--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hanging on in quiet desperation is the…" description: "\"Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.\" — Roger Waters" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/296/roger-waters-8636_desperation_hanging-on-in-quiet-desperation-is-the-e_1313665.png" --- # Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way. ![“Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.” quote by Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/296/roger-waters-8636_desperation_hanging-on-in-quiet-desperation-is-the-e_1313665.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/296/roger-waters-8636_desperation_hanging-on-in-quiet-desperation-is-the-e_1313665.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/296/roger-waters-8636_desperation_hanging-on-in-quiet-desperation-is-the-e_1313665.png) > “Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.” [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling resigned yet hopeful, the line captures a uniquely British blend of stoic endurance and underlying anxiety. **In simple terms:** Quiet desperation is a British trait. Key Takeaway Embrace openness over silent struggle. Themes British culture resilience anxiety stoicism Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - Everyday life - political discourse - personal reflection Key Concepts Existentialism national identity Questions to Reflect On - How does silence shape your coping? - What alternatives to quiet desperation exist? A Different Perspective May romanticize suffering, ignoring proactive change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desperation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperation/) [Quiet desperation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet-desperation/) ## Related quotes > [“Christopher Lassiter pinched the top of his nose and closed his eyes. Quiet desperation is the English way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/christopher-lassiter-pinched-the-top-of-his-nose-and-closed-his-eyes/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [One solitary God-centered, God-intoxicated man can do more to keep God's love alive and His presence felt in the world than a thousand half-hearted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/one-solitary-god-centered-god-intoxicated-man-can-do-more-to-keep-god/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [Studies of people who report high well-being in their fifties and sixties indicate that they have lived lives that involved personal risks. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-james/studies-of-people-who-report-high-well-being-in-their-fifties-and/) [Jennifer James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-james/) > [I am interested in the gap between what people say and what they think - the undiscovered world of people's lives. Lives of quiet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eyre/i-am-interested-in-the-gap-between-what-people-say-and-what-they/) [Richard Eyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eyre/) > [Human beings, as far as I can tell, seem to be divided into two subspecies -- the resigned, who live in quiet desperation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/human-beings-as-far-as-i-can-tell-seem-to-be-divided-into-two/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [Any life he'd ever heard of, his own included, was burdened with emotions - love, loss, jobs, jealousy, money, death, pain. But if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-z-hobson/any-life-he-d-ever-heard-of-his-own-included-was-burdened-with/) [Laura Z. Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-z-hobson/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Everyone's looking at me, I'm running 'round in circles, a quiet desperation's building higher, i've got to remember this is just a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/30-seconds-to-mars/everyone-s-looking-at-me-i-m-running-round-in-circles-a-quiet/) [30 Seconds To Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/30-seconds-to-mars/) > [Be still, and the world is bound to turn herself inside out to entertain you. Everywhere you look, joyful noise is clanging to drown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/be-still-and-the-world-is-bound-to-turn-herself-inside-out-to/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Who among us does not move through life with the hidden sense, maybe even quiet desperation, that we are destined for more?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bregman/who-among-us-does-not-move-through-life-with-the-hidden-sense-maybe/) [Peter Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bregman/) > [Life may not be exactly pleasant, but it is at least not dull. Heave yourself into Hell today, and you may miss, tomorrow or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-may-not-be-exactly-pleasant-but-it-is-at-least-not-dull-heave/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Pushing forty? She's hanging on for dear life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/pushing-forty-she-s-hanging-on-for-dear-life/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [When you're scared, you're still hanging on to life. When you're ready to die, you let it go. A sort of emptying out occurs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-junger/when-you-re-scared-you-re-still-hanging-on-to-life-when-you-re-ready/) [Sebastian Junger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-junger/) > [We've never managed, either one of us, to get all the way into life. We're hanging on to the outside for all we're worth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bowles/we-ve-never-managed-either-one-of-us-to-get-all-the-way-into-life-we/) [Paul Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bowles/) ## More by Roger Waters > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [In my rear view mirror the sun is going down sinking behind bridges in the road and I think of all the good things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/in-my-rear-view-mirror-the-sun-is-going-down-sinking-behind-bridges/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [But that's not to say that the potential for the sun to shine doesn't exist. You know? Walk down the path towards the light,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/but-that-s-not-to-say-that-the-potential-for-the-sun-to-shine-doesn-t/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [Almost everybody thinks that the fight is about ideology. Everybody will tell you, 'Well, the fighting is all about the Middle East.' 'Well, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/almost-everybody-thinks-that-the-fight-is-about-ideology-everybody/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [The United States has held out against taking part in any of the world consensus that there should be a court of human rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/the-united-states-has-held-out-against-taking-part-in-any-of-the/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [“We're just two lost souls Swimming in a fish bowl, Year after year, Running over the same old ground. What have we found? 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I listened to the albums and they just didn't move me in the way, say, John Prine does.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/i-don-t-really-listen-to-radiohead-i-listened-to-the-albums-and-they/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [When you've done something, certainly if you create a piece of music, you then hear it with fresh ears when you play it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/when-you-ve-done-something-certainly-if-you-create-a-piece-of-music/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [I could have been an architect, but I don't think I'd have been very happy. Nearly all modern architecture is a silly game as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/i-could-have-been-an-architect-but-i-don-t-think-i-d-have-been-very/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [Either you write songs or you don't. And if you do write songs like I do, I think there's a natural desire to want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/either-you-write-songs-or-you-don-t-and-if-you-do-write-songs-like-i/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [We're not ignored by The Guinness Book Of Records, but we've been largely ignored by the media during our lifetime. If you read any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/we-re-not-ignored-by-the-guinness-book-of-records-but-we-ve-been/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [You take the risk of being rejected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/you-take-the-risk-of-being-rejected/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [I've only ever written about one thing in my life, which is the fact that we, as human beings, have a responsibility to one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/i-ve-only-ever-written-about-one-thing-in-my-life-which-is-the-fact/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [I think there are things in my story that have helped my creativity. Your father being killed, for instance, is one of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/i-think-there-are-things-in-my-story-that-have-helped-my-creativity/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) [Explore all 79 Roger Waters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) ## More Desperation quotes > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [The thing about living alone is that it gives you a lot of time to think. You don't necessarily reach any conclusions, because wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/the-thing-about-living-alone-is-that-it-gives-you-a-lot-of-time-to/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [Lol, the thirst on SQ is serious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maher/lol-the-thirst-on-sq-is-serious/) [Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maher/) > [“Who among us does not move through life with the hidden sense, maybe even quiet desperation, that we are destined for more?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bregman/who-among-us-does-not-move-through-life-with-the-hidden-sense-maybe/) [Peter Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bregman/) > [In exams, we look up for inspiration, down for desperation, left and right for information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/in-exams-we-look-up-for-inspiration-down-for-desperation-left-and/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“In the moments of your deepest need, despair and desperation, what you need more than any other thing, is calm and faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/in-the-moments-of-your-deepest-need-despair-and-desperation-what-you/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [The desperation was coming off you in waves. You were all but begging to dance with me. I am doing you a favor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/the-desperation-was-coming-off-you-in-waves-you-were-all-but-begging/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [Desperation is sometimes as powerful an inspirer as genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/desperation-is-sometimes-as-powerful-an-inspirer-as-genius/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [“Soon, I found myself locked in my own cage of fear and desperation, where my experience of life was getting smaller and smaller.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-moorjani/soon-i-found-myself-locked-in-my-own-cage-of-fear-and-desperation/) [Anita Moorjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-moorjani/) > [“Desperation breeds people who are willing to do anything to get what they need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/desperation-breeds-people-who-are-willing-to-do-anything-to-get-what/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“If you were mine, I'd never leave you, Prudence. I couldn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-gracie/if-you-were-mine-i-d-never-leave-you-prudence-i-couldn-t/) [Anne Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-gracie/) > [I took Second City out of desperation, and that's what ended up working out. It shows that you should be doing a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-took-second-city-out-of-desperation-and-that-s-what-ended-up/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [“silent desperation of everything they never said - gaps and absences in every conversation, the past circumscribing the present, the future hemming in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-doerr/silent-desperation-of-everything-they-never-said-gaps-and-absences-in/) [Anthony Doerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-doerr/) > [“The car was on the FDR drive now and, turning her head, she glanced out at the bleak brown buildings of the projects that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/the-car-was-on-the-fdr-drive-now-and-turning-her-head-she-glanced-out/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) [Browse all 697 Desperation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roger Waters" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/hanging-on-in-quiet-desperation-is-the-english-way/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desperation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/hanging-on-in-quiet-desperation-is-the-english-way/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/296/roger-waters-8636_desperation_hanging-on-in-quiet-desperation-is-the-e_1313665.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/296/roger-waters-8636_desperation_hanging-on-in-quiet-desperation-is-the-e_1313665.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/296/roger-waters-8636_desperation_hanging-on-in-quiet-desperation-is-the-e_1313665.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.” — Roger Waters", "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": "Roger Waters", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Hanging on in quiet desperation is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/hanging-on-in-quiet-desperation-is-the-english-way/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/hanging-on-in-quiet-desperation-is-the-english-way/#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 } } ] } ```