--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They say it's the 'me' generation. It's…" description: "\"“They say it's the 'me' generation. It's not. The arrogance is taught, or it was cultivated. It's self-conscious. That's what it is. It's conscious of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94d/bo-burnham-1313_audience_they-say-it-s-the-me-generation-it-s-not_489169.png" --- # They say it's the 'me' generation. It's not. The arrogance… ![“They say it's the 'me' generation. It's not. The arrogance is taught, or it was cultivated. It's self-conscious. That's what it is. It's conscious of self. Social media - it's just the market's answer to a generation that demanded to perform, so the market said, here - perform. Perform everything…” quote by Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94d/bo-burnham-1313_audience_they-say-it-s-the-me-generation-it-s-not_489169.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94d/bo-burnham-1313_audience_they-say-it-s-the-me-generation-it-s-not_489169.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94d/bo-burnham-1313_audience_they-say-it-s-the-me-generation-it-s-not_489169.png) > ““They say it's the 'me' generation. It's not. The arrogance is taught, or it was cultivated. It's self-conscious. That's what it is. It's conscious of self. Social media - it's just the market's answer to a generation that demanded to perform, so the market said, here - perform. Perform everything to each other, all the time, for no reason. It's prison - it's horrific. It's performer and audience melded together. What do we want more than to lie in our bed at the end of the day and just watch our life as a satisfied audience member. I know very little about anything. But what I do know is that if you can live your life without an audience, you should do it.”” [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The pressure to perform for an audience erodes authenticity, making life feel like a prison of expectations. **In simple terms:** Performing for others can trap you in a false self. Key Takeaway Seek authenticity over validation. Themes authenticity media influence self‑identity Mood cynical introspective Type cultural motivational When to use this quote - social media use - creative work - personal growth Key Concepts sociology psychology digital culture Questions to Reflect On - What would you do if no one watched you? - How can you create space for private authenticity? A Different Perspective Constant performance can cause burnout and loss of self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [End of the day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-the-day/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Social media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-media/) [Twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twitter/) ## Related quotes > [“I cry looking at our reality, through slave eyes. I bet they would say our generation has crossed the line.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delano-johnson/i-cry-looking-at-our-reality-through-slave-eyes-i-bet-they-would-say/) [Delano Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delano-johnson/) > [Let the future say of our generation that we sent forth mighty currents of hope and that we worked together to heal the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-sachs/let-the-future-say-of-our-generation-that-we-sent-forth-mighty/) [Jeffrey Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-sachs/) > [I say to this generation: "We must encourage these kids." Tell them they are wonderful and capable. Be their cheerleader. And when they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agapi-stassinopoulos/i-say-to-this-generation-we-must-encourage-these-kids-tell-them-they/) [Agapi Stassinopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agapi-stassinopoulos/) > [I'm living my life for an audience of one. I live my life to please God. 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As though life is something that has an audience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-green/my-friends-are-always-conscious-of-what-people-think-of-them-as/) [Caroline Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-green/) > [There are so many people in film and television that get between a performer and the audience, and that's frustrating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-conti/there-are-so-many-people-in-film-and-television-that-get-between-a/) [Tom Conti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-conti/) > [What you're hoping for about the concert is an overall collective experience that everyone has and that you share with them and when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-plaskett/what-you-re-hoping-for-about-the-concert-is-an-overall-collective/) [Joel Plaskett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-plaskett/) > [To achieve the intimacy between performer and audience in storytelling, I feel like I have to let the audience in on my emotional state,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/to-achieve-the-intimacy-between-performer-and-audience-in/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [The way that music is approached in the temple is very call and response; it breaks down that barrier between performer and audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taraka-larson/the-way-that-music-is-approached-in-the-temple-is-very-call-and/) [Taraka Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taraka-larson/) > [Something that I think extends to a lot of African cultures is that the line between performer and audience is blurry. My mom would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/something-that-i-think-extends-to-a-lot-of-african-cultures-is-that/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [I always call performing live "giving the people the medicine," because when you're engaged in it, you can feel the sort of soul magic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-always-call-performing-live-giving-the-people-the-medicine-because/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) > [When you define the audience, the performer becomes what the audience wants. Politicians do that all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-graham/when-you-define-the-audience-the-performer-becomes-what-the-audience/) Dan Graham > [Pop stardom is not very compelling. I'm much more interested in a relationship between performer and audience that is of equals. I came up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/pop-stardom-is-not-very-compelling-i-m-much-more-interested-in-a/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) ## More by Bo Burnham > [The strange thing with Wikipedia is that the first article that ever gets written about you will define your Wikipedia page forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/the-strange-thing-with-wikipedia-is-that-the-first-article-that-ever/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [“Well, man, you know what they say." No, I don't. I don't know what they say. I don't even know who they are. Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/well-man-you-know-what-they-say-no-i-don-t-i-don-t-know-what-they-say/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [At one point when I was very young, when I was first starting out, I thought, 'Well, one day I'll be able to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/at-one-point-when-i-was-very-young-when-i-was-first-starting-out-i/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [And there's a metal train that's a mile long and at the very back end a lightning bolt struck her, How long til it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/and-there-s-a-metal-train-that-s-a-mile-long-and-at-the-very-back-end/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Women are like fingers and toes because they're easy to count on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/women-are-like-fingers-and-toes-because-they-re-easy-to-count-on/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I do think that stand-up comedy in general heavily favors masculinity and so I like to act a little feminine onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-do-think-that-stand-up-comedy-in-general-heavily-favors-masculinity/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Most of my songs make fun of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/most-of-my-songs-make-fun-of-myself/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I write about what I know: teenage dating, overly charged sexuality, all the things that make you uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-write-about-what-i-know-teenage-dating-overly-charged-sexuality-all/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [People give me money and I don't know why, my real collection plate is an empty cup held by a homeless guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/people-give-me-money-and-i-don-t-know-why-my-real-collection-plate-is/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Comedy doesn't really matter that much; I know that. I treat it like an adult - I don't treat it like a child or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/comedy-doesn-t-really-matter-that-much-i-know-that-i-treat-it-like-an/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I've always liked the format of YouTube, sharing things for free, which is a nice exchange between people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-ve-always-liked-the-format-of-youtube-sharing-things-for-free-which/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Comedy is very strange to me and I don't fully understand it's purpose or function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/comedy-is-very-strange-to-me-and-i-don-t-fully-understand-it-s/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I don't really care about capitalizing on momentum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-don-t-really-care-about-capitalizing-on-momentum/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [If your belief is hateful towards people, I couldn't respect that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/if-your-belief-is-hateful-towards-people-i-couldn-t-respect-that/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [When life gets you down, make a comforter!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/when-life-gets-you-down-make-a-comforter/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) [Explore all 258 Bo Burnham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. 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My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They say it's the 'me' generation. It's not. The arrogance is taught, or it was cultivated. It's self-conscious. That's what it is. It's conscious of self. Social media - it's just the market's answer to a generation that demanded to perform, so the market said, here - perform. Perform everything to each other, all the time, for no reason. It's prison - it's horrific. It's performer and audience melded together. What do we want more than to lie in our bed at the end of the day and just watch our life as a satisfied audience member. I know very little about anything. 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