---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't kill flies but I like to mess…"
description: "\"I don't kill flies but I like to mess with their minds. I hold them above globes. They freak out and yell, 'Whoa, I'm way too high!'\" — Bruce Baum"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/bruce-baum-106601_flies_i-don-t-kill-flies-but-i-like-to-mess-wi_3208547.png"
---

#  I don't kill flies but I like to mess with their minds. I…

![“I don't kill flies but I like to mess with their minds. I hold them above globes. They freak out and yell, 'Whoa, I'm way too high!'” quote by Bruce Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/bruce-baum-106601_flies_i-don-t-kill-flies-but-i-like-to-mess-wi_3208547.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/bruce-baum-106601_flies_i-don-t-kill-flies-but-i-like-to-mess-wi_3208547.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/bruce-baum-106601_flies_i-don-t-kill-flies-but-i-like-to-mess-wi_3208547.png)

> “I don't kill flies but I like to mess with their minds. I hold them above globes. They freak out and yell, 'Whoa, I'm way too high!'”

[Bruce Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-baum/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

I enjoy manipulating flies' perception, holding them high until they panic, revealing how small beings react to being out of their element.

**In simple terms:** Messing with flies' minds causes panic.

Key Takeaway

Observe how perspective shifts cause distress.

Themes

humor psychology control perception animal behavior

Mood

playful irreverent curious

Type

Flies:1 Freak:0 Funny:1 Globes:0 Kill:0 Mess:1 Mind:1 Psychology:1 Way:0 Flies Like:0 Way High:0 Kill Flies:0 Globes Freak:0

When to use this quote

- prank planning
- science experiments
- ethical debates
- creative writing

Key Concepts

cognitive dissonance ethical boundaries entertainment value

Questions to Reflect On

- What ethical lines exist in pranks?
- How does perspective affect fear?

A Different Perspective

Humor may trivialize animal welfare concerns.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Flies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flies/) [Flies Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flies-like-1001268/) [Freak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freak/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Globes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/globes/) [Globes Freak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/globes-freak-5985660/) [Kill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill/) [Kill Flies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill-flies-5118379/) [Mess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mess/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-high-3093785/)

## Related quotes

> [I kill flies, I eat meat, you know, whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/i-kill-flies-i-eat-meat-you-know-whatever/)

[Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/)

> [Time flies like an arrow - but fruit flies like a banana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-wogan/time-flies-like-an-arrow-but-fruit-flies-like-a-banana/)

[Terry Wogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-wogan/)

> [Love me love my dog; my way or the high way !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mly-ab/love-me-love-my-dog-my-way-or-the-high-way/)

[MlY AB](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mly-ab/)

> [If I could, then I would I'll go wherever you will go Way up high or down low..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-calling/if-i-could-then-i-would-i-ll-go-wherever-you-will-go-way-up-high-or/)

[The Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-calling/)

> [In a way, J.F.K. was the high point of the American dream. In order to go to the moon and back, all we did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dreyfuss/in-a-way-j-f-k-was-the-high-point-of-the-american-dream-in-order-to/)

[Richard Dreyfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dreyfuss/)

> [“As we all know, time sometimes flies like a bird, and sometimes crawls like a worm, but people may be unusually happy when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-sergeevich-turgenev/as-we-all-know-time-sometimes-flies-like-a-bird-and-sometimes-crawls/)

[Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-sergeevich-turgenev/)

> [Time, as is well known, sometimes flies like a bird and sometimes crawls like a worm, but human beings are generally particularly happy when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-turgenev/time-as-is-well-known-sometimes-flies-like-a-bird-and-sometimes/)

[Ivan Turgenev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-turgenev/)

> [Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-flies-like-an-arrow-fruit-flies-like-a-banana/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [An X-wing fighter flies like an airplane. If you look at the physics, it's actually quite impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-spaihts/an-x-wing-fighter-flies-like-an-airplane-if-you-look-at-the-physics/)

[Jon Spaihts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-spaihts/)

> [“(T)ime flies like a mountain stream and who asks a question today may not hear the answer tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idwal-jones/t-ime-flies-like-a-mountain-stream-and-who-asks-a-question-today-may/)

[Idwal Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idwal-jones/)

> [Time sometimes flies like a bird, sometimes crawls like a snail; but a man is happiest when he does not even notice whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-turgenev/time-sometimes-flies-like-a-bird-sometimes-crawls-like-a-snail-but-a/)

[Ivan Turgenev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-turgenev/)

> [Time flies like an arrow, and fruit flies like a banana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-straub/time-flies-like-an-arrow-and-fruit-flies-like-a-banana/)

[Alec Straub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-straub/)

> [“FLIES IN DISGUISE Tell me, Have you Really seen Flies in a child's eyes Or heard their hungry cries In the middle Of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/flies-in-disguise-tell-me-have-you-really-seen-flies-in-a-child-s/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [“I was like a turd that drew flies instead of like a flower that butterflies and bees desired. I wanted to live alone,I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-like-a-turd-that-drew-flies-instead-of-like-a-flower-that/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/)

[Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/)

## More by Bruce Baum

> [I don't know what's wrong with my television set. I was getting C-Span and the Home Shopping Network on the same station. I actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-baum/i-don-t-know-what-s-wrong-with-my-television-set-i-was-getting-c-span/)

[Bruce Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-baum/)

[Explore all 2 Bruce Baum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-baum/)

## More Flies quotes

> [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/)

[Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/)

> [“I was like a turd that drew flies instead of like a flower that butterflies and bees desired. I wanted to live alone,I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-like-a-turd-that-drew-flies-instead-of-like-a-flower-that/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“FLIES IN DISGUISE Tell me, Have you Really seen Flies in a child's eyes Or heard their hungry cries In the middle Of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/flies-in-disguise-tell-me-have-you-really-seen-flies-in-a-child-s/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [You tell me you love me, but Im not sure you know what love is, or how fast it flies, or how much it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/you-tell-me-you-love-me-but-im-not-sure-you-know-what-love-is-or-how/)

[Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/)

> [He who flies can also return; but it is not so with him who dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scarron/he-who-flies-can-also-return-but-it-is-not-so-with-him-who-dies/)

[Paul Scarron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scarron/)

> [I went from an unemployed actor's life to doing stand-up comedy, and that was fortuitous. It's not the usual way the crow flies, going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-tate/i-went-from-an-unemployed-actor-s-life-to-doing-stand-up-comedy-and/)

[Catherine Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-tate/)

> [I sprayed a mosquito with mosquito repellent and now he'll never have any friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-sprayed-a-mosquito-with-mosquito-repellent-and-now-he-ll-never-have/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I have an agreement with the houseflies. The flies don't practice law and I don't walk on the ceiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/i-have-an-agreement-with-the-houseflies-the-flies-don-t-practice-law/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [To me, there is nothing more soothing than the song of a mosquito that can't get through the mesh to bite you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-smartt-bell/to-me-there-is-nothing-more-soothing-than-the-song-of-a-mosquito-that/)

[Madison Smartt Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-smartt-bell/)

> [“In Massachusetts and Vermont, there had been plenty of mosquitoes, but in New Hampshire, they had reinforcements.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pharr-davis/in-massachusetts-and-vermont-there-had-been-plenty-of-mosquitoes-but/)

[Jennifer Pharr Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pharr-davis/)

> [Flies are the price we pay for summer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-zwinger/flies-are-the-price-we-pay-for-summer/)

[Ann Zwinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-zwinger/)

> [The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose, but the fly comes close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-good-lord-didn-t-create-anything-without-a-purpose-but-the-fly/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [“horas volat (time flies)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constantijn-huygens/horas-volat-time-flies/)

[Constantijn Huygens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constantijn-huygens/)

> [Pike, three inches long, perfect Pike in all parts, green tigering the gold. Killers from the egg: the malevolent aged grin. They dance on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pike-three-inches-long-perfect-pike-in-all-parts-green-tigering-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Mosquitoes are raping me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bsk/mosquitoes-are-raping-me/)

[Bsk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bsk/)

[Browse all 342 Flies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flies/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I don't kill flies but I like to mess with their minds. I hold them above globes. They freak out and yell, 'Whoa, I'm way too high!'",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bruce Baum"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-baum/i-don-t-kill-flies-but-i-like-to-mess-with-their-minds-i-hold-them/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Flies"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-baum/i-don-t-kill-flies-but-i-like-to-mess-with-their-minds-i-hold-them/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/bruce-baum-106601_flies_i-don-t-kill-flies-but-i-like-to-mess-wi_3208547.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/bruce-baum-106601_flies_i-don-t-kill-flies-but-i-like-to-mess-wi_3208547.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/bruce-baum-106601_flies_i-don-t-kill-flies-but-i-like-to-mess-wi_3208547.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I don't kill flies but I like to mess with their minds. I hold them above globes. They freak out and yell…” — Bruce Baum",
                "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": "Bruce Baum",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-baum/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I don't kill flies but I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-baum/i-don-t-kill-flies-but-i-like-to-mess-with-their-minds-i-hold-them/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-baum/i-don-t-kill-flies-but-i-like-to-mess-with-their-minds-i-hold-them/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
