--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This sort of talk always bores me: old…" description: "\"“This sort of talk always bores me: old men complaining that the world is going to the dogs. It’s so banal.”\" — Robert Harris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/robert-harris-2039_banal_this-sort-of-talk-always-bores-me-old-me_2166812.png" --- # This sort of talk always bores me: old men complaining… ![“This sort of talk always bores me: old men complaining that the world is going to the dogs. It’s so banal.” quote by Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/robert-harris-2039_banal_this-sort-of-talk-always-bores-me-old-me_2166812.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/robert-harris-2039_banal_this-sort-of-talk-always-bores-me-old-me_2166812.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/robert-harris-2039_banal_this-sort-of-talk-always-bores-me-old-me_2166812.png) > ““This sort of talk always bores me: old men complaining that the world is going to the dogs. It’s so banal.”” [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Older generations frequently lament societal decline, but such complaints are often repetitive and unproductive. **In simple terms:** Complaining about decline is boring. Key Takeaway Seek constructive dialogue instead of lament. Themes generational society complaint Mood skeptical reflective Type observational critical When to use this quote - family gatherings - online forums - political debates Key Concepts cultural criticism nihilism dialogue Questions to Reflect On - Why do people repeat negative narratives? - How can we turn criticism into action? A Different Perspective Such remarks can stifle progress and alienate younger listeners. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Banal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/banal/) [Bores Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bores-old-4621896/) [Dogs Banal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogs-banal-4621895/) [Men Complaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-complaining-1783910/) [Old men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-men/) [Talk Bores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-bores-4621897/) ## Related quotes > [The rules of sexism do not free men from the terror of violence; they only keep men from complaining about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/the-rules-of-sexism-do-not-free-men-from-the-terror-of-violence-they/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [In our society, the sound of men complaining is like nails on a chalkboard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/in-our-society-the-sound-of-men-complaining-is-like-nails-on-a/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [If White men were not complaining, it would be an indication we weren't succeeding and making the inroads that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ochs-sulzberger/if-white-men-were-not-complaining-it-would-be-an-indication-we-weren/) [Arthur Ochs Sulzberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ochs-sulzberger/) > [A lot of women really need to learn to how to pick and choose their battles with men. Complaining about everything will push a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-lot-of-women-really-need-to-learn-to-how-to-pick-and-choose-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's a bizarre prejudice that exists in the New York publishing establishment that any work outside the tri-state area is being done by trained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-braverman/there-s-a-bizarre-prejudice-that-exists-in-the-new-york-publishing/) [Kate Braverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-braverman/) > [I really believe we read differently when we know even the most banal facts of an author's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-michaels/i-really-believe-we-read-differently-when-we-know-even-the-most-banal/) [Anne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-michaels/) > [“In an art museum, you shall realise how banal and how ordinary the life outside!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/in-an-art-museum-you-shall-realise-how-banal-and-how-ordinary-the/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [In an age of computer manipulation, surrealism has become banal, a shadow of its former self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-glaser/in-an-age-of-computer-manipulation-surrealism-has-become-banal-a/) [Milton Glaser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-glaser/) > [There has never been an 'original' sin: each is quite banal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/there-has-never-been-an-original-sin-each-is-quite-banal/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [People worry about Twitter. Twitter is banal. It's 140-character messages. By definition, you can hardly say anything profound. On the other hand, we communicate.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gleick/people-worry-about-twitter-twitter-is-banal-it-s-140-character/) [James Gleick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gleick/) > [“There seemed no particular object in avoiding banality from the start, as the evening showed every sign of developing into a banal one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/there-seemed-no-particular-object-in-avoiding-banality-from-the-start/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [It's one thing to be banal, stupid, and idiotic on the inside. It's another to have it captured in writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-ove-knausgaard/it-s-one-thing-to-be-banal-stupid-and-idiotic-on-the-inside-it-s/) [Karl Ove Knausgaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-ove-knausgaard/) > [It is almost banal to say so yet it needs to be stressed continually: all is creation, all is change, all is flux, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/it-is-almost-banal-to-say-so-yet-it-needs-to-be-stressed-continually/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [The Twenty20 is itself a banal game, a crude game, but it works, so I hope Twenty20 commentary works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-agnew/the-twenty20-is-itself-a-banal-game-a-crude-game-but-it-works-so-i/) [Jonathan Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-agnew/) > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) ## More by Robert Harris > [“Men mistook measurement for understanding. And they always had to put themselves at the center of everything. That was their greatest conceit. The earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/men-mistook-measurement-for-understanding-and-they-always-had-to-put/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [If one first gives himself to the Lord, all other giving is easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/if-one-first-gives-himself-to-the-lord-all-other-giving-is-easy/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“He felt more human with his boots on. A man can face the world with something on his feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-felt-more-human-with-his-boots-on-a-man-can-face-the-world-with/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Cicero most reminds me of Harold Wilson. Both men knew how to keep the show on the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/cicero-most-reminds-me-of-harold-wilson-both-men-knew-how-to-keep-the/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [The financial world is at the cutting edge of high technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-financial-world-is-at-the-cutting-edge-of-high-technology/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“To choose one's victims, to prepare one's plans minutely, to slake an implacable vengeance, and then to go to bed ... there is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/to-choose-one-s-victims-to-prepare-one-s-plans-minutely-to-slake-an/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“Nature has granted man no better gift than the shortness of life. The senses grow dull, the limbs are numb, sight, bearing, gait, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/nature-has-granted-man-no-better-gift-than-the-shortness-of-life-the/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“A crock of shit,” Rick had called it. But actually this was worse. Shit, to quote Gore Vidal, has its own integrity. This was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/a-crock-of-shit-rick-had-called-it-but-actually-this-was-worse-shit/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“... unfortunately, freedom alone is not enough, by far. If there is a shortage of bread, a shortage of butter and fats, a shortage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/unfortunately-freedom-alone-is-not-enough-by-far-if-there-is-a/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [It is perseverance, and not genius that takes a man to the top. Rome is full of unrecognized geniuses. Only perseverance enables you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/it-is-perseverance-and-not-genius-that-takes-a-man-to-the-top-rome-is/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“No one can really claim to know politics properly until he has stayed up all night writing a speech for delivery the following day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/no-one-can-really-claim-to-know-politics-properly-until-he-has-stayed/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [People perish. Books are immortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/people-perish-books-are-immortal/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Does a name stick because it suits a man or does the man, unconsciously, evolve into his name?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/does-a-name-stick-because-it-suits-a-man-or-does-the-man/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“He glanced around the reading room and closed his eyes, trying to keep hold of the past for a minute longer, a fattening and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-glanced-around-the-reading-room-and-closed-his-eyes-trying-to-keep/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [The natural impulse of men is to follow and whoever has the strongest sense of purpose will always dominate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-natural-impulse-of-men-is-to-follow-and-whoever-has-the-strongest/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) [Explore all 184 Robert Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) ## More Banal quotes > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [The Twenty20 is itself a banal game, a crude game, but it works, so I hope Twenty20 commentary works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-agnew/the-twenty20-is-itself-a-banal-game-a-crude-game-but-it-works-so-i/) [Jonathan Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-agnew/) > [It is almost banal to say so yet it needs to be stressed continually: all is creation, all is change, all is flux, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/it-is-almost-banal-to-say-so-yet-it-needs-to-be-stressed-continually/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [It's one thing to be banal, stupid, and idiotic on the inside. It's another to have it captured in writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-ove-knausgaard/it-s-one-thing-to-be-banal-stupid-and-idiotic-on-the-inside-it-s/) [Karl Ove Knausgaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-ove-knausgaard/) > [“There seemed no particular object in avoiding banality from the start, as the evening showed every sign of developing into a banal one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/there-seemed-no-particular-object-in-avoiding-banality-from-the-start/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [People worry about Twitter. Twitter is banal. It's 140-character messages. By definition, you can hardly say anything profound. On the other hand, we communicate.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gleick/people-worry-about-twitter-twitter-is-banal-it-s-140-character/) [James Gleick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gleick/) > [There has never been an 'original' sin: each is quite banal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/there-has-never-been-an-original-sin-each-is-quite-banal/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [In an age of computer manipulation, surrealism has become banal, a shadow of its former self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-glaser/in-an-age-of-computer-manipulation-surrealism-has-become-banal-a/) [Milton Glaser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-glaser/) > [“In an art museum, you shall realise how banal and how ordinary the life outside!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/in-an-art-museum-you-shall-realise-how-banal-and-how-ordinary-the/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I really believe we read differently when we know even the most banal facts of an author's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-michaels/i-really-believe-we-read-differently-when-we-know-even-the-most-banal/) [Anne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-michaels/) > [There's a bizarre prejudice that exists in the New York publishing establishment that any work outside the tri-state area is being done by trained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-braverman/there-s-a-bizarre-prejudice-that-exists-in-the-new-york-publishing/) [Kate Braverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-braverman/) > [How totally banal of you to ask what I really mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/how-totally-banal-of-you-to-ask-what-i-really-mean/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [I think of myself as a very ordinary person. I like writing about the juxtaposition between people: the beauty of them at times and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/i-think-of-myself-as-a-very-ordinary-person-i-like-writing-about-the/) [Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/) > [Everything is banal in experience, fleeting in duration, sordid in content; in all respects the same today as generations now dead and buried have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/everything-is-banal-in-experience-fleeting-in-duration-sordid-in/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [What is terrible is that after every one of the phases of my life is finished, I am left with no more than some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/what-is-terrible-is-that-after-every-one-of-the-phases-of-my-life-is-2/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) [Browse all 63 Banal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/banal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This sort of talk always bores me: old men complaining that the world is going to the dogs. 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