--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was growing up, I think I was…" description: "\"When I was growing up, I think I was expected to be seen and not heard. You're this little, nerdy kid; no one wants to hear about how sad you are. Nobo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3c/chris-gethard-2655_growing-up_when-i-was-growing-up-i-think-i-was-expe_1213115.jpg" --- # When I was growing up, I think I was expected to be seen… ![“When I was growing up, I think I was expected to be seen and not heard. You're this little, nerdy kid; no one wants to hear about how sad you are. Nobody wants to hear that you feel lonely.” quote by Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3c/chris-gethard-2655_growing-up_when-i-was-growing-up-i-think-i-was-expe_1213115.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3c/chris-gethard-2655_growing-up_when-i-was-growing-up-i-think-i-was-expe_1213115.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3c/chris-gethard-2655_growing-up_when-i-was-growing-up-i-think-i-was-expe_1213115.jpg) > “When I was growing up, I think I was expected to be seen and not heard. You're this little, nerdy kid; no one wants to hear about how sad you are. Nobody wants to hear that you feel lonely.” [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal expectations often silence vulnerable voices, especially in childhood, leading to hidden loneliness and unexpressed emotions. **In simple terms:** People are taught to hide feelings, causing isolation. Key Takeaway Speak up and validate your feelings. Themes silence vulnerability loneliness expression Mood reflective empathetic Type advice personal growth When to use this quote - school - family gatherings - therapy sessions - online support groups Key Concepts social conditioning emotional health identity formation Questions to Reflect On - How can you create safe spaces for honest expression? - What steps can you take to voice your feelings? A Different Perspective Not everyone will listen; fear of judgment may persist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feel Lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-lonely/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Hear Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hear-feel/) [Hear Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hear-sad-259826/) [Heard Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard-little-2788678/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lonely/) [Nerdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nerdy/) [Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad/) [Seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seen/) ## Related quotes > [When I heard Little Richard, I mean, it just set my world on fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/when-i-heard-little-richard-i-mean-it-just-set-my-world-on-fire/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I heard Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, and that was it. I didn't ever want to be anything else. I just started banging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-heard-little-richard-and-jerry-lee-lewis-and-that-was-it-i-didn-t/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [What should not be heard by little ears, should not be said by big mount.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-should-not-be-heard-by-little-ears-should-not-be-said-by-big/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What shouldn't be heard by little ears shouldn't be said by big mouths!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermine-b-horman/what-shouldn-t-be-heard-by-little-ears-shouldn-t-be-said-by-big-mouths/) [Hermine B. Horman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermine-b-horman/) > [Don't wanna hear your sad songs. I don't wanna feel your pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-wanna-hear-your-sad-songs-i-don-t-wanna-feel-your-pain/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't wanna hear your sad songs I don't wanna feel your pain. When you swear it's all my fault cause you know we're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramore/don-t-wanna-hear-your-sad-songs-i-don-t-wanna-feel-your-pain-when-you/) [Paramore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramore/) > [“ In a snow-white field near Moscow, I want you above all to hear how sad my living voice is. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-richler/in-a-snow-white-field-near-moscow-i-want-you-above-all-to-hear-how/) [Emma Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-richler/) > [Nobody wants to hear R&B. It's sad. If you want to be on the radio you got to stay young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-foxx/nobody-wants-to-hear-r-b-it-s-sad-if-you-want-to-be-on-the-radio-you/) [Jamie Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-foxx/) > [I hear sad songs sometimes, just to let my pain talk to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hear-sad-songs-sometimes-just-to-let-my-pain-talk-to-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just really remember the feeling of being a younger comedian who was kind of an outlier for being experimental and weird and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/i-just-really-remember-the-feeling-of-being-a-younger-comedian-who/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [I dont know what to write because today I feel so lonely as I dont have anyone to share my loneliness !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron/i-dont-know-what-to-write-because-today-i-feel-so-lonely-as-i-dont/) [AaRon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron/) > [Should you ever feel too lonely...listen for the roar of the sea- for in it are all those who've been and all those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-van-booy/should-you-ever-feel-too-lonely-listen-for-the-roar-of-the-sea-for-in/) [Simon Van Booy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-van-booy/) > [Snuggle in God's arms. When you are hurting, when you feel lonely, left out. let Him cradle you, comfort you, reassure you of His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-arthur/snuggle-in-god-s-arms-when-you-are-hurting-when-you-feel-lonely-left/) [Kay Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-arthur/) > [I think god for the times we shared but your useually leaving my side and now I feel so lonely without you. without someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machishiko-makkakki/i-think-god-for-the-times-we-shared-but-your-useually-leaving-my-side/) [Machishiko Makkakki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machishiko-makkakki/) > [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/) [Flower A. Newhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flower-a-newhouse/) ## More by Chris Gethard > [My medications make me easier to deal with. They don't interfere with my creativity or turn me into a zombie or dull my real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/my-medications-make-me-easier-to-deal-with-they-don-t-interfere-with/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [I didn't like who I was. I spent a lot of my life regretting who I was, which is a sad thing to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/i-didn-t-like-who-i-was-i-spent-a-lot-of-my-life-regretting-who-i-was/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [We don't judge people for dying in car crashes. 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I'm always in a rush. I've attracted stares from out-of-towners when I've shoved past someone blocking the subway door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/i-am-a-stereotypical-northeasterner-i-m-always-in-a-rush-i-ve/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [There are many hundreds of millions of people who have jobs harder than (mine), and I also remind myself of that every day. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/there-are-many-hundreds-of-millions-of-people-who-have-jobs-harder/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [If I could have enough money that I know I could buy a house someday, and if I want to have kids, I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/if-i-could-have-enough-money-that-i-know-i-could-buy-a-house-someday/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [Northern New Jersey looks like a cluster of idyllic suburbs, but each of those seemingly normal towns has a dark side that's constantly gossiped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/northern-new-jersey-looks-like-a-cluster-of-idyllic-suburbs-but-each/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [Many comedians - both male and female - do have an "I will never date another comedian" rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/many-comedians-both-male-and-female-do-have-an-i-will-never-date/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [West Orange, where I grew up, is the hometown of Ian Ziering from 'Beverly Hills, 90210,' Scott Wolf from 'Party of Five,' David Cassidy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/west-orange-where-i-grew-up-is-the-hometown-of-ian-ziering-from/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [Cops in New York City don't have the best reputation. 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