---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are men everywhere who talk and…"
description: "\"“There are men everywhere who talk and talk, saying nothing. I am afraid I am becoming one of that kind.”\" — Sherwood Anderson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/sherwood-anderson-2780_afraid_there-are-men-everywhere-who-talk-and-ta_2307638.png"
---

#  There are men everywhere who talk and talk, saying…

![“There are men everywhere who talk and talk, saying nothing. I am afraid I am becoming one of that kind.” quote by Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/sherwood-anderson-2780_afraid_there-are-men-everywhere-who-talk-and-ta_2307638.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/sherwood-anderson-2780_afraid_there-are-men-everywhere-who-talk-and-ta_2307638.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/sherwood-anderson-2780_afraid_there-are-men-everywhere-who-talk-and-ta_2307638.png)

> ““There are men everywhere who talk and talk, saying nothing. I am afraid I am becoming one of that kind.””

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

## About This Quote

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

Constant chatter without substance can erode personal confidence and authenticity.

**In simple terms:** Talking a lot without meaning erodes self‑esteem.

Key Takeaway

Speak thoughtfully and value silence.

Themes

communication authenticity self‑awareness

Mood

reflective cautious

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- meetings
- social media posts
- public speaking

Key Concepts

verbosity self‑reflection confidence

Questions to Reflect On

- What topics do you avoid because you fear sounding empty?
- How can you ensure your words add value?

A Different Perspective

Silence can be misinterpreted as disengagement.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Saying nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-nothing/)

## Related quotes

> [Partly, I'm worried that no one is saying anything because they are afraid of being seen as politically correct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gaitskill/partly-i-m-worried-that-no-one-is-saying-anything-because-they-are/)

[Mary Gaitskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gaitskill/)

> [“My mother refuses to go into the ocean. She respects it, she says, which is basically the same as saying she's afraid. I go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/my-mother-refuses-to-go-into-the-ocean-she-respects-it-she-says-which/)

[Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/)

> [The ethics of excellence are grounded in action - what you actually do, rather than what you say you believe. Talk, as the saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/the-ethics-of-excellence-are-grounded-in-action-what-you-actually-do/)

[Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/)

> [“Lightly men talk of saying what they mean. Often when he was teaching me to write in Greek the Fox would say, “Child, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/lightly-men-talk-of-saying-what-they-mean-often-when-he-was-teaching/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [You can’t answer what I said, so you’re going to talk about my saying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/you-can-t-answer-what-i-said-so-you-re-going-to-talk-about-my-saying/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [You can talk without saying a thing. I don't ever want to be that type of person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/you-can-talk-without-saying-a-thing-i-don-t-ever-want-to-be-that-type/)

[Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/)

> [“The complaint was the answer. To have heard myself making it was to be answered. Lightly men talk of saying what they mean. Often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-complaint-was-the-answer-to-have-heard-myself-making-it-was-to-be/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“I’m not afraid of the dead,” Streng remembered saying. “I’m afraid of what made them dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kilborn/i-m-not-afraid-of-the-dead-streng-remembered-saying-i-m-afraid-of/)

[Jack Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kilborn/)

> [Unless you are in the middle of a storm, there is no validity in saying that you are not afraid of the storms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/unless-you-are-in-the-middle-of-a-storm-there-is-no-validity-in/)

[Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [“People who are saying that they are afraid of heights are usually not actually afraid of heights. They are afraid of falling, which means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar/people-who-are-saying-that-they-are-afraid-of-heights-are-usually-not/)

[Bashar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar/)

> [I've always felt that if you back down from a fear, the ghost of that fear never goes away. It diminishes people. So I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-jackman/i-ve-always-felt-that-if-you-back-down-from-a-fear-the-ghost-of-that/)

[Hugh Jackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-jackman/)

> [If Men Got Pregnant: They'd have to stop saying, I'm afraid I'll drop him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/if-men-got-pregnant-they-d-have-to-stop-saying-i-m-afraid-i-ll-drop/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [Even with the recent story about the nurse killing herself in King Edward Hospital, there's no blame placed on Kate Middleton, who was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/even-with-the-recent-story-about-the-nurse-killing-herself-in-king/)

[Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/)

> [Yet we must say something when those who say the most are saying nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yet-we-must-say-something-when-those-who-say-the-most-are-saying/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [ We went to America a few times and \[Brian\] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-went-to-america-a-few-times-and-brian-epstein-always-tried-to/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

## More by Sherwood Anderson

> [You must not become a mere peddler of words. The thing to learn is to know what people are thinking about, not what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/you-must-not-become-a-mere-peddler-of-words-the-thing-to-learn-is-to/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [“Doctor Parcival began to plead with George Willard. 'You must pay attention to me,' he urged. 'If something happens you will be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/doctor-parcival-began-to-plead-with-george-willard-you-must-pay/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [It has long been my desire to be a little worm in the fair apple of Progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/it-has-long-been-my-desire-to-be-a-little-worm-in-the-fair-apple-of/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [What's wrong with this egotism? If a man doesn't delight in himself and the force in him and feel that he and it are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/what-s-wrong-with-this-egotism-if-a-man-doesn-t-delight-in-himself/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [“You see it is likely that, when my brother told the story, that night when we got home and my mother and sister sat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/you-see-it-is-likely-that-when-my-brother-told-the-story-that-night/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [“It might be that women who have been nurses should not marry physicians. They have too much respect for physicians, are taught to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/it-might-be-that-women-who-have-been-nurses-should-not-marry/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [There is a note that comes into the human voice by which you may know real weariness. It comes when one has been trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/there-is-a-note-that-comes-into-the-human-voice-by-which-you-may-know/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [All of the people of my time were bound with chains. They had forgotten the long fields and the standing corn. They had forgotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/all-of-the-people-of-my-time-were-bound-with-chains-they-had/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [It might be that women who have beennurses should not marry physicians. They have too much respect for physicians, are taughtto have too much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/it-might-be-that-women-who-have-beennurses-should-not-marry/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [“He was almost a poet in his old age and his notion of what happened took a poetic turn. 'I had come to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/he-was-almost-a-poet-in-his-old-age-and-his-notion-of-what-happened/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [“It did not seem to them that anything that could happen in the future could blot out the wonder and beauty of the thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/it-did-not-seem-to-them-that-anything-that-could-happen-in-the-future/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [The life of reality is confused, disorderly, almost always without apparent purpose, whereas in the artist's imaginative life there is purpose. There is determination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/the-life-of-reality-is-confused-disorderly-almost-always-without/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [“Helen ran down a flight of stairs at the back of the house and into the garden. In the darkness she stopped and stood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/helen-ran-down-a-flight-of-stairs-at-the-back-of-the-house-and-into/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [In Middle America men are awakening. Like awkward and untrained boys we begin to turn toward maturity and with our awakening we hunger for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/in-middle-america-men-are-awakening-like-awkward-and-untrained-boys/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

> [In that high place in the darkness the two oddly sensitive human atoms held each other tightly and waited. In the mind of each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/in-that-high-place-in-the-darkness-the-two-oddly-sensitive-human/)

[Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

[Explore all 150 Sherwood Anderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/)

## More Afraid quotes

> [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/)

[Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/)

> [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/)

[Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/)

> [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/)

[Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/)

> [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/)

[Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/)

> [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/)

[Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/)

> [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/)

Darlene Senger

> [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/)

[Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/)

> [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/)

[James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/)

> [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/)

[Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/)

> [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/)

[Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/)

> [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/)

[Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/)

> [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/)

[Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/)

> [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/)

[Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/)

Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“There are men everywhere who talk and talk, saying nothing. I am afraid I am becoming one of that kind.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sherwood Anderson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/there-are-men-everywhere-who-talk-and-talk-saying-nothing-i-am-afraid/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Afraid"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/there-are-men-everywhere-who-talk-and-talk-saying-nothing-i-am-afraid/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/sherwood-anderson-2780_afraid_there-are-men-everywhere-who-talk-and-ta_2307638.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/sherwood-anderson-2780_afraid_there-are-men-everywhere-who-talk-and-ta_2307638.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/sherwood-anderson-2780_afraid_there-are-men-everywhere-who-talk-and-ta_2307638.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There are men everywhere who talk and talk, saying nothing. I am afraid I am becoming one of that kind.” — Sherwood Anderson",
                "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": "Sherwood Anderson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“There are men everywhere who talk...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/there-are-men-everywhere-who-talk-and-talk-saying-nothing-i-am-afraid/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/there-are-men-everywhere-who-talk-and-talk-saying-nothing-i-am-afraid/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
