“Whatever has gone on in the outer world has passed me by. But I think if anyone said to me, 'if you go on like this life will pass you by,' I would reply, 'thank God for that, I nearly got mixed up in the beastly thing.”
In this quote by Quentin Crisp, he expresses a sense of detachment from the world around him. He acknowledges that he is out of touch with what is happening in the "outer world," but rather than feeling left behind, he welcomes the idea that life will pass him by. This attitude suggests a certain level of contentment with his own isolation and detachment from societal norms. Crisp's tone is one of defiance and independence, as he rejects the idea that he should conform to the expectations of others. This quote highlights Crisp's unique perspective on life and his refusal to be consumed by societal pressures.
Quentin Crisp's sentiment of disconnecting from the outer world may seem extreme, but in today's digital age where we are constantly bombarded with information and distractions, his words hold a modern relevance. With the rise of social media and technology, it's easy to get caught up in the chaos of the world around us. Crisp's idea of focusing on one's own inner world and finding peace in solitude can serve as a reminder to prioritize our mental well-being and not get swept away by the overwhelming nature of the external world.
Quentin Crisp's quote reflects a perspective of detachment from the chaos and distractions of the world. It begs the question of what truly matters in life and what we may be missing out on when we get caught up in the busyness around us. Consider the following reflection questions:
“And once Father Lucas said to me, 'Be simple, Matthew, life is a simple book, and an open book, read and be simple as the beasts in the field; just being miserable isn't enough -- you've got to know how.' So I got to thinking and I said to myself, 'This is a terrible thing that Father Lucas has put on me -- be simple like the beasts and yet think and harm nobody.”
“Sometimes I feel that life has passed me by... Do you ever feel that way, Charlie Brown?""I feel that it has knocked me down and walked all over me!”
“You know, you're hot and you've got that badass manly man thing going and I'm crazily attracted to you, but honestly, I suspect you're going to be a little too bossy for my tastes. Thanks for the offer on the whole love-me-die-for-me thing, but I'll pass.”
“I feel kind of depressed today... Do you ever have the feeling that life has passed you by?Worse than that... Sometimes I think life and I are going in opposite directions!”
“Jeb regarded me with n o expression. "Do you believe in God, Allison?""No," I said immediately. "Is this the part where you tell me I'm going to hell?""This is hell," Jebbadiah said, gesturing to the town around us. "This is our punishment, our Tribulation. God has abandoned this world. The faithful have already gone on to their reward, and he has left the rest of us here, at the mercy of the demons and the devils. The sins of our fathers have passed to their children, and their children's children, and it will continue to be so until this world is completely destroyed. So it doesn't matter if you believe in God or not, because He is not here.”