--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What would it mean in practice to…" description: "\"“What would it mean in practice to eliminate all the 'negative people' from one's life? It might be a good move to separate from a chronically carping ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/barbara-ehrenreich-1204_annoying-people_what-would-it-mean-in-practice-to-elimin_858636.jpg" --- # What would it mean in practice to eliminate all the… ![“What would it mean in practice to eliminate all the 'negative people' from one's life? It might be a good move to separate from a chronically carping spouse, but it is not so easy to abandon the whiny toddler, the colicky infant, or the sullen teenager. And at the workplace, while it's probably…” quote by Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/barbara-ehrenreich-1204_annoying-people_what-would-it-mean-in-practice-to-elimin_858636.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/barbara-ehrenreich-1204_annoying-people_what-would-it-mean-in-practice-to-elimin_858636.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/barbara-ehrenreich-1204_annoying-people_what-would-it-mean-in-practice-to-elimin_858636.jpg) > ““What would it mean in practice to eliminate all the 'negative people' from one's life? It might be a good move to separate from a chronically carping spouse, but it is not so easy to abandon the whiny toddler, the colicky infant, or the sullen teenager. And at the workplace, while it's probably advisable to detect and terminate those who show signs of becoming mass killers, there are other annoying people who might actually have something useful to say: the financial officer who keeps worrying about the bank's subprime mortgage exposure or the auto executive who questions the company's overinvestment in SUVs and trucks. Purge everyone who 'brings you down,' and you risk being very lonely, or, what is worse, cut off from reality.”” [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Eliminating all negative influences can isolate you from essential perspectives and relationships, making life unbalanced and lonely. **In simple terms:** Removing negativity may lead to isolation and loss of reality. Key Takeaway Balance acceptance with healthy boundaries. Themes relationships balance psychology social dynamics boundaries Mood reflective cautious thoughtful Type advice philosophical psychological When to use this quote - family life - workplace - personal growth - mental health - conflict resolution Key Concepts cognitive bias social isolation emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How can you discern constructive criticism from toxic negativity? - What boundaries protect you without isolating you? A Different Perspective Not all criticism is harmful; some negative input is vital for growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Annoying people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/annoying-people/) [Killers Annoying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killers-annoying-828737/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Negative people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-people/) [Positive thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-thinking/) [Practice Eliminate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice-eliminate-828738/) [Purge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purge/) [Separate Chronically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separate-chronically-828736/) ## Related quotes > [ What would it mean in practice to eliminate all the 'negative people' from one's life \[as demanded by motivational speaker J.P. Maroney\]? It might… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/what-would-it-mean-in-practice-to-eliminate-all-the-negative-people/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [Don't let others put you down.When someone else feels the need to say something negative to you, it's their problem,not yours;just keep on living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-let-others-put-you-down-when-someone-else-feels-the-need-to-say/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can only please 9 people out of 10, sorry if you are number 10.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cv-pillay/i-can-only-please-9-people-out-of-10-sorry-if-you-are-number-10/) [Cv Pillay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cv-pillay/) > [Ignore the people who diss you and focus on the people who miss you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ignore-the-people-who-diss-you-and-focus-on-the-people-who-miss-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some people have so little going on in their lives, they would rather discuss yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-have-so-little-going-on-in-their-lives-they-would-rather/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I helped people,they thought I was buttering and now when I stopped helping,they call it ATTITUDE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-helped-people-they-thought-i-was-buttering-and-now-when-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have no patience or time for people who wear their insecurities on their sleeves like badges of honour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simi-ngr/i-have-no-patience-or-time-for-people-who-wear-their-insecurities-on-2/) [Simi Ngr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simi-ngr/) > [Don't waste time with people who choose to be miserable & complain all the time.They lost their ability of being happy and they might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/don-t-waste-time-with-people-who-choose-to-be-miserable-complain-all/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [I can't be around negative people all the time, its not only stressful but a headache is attached with it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-t-be-around-negative-people-all-the-time-its-not-only-stressful/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember to walk away from the nonsense people around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cv-pillay/remember-to-walk-away-from-the-nonsense-people-around-you/) [Cv Pillay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cv-pillay/) > [I don't understand people that hate their lives enough to criticize the next person's... but not enough to fix their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-understand-people-that-hate-their-lives-enough-to-criticize/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People who are constantly discussing your life are usually not happy with their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-who-are-constantly-discussing-your-life-are-usually-not-happy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Not saying I want to be behind the wheel but I swear some people need to be hit by cars might knock the ugly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serenity-c/not-saying-i-want-to-be-behind-the-wheel-but-i-swear-some-people-need/) [Serenity C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serenity-c/) > [Some people are just like a chewing gum, when they lose their flavor.You know what you have to do with them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/some-people-are-just-like-a-chewing-gum-when-they-lose-their-flavor/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [No one is rich enough to buy back yesterday.But if you have the character to do better things today,you would be the happiest one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/no-one-is-rich-enough-to-buy-back-yesterday-but-if-you-have-the/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) ## More by Barbara Ehrenreich > [Money does not bring happiness' - only the wherewithal, perhaps, to endure its absence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/money-does-not-bring-happiness-only-the-wherewithal-perhaps-to-endure/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [Yes. I think the anti-Wal-Mart is Costco, which pays much better and has much better health benefits and which is profitable and offers low…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/yes-i-think-the-anti-wal-mart-is-costco-which-pays-much-better-and/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [Jesus: a wine-guzzling vagrant and precocious socialist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/jesus-a-wine-guzzling-vagrant-and-precocious-socialist/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [ What would it mean in practice to eliminate all the 'negative people' from one's life \[as demanded by motivational speaker J.P. Maroney\]? It might… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/what-would-it-mean-in-practice-to-eliminate-all-the-negative-people/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [Wars produce warlike societies, which in turn make the world more dangerous for other societies, which are thus recruited into being war-prone themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/wars-produce-warlike-societies-which-in-turn-make-the-world-more/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [Heads of state are notoriously ill prepared for their mature careers; think of Adolf Hitler (landscape painter), Ho Chi Minh (seaman), and our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/heads-of-state-are-notoriously-ill-prepared-for-their-mature-careers/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [Some people make stuff; other people have to buy it. And when we gave up making stuff, starting in the 1980s, we were left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/some-people-make-stuff-other-people-have-to-buy-it-and-when-we-gave/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [ “Robert Jackall’s book \[ Moral Mazes \] impressed on me that corporate dress serves a far more important function than mere body covering. “Proper… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/robert-jackall-s-book-moral-mazes-impressed-on-me-that-corporate/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [war is, in some not yet entirely defined sense, a self-replicating pattern of behavior, possessed of a dynamism not unlike that of living things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/war-is-in-some-not-yet-entirely-defined-sense-a-self-replicating/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [Sometime in the eighties, Americans had a new set of 'traditional values' installed. ... the poor and the middle class were shaken down, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/sometime-in-the-eighties-americans-had-a-new-set-of-traditional/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [Marriage probably originated as a straightforward food-for-sex deal among foraging primates. Compatibility was not a big issue, nor, of course, was there any tension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/marriage-probably-originated-as-a-straightforward-food-for-sex-deal/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [I became a student of the history of religion. I am fascinated by how religions often center on mystical experience, and in the Old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/i-became-a-student-of-the-history-of-religion-i-am-fascinated-by-how/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [The nation was not founded by habitual groupthinkers. But it stands a fair chance of being destroyed by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/the-nation-was-not-founded-by-habitual-groupthinkers-but-it-stands-a/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [ “You might discover that, nationwide, America's food banks are experiencing 'a torrent of need which \[they\] cannot meet' and that, according to a survey… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/you-might-discover-that-nationwide-america-s-food-banks-are/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [My Turn is the distilled bathwater of Mrs. Reagan's life. It is for the most part sweetish, with a tart edge of rebuke, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/my-turn-is-the-distilled-bathwater-of-mrs-reagan-s-life-it-is-for-the/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) [Explore all 274 Barbara Ehrenreich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) ## More Annoying people quotes > [I wouldn't have to manage my anger if only people could learn how to manage their stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wouldn-t-have-to-manage-my-anger-if-only-people-could-learn-how-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hate facebook stalkers, they like every status you put up, talk to EVERY DAY, and when you cut them off they find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-facebook-stalkers-they-like-every-status-you-put-up-talk-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't you hate it when you get on a elevator and someone smells like they took a bath in perfume or cologne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jreyes/don-t-you-hate-it-when-you-get-on-a-elevator-and-someone-smells-like/) [JREYES](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jreyes/) > [Shut the fuck up ur so annoying and you think your the shit lmao sit the fuck down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/shut-the-fuck-up-ur-so-annoying-and-you-think-your-the-shit-lmao-sit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No matter how well you behave with people around you, THEY will treat YOU according to their NEED & MOOD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-matter-how-well-you-behave-with-people-around-you-they-will-treat/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not cranky. I just have a violent reaction to stupid people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-cranky-i-just-have-a-violent-reaction-to-stupid-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My middle finger is used when words aren't enough for people to understand that they're annoying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-middle-finger-is-used-when-words-aren-t-enough-for-people-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You are NOTHING when you cannot control your MIND!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athirah-khairul/you-are-nothing-when-you-cannot-control-your-mind/) [Athirah Khairul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athirah-khairul/) > [Wishes people would look at their own lives before criticizing mine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wishes-people-would-look-at-their-own-lives-before-criticizing-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Shit I hate when skinny people complain how fat they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/shit-i-hate-when-skinny-people-complain-how-fat-they-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every girl knows that one annoying boy who constantly asks, 'So when we gonna chill?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-girl-knows-that-one-annoying-boy-who-constantly-asks-so-when-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't take life too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/don-t-take-life-too-seriously/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [I was about to read your political rant that you posted on Facebook, but I just went on living my life instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-about-to-read-your-political-rant-that-you-posted-on-facebook/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “\[...\] Who are you?" He thought about that. "I'm a boy who doesn't exist," he said, eventually.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-james/who-are-you-he-thought-about-that-i-m-a-boy-who-doesn-t-exist-he-said/) [Kathryn James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-james/) > [No Matter How Hard I Try To Be Nice,,, Someone Always Manages To Find My Instant Bitch Button!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/no-matter-how-hard-i-try-to-be-nice-someone-always-manages-to-find-my/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) [Browse all 373 Annoying people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/annoying-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What would it mean in practice to eliminate all the 'negative people' from one's life? It might be a good move to separate from a chronically carping spouse, but it is not so easy to abandon the whiny toddler, the colicky infant, or the sullen teenager. 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