Big business Quote by Walter M. Miller Jr
““He soon decided that almost any fact could be accepted calmly after it had already happened. Men would be just as calm after their cities had been reduced to rubble. The human capacity for calmness was almost unlimited, ex post facto, because the routine of daily living had to go on, despite the big business of governments whose leaders invoked the Deity in the cause of slaughter.””
About This Quote
Source Book: A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr., 1959
People can rationalize and remain calm after catastrophic events because daily life must continue despite the horror.
In simple terms: Humans adapt to horror by staying calm after it happens.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how routine masks trauma.
Themes
adaptation
calmness
war
human nature
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- post‑war reconstruction
- political speeches
- media coverage of disasters
- personal grief
Key Concepts
psychology
cognitive dissonance
resilience
Questions to Reflect On
- How does routine help or hinder processing trauma?
- When does calm become complicity?
A Different Perspective
Calmness can become denial, preventing healing.
