_the-world-is-full-of-bastards-the-number_2149319.jpg" --- # The world is full of bastards, the number increasing… ![“The world is full of bastards, the number increasing rapidly the further one gets from Missoula, Montana.” quote by Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/norman-maclean-10625_montana_the-world-is-full-of-bastards-the-number_2149319.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/norman-maclean-10625_montana_the-world-is-full-of-bastards-the-number_2149319.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/norman-maclean-10625_montana_the-world-is-full-of-bastards-the-number_2149319.jpg) > “The world is full of bastards, the number increasing rapidly the further one gets from Missoula, Montana.” [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human nature can be harsh, especially in remote places where moral decay spreads. **In simple terms:** The world can feel cruel, especially far from home. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant about moral decline. Themes human nature morality isolation Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - rural communities - online anonymity - political polarization Key Concepts existentialism social decay Questions to Reflect On - How does distance affect moral perception? - Can compassion counteract widespread negativity? A Different Perspective Not all environments are equally harsh; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/montana/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“You ever get the feeling the world's filling up with bastards? I do. What I want to know is what happens when all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hoffman/you-ever-get-the-feeling-the-world-s-filling-up-with-bastards-i-do/) William Hoffman > [In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing. We lived at the junction of great trout rivers in western…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/in-our-family-there-was-no-clear-line-between-religion-and-fly/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“Like many fly fishermen in western Montana where the summer days are almost Arctic in length, I often do not start fishing until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/like-many-fly-fishermen-in-western-montana-where-the-summer-days-are/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [Of course, now I am too old to be much of a fisherman, and now of course I usually fish the big waters alone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/of-course-now-i-am-too-old-to-be-much-of-a-fisherman-and-now-of/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [We were'nt nice at all, we were nasty little fucking bastards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-vicious/we-were-nt-nice-at-all-we-were-nasty-little-fucking-bastards/) [Sid Vicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-vicious/) > [All dwarfs are bastards in their father's eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-dwarfs-are-bastards-in-their-father-s-eyes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You’re one cruel bastard,” she managed to get out. He tsked with his tongue. “Everyone says that.” Then he took hold of her chin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-hardy/you-re-one-cruel-bastard-she-managed-to-get-out-he-tsked-with-his/) [Dianna Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-hardy/) > [“Nolite te bastardes carborundorum. Don't let the bastards grind you down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/nolite-te-bastardes-carborundorum-don-t-let-the-bastards-grind-you/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I just think Radiohead are f-in' miserable bastards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/i-just-think-radiohead-are-f-in-miserable-bastards/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [Even the best of us are at least part-time bastards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-karr/even-the-best-of-us-are-at-least-part-time-bastards/) [Mary Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-karr/) > [“You bastards are on the top of Imperial Lord Auditor Miles Vorkosigan's very own shit list now, you bet. But under what name? Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/you-bastards-are-on-the-top-of-imperial-lord-auditor-miles-vorkosigan/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [UNGRATEFUL BASTARDS WILL ALWAYS BE UNGRATEFUL BECAUSE THAT IS WHO THEY ARE. THEY HAVE MANIPULATING THEIR WAY THROUGH LIFE SINCE BIRTH AND THERE IS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/relentless/ungrateful-bastards-will-always-be-ungrateful-because-that-is-who/) Relentless > [“The ones who got away never really get away. Those sick bastards< i>changed us – have their fingerprints all over our lives – and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roni-loren/the-ones-who-got-away-never-really-get-away-those-sick-bastards-i/) [Roni Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roni-loren/) > [“Gentlemen Bastards." hissed Locke, "do not abandon one another, and we do not run when we owe vengeance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/gentlemen-bastards-hissed-locke-do-not-abandon-one-another-and-we-do/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [Some's bastards, some's ain't. That's the score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/some-s-bastards-some-s-ain-t-that-s-the-score/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## More by Norman Maclean > [At the time I did not know that stories of life are often more like rivers than books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/at-the-time-i-did-not-know-that-stories-of-life-are-often-more-like/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“In this story of the outside world and the inside world with a fire between, the outside world of little screwups recedes now for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/in-this-story-of-the-outside-world-and-the-inside-world-with-a-fire/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“I hope there are others also who don't mind trees.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/i-hope-there-are-others-also-who-don-t-mind-trees/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [Probably most catastrophes end this way without an ending, the dead not even knowing how they died...,those who loved them forever questioning "this unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/probably-most-catastrophes-end-this-way-without-an-ending-the-dead/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [If our father had had his way, nobody who did not know how to fish would be allowed to disgrace a fish by catching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/if-our-father-had-had-his-way-nobody-who-did-not-know-how-to-fish/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [I knew that, when needed, mountains would move for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/i-knew-that-when-needed-mountains-would-move-for-me/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“I sat there and forgot and forgot, until what remained was the river that went by and I who watched... Eventually the watcher joined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/i-sat-there-and-forgot-and-forgot-until-what-remained-was-the-river/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [It is those we live with and love and should know who elude us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/it-is-those-we-live-with-and-love-and-should-know-who-elude-us/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [Unless we are willing to escape into sentimentality or fantasy, often the best we can do with catastrophes, even our own, is to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/unless-we-are-willing-to-escape-into-sentimentality-or-fantasy-often/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [As for my father, I never knew whether he believed God was a mathematician but he certainly believed God could count and that only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/as-for-my-father-i-never-knew-whether-he-believed-god-was-a/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/at-sunrise-everything-is-luminous-but-not-clear/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“On the Big Blackfoot River above the mouth of Belmont Creek the banks are fringed by large Ponderosa pines. In the slanting sun of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/on-the-big-blackfoot-river-above-the-mouth-of-belmont-creek-the-banks/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [Of course, now I am too old to be much of a fisherman, and now of course I usually fish the big waters alone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/of-course-now-i-am-too-old-to-be-much-of-a-fisherman-and-now-of/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“...it is not fly fishing if you are not looking for answers to questions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/it-is-not-fly-fishing-if-you-are-not-looking-for-answers-to-questions/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/eventually-all-things-merge-into-one-and-a-river-runs-through-it-the/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) [Explore all 64 Norman Maclean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) ## More Bastards quotes > [Some's bastards, some's ain't. That's the score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/some-s-bastards-some-s-ain-t-that-s-the-score/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Gentlemen Bastards." hissed Locke, "do not abandon one another, and we do not run when we owe vengeance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/gentlemen-bastards-hissed-locke-do-not-abandon-one-another-and-we-do/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“The ones who got away never really get away. Those sick bastards< i>changed us – have their fingerprints all over our lives – and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roni-loren/the-ones-who-got-away-never-really-get-away-those-sick-bastards-i/) [Roni Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roni-loren/) > [UNGRATEFUL BASTARDS WILL ALWAYS BE UNGRATEFUL BECAUSE THAT IS WHO THEY ARE. THEY HAVE MANIPULATING THEIR WAY THROUGH LIFE SINCE BIRTH AND THERE IS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/relentless/ungrateful-bastards-will-always-be-ungrateful-because-that-is-who/) Relentless > [“You bastards are on the top of Imperial Lord Auditor Miles Vorkosigan's very own shit list now, you bet. But under what name? Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/you-bastards-are-on-the-top-of-imperial-lord-auditor-miles-vorkosigan/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Even the best of us are at least part-time bastards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-karr/even-the-best-of-us-are-at-least-part-time-bastards/) [Mary Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-karr/) > [I just think Radiohead are f-in' miserable bastards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/i-just-think-radiohead-are-f-in-miserable-bastards/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [“Nolite te bastardes carborundorum. Don't let the bastards grind you down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/nolite-te-bastardes-carborundorum-don-t-let-the-bastards-grind-you/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“You’re one cruel bastard,” she managed to get out. He tsked with his tongue. “Everyone says that.” Then he took hold of her chin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-hardy/you-re-one-cruel-bastard-she-managed-to-get-out-he-tsked-with-his/) [Dianna Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-hardy/) > [All dwarfs are bastards in their father's eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-dwarfs-are-bastards-in-their-father-s-eyes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We were'nt nice at all, we were nasty little fucking bastards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-vicious/we-were-nt-nice-at-all-we-were-nasty-little-fucking-bastards/) [Sid Vicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-vicious/) > [We're going to find out who did this and we're going after the bastards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-hatch/we-re-going-to-find-out-who-did-this-and-we-re-going-after-the/) [Orrin Hatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-hatch/) > [“She should have suspected it. It had taken two heartbeats to note and catalog the man’s details, his tells and ticks. Sweaty, his face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/she-should-have-suspected-it-it-had-taken-two-heartbeats-to-note-and/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [They've got us surrounded again, the poor bastards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-ve-got-us-surrounded-again-the-poor-bastards/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are the sons of no one, bastards of young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-koechner/we-are-the-sons-of-no-one-bastards-of-young/) [David Koechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-koechner/) Browse all 92 Bastards quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The world is full of bastards, the number increasing rapidly the further one gets from Missoula, Montana.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Norman Maclean" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/the-world-is-full-of-bastards-the-number-increasing-rapidly-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bastards" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/the-world-is-full-of-bastards-the-number-increasing-rapidly-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/norman-maclean-10625_montana_the-world-is-full-of-bastards-the-number_2149319.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/norman-maclean-10625_montana_the-world-is-full-of-bastards-the-number_2149319.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bc/norman-maclean-10625_montana_the-world-is-full-of-bastards-the-number_2149319.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The world is full of bastards, the number increasing rapidly the further one gets from Missoula, Montana.” — Norman Maclean", "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": "Norman Maclean", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The world is full of bastards,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/the-world-is-full-of-bastards-the-number-increasing-rapidly-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/the-world-is-full-of-bastards-the-number-increasing-rapidly-the/#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 } } ] } ```