---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always thought the desert was the…"
description: "\"I always thought the desert was the antithesis of peace - something that attacks you. So you don't go to the desert for peace.\" — Sam Shepard"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/sam-shepard-2232_always_i-always-thought-the-desert-was-the-anti_1443763.jpg"
---

#  I always thought the desert was the antithesis of peace…

![“I always thought the desert was the antithesis of peace - something that attacks you. So you don't go to the desert for peace.” quote by Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/sam-shepard-2232_always_i-always-thought-the-desert-was-the-anti_1443763.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/sam-shepard-2232_always_i-always-thought-the-desert-was-the-anti_1443763.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/sam-shepard-2232_always_i-always-thought-the-desert-was-the-anti_1443763.jpg)

> “I always thought the desert was the antithesis of peace - something that attacks you. So you don't go to the desert for peace.”

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The desert feels hostile, not peaceful, so it’s not a place to seek calm.

**In simple terms:** Desert feels hostile, not peaceful.

Key Takeaway

Avoid seeking peace in hostile environments.

Themes

conflict environment peace perception

Mood

thoughtful reflective

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- travel planning
- personal reflection
- meditation
- stress relief

Key Concepts

psychology environmental metaphor

Questions to Reflect On

- What environments do you associate with peace?
- How can you create peace in hostile settings?

A Different Perspective

Peace can be found in unexpected places despite hostile settings.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Antithesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antithesis/) [Desert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desert/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/)

## Related quotes

> [Al-Qa'ida is the antithesis of the peace, tolerance and humanity that is at the heart of Islam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/al-qa-ida-is-the-antithesis-of-the-peace-tolerance-and-humanity-that/)

[John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/)

> [“...anyone can make a desert and call it peace...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-elliott/anyone-can-make-a-desert-and-call-it-peace/)

[Kate Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-elliott/)

> [They have plundered the world, stripping naked the land in their hunger… they are driven by greed, if their enemy be rich; by ambition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/they-have-plundered-the-world-stripping-naked-the-land-in-their-2/)

[Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/)

> [“They have plundered the world, stripping naked the land in their hunger . . . they are driven by greed, if their enemy be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-allyn-root/they-have-plundered-the-world-stripping-naked-the-land-in-their/)

[Wayne Allyn Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-allyn-root/)

> [They make a desert and call it peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/they-make-a-desert-and-call-it-peace/)

[Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/)

> [I am so stupid that I cannot understand philosophy; the antithesis of this is that philosophy is so clever that it cannot comprehend my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-am-so-stupid-that-i-cannot-understand-philosophy-the-antithesis-of/)

[Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/)

> [Free will appears unfettered, deliberate; it is boundlessly free, wandering, the spirit. But fate is a necessity; unless we believe that world history is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/free-will-appears-unfettered-deliberate-it-is-boundlessly-free/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [the overwhelming majority of people who are engaged in the processes of thought and expression are Democrats because the essence of thought is exploration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-mannes/the-overwhelming-majority-of-people-who-are-engaged-in-the-processes/)

[Marya Mannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-mannes/)

> [I'm unhappy with the President Trump. I don't like his behavior, and I'm a Republican, and I don't like his policies because they're almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-wexner/i-m-unhappy-with-the-president-trump-i-don-t-like-his-behavior-and-i/)

[Les Wexner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-wexner/)

> [Everything contains its antithesis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-stevenson/everything-contains-its-antithesis/)

[Juliet Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-stevenson/)

> [ I wrote a comedy, which hopefully \[Rick director\] Curtiss Clayton will bring to the screen, that I thought was the antithesis of all my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/i-wrote-a-comedy-which-hopefully-rick-director-curtiss-clayton-will/)

[Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/)

> [One of the goals of philosophy is wage theoretical battle. That is why we can say that every thesis is always, by its very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-althusser/one-of-the-goals-of-philosophy-is-wage-theoretical-battle-that-is-why/)

[Louis Althusser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-althusser/)

> [“All this waiting. Waiting for the rain to stop. Waiting in traffic. Waiting for the bill. Waiting at the airport for an old friend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/all-this-waiting-waiting-for-the-rain-to-stop-waiting-in-traffic/)

[Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/)

> [... Michael Bloomfield was the antithesis of a collector ... he didn't care how old a guitar was; all he wanted was something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gravenites/michael-bloomfield-was-the-antithesis-of-a-collector-he-didn-t-care/)

Nick Gravenites

> [Christie led the way - with a bulldozer. The governor is blunt, brash, and self-consciously authentic, the antithesis to what turns off today's voters:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/christie-led-the-way-with-a-bulldozer-the-governor-is-blunt-brash-and/)

[Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/)

## More by Sam Shepard

> [I guess what I like is mostly country &amp; western or else stuff that has a real blues feel to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-guess-what-i-like-is-mostly-country-western-or-else-stuff-that-has/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [You can write 16 plays and not make as much money as you did doing one movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/you-can-write-16-plays-and-not-make-as-much-money-as-you-did-doing/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [It's funny, in a way the actor is a writer. It's not like the two things are so separate as to be like apples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/it-s-funny-in-a-way-the-actor-is-a-writer-it-s-not-like-the-two/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [Character is an essential tendency. It can be covered up, it can be messed with, it can be screwed around with, but it can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/character-is-an-essential-tendency-it-can-be-covered-up-it-can-be/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [Why would you want to be be counseled in your grief? It's too private.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/why-would-you-want-to-be-be-counseled-in-your-grief-it-s-too-private/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [Farm country -- you know, hay, horses, cattle. It's the ideal situation for me. I like the physical endeavors that go with the farm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/farm-country-you-know-hay-horses-cattle-it-s-the-ideal-situation-for/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [I think comedy's harder to pull off on the screen than on the stage, anyway. Tragedy is easier on the screen... oddly enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-think-comedy-s-harder-to-pull-off-on-the-screen-than-on-the-stage/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [“Those are the most monotonous fuckin' crickets I ever heard in my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/those-are-the-most-monotonous-fuckin-crickets-i-ever-heard-in-my-life/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [All good writing comes out of aloneness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/all-good-writing-comes-out-of-aloneness/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [When I first started in film, I was terrified of the camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/when-i-first-started-in-film-i-was-terrified-of-the-camera/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [I'll develop my own image. I'm an original man. A one and only. I just need some help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-ll-develop-my-own-image-i-m-an-original-man-a-one-and-only-i-just/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [When I just sit around my house and work, I can work two, three hours, and then I go off and ride a horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/when-i-just-sit-around-my-house-and-work-i-can-work-two-three-hours/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [Hollywood is geared toward teenage idiocy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/hollywood-is-geared-toward-teenage-idiocy/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [It's my private life, and it's not up for grabs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/it-s-my-private-life-and-it-s-not-up-for-grabs/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [Keep away from fantasy. Shake off the image,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/keep-away-from-fantasy-shake-off-the-image/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

[Explore all 176 Sam Shepard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

## More Always quotes

> [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/)

[Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/)

> [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/)

[Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/)

> [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/)

[Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/)

> [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/)

[William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/)

[Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/)

> [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/)

[Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/)

> [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/)

[Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/)

> [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/)

[Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/)

> [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/)

[Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/)

> [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/)

[Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/)

> [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/)

[Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/)

> [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/)

[Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/)

> [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/)

[Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/)

Browse all 36,048 Always quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I always thought the desert was the antithesis of peace - something that attacks you. So you don't go to the desert for peace.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sam Shepard"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-always-thought-the-desert-was-the-antithesis-of-peace-something/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Always"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-always-thought-the-desert-was-the-antithesis-of-peace-something/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/sam-shepard-2232_always_i-always-thought-the-desert-was-the-anti_1443763.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/sam-shepard-2232_always_i-always-thought-the-desert-was-the-anti_1443763.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/sam-shepard-2232_always_i-always-thought-the-desert-was-the-anti_1443763.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I always thought the desert was the antithesis of peace - something that attacks you. So you don't go to the…” — Sam Shepard",
                "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": "Sam Shepard",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I always thought the desert was...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-always-thought-the-desert-was-the-antithesis-of-peace-something/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-always-thought-the-desert-was-the-antithesis-of-peace-something/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
