--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A journalist asked this to my father. He…" description: "\"A journalist asked this to my father. He spent a day with me and interviewing my friends/colleagues and didn't understand how I could be the one that c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/christopher-poole-21182_asked_a-journalist-asked-this-to-my-father-he_2067503.jpg" --- # A journalist asked this to my father. He spent a day with… ![“A journalist asked this to my father. He spent a day with me and interviewing my friends/colleagues and didn't understand how I could be the one that created 4chan and, as he put it, 'couldn't understand how to fit the square peg into a round hole.' The best way I have of describing it is, 'I…” quote by Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/christopher-poole-21182_asked_a-journalist-asked-this-to-my-father-he_2067503.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/christopher-poole-21182_asked_a-journalist-asked-this-to-my-father-he_2067503.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/christopher-poole-21182_asked_a-journalist-asked-this-to-my-father-he_2067503.jpg) > “A journalist asked this to my father. He spent a day with me and interviewing my friends/colleagues and didn't understand how I could be the one that created 4chan and, as he put it, 'couldn't understand how to fit the square peg into a round hole.' The best way I have of describing it is, 'I didn't define it, and it doesn't define me.'” [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes his creation as something he didn't define, and it doesn't define him, emphasizing personal agency over external labels. **In simple terms:** He didn't define his creation, nor does it define him. Key Takeaway Own your narrative, not others' labels. Themes identity creation agency Mood thoughtful assertive Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - starting a tech project - responding to criticism - career pivot Key Concepts self‑definition digital culture personal freedom Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain autonomy when your work is widely interpreted? - What boundaries protect personal identity? A Different Perspective Labels can still shape public perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked/) [Asked Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-father/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Couldn Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couldn-understand/) [Created](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created/) [Created 4Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created-4chan-3975086/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Define](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define/) [Describing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/describing/) [Didn Define](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-define-1880263/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Hole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hole/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Interviewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviewing/) [Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) [Journalist Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist-asked-3365416/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Peg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peg/) [Put](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/put/) [Round](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/round/) [Spent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spent/) [Square](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/square/) [Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [The market didn't define the music; the music defined the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunter/the-market-didn-t-define-the-music-the-music-defined-the-market/) [Charlie Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunter/) > [I could've kept playing, but football didn't define me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-rodgers/i-could-ve-kept-playing-but-football-didn-t-define-me/) [Jordan Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-rodgers/) > [I don't remember a time when I didn't define myself as a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-unger/i-don-t-remember-a-time-when-i-didn-t-define-myself-as-a-writer/) [Lisa Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-unger/) > [I can work in London. A British journalist asked me if I had any trouble working with an English crew, as an American, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/i-can-work-in-london-a-british-journalist-asked-me-if-i-had-any/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [“A British journalist once asked Mother Teresa how she kept going, knowing that she could never meet the needs of all the dying in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-bailey/a-british-journalist-once-asked-mother-teresa-how-she-kept-going/) [Kenneth E. Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-bailey/) > [“As a journalist I'm asked whether I make things up. As a novelist I'm accused of telling the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennox-morrison/as-a-journalist-i-m-asked-whether-i-make-things-up-as-a-novelist-i-m/) [Lennox Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennox-morrison/) > [I was so clear on the fact that I wanted to be a journalist that I asked my parents if I could go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goldman/i-was-so-clear-on-the-fact-that-i-wanted-to-be-a-journalist-that-i/) [Jane Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goldman/) > [Years ago, NPR tried to stop me from going on "The Factor." When I refused, they insisted that I not identify myself as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/years-ago-npr-tried-to-stop-me-from-going-on-the-factor-when-i/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [“I wanted to ask my father about his regrets. I wanted to ask him what was the worst thing he'd ever done. His greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wanted-to-ask-my-father-about-his-regrets-i-wanted-to-ask-him-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When my mother passed away, we knew what she wanted on her tombstone, so I asked my father, so there wouldn't be any argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/when-my-mother-passed-away-we-knew-what-she-wanted-on-her-tombstone/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [“So finally I asked my father in the most offhand way imaginable what exactly would happen to a cat if one were to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/so-finally-i-asked-my-father-in-the-most-offhand-way-imaginable-what/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [I once asked my father what he wanted me to be. To my horror, he said, 'sociologist.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-faithfull/i-once-asked-my-father-what-he-wanted-me-to-be-to-my-horror-he-said/) [Marianne Faithfull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-faithfull/) > [“When I asked my father whether he thought that it was possible that his mother was raped behind that closed door, he said, "She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-stern/when-i-asked-my-father-whether-he-thought-that-it-was-possible-that/) [Jessica Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-stern/) > [I once asked my father for a dollar for the school picnic. He told me how he once killed a grizzly bear with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/i-once-asked-my-father-for-a-dollar-for-the-school-picnic-he-told-me/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [What shop did this book come from? she asked. Her father was looking worried at the cooker. He always got rice wrong. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/what-shop-did-this-book-come-from-she-asked-her-father-was-looking/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) ## More by Christopher Poole > [The cost of failure is really high when you’re contributing as yourself,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/the-cost-of-failure-is-really-high-when-you-re-contributing-as/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [For a lot of people, 4chan is their tree house - they go there to hang out. You can actually see the culture shift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/for-a-lot-of-people-4chan-is-their-tree-house-they-go-there-to-hang/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [Anyone who posts illegal content on 4chan is an idiot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/anyone-who-posts-illegal-content-on-4chan-is-an-idiot/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [I don't hate anyone. Sometimes I wish I could interact with the community in a more normal way, though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/i-don-t-hate-anyone-sometimes-i-wish-i-could-interact-with-the/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [ What's unique about \[4chan\] is that it's anonymous, and it has no memory. There's no archive, there are no barriers, there's no registration. ...… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/what-s-unique-about-4chan-is-that-it-s-anonymous-and-it-has-no-memory/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [For the longest time, the way that I had understood 4chan was this idea that the lack of an archive made the content really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/for-the-longest-time-the-way-that-i-had-understood-4chan-was-this/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [Facebook does social really well, but continues to fail at community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/facebook-does-social-really-well-but-continues-to-fail-at-community/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [4chan gets almost one million posts per day, hundreds of thousands of which are images.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/4chan-gets-almost-one-million-posts-per-day-hundreds-of-thousands-of/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [A racing horse is not like a machine. It has to be tuned up like a racing car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/a-racing-horse-is-not-like-a-machine-it-has-to-be-tuned-up-like-a/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [With 4chan, the cost of hosting it added up very quickly and at that time when I was 18, I didn't have the income…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/with-4chan-the-cost-of-hosting-it-added-up-very-quickly-and-at-that/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [When we think of memetic culture, it is the 'sausage factory' of the old days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/when-we-think-of-memetic-culture-it-is-the-sausage-factory-of-the-old/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [I think 4chan is going to stay the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/i-think-4chan-is-going-to-stay-the-same/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [4chan's culture is unique and spreads and draws people in like no other. It's also important to realize that 4chan wasn't some overnight success,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/4chan-s-culture-is-unique-and-spreads-and-draws-people-in-like-no/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [Because there's no structural barrier to joining 4chan, the community is really dynamic; for every five people that leave, five new people join, bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/because-there-s-no-structural-barrier-to-joining-4chan-the-community/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) > [4chan is a framework of pictures and text. I've always been extremely hands-off with dictating what gets posted, past general categories and rules. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-poole/4chan-is-a-framework-of-pictures-and-text-i-ve-always-been-extremely/) [Christopher Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) [Explore all 29 Christopher Poole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-poole/) ## More Asked quotes > [“Are you sure?" he asked in a low voice. "Because if I had the chance... I would spend every moment of every day with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/are-you-sure-he-asked-in-a-low-voice-because-if-i-had-the-chance-i/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [“Who tricked me into this whole thing and leaves me standing here? Who am I? How did I get into the world? Why was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/who-tricked-me-into-this-whole-thing-and-leaves-me-standing-here-who/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“The best questions are ones never asked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cory-molloy/the-best-questions-are-ones-never-asked/) [Robert Cory Molloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cory-molloy/) > [A lot of people think I'm snotty. So what? They never asked me out when I was serving cheeseburgers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-moriarty/a-lot-of-people-think-i-m-snotty-so-what-they-never-asked-me-out-when/) [Cathy Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-moriarty/) > [I've been so lucky with the people I've worked with, but I'm such a fan girl. When I moved to London at 16, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/i-ve-been-so-lucky-with-the-people-i-ve-worked-with-but-i-m-such-a/) [Sheridan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-smith/) > [For me to even be talking about bikini confidence is crazy. If you had asked me a couple of months ago, I probably would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordin-sparks/for-me-to-even-be-talking-about-bikini-confidence-is-crazy-if-you-had/) [Jordin Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordin-sparks/) > [Only once have I been made mute. It was when a man asked me, 'Who are you?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/only-once-have-i-been-made-mute-it-was-when-a-man-asked-me-who-are-you/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [The only thing Steve Jobs has ever asked me in all the years we've been together and have been partners, the only thing he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/the-only-thing-steve-jobs-has-ever-asked-me-in-all-the-years-we-ve/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [“A girl likes to be asked, dumbass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-stover/a-girl-likes-to-be-asked-dumbass/) [Matthew Stover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-stover/) > [I've been asked to school dances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wolfhard/i-ve-been-asked-to-school-dances/) [Finn Wolfhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wolfhard/) > [“Which to you have?' Mel asked, blocking the entry with his body. 'Talent or issues?' I paused for a moment, thought about this. 'Both,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leila-sales/which-to-you-have-mel-asked-blocking-the-entry-with-his-body-talent/) [Leila Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leila-sales/) > [“Did you find someone who makes you feel all those things?” she asked, not wanting to think of her own failed union. He locked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-rossi/did-you-find-someone-who-makes-you-feel-all-those-things-she-asked/) [Mila Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-rossi/) > [Hang on, did you just call me Angel?” I asked. “If I did?” “I don’t like it.” He grinned. “It stays. Angel.” He leaned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/hang-on-did-you-just-call-me-angel-i-asked-if-i-did-i-don-t-like-it/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [At first, I asked, Why me? Then I thought, Why not me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/at-first-i-asked-why-me-then-i-thought-why-not-me/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [When scientists are asked what they are working on, their response is seldom 'Finding the origin of the universe' or 'Seeking to cure cancer.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/when-scientists-are-asked-what-they-are-working-on-their-response-is/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) [Browse all 2,259 Asked quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A journalist asked this to my father. He spent a day with me and interviewing my friends/colleagues and didn't understand how I could be the one that created 4chan and, as he put it, 'couldn't understand how to fit the square peg into a round hole.' 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