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About this quote

What does it mean?
Carlin highlights the absurdity of asking obvious questions after a clear accident has occurred.
In plain terms
Asking if a victim is hurt when they are covered in blood is pointless.
What can you take from it?
Avoid asking questions when the answer is visibly obvious.

Where it applies

  • emergency situations
  • bureaucratic interactions
  • public accidents

Putting it to work

  • prioritize action over questions
  • assess visible needs
  • avoid performative concern

Questions to consider

  • When is a question necessary even if obvious?
  • What drives performative empathy?

Another view

Sometimes confirmation is needed for legal or medical protocol regardless of visibility.

More from George Carlin

  1. I drive kind of recklessly, I take a lot of chances, I never repair my vehicle, and I don't believe in traffic laws. So I tend to have quite a high number of t…

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  2. If my car should be in such a position where I can't quite see what's going on, can't get a good enough look, I'm not the least bit shy about asking the police…

    Permalink to quote #48
  3. [After providing reasons for cutting down the Ten Commandments] So, with all this in mind, I leave you with my revised list of the Two Commandments: 'Thou shal…

    Permalink to quote #45

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