--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maintain a sense of humor. People who…" description: "\"Maintain a sense of humor. People who take themselves too seriously are power-crazy. If they win it will be haircuts for all. Beware of power freaks.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/abbie-hoffman-9684_crazy_maintain-a-sense-of-humor-people-who-tak_1464784.png" --- # Maintain a sense of humor. People who take themselves too… ![“Maintain a sense of humor. People who take themselves too seriously are power-crazy. If they win it will be haircuts for all. Beware of power freaks.” quote by Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/abbie-hoffman-9684_crazy_maintain-a-sense-of-humor-people-who-tak_1464784.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/abbie-hoffman-9684_crazy_maintain-a-sense-of-humor-people-who-tak_1464784.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/abbie-hoffman-9684_crazy_maintain-a-sense-of-humor-people-who-tak_1464784.png) > “Maintain a sense of humor. People who take themselves too seriously are power-crazy. If they win it will be haircuts for all. Beware of power freaks.” [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor protects against the corrupting influence of power and keeps people grounded. **In simple terms:** Humor prevents power from becoming tyrannical. Key Takeaway Use humor to stay humble. Themes humor power humility Mood witty cautious Type satirical observational When to use this quote - political activism - leadership - personal interactions Key Concepts social critique psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you use humor to defuse tension? - When might humor undermine authority? A Different Perspective Humor may be dismissed as trivial in serious contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sense of humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-humor/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [My experience with power, you can maintain it, or you get it taken from you. You get you some newfound power and go crazy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-hussle/my-experience-with-power-you-can-maintain-it-or-you-get-it-taken-from/) [Nipsey Hussle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-hussle/) > [Dyslexia is a hidden disability. Not many people take it seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-blades/dyslexia-is-a-hidden-disability-not-many-people-take-it-seriously/) [Jay Blades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-blades/) > [“There are far too many people out there who take themselves too seriously.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-far-too-many-people-out-there-who-take-themselves-too/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All that some actresses want is for people to take them seriously instead of caring about how they look. For me, Ive worked hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/all-that-some-actresses-want-is-for-people-to-take-them-seriously/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [We never take people seriously when they are alive, but once they are gone, we always think that we should have treated them better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-sethupathi/we-never-take-people-seriously-when-they-are-alive-but-once-they-are/) [Vijay Sethupathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-sethupathi/) > [Acting is a very limited form of expression and those who take it seriously are very limited people. I take it seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-holliday/acting-is-a-very-limited-form-of-expression-and-those-who-take-it/) [Judy Holliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-holliday/) > [“ It's a ridiculous profession and it's getting worse. It's becoming almost like palm reading or phrenology. It's been relegated to pop best sellers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-shoales/it-s-a-ridiculous-profession-and-it-s-getting-worse-it-s-becoming/) [Ian Shoales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-shoales/) > [The intellect is a very nice whirligig toy, but how people take it seriously is more than I can understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/the-intellect-is-a-very-nice-whirligig-toy-but-how-people-take-it/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [“You have to face serious people seriously. That's my policy. -Shohei to Yuichi”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satoru-kannagi/you-have-to-face-serious-people-seriously-that-s-my-policy-shohei-to/) [Satoru Kannagi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satoru-kannagi/) > [You have to work hard as a woman for people to take you seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mabel/you-have-to-work-hard-as-a-woman-for-people-to-take-you-seriously/) [Mabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mabel/) > [People seriously ask us all the time, 'Are you guys really brothers?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-jonas/people-seriously-ask-us-all-the-time-are-you-guys-really-brothers/) [Kevin Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-jonas/) > [People who take themselves too seriously, who can't see anything else, are usually funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-guest/people-who-take-themselves-too-seriously-who-can-t-see-anything-else/) [Christopher Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-guest/) > [I'm fascinated by caddy Buddhists popping up all over Hollywood and people that take themselves too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-m-fascinated-by-caddy-buddhists-popping-up-all-over-hollywood-and/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I thought if I wanted people to take me seriously, I needed to act serious and not reveal too much of my private life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-thought-if-i-wanted-people-to-take-me-seriously-i-needed-to-act/) [John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/) > [I've learnt that you shouldn't take people seriously, whether they praise you or trash you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranveer-singh/i-ve-learnt-that-you-shouldn-t-take-people-seriously-whether-they/) [Ranveer Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ranveer-singh/) ## More by Abbie Hoffman > [The first duty of a revolutionist is to get away with it. The second duty is to eat breakfast. I ain't going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-first-duty-of-a-revolutionist-is-to-get-away-with-it-the-second/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [It's going to be a combination Scopes trial, revolution in the streets, Woodstock Festival and People's Park, all rolled into one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/it-s-going-to-be-a-combination-scopes-trial-revolution-in-the-streets/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Wouldn't you want to be indicted by the govenment for a high crime? It's a great thrill. It's an honor. It's a compliment. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/wouldn-t-you-want-to-be-indicted-by-the-govenment-for-a-high-crime-it/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [The '60s are gone, dope will never be as cheap, sex never as free, and the rock and roll never as great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-60s-are-gone-dope-will-never-be-as-cheap-sex-never-as-free-and/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Smoking dope and hanging up Che's picture is no more a commitment than drinking milk and collecting postage stamps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/smoking-dope-and-hanging-up-che-s-picture-is-no-more-a-commitment/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [The first duty of a revolutionary is to get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-first-duty-of-a-revolutionary-is-to-get-away-with-it/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [If you don't have sex and you don't do drugs, your rock 'n' roll better be awfully good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/if-you-don-t-have-sex-and-you-don-t-do-drugs-your-rock-n-roll-better/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Revolution is not something fixed in ideology, nor is it something fashioned to a particular decade. It is a perpetual process embedded in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/revolution-is-not-something-fixed-in-ideology-nor-is-it-something/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [The majority of people were always sitting in the stands. When I find people who are willing to go against the grain, who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-majority-of-people-were-always-sitting-in-the-stands-when-i-find/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [“Lay off the needle drugs. The only dope worth shooting is Richard Nixon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/lay-off-the-needle-drugs-the-only-dope-worth-shooting-is-richard-nixon/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [When I appear in the Chicago courtroom, I want to be tried not because I support the NLF - which I do - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/when-i-appear-in-the-chicago-courtroom-i-want-to-be-tried-not-because/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Usually when you ask somebody in college why they are there, they'll tell you it's to get an education. The truth of it is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/usually-when-you-ask-somebody-in-college-why-they-are-there-they-ll/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [In this state, dig it, you get twenty years for sale of dope to a minor. You only get five to ten for manslaughter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/in-this-state-dig-it-you-get-twenty-years-for-sale-of-dope-to-a-minor/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [It is always the young that make the change. You don't get these ideas when you're middle-aged. Young people have daring, creativity, imagination and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/it-is-always-the-young-that-make-the-change-you-don-t-get-these-ideas/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Once you get the right image the details aren't that important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/once-you-get-the-right-image-the-details-aren-t-that-important/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) [Explore all 71 Abbie Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) ## More Crazy quotes > [Im wild Im crazy, I'm wild, Im crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dot-dot-curve/im-wild-im-crazy-i-m-wild-im-crazy/) Dot Dot Curve > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I didn't understand Southland Tales script at all! Is there a single word to describe it? Cacophony? It's celebrity meets pornography meets politics -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-grant/i-didn-t-understand-southland-tales-script-at-all-is-there-a-single/) [Beth Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-grant/) > [What I do miss that I don't get anymore? You're going to think I'm crazy, but you want the truth, so here it is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mandrell/what-i-do-miss-that-i-don-t-get-anymore-you-re-going-to-think-i-m/) [Barbara Mandrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mandrell/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-aunt-and-uncle-will-be-proud-though-won-t-they-said-hermione-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium - at a baseball game - which was crazy; there was, like, 60,000 people there, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-sang-the-national-anthem-at-dodger-stadium-at-a-baseball-game-which/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/) [Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/) > [ 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/) > [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) Browse all 9,039 Crazy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Maintain a sense of humor. People who take themselves too seriously are power-crazy. If they win it will be haircuts for all. Beware of power freaks.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abbie Hoffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/maintain-a-sense-of-humor-people-who-take-themselves-too-seriously/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Crazy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/maintain-a-sense-of-humor-people-who-take-themselves-too-seriously/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/abbie-hoffman-9684_crazy_maintain-a-sense-of-humor-people-who-tak_1464784.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/abbie-hoffman-9684_crazy_maintain-a-sense-of-humor-people-who-tak_1464784.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/881/abbie-hoffman-9684_crazy_maintain-a-sense-of-humor-people-who-tak_1464784.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Maintain a sense of humor. People who take themselves too seriously are power-crazy. If they win it will be…” — Abbie Hoffman", "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": "Abbie Hoffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Maintain a sense of humor. People...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/maintain-a-sense-of-humor-people-who-take-themselves-too-seriously/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/maintain-a-sense-of-humor-people-who-take-themselves-too-seriously/#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 } } ] } ```