---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I kept that thought in the background for…"
description: "\"“I kept that thought in the background for a long time. It sort of just lingered there. The kind of thought that can apply to other situations, too. Li..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/caspar-vega-15662_blame_i-kept-that-thought-in-the-background-fo_2968972.jpg"
---

#  I kept that thought in the background for a long time. It…

![“I kept that thought in the background for a long time. It sort of just lingered there. The kind of thought that can apply to other situations, too. Like when you’re going to cheat on somebody. You know something’s going to happen and you can’t say it out loud. But you know that if you follow a…” quote by Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/caspar-vega-15662_blame_i-kept-that-thought-in-the-background-fo_2968972.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/caspar-vega-15662_blame_i-kept-that-thought-in-the-background-fo_2968972.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/caspar-vega-15662_blame_i-kept-that-thought-in-the-background-fo_2968972.jpg)

> ““I kept that thought in the background for a long time. It sort of just lingered there. The kind of thought that can apply to other situations, too. Like when you’re going to cheat on somebody. You know something’s going to happen and you can’t say it out loud. But you know that if you follow a certain line, it’ll come true and you’ll be free of most culpability in making it happen.””

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

## About This Quote

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

A lingering thought about cheating suggests a rationalization that frees one from guilt.

**In simple terms:** Cheating rationalized as inevitable, reducing guilt.

Key Takeaway

Question justifications for unethical actions.

Themes

ethics self‑deception guilt rationalization decision making

Mood

reflective cautionary

Type

ethical reflection psychological insight

When to use this quote

- personal relationships
- ethical dilemmas
- self‑reflection
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

moral psychology cognitive bias behavioral ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we create mental loopholes?
- What are the long‑term effects of such justifications?

A Different Perspective

Rationalization can erode moral standards.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Background Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/background-long-4560498/) [Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) [Cheating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheating/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Kept Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept-thought-2304946/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Making It Happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-it-happen/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Apply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-apply-4560497/) [Thought Background](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-background-4560496/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [I'd had the theater background for so long that I know that world inside out; I just didn't know the pace of how a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sutton-foster/i-d-had-the-theater-background-for-so-long-that-i-know-that-world/)

[Sutton Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sutton-foster/)

> [“He’d pushed it back, where he’d kept the thought for weeks, but it wouldn’t stay. Wouldn’t stop. Wouldn’t let him go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-rossi/he-d-pushed-it-back-where-he-d-kept-the-thought-for-weeks-but-it/)

[Veronica Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-rossi/)

> [As I sit down and start to work, I often panic. I stare at the empty piece of music paper. How can I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/as-i-sit-down-and-start-to-work-i-often-panic-i-stare-at-the-empty/)

[Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/)

> [Every day I set aside ten minutes to imagine what the future could be, and the rest of the day making it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-day-i-set-aside-ten-minutes-to-imagine-what-the-future-could-be/)

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

> [Some people act like there is so much mystery in getting fit, but the only secret there is to making it happen is time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/some-people-act-like-there-is-so-much-mystery-in-getting-fit-but-the/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [The need for innovation – the lifeblood of business – is widely recognized, and imagination and play are key ingredients for making it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-seely-brown/the-need-for-innovation-the-lifeblood-of-business-is-widely/)

[John Seely Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-seely-brown/)

> [People say that ideas aren't important in business. Okay, people say, maybe an idea for a new product, but the rest is all execution,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kiechel/people-say-that-ideas-aren-t-important-in-business-okay-people-say/)

[Walter Kiechel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kiechel/)

> [The way I've described Helen's sort of rigorous honesty I just think he also has tremendously. It's very strange... he just has this sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/the-way-i-ve-described-helen-s-sort-of-rigorous-honesty-i-just-think/)

[Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/)

> [I want to be a multi-time champion. I want to be a multiple division champion. I still have a lot of goals; it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urijah-faber/i-want-to-be-a-multi-time-champion-i-want-to-be-a-multiple-division/)

[Urijah Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urijah-faber/)

> [The discipline of writing something down is the first step toward making it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/the-discipline-of-writing-something-down-is-the-first-step-toward/)

[Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/)

> [And, more importantly, reach for the stars. And realize that it is never too late – not now, not ever – for you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbi-fields/and-more-importantly-reach-for-the-stars-and-realize-that-it-is-never/)

[Debbi Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbi-fields/)

> [If you are going to be successful in creating the life of your dreams, you have to believe that you are capable of making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-going-to-be-successful-in-creating-the-life-of-your-dreams/)

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

> [I think the Ambitious Lovers never got their due- we had terrible management and at that point, we were on major labels and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arto-lindsay/i-think-the-ambitious-lovers-never-got-their-due-we-had-terrible/)

[Arto Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arto-lindsay/)

> [I imagine a world in which all humans are born with an intact capacity to love, and I am willing to devote my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-lim/i-imagine-a-world-in-which-all-humans-are-born-with-an-intact/)

[Robin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-lim/)

> [“Now, for example, people with freckles aren’t thought of as a minority by the nonfreckled. They aren’t a minority in the sense we’re talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-isherwood/now-for-example-people-with-freckles-aren-t-thought-of-as-a-minority/)

[Christopher Isherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-isherwood/)

## More by Caspar Vega

> [“Personal trainers and writers don't end up in history books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/personal-trainers-and-writers-don-t-end-up-in-history-books/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“I've never ever missed anyone in my life. I genuinely do not understand the emotion. People have told me they missed me a thousand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/i-ve-never-ever-missed-anyone-in-my-life-i-genuinely-do-not/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“I think you were going to stop the Black Plague armed with one guard, one mad scientist, a rubber man, and a synthetic rat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/i-think-you-were-going-to-stop-the-black-plague-armed-with-one-guard/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“I'm Caspar Vega, bitch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/i-m-caspar-vega-bitch/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“You can tell he never even considered the possibility of something like this happening to him. He's as out of his element hiring an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/you-can-tell-he-never-even-considered-the-possibility-of-something/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“It was humanoid in form but it was certainly not a person. Its big upside-down teardrop shaped head was covered in blood yet I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/it-was-humanoid-in-form-but-it-was-certainly-not-a-person-its-big/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“Having Miami in a state like Florida makes no sense. You may as well put Los Angeles in the middle of Arkansas. It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/having-miami-in-a-state-like-florida-makes-no-sense-you-may-as-well/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“Numbers are underrated. People are overrated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/numbers-are-underrated-people-are-overrated/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“I can't think of a worse way to die. Not knowing you're in danger, just realizing that it's over in that split second. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/i-can-t-think-of-a-worse-way-to-die-not-knowing-you-re-in-danger-just/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“All of a sudden I'm inside the pimple realizing how grotesque this middle period is in a pimple's life. Before the white gunk emerges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/all-of-a-sudden-i-m-inside-the-pimple-realizing-how-grotesque-this/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“I'd ask my parents to leave the door open just a little bit so I wouldn't be stuck in the prison of my bedroom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/i-d-ask-my-parents-to-leave-the-door-open-just-a-little-bit-so-i/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“You're just another one of those disconnected, easily angered zombies who haven't really worked a day in their lives. Always eager to tell other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/you-re-just-another-one-of-those-disconnected-easily-angered-zombies/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“Generation to generation, these pseudo-revolutionaries could never handle not being the cool kids. Something was always wrong. No sense of humor, no sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/generation-to-generation-these-pseudo-revolutionaries-could-never/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“The doctors called it a nervous breakdown. I called it a revelation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/the-doctors-called-it-a-nervous-breakdown-i-called-it-a-revelation/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

> [“The realization that men and women cannot be friends unless they're also sleeping together. I have enough friends, I don't really need any more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/the-realization-that-men-and-women-cannot-be-friends-unless-they-re/)

[Caspar Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

[Explore all 42 Caspar Vega quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/)

## More Blame quotes

> [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/)

[Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/)

> [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/)

[Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/)

> [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/)

[Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/)

> [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/)

[Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/)

> [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/)

[Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/)

> [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/)

[Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/)

> [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/)

[Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/)

> [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/)

[Nurnizz95](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nurnizz95/)

> [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/)

[Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/)

> [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/)

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

> [I am down mentally. I can't understand how it happened and who is to blame? I don't know why the ground was rolled before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeasin-khan/i-am-down-mentally-i-can-t-understand-how-it-happened-and-who-is-to/)

[Yeasin Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeasin-khan/)

> [A refusal to admit one's mistake &amp; not accepting responsibility for that mistake by blaming everyone else, is d beginning of one's decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-refusal-to-admit-one-s-mistake-not-accepting-responsibility-for/)

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

> [Listen, the guy was not created by coverage from MSNBC and CNN. If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/)

[Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/)

[Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I kept that thought in the background for a long time. It sort of just lingered there. The kind of thought that can apply to other situations, too. Like when you’re going to cheat on somebody. You know something’s going to happen and you can’t say it out loud. But you know that if you follow a certain line, it’ll come true and you’ll be free of most culpability in making it happen.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Caspar Vega"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/i-kept-that-thought-in-the-background-for-a-long-time-it-sort-of-just/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Blame"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/i-kept-that-thought-in-the-background-for-a-long-time-it-sort-of-just/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/caspar-vega-15662_blame_i-kept-that-thought-in-the-background-fo_2968972.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/caspar-vega-15662_blame_i-kept-that-thought-in-the-background-fo_2968972.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/caspar-vega-15662_blame_i-kept-that-thought-in-the-background-fo_2968972.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I kept that thought in the background for a long time. It sort of just lingered there. The kind of thought…” — Caspar Vega",
                "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": "Caspar Vega",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-vega/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I kept that thought in the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/i-kept-that-thought-in-the-background-for-a-long-time-it-sort-of-just/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-vega/i-kept-that-thought-in-the-background-for-a-long-time-it-sort-of-just/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
