--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Funny how gentle people get with you once…" description: "\"Funny how gentle people get with you once you're dead.\" — William Holden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/william-holden-37763_dead_funny-how-gentle-people-get-with-you-onc_3110183.jpg" --- # Funny how gentle people get with you once you're dead. ![“Funny how gentle people get with you once you're dead.” quote by William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/william-holden-37763_dead_funny-how-gentle-people-get-with-you-onc_3110183.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/william-holden-37763_dead_funny-how-gentle-people-get-with-you-onc_3110183.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/william-holden-37763_dead_funny-how-gentle-people-get-with-you-onc_3110183.jpg) > “Funny how gentle people get with you once you're dead.” [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often treat the deceased with unexpected kindness, revealing social discomfort with death. **In simple terms:** The dead receive gentle treatment. Key Takeaway Treat the living with respect now. Themes mortality social behavior empathy Mood reflective melancholic Type observational cautionary When to use this quote - funerals - memorials - legacy discussions - grief counseling Key Concepts thanology social norms Questions to Reflect On - How does society’s view of death affect how we treat the living? - What does gentle behavior toward the dead reveal about us? A Different Perspective Kindness may be superficial, avoiding true emotional connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying/) [Funny Gentle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-gentle-5428990/) [Gentle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentle/) [Gentle People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentle-people-1058299/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-dead-364245/) [Sunset boulevard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunset-boulevard/) ## Related quotes > [Weapons are not proper instruments for gentle people; they use them only when they have no other choice. Peace and quiet are what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/weapons-are-not-proper-instruments-for-gentle-people-they-use-them/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [England is, after all, the land where children were beaten, wives and babies bashed, football hooligans crunch, and Miss Whip and Miss Lash ply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-macinnes/england-is-after-all-the-land-where-children-were-beaten-wives-and/) [Colin MacInnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-macinnes/) > [There's nothing tragic about being fifty. Not unless you're trying to be twenty-five.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/there-s-nothing-tragic-about-being-fifty-not-unless-you-re-trying-to/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) > [Most people are dead. Hitler. Ray Charles. Some other guys. But mostly those two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-people-are-dead-hitler-ray-charles-some-other-guys-but-mostly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Out of the people that ever were, almost all of them are dead. There are way more dead people, and you're all gonna die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/out-of-the-people-that-ever-were-almost-all-of-them-are-dead-there/) [Louis C. 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Which people see as weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/gentle-which-people-see-as-weak/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## More by William Holden > [Movie acting may not have a certain kind of glory as true art, but it is damn hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/movie-acting-may-not-have-a-certain-kind-of-glory-as-true-art-but-it/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) > [Aging is an inevitable process. I surely wouldn't want to grow younger. The older you become, the more you know; your bank account of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/aging-is-an-inevitable-process-i-surely-wouldn-t-want-to-grow-younger/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) > [For me, acting is not an all-consuming thing, except for the moment when I am actually doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/for-me-acting-is-not-an-all-consuming-thing-except-for-the-moment/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) > [Just one more word. If I ever run into any of you bums on the street corner, just let's pretend we never met before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/just-one-more-word-if-i-ever-run-into-any-of-you-bums-on-the-street/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) > [When you side with a man, you stay with him. And if you can't do that, you're like some animal. You're finished. We're finished.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/when-you-side-with-a-man-you-stay-with-him-and-if-you-can-t-do-that/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) > [There's nothing tragic about being fifty. Not unless you're trying to be twenty-five.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/there-s-nothing-tragic-about-being-fifty-not-unless-you-re-trying-to/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) > [Gratitude based on a faith that everything that happens or doesn’t happen in your life is for your own best interests. That we live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/gratitude-based-on-a-faith-that-everything-that-happens-or-doesn-t/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) > [She's television generation. She learned life from Bugs Bunny. The only reality she knows comes to her through the television set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/she-s-television-generation-she-learned-life-from-bugs-bunny-the-only/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) > [I don't really know why, but danger has always been an important thing in my life - to see how far I could lean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/i-don-t-really-know-why-but-danger-has-always-been-an-important-thing/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) > [In general, I don't care for scenes of copulation.Certain functions of the human body are bloody private.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/in-general-i-don-t-care-for-scenes-of-copulation-certain-functions-of/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) > [I feel lousy about the pain that I've caused my wife and kids. I feel guilty and conscience-stricken, and all of those things you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/i-feel-lousy-about-the-pain-that-i-ve-caused-my-wife-and-kids-i-feel/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) [Explore all 12 William Holden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) ## More Dead quotes > [I'm going to stay on stage until I drop dead. Then I'm going to have myself stuffed, like Trigger, and I'm going to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/i-m-going-to-stay-on-stage-until-i-drop-dead-then-i-m-going-to-have/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [I can't be a legend yet. I'm not dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-can-t-be-a-legend-yet-i-m-not-dead/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/) [Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“I’m just–” She wanted to say “not in the mood,” but that was not only a cliché but a vast understatement. She was dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mcintosh/i-m-just-she-wanted-to-say-not-in-the-mood-but-that-was-not-only-a/) [Will McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcintosh/) > [Library: A place where the dead lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/library-a-place-where-the-dead-lie/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [When we dead awaken ... we see that we have never lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/when-we-dead-awaken-we-see-that-we-have-never-lived/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Rather be dead than cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/rather-be-dead-than-cool/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [He was obviously dead. But since he was a vampire that wasn't as hopless a thing as it might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/he-was-obviously-dead-but-since-he-was-a-vampire-that-wasn-t-as/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Ireland starts for me with the end of 'The Dead,' which my father read to me from his desk in his basement office in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/ireland-starts-for-me-with-the-end-of-the-dead-which-my-father-read/) [John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I intend to do the Penn & Teller show until they pry my cheesy magic wand from my cold dead fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-intend-to-do-the-penn-teller-show-until-they-pry-my-cheesy-magic/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > ['Misery' left a lasting mark on me. When I die, it will be 'Kathy 'Misery' Bates Is Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-bates/misery-left-a-lasting-mark-on-me-when-i-die-it-will-be-kathy-misery/) [Kathy Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-bates/) > [The only good Indian is a dead Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/the-only-good-indian-is-a-dead-indian/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) [Browse all 3,376 Dead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Funny how gentle people get with you once you're dead.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Holden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/funny-how-gentle-people-get-with-you-once-you-re-dead/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dead" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/funny-how-gentle-people-get-with-you-once-you-re-dead/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/william-holden-37763_dead_funny-how-gentle-people-get-with-you-onc_3110183.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/william-holden-37763_dead_funny-how-gentle-people-get-with-you-onc_3110183.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/william-holden-37763_dead_funny-how-gentle-people-get-with-you-onc_3110183.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Funny how gentle people get with you once you're dead.” — William Holden", "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": "William Holden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Funny how gentle people get with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/funny-how-gentle-people-get-with-you-once-you-re-dead/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/funny-how-gentle-people-get-with-you-once-you-re-dead/#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 } } ] } ```