Bad thing Quote by Philip Roth
““Very little truthfulness anywhere, antagonism everywhere, so much calculated to disgust, the gigantic hypocrisies, no holding fierce passions at bay, the ordinary viciousness you can see just by pressing the remote, explosive weapons in the hands of creeps, the gloomy tabulation of unspeakable violent events, the unceasing despoliation of the biosphere for profit, surveillance overkill that will come back to haunt us, great concentrations of wealth financing the most undemocratic malevolents around, science illiterates still fighting the Scopes trial 89 years on, economic inequities the size of the Ritz, indebtedness on everyone’s tail, families not knowing how bad things can get, money being squeezed out of every last thing — that frenzy — and (by no means new) government hardly by the people through representative democracy but rather by the great financial interests, the old American plutocracy worse than ever. You have 300 million people on a continent 3,000 miles wide doing the best they can with their inexhaustible troubles. We are witnessing a new and benign admixture of races on a scale unknown since the malignancy of slavery. I could go on and on. It’s hard not to feel close to existence here. This is not some quiet little corner of the world.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview with The New Yorker, 2010
The quote laments pervasive dishonesty, conflict, environmental destruction, wealth inequality, and political manipulation while noting humanity’s resilience amid massive challenges.
In simple terms: World is full of lies, wars, and greed, yet people keep trying to survive.
Recognize systemic problems and act responsibly.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- activism
- policy reform
- community building
- personal responsibility
- education reform
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can individuals influence systemic change?
- What actions can reduce environmental harm?
The perspective may overlook positive progress and individual agency.