--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can be much more sarcastic and, I…" description: "\"I can be much more sarcastic and, I think, sometimes withering in my assessments of things than I allow to show in my public life.\" — Barack Obama" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/barack-obama-17_assessment_i-can-be-much-more-sarcastic-and-i-think_644793.jpg" --- # I can be much more sarcastic and, I think, sometimes… ![“I can be much more sarcastic and, I think, sometimes withering in my assessments of things than I allow to show in my public life.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/barack-obama-17_assessment_i-can-be-much-more-sarcastic-and-i-think_644793.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/barack-obama-17_assessment_i-can-be-much-more-sarcastic-and-i-think_644793.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/barack-obama-17_assessment_i-can-be-much-more-sarcastic-and-i-think_644793.jpg) > “I can be much more sarcastic and, I think, sometimes withering in my assessments of things than I allow to show in my public life.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Public personas often hide sharper, more critical thoughts that are kept private. **In simple terms:** Public image softens private sarcasm. Key Takeaway Balance authenticity with diplomatic restraint. Themes authenticity politics self-awareness Mood reflective cautious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - political debates - media interviews - private journaling Key Concepts Cognitive dissonance public image Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to reveal your true assessment? - How does restraint affect leadership credibility? A Different Perspective Excessive sarcasm can alienate allies and voters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assessments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assessments/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Public life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-life/) [Sarcastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sarcastic/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Assessment in this spirit does not concern assignment of grades or evaluation of whether instruction was effective. It's assessment designed squarely to feed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-n-perkins/assessment-in-this-spirit-does-not-concern-assignment-of-grades-or/) David N. Perkins > [Assessments should compare the performance of students to a set of expectations, never to the performance of other students.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/assessments-should-compare-the-performance-of-students-to-a-set-of/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [Talent - really, everyone agrees, it's multidimensional, and often overlooked in standard assessments. That's not hard for people to accept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-todd-rose/talent-really-everyone-agrees-it-s-multidimensional-and-often/) [L. Todd Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-todd-rose/) > [I've always avoided those sorts of self-assessments because if you give yourself a 10 out of 10 people think you're a big head, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-ve-always-avoided-those-sorts-of-self-assessments-because-if-you/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Act after having made assessments. The one who first knows the measure of far and near wins - this is the rule of armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/act-after-having-made-assessments-the-one-who-first-knows-the-measure/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“The Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System measures accuracy, comprehension, and fluency. (There are also assessments in the system that measure phonemic awareness, phonics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-landrigan/the-fountas-and-pinnell-benchmark-assessment-system-measures-accuracy/) [Clare Landrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-landrigan/) > [Do not be conformed to the answer you just being sarcastic. But nothing I can do because thereby you think of me I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meicee29/do-not-be-conformed-to-the-answer-you-just-being-sarcastic-but/) [Meicee29](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meicee29/) > [When you're being earnest, people think you're being sarcastic and when you're being sarcastic, they think you're being earnest. The moral in all this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/when-you-re-being-earnest-people-think-you-re-being-sarcastic-and/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [ When I talked to \[Donald Trump\] about - our intelligence agencies, what I've said to him is - is that there are gonna be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-i-talked-to-donald-trump-about-our-intelligence-agencies-what-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I came in with a healthy skepticism about these programs. My team evaluated them. We scrubbed them thoroughly. We actually expanded some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-came-in-with-a-healthy-skepticism-about-these-programs-my-team/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I don't regret at all saying that if I saw Bashar al-Assad using chemical weapons on his people that that would change my assessments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-don-t-regret-at-all-saying-that-if-i-saw-bashar-al-assad-using/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Find out about me and who I am before making judgements and assessments. You may be surprised with what you learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/find-out-about-me-and-who-i-am-before-making-judgements-and/) Enhance Dreams > [“For me, all those systematic Bureaucracies of traditional schools jaded me. For me, I still couldn’t understand why we have to have a factory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neda-aria/for-me-all-those-systematic-bureaucracies-of-traditional-schools/) [Neda Aria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neda-aria/) > [“The four main assessments we use are the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the Workplace Personality Inventory, the Team Dimensions Profile, and Stratified Systems Theory.33…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/the-four-main-assessments-we-use-are-the-myers-briggs-type-indicator/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“While you judge me by my outward appearance I am silently doing the same to you, even though there's a ninety-percent chance that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/while-you-judge-me-by-my-outward-appearance-i-am-silently-doing-the/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Assessment quotes > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) Frank H. T. Rhodes > [I would say my fraternity was nothing but a bunch of farm boys; we weren't really in the whole fraternity scene, but yeah, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/i-would-say-my-fraternity-was-nothing-but-a-bunch-of-farm-boys-we/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [So a truthful assessment of how America is doing in the war on terror as a result of President Bush's war on Iraq is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-olver/so-a-truthful-assessment-of-how-america-is-doing-in-the-war-on-terror/) [John Olver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-olver/) > [A mighty maze! But not without a plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/a-mighty-maze-but-not-without-a-plan/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [No one seriously doubts Socrates' maxim: The unexamined life isn't worth living. Self-assessment and attempts at self-improvement are essential aspects of "the good life."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/no-one-seriously-doubts-socrates-maxim-the-unexamined-life-isn-t/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [“To assess the quality of thoughts of people, don't listen to their words, but watch their actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/to-assess-the-quality-of-thoughts-of-people-don-t-listen-to-their/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Even without voting, illegal aliens do affect who gets elected president, and that's since the Electoral College elects the president, and the states are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/even-without-voting-illegal-aliens-do-affect-who-gets-elected/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [President Obama had voiced strong support for the effort in Afghanistan during his campaign, pledging to add two brigades, which he did. But since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/president-obama-had-voiced-strong-support-for-the-effort-in/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [Before the curse of statistics fell upon mankind we lived a happy, innocent life, full of merriment and go and informed by fairly good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/before-the-curse-of-statistics-fell-upon-mankind-we-lived-a-happy/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [If you want to zoom down the expert slope tomorrow, you have to fall down the bunny slope today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-lewis/if-you-want-to-zoom-down-the-expert-slope-tomorrow-you-have-to-fall/) [Cynthia Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-lewis/) > [Commercialism that has absolutely no relationship to quality whatsoever, only quantitative assessment of a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/commercialism-that-has-absolutely-no-relationship-to-quality/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [I made my own assessment of my life, and I began to live it. That was freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-flores/i-made-my-own-assessment-of-my-life-and-i-began-to-live-it-that-was/) [Fernando Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-flores/) > [Patronizing the Arts is a brilliantly nuanced assessment of why universities must become art patrons. Learning from the twentieth-century university's embrace of Big Science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-phelan/patronizing-the-arts-is-a-brilliantly-nuanced-assessment-of-why/) [Peggy Phelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-phelan/) > [“The Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System measures accuracy, comprehension, and fluency. (There are also assessments in the system that measure phonemic awareness, phonics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-landrigan/the-fountas-and-pinnell-benchmark-assessment-system-measures-accuracy/) [Clare Landrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-landrigan/) > [“In fact, they’re trained in risk assessment”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yrsa-sigur-ard-ttir/in-fact-they-re-trained-in-risk-assessment/) [Yrsa Sigurðardóttir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yrsa-sigur-ard-ttir/) Browse all 313 Assessment quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can be much more sarcastic and, I think, sometimes withering in my assessments of things than I allow to show in my public life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-be-much-more-sarcastic-and-i-think-sometimes-withering-in-my/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assessment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-be-much-more-sarcastic-and-i-think-sometimes-withering-in-my/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/barack-obama-17_assessment_i-can-be-much-more-sarcastic-and-i-think_644793.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/barack-obama-17_assessment_i-can-be-much-more-sarcastic-and-i-think_644793.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1eb/barack-obama-17_assessment_i-can-be-much-more-sarcastic-and-i-think_644793.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can be much more sarcastic and, I think, sometimes withering in my assessments of things than I allow to…” — Barack Obama", "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": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can be much more sarcastic...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-be-much-more-sarcastic-and-i-think-sometimes-withering-in-my/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-be-much-more-sarcastic-and-i-think-sometimes-withering-in-my/#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 } } ] } ```