--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Panic is rare, looting is essentially…" description: "\"Panic is rare, looting is essentially insignificant, people are not terrified and trampling each other to flee from a disaster scene, but in fact are t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/rebecca-solnit-569_anxiety_panic-is-rare-looting-is-essentially-ins_3111683.jpg" --- # Panic is rare, looting is essentially insignificant… ![“Panic is rare, looting is essentially insignificant, people are not terrified and trampling each other to flee from a disaster scene, but in fact are trying to manage a situation. We may in fact revert to some sort of primordial civility.” quote by Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/rebecca-solnit-569_anxiety_panic-is-rare-looting-is-essentially-ins_3111683.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/rebecca-solnit-569_anxiety_panic-is-rare-looting-is-essentially-ins_3111683.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/rebecca-solnit-569_anxiety_panic-is-rare-looting-is-essentially-ins_3111683.jpg) > “Panic is rare, looting is essentially insignificant, people are not terrified and trampling each other to flee from a disaster scene, but in fact are trying to manage a situation. We may in fact revert to some sort of primordial civility.” [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. During crises, people often maintain order and civility rather than descending into chaos. **In simple terms:** People stay calm in disasters. Key Takeaway Expect cooperation in emergencies. Themes society crisis behavior Mood observational analytical Type sociological reflective When to use this quote - emergency response - urban planning - community building - media reporting Key Concepts sociology anthropology psychology Questions to Reflect On - What factors promote calm behavior? - How can authorities reinforce civility? A Different Perspective Not all crises show civility; panic can still occur. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Civility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civility/) [Disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disaster/) [Each](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/each/) [Essentially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essentially/) [Fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fact/) [Flee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flee/) [In fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/in-fact/) [Insignificant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insignificant/) [Looting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looting/) [Looting Essentially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looting-essentially-5435984/) [Manage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manage/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other/) [Panic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/panic/) [Panic Rare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/panic-rare-5435986/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rare/) [Rare Looting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rare-looting-5435985/) [Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scene/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Sort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sort/) [Terrified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrified/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [All money represents theft… To steal from the rich is a sacred and religious act. While looting, a man to his own self is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rubin/all-money-represents-theft-to-steal-from-the-rich-is-a-sacred-and/) [Jerry Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rubin/) > [Order was only restored in L.A. when it came time for the blacks to pick up their welfare checks three days after rioting began.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/order-was-only-restored-in-l-a-when-it-came-time-for-the-blacks-to/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [“looting is a hard-won and dangerous act with potentially terrible consequences, and looters are only stealing from the rich owners’ profit margins. Those owners,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/looting-is-a-hard-won-and-dangerous-act-with-potentially-terrible/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [While, politically, a mixed economy preserves the semblance of an organized society with a semblance of law and order, economically it is the equivalent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/while-politically-a-mixed-economy-preserves-the-semblance-of-an/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The unambigious fact is that U.S. capitalism is a mechanism for looting the many for the benefit of the few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-unambigious-fact-is-that-u-s-capitalism-is-a-mechanism-for/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [If you see a black family, it's looting, but if it's a white family they are looking for food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/if-you-see-a-black-family-it-s-looting-but-if-it-s-a-white-family/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [“Killing, raping and looting have been common practices in religious societies, and often carried out with clerical sanction. The catalogue of notorious barbarities –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tayler/killing-raping-and-looting-have-been-common-practices-in-religious/) [Jeffrey Tayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tayler/) > [Even a band of angels can turn ugly and start looting if enough angels are unemployed and hanging around the Pearly Gates convinced that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/even-a-band-of-angels-can-turn-ugly-and-start-looting-if-enough/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The government consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me. They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-government-consists-of-a-gang-of-men-exactly-like-you-and-me-they/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“When I got to the main street I saw that the town was in turmoil. To my surprise I found people breaking into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-suppresed-i-rise/when-i-got-to-the-main-street-i-saw-that-the-town-was-in-turmoil-to/) [Captain Hank Bracker, "Suppresed I Rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-suppresed-i-rise/) > [Marriage is a device originated by women for looting the men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/marriage-is-a-device-originated-by-women-for-looting-the-men/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I've seen looting around the world and thought I knew the best looters in the world. The Iraqis excel at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kay/i-ve-seen-looting-around-the-world-and-thought-i-knew-the-best/) [David Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kay/) > [“Looters become looted, while time and tide make us mercenaries all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/looters-become-looted-while-time-and-tide-make-us-mercenaries-all/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“It’s complete madness! There are cars on fire, shops being looted by teenagers, people rioting and protesting over something they have no control over.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-medina/it-s-complete-madness-there-are-cars-on-fire-shops-being-looted-by/) [Jason Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-medina/) > [In contrast to New Orleans, there was only minimal looting after the horrendous 1995 earthquake in Kobe, Japan - because, when you get down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-sailer/in-contrast-to-new-orleans-there-was-only-minimal-looting-after-the/) [Steve Sailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-sailer/) ## More by Rebecca Solnit > [“Georgia O’Keeffe moved to rural New Mexico, from which she would sign her letters to the people she loved, “from the faraway nearby.” It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/georgia-o-keeffe-moved-to-rural-new-mexico-from-which-she-would-sign/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. 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Maybe Persephone was glad to run off with the king of death to his underground realm, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/i-wonder-now-about-demeter-and-persephone-maybe-persephone-was-glad/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [ \[In mountaineering, if\] we look for private experience rather than public history, even getting to the top becomes an optional narrative rather than the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/in-mountaineering-if-we-look-for-private-experience-rather-than/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [For me, being in a car or on an airplane is like being in limbo. It's this dead zone between two places. But to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/for-me-being-in-a-car-or-on-an-airplane-is-like-being-in-limbo-it-s/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“How do you calculate upon the unforeseen? It seems to be an art of recognizing the role of the unforeseen, of keeping your balance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/how-do-you-calculate-upon-the-unforeseen-it-seems-to-be-an-art-of/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [Walking shares with making and working that crucial element of engagement of the body and the mind with the world, of knowing the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/walking-shares-with-making-and-working-that-crucial-element-of/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“Marriage equality is a threat: to inequality. It’s a boon to everyone who values and benefits from equality. It’s for all of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/marriage-equality-is-a-threat-to-inequality-it-s-a-boon-to-everyone/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“Mountaineering is always spoken of as though summiting is conquest, but as you get higher, the world gets bigger, and you feel smaller in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/mountaineering-is-always-spoken-of-as-though-summiting-is-conquest/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“A procession is a participants' journey, while a parade is a performance with an audience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/a-procession-is-a-participants-journey-while-a-parade-is-a/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) [Explore all 469 Rebecca Solnit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) [Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/) > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Panic is rare, looting is essentially insignificant, people are not terrified and trampling each other to flee from a disaster scene, but in fact are trying to manage a situation. 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