--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The interesting adults are always the…" description: "\"The interesting adults are always the school failures, the weird ones, the losers, the malcontents, this isn’t wishful thinking. It’s the rule.\" — A. A..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/a-a-gill-3415_adults_the-interesting-adults-are-always-the-sc_775673.png" --- # The interesting adults are always the school failures, the… ![“The interesting adults are always the school failures, the weird ones, the losers, the malcontents, this isn’t wishful thinking. It’s the rule.” quote by A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/a-a-gill-3415_adults_the-interesting-adults-are-always-the-sc_775673.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/a-a-gill-3415_adults_the-interesting-adults-are-always-the-sc_775673.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/a-a-gill-3415_adults_the-interesting-adults-are-always-the-sc_775673.png) > “The interesting adults are always the school failures, the weird ones, the losers, the malcontents, this isn’t wishful thinking. It’s the rule.” [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nonconformist adults often succeed despite early academic failures, challenging conventional success metrics. **In simple terms:** Failure in school can lead to unique success later. Key Takeaway Value diverse paths to achievement. Themes nonconformity failure success education creativity Mood thoughtful analytical inspirational Type observational philosophical critical When to use this quote - career development - creative industries - alternative education Key Concepts sociology psychology education theory Questions to Reflect On - How do we redefine success? - What role does creativity play in overcoming failure? A Different Perspective Not all failures lead to success; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Adults School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults-school-802594/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Interesting Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting-adults-4358959/) [Loser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loser/) [Malcontent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/malcontent/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Failures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-failures-3029183/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wishful thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishful-thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Some people can't leave school because they're carrying it around like a snail and his shell. They live there, still. School became an ingrown,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-dodd/some-people-can-t-leave-school-because-they-re-carrying-it-around/) [Sandra Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-dodd/) > [“Is this what it’s like for adults? When we were in school, we wanted to do nothing but travel the world and have fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-harris/is-this-what-it-s-like-for-adults-when-we-were-in-school-we-wanted-to/) [Noah Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-harris/) > [Adulthood is interesting to adults. But I would never want to write about stuff I dont feel everybody can connect to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/adulthood-is-interesting-to-adults-but-i-would-never-want-to-write/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [Every time I fill a vacant office, I make ten malcontents and one ingrate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-xiv/every-time-i-fill-a-vacant-office-i-make-ten-malcontents-and-one/) [Louis XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-xiv/) > [The humblest praise most, while cranks & malcontents praise least. Praise almost seems to be inner health made audible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-humblest-praise-most-while-cranks-malcontents-praise-least-praise/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The capacity for "uncontaminated wonder," ultimately, is what distinguishes the successful from the ordinary, the happily engaged players of whatever era from the chronically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/the-capacity-for-uncontaminated-wonder-ultimately-is-what/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [Unions are at a disadvantage in a company vote because the employees can see that the greatest advocates of unionization are often the malcontents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/unions-are-at-a-disadvantage-in-a-company-vote-because-the-employees/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [Countless people...will hate the New World Order...and will die protesting against it...we have to bear in mind the distress of a generation or so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/countless-people-will-hate-the-new-world-order-and-will-die/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [Thou art the Mars of malcontents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-art-the-mars-of-malcontents/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Every American carries in his bloodstream the heritage of the malcontent and the dreamer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-fuldheim/every-american-carries-in-his-bloodstream-the-heritage-of-the/) [Dorothy Fuldheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-fuldheim/) > [Like most of the others, I was a seeker, a mover, a malcontent, and at times a stupid hell-raiser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/like-most-of-the-others-i-was-a-seeker-a-mover-a-malcontent-and-at/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [... when the struggle seems to be drifting definitely towards a world social democracy, there may still be very great delays and disappointments before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/when-the-struggle-seems-to-be-drifting-definitely-towards-a-world/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [There is no mat space for malcontents or dissenters. One must neither celebrate insanely when he wins, nor sulk when he loses. He accepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/there-is-no-mat-space-for-malcontents-or-dissenters-one-must-neither/) [Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/) > [Although I have felt compelled to write things down since I was five years old, I doubt that my daughter ever will, for she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/although-i-have-felt-compelled-to-write-things-down-since-i-was-five/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [In the taverns all was amiable and easy, but the coffeehouses were cauldrons of edgy malcontents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/in-the-taverns-all-was-amiable-and-easy-but-the-coffeehouses-were/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) ## More by A. A. Gill > [It's a great historical joke that when the Spanish met the Aztecs, it was a blind date made in serve-you-right heaven. At the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/it-s-a-great-historical-joke-that-when-the-spanish-met-the-aztecs-it/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [If New York is a wise guy, Paris a coquette, Rome a gigolo and Berlin a wicked uncle, then London is an old lady…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/if-new-york-is-a-wise-guy-paris-a-coquette-rome-a-gigolo-and-berlin-a/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [Frightened is the natural state for all men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/frightened-is-the-natural-state-for-all-men/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [So, being a good man is not an exam or a qualification, it changes, and it incorporates being a good friend, a good father,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/so-being-a-good-man-is-not-an-exam-or-a-qualification-it-changes-and/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [Women's handbags are incredibly heavy. You rarely get to pick one up and, when you do, you wonder why anyone carries so much stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/women-s-handbags-are-incredibly-heavy-you-rarely-get-to-pick-one-up/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [Gifts are an important and necessary part of our collective lives. We need to give and we need to allow others to give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/gifts-are-an-important-and-necessary-part-of-our-collective-lives-we/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [Have you ever wondered why the rich and privileged care about, or even bother with, the gift bag? Because they don't need this stuff.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/have-you-ever-wondered-why-the-rich-and-privileged-care-about-or-even/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [London is a city of ghosts; you feel them here. Not just of people, but eras. The ghost of empire, or the blitz, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/london-is-a-city-of-ghosts-you-feel-them-here-not-just-of-people-but/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [Television gives us the gift to see ourselves as we'd like to be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/television-gives-us-the-gift-to-see-ourselves-as-we-d-like-to-be-seen/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [I walk up a dune to a beach and look out to sea, but it's 100km away. The ships lie askew in their dry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/i-walk-up-a-dune-to-a-beach-and-look-out-to-sea-but-it-s-100km-away/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [Being able to afford everything you desire is not, by any means, the worst thing that can happen to you. But, depressingly, and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/being-able-to-afford-everything-you-desire-is-not-by-any-means-the/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [If the world were to end tomorrow and we could choose to save only one thing as the explanation and memorial to who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/if-the-world-were-to-end-tomorrow-and-we-could-choose-to-save-only/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [You see, the problem with Dave Cameron is that people know who he is. The less people know about him, the more he's likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/you-see-the-problem-with-dave-cameron-is-that-people-know-who-he-is/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [Personal adornment is the only cultural form that everybody in the world takes part in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/personal-adornment-is-the-only-cultural-form-that-everybody-in-the/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [The part that makes you unique is the bit people will like or fear, fall in love with, or try to avoid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/the-part-that-makes-you-unique-is-the-bit-people-will-like-or-fear/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) [Explore all 131 A. A. Gill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) ## More Adults quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society . . . but for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/education-for-most-people-means-trying-to-lead-the-child-to-resemble/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance”: “The differences between expert performers and normal adults are not immutable, that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-anders-ericsson/the-role-of-deliberate-practice-in-the-acquisition-of-expert/) [K. 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As much as we like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/when-i-was-a-child-at-sixteen-i-was-just-a-child-all-sixteen-year/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) [Browse all 3,113 Adults quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The interesting adults are always the school failures, the weird ones, the losers, the malcontents, this isn’t wishful thinking. It’s the rule.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "A. A. 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