--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There were so many desperate people on…" description: "\"“There were so many desperate people on the street crying for help that you had to shut off your heart or the pain would be too much. After a while, yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81f/yeonmi-park-32948_hell_there-were-so-many-desperate-people-on-t_1491907.jpg" --- # There were so many desperate people on the street crying… ![“There were so many desperate people on the street crying for help that you had to shut off your heart or the pain would be too much. After a while, you can´t care anymore. And that is what hell is like.” quote by Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81f/yeonmi-park-32948_hell_there-were-so-many-desperate-people-on-t_1491907.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81f/yeonmi-park-32948_hell_there-were-so-many-desperate-people-on-t_1491907.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81f/yeonmi-park-32948_hell_there-were-so-many-desperate-people-on-t_1491907.jpg) > ““There were so many desperate people on the street crying for help that you had to shut off your heart or the pain would be too much. After a while, you can´t care anymore. And that is what hell is like.”” [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When constant suffering overwhelms, people may emotionally shut down, leading to numbness and a sense of hopelessness. **In simple terms:** Too much pain makes you close your heart, feeling like hell. Key Takeaway Recognize and address compassion fatigue early. Themes empathy trauma resilience Mood sad reflective Type cautionary emotional When to use this quote - humanitarian work - caregiving - social work - personal loss - conflict zones Key Concepts psychological defense emotional numbing Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance compassion with self‑care? - What signs show you’re becoming numb? A Different Perspective Emotional shutdown can also protect mental health, but may hinder help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desperate People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate-people/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) ## Related quotes > [“When we are feeling low, we don’t even feel like taking bath. Although that is when we need bath the most. When misunderstanding is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunya/when-we-are-feeling-low-we-don-t-even-feel-like-taking-bath-although/) [Shunya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunya/) > [Crying can help, too. People are often afraid to cry because they are told that crying is for babies. Crying does not make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/crying-can-help-too-people-are-often-afraid-to-cry-because-they-are/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [I can't lie, I did a lot of really, really stupid things, and it was because it was my way of crying for help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-osbourne/i-can-t-lie-i-did-a-lot-of-really-really-stupid-things-and-it-was/) [Kelly Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-osbourne/) > [Every song has a memory; every song has the ability to make or break your heart, shut down the heart, and open the eyes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/every-song-has-a-memory-every-song-has-the-ability-to-make-or-break/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [The whole Beatle thing was just beyond comprehension. When 'Help' came out, I was actually crying out for help. Most people think it's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-whole-beatle-thing-was-just-beyond-comprehension-when-help-came/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [“He who could hear my heart knew that I was crying out for help.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-betancourt/he-who-could-hear-my-heart-knew-that-i-was-crying-out-for-help/) [Ingrid Betancourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-betancourt/) > [She tried to stay strong, but the pain was too wild. A smile, so lovely, you wouldn't believe it was fake. The pressure to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/she-tried-to-stay-strong-but-the-pain-was-too-wild-a-smile-so-lovely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why are you struggling my love? What broken love has hurt you like this? Why does A fool pick a rose and damage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/why-are-you-struggling-my-love-what-broken-love-has-hurt-you-like/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Enjoy life, even in the most chaotic, hectic moments. Take time to breathe. Take time to consider what is important versus what is rubbish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-hershkovich/enjoy-life-even-in-the-most-chaotic-hectic-moments-take-time-to/) [Leigh Hershkovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-hershkovich/) > [ “Perhaps he is crying out for help all this time and I do not hear him! \[Pause.\] I do of course hear cries. \[Pause.\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/perhaps-he-is-crying-out-for-help-all-this-time-and-i-do-not-hear-him/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“If I'd managed any of these ifs-- would I have been able to avoid the inevitable fuck-up, the full-force fuck-off? My pride shut me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/if-i-d-managed-any-of-these-ifs-would-i-have-been-able-to-avoid-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“I'm not crying out for help, but I am sharing my experience in the hopes that readers will get something out of it. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashly-lorenzana/i-m-not-crying-out-for-help-but-i-am-sharing-my-experience-in-the/) [Ashly Lorenzana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashly-lorenzana/) > [Sometimes is best we open our eyes shut our heart and listen to our mind, so we can see and understand when the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/sometimes-is-best-we-open-our-eyes-shut-our-heart-and-listen-to-our/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [When will you understand? It's not just a cut... It's not just a scar... It's my soul crying for help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-will-you-understand-it-s-not-just-a-cut-it-s-not-just-a-scar-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I heard a girl crying help I would go to save her; But you hardly ever hear those words. Dear children, you must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-stone/if-i-heard-a-girl-crying-help-i-would-go-to-save-her-but-you-hardly/) [Ruth Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-stone/) ## More by Yeonmi Park > [“For instance, we were always making mistakes with the unfamiliar products around us, and one time my mother squirted my perfume into her mouth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeonmi-park/for-instance-we-were-always-making-mistakes-with-the-unfamiliar/) [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) > [“Still, I learned something important from my short time as a market vendor: once you start trading for yourself, you start thinking for yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeonmi-park/still-i-learned-something-important-from-my-short-time-as-a-market/) [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) > [“I could not feel, smell, see, hear, or taste the world around me. If I had allowed myself to experience these things in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeonmi-park/i-could-not-feel-smell-see-hear-or-taste-the-world-around-me-if-i-had/) [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) > [“Despite all evidence to the contrary, I believed in a benevolent power guiding the universe, a loving force that somehow nudged us in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeonmi-park/despite-all-evidence-to-the-contrary-i-believed-in-a-benevolent-power/) [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) > [“More important, while these students were in school, I was learning from life. And so I have something to offer that they do not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeonmi-park/more-important-while-these-students-were-in-school-i-was-learning/) [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) > [“I learned something else that day: we all have our own deserts. They may not be the same as my desert, but we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeonmi-park/i-learned-something-else-that-day-we-all-have-our-own-deserts-they/) [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) > [“The doctors in Songnam-ri had to be farmers, too. They cultivated medicinal plants, and actually grew their own cotton to have a supply of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeonmi-park/the-doctors-in-songnam-ri-had-to-be-farmers-too-they-cultivated/) [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) > [“These men were so handsome and spoke with such beautiful accents, like the South Koreans I had watched on pirated videos, that my mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeonmi-park/these-men-were-so-handsome-and-spoke-with-such-beautiful-accents-like/) [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) > [“I understand that sometimes the only way we can survive our own memories is to shape them into a story that makes sense out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeonmi-park/i-understand-that-sometimes-the-only-way-we-can-survive-our-own/) [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) > [“Even in big city hospitals there is no such thing as “disposable” supplies. Bandages are washed and reused. Nurses go from room to room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeonmi-park/even-in-big-city-hospitals-there-is-no-such-thing-as-disposable/) [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) > [“...we all have our own deserts. Thet may not be the same as my desert, but we all have to cross them to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeonmi-park/we-all-have-our-own-deserts-thet-may-not-be-the-same-as-my-desert-but/) [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) > [“Along my journey I have seen the horrors that humans can inflict on one another, but I've also witnessed acts of tenderness and kindness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeonmi-park/along-my-journey-i-have-seen-the-horrors-that-humans-can-inflict-on/) [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) > [“Then he sent us on our way. After we had walked a few steps, my mother and I looked back and saw that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeonmi-park/then-he-sent-us-on-our-way-after-we-had-walked-a-few-steps-my-mother/) [Yeonmi Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) [Explore all 14 Yeonmi Park quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeonmi-park/) ## More Crying quotes > [U dount need eny cuz when u get in a relaishondhip u love it forever not for crying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-athors-name-i-made-it/u-dount-need-eny-cuz-when-u-get-in-a-relaishondhip-u-love-it-forever/) No Athors Name I Made It > [Skies are crying, I am watching Catching tear drops in my hands Only silence as it's ending Like we never had a chance Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/skies-are-crying-i-am-watching-catching-tear-drops-in-my-hands-only/) Unkown > [ That's probably why my face was looking so crazy when I was crying \[in "Hardball"\] because it was some real. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/that-s-probably-why-my-face-was-looking-so-crazy-when-i-was-crying-in/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [And then theres always the crying and the weeping that we hear-children, women, even men. And these images and these sounds are always with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/and-then-theres-always-the-crying-and-the-weeping-that-we-hear/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Maybe that was why she couldn't cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/maybe-that-was-why-she-couldn-t-cry-she-realized-staring-dry-eyed-at/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [“I swallow hard and yank out my earbuds. I push the tears back down. I'm sick of crying every time I see or hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-woodfolk/i-swallow-hard-and-yank-out-my-earbuds-i-push-the-tears-back-down-i-m/) Ashley Woodfolk > [“I’m desperate to prevent her tears, but not because I’m noble or anything. I’m kind of a contagion cryer. You know how when one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-yoon/i-m-desperate-to-prevent-her-tears-but-not-because-i-m-noble-or/) [Nicola Yoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-yoon/) > [When you are not there in my life its like: Shoes without shoe laces A letter without a stamp A flower with no roots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-are-not-there-in-my-life-its-like-shoes-without-shoe-laces-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you watch movies and you see people cry from happiness, I've never cried from happiness before in my life. So when I'm crying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-edwards/when-you-watch-movies-and-you-see-people-cry-from-happiness-i-ve/) [Leon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-edwards/) > [I love walking in rain coz no one knows that I m crying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idreesbhat/i-love-walking-in-rain-coz-no-one-knows-that-i-m-crying/) Idreesbhat > [You took my happiness with you and left this horrible sadness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-took-my-happiness-with-you-and-left-this-horrible-sadness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Break up was not made for you to cry.. But to take you away from the wrong man who you thought was the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/break-up-was-not-made-for-you-to-cry-but-to-take-you-away-from-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [While the godly father and mother spews poison, the baby crying for help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/while-the-godly-father-and-mother-spews-poison-the-baby-crying-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I lay on my floor crying again¦ shaking. Searching for inner strength and coming up empty. My eyes burned and my mouth was dry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-daniels/i-lay-on-my-floor-crying-again-shaking-searching-for-inner-strength/) Nathan Daniels Browse all 3,126 Crying quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There were so many desperate people on the street crying for help that you had to shut off your heart or the pain would be too much. After a while, you can´t care anymore. 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