--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Alas, irreverence has been subsumed by…" description: "\"Alas, irreverence has been subsumed by mere grossness, at least in the so-called mass media. What we have now, to quote myself at my most pretentious, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/tom-lehrer-3442_alas_alas-irreverence-has-been-subsumed-by-me_2623833.jpg" --- # Alas, irreverence has been subsumed by mere grossness, at… ![“Alas, irreverence has been subsumed by mere grossness, at least in the so-called mass media. What we have now, to quote myself at my most pretentious, is a nimiety of scurrility with a concomitant exiguity of taste.” quote by Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/tom-lehrer-3442_alas_alas-irreverence-has-been-subsumed-by-me_2623833.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/tom-lehrer-3442_alas_alas-irreverence-has-been-subsumed-by-me_2623833.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/tom-lehrer-3442_alas_alas-irreverence-has-been-subsumed-by-me_2623833.jpg) > “Alas, irreverence has been subsumed by mere grossness, at least in the so-called mass media. What we have now, to quote myself at my most pretentious, is a nimiety of scurrility with a concomitant exiguity of taste.” [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mass media has become crude and shallow, lacking taste and depth. **In simple terms:** Media is now vulgar and tasteless. Key Takeaway Demand higher quality content. Themes media criticism culture taste Mood critical skeptical Type essay social commentary When to use this quote - news consumption - social media - public discourse Key Concepts sociology media studies Questions to Reflect On - How can you seek substance in media? - What responsibilities do creators have? A Different Perspective Not all media is lowbrow; niche excellence exists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alas/) [Alas Irreverence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alas-irreverence-2132025/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Grossness Called](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grossness-called-2132027/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Irreverence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irreverence/) [Irreverence Subsumed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irreverence-subsumed-2132024/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Mass media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass-media/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Mere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mere/) [Mere Grossness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mere-grossness-2132026/) [Pretentious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretentious/) [Taste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taste/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) ## Related quotes > [One of the problems I see with these comics on television, particularly cable television, is, since you can say anything in terms of sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/one-of-the-problems-i-see-with-these-comics-on-television/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [Irreverence is easy - what's hard is wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/irreverence-is-easy-what-s-hard-is-wit/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [Irreverence is easy - whats hard is wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/irreverence-is-easy-whats-hard-is-wit/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [“Little G loved stories about all things sacred laced with a bit of irreverence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaelene-mcelroy/little-g-loved-stories-about-all-things-sacred-laced-with-a-bit-of/) [Michaelene McElroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaelene-mcelroy/) > [Irreverence is a way of playing hooky and remaining present at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ruefle/irreverence-is-a-way-of-playing-hooky-and-remaining-present-at-the/) [Mary Ruefle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ruefle/) > [Impiety, n.: Your irreverence toward my deity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/impiety-n-your-irreverence-toward-my-deity/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [The more repression there is, the more need there is for irreverence toward those who are responsible for that repression. But too often sarcasm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krassner/the-more-repression-there-is-the-more-need-there-is-for-irreverence/) [Paul Krassner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krassner/) > [Irreverence is our only sacred cow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krassner/irreverence-is-our-only-sacred-cow/) [Paul Krassner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krassner/) > [Irreverence is a most necessary ingredient of religion. Not to speak of its importance in philosophy. Irreverence is the only way left to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/irreverence-is-a-most-necessary-ingredient-of-religion-not-to-speak/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [True irreverence is disrespect for another man's god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/true-irreverence-is-disrespect-for-another-man-s-god/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [If we had reverence for our life, our life would take at once religious form. But as it is, in our filthy irreverence, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/if-we-had-reverence-for-our-life-our-life-would-take-at-once/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [Every act of irreverence for life, every act which neglects life, which is indifferent to and wastes life, is a step towards the love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/every-act-of-irreverence-for-life-every-act-which-neglects-life-which/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“If there is any irreverence in my own work, I hope it is the irreverence I bear in mistrusting my own sincere self, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ruefle/if-there-is-any-irreverence-in-my-own-work-i-hope-it-is-the/) [Mary Ruefle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ruefle/) > [I have a total irreverence for anything connected with society except that which makes the roads safer, the beer stronger, the food cheaper and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-behan/i-have-a-total-irreverence-for-anything-connected-with-society-except/) [Brendan Behan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-behan/) > [A little bit of irreverence is necessary to have any self-esteem at all. Not irreverence for people, but rather, for what other people think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-argov/a-little-bit-of-irreverence-is-necessary-to-have-any-self-esteem-at/) [Sherry Argov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-argov/) ## More by Tom Lehrer > [Plagiarize, plagiarize, / Let no man's work evade your eyes, / Remember why the good Lord made your eyes, / Don't shade your eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/plagiarize-plagiarize-let-no-man-s-work-evade-your-eyes-remember-why/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [I ache for the touch of your lips dear, but much more for the touch of your whips dear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-ache-for-the-touch-of-your-lips-dear-but-much-more-for-the-touch-of/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [When someone makes a move Of which we don't approve, Who is it that always intervenes? U.N. and O.A.S., They have their place, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/when-someone-makes-a-move-of-which-we-don-t-approve-who-is-it-that/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [I'm not tempted to write a song about George W. Bush. I couldn't figure out what sort of song I would write. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-m-not-tempted-to-write-a-song-about-george-w-bush-i-couldn-t-figure/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [Don't solicit for your sister, it's not nice. Unless you get a good percentage of her price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/don-t-solicit-for-your-sister-it-s-not-nice-unless-you-get-a-good/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [It is a sobering thought that when Mozart was my age, he had been dead for two years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/it-is-a-sobering-thought-that-when-mozart-was-my-age-he-had-been-dead/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [“I am never forget the day I first meet the great Lobachevsky. In one word he told me secret of success in mathematics: Plagiarize!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-am-never-forget-the-day-i-first-meet-the-great-lobachevsky-in-one/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [Counting in octal is just likst counting in decimal--if you don't use your thumbs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/counting-in-octal-is-just-likst-counting-in-decimal-if-you-don-t-use/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [Disclaimer: If anyone disagrees with anything I say, I am quite prepared to not only retract it, but also to deny under oath I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/disclaimer-if-anyone-disagrees-with-anything-i-say-i-am-quite/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [Don't write naughty words on the wall if you can't spell!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/don-t-write-naughty-words-on-the-wall-if-you-can-t-spell/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [I don't want to satirise George Bush and his puppeteers, I want to vaporise them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-don-t-want-to-satirise-george-bush-and-his-puppeteers-i-want-to/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [San Francisco is a city of twenty-something millionaire white kids named Doug.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/san-francisco-is-a-city-of-twenty-something-millionaire-white-kids/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [On Christmas day you can't get sore, Your fellow man you must adore, There's time to cheat him all the more The other three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/on-christmas-day-you-can-t-get-sore-your-fellow-man-you-must-adore/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [Be prepared, and be careful not to do your good deeds when there's no one watching you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/be-prepared-and-be-careful-not-to-do-your-good-deeds-when-there-s-no/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [There's something mathematically satisfying about music: notes fit together and harmony and all that. And mathematics has to do with abstractions and making connections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/there-s-something-mathematically-satisfying-about-music-notes-fit/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) [Explore all 130 Tom Lehrer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) ## More Alas quotes > [“Muchos de los ángeles de Dios no tienen alas...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/muchos-de-los-ngeles-de-dios-no-tienen-alas/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [We are all potentially such sick men. The sanest and best of us are of one clay with lunatics and prison-inmates. And whenever we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/we-are-all-potentially-such-sick-men-the-sanest-and-best-of-us-are-of/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [Time, time - that is our greatest master! Alas, like Ugolino, time devours its own children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-berlioz/time-time-that-is-our-greatest-master-alas-like-ugolino-time-devours/) [Hector Berlioz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-berlioz/) > [Removing prejudices is, alas! too often removing the boundary of a delightful near prospect in order to let in a shockingly extensive one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-fulke-greville/removing-prejudices-is-alas-too-often-removing-the-boundary-of-a/) [Sir Fulke Greville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-fulke-greville/) > [Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-pharcellus-church/yes-virginia-there-is-a-santa-claus-he-exists-as-certainly-as-love/) [Francis Pharcellus Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-pharcellus-church/) > [Alas, Postumus, the fleeting years slip by, nor will piety give any stay to wrinkles and pressing old age and untamable death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/alas-postumus-the-fleeting-years-slip-by-nor-will-piety-give-any-stay/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Sensible Catholics have for generations been ignoring the views on contraception held by reactionary old men in the Vatican, but alas, since it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-grayling/sensible-catholics-have-for-generations-been-ignoring-the-views-on/) [A.C. Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-grayling/) > [The flesh is sad, alas, and I have read all the books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-phane-mallarm/the-flesh-is-sad-alas-and-i-have-read-all-the-books/) [Stephane Mallarme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-phane-mallarm/) > [Alas! all music jars when the soul's out of tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/alas-all-music-jars-when-the-soul-s-out-of-tune/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [In spite of the honestest efforts to annihilate my I-ity, or merge it in what the world doubtless considers my better half, I still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-welsh-carlyle/in-spite-of-the-honestest-efforts-to-annihilate-my-i-ity-or-merge-it/) [Jane Welsh Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-welsh-carlyle/) > [The dumpling is indeed of more ancient institution, and of foreign origin; but alas, what were those dumplings? Nothing but a few lentils sodden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/the-dumpling-is-indeed-of-more-ancient-institution-and-of-foreign/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [“World is so beautiful, but alas! There are so many assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/world-is-so-beautiful-but-alas-there-are-so-many-assholes/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Ideally a painter (and, generally, an artist) should not become conscious of his insights: without taking the detour through his reflective processes, and incomprehensibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/ideally-a-painter-and-generally-an-artist-should-not-become-conscious/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [Alas! we makeA ladder of our thoughts, where angels step,But sleep ourselves at the foot: our high resolvesLook down upon our slumbering acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/alas-we-makea-ladder-of-our-thoughts-where-angels-step-but-sleep/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) [Browse all 453 Alas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Alas, irreverence has been subsumed by mere grossness, at least in the so-called mass media. 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