--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I look back now I realize I was such…" description: "\"When I look back now I realize I was such an obnoxious kid but, you know, I went to schools like you, like a public school in New York so compared to t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/colin-quinn-11466_anarchy_when-i-look-back-now-i-realize-i-was-suc_945652.jpg" --- # When I look back now I realize I was such an obnoxious kid… ![“When I look back now I realize I was such an obnoxious kid but, you know, I went to schools like you, like a public school in New York so compared to the anarchy that was going on there, they really wouldn't - I wasn't like a bad kid. I saw people come in and punch the teachers.” quote by Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/colin-quinn-11466_anarchy_when-i-look-back-now-i-realize-i-was-suc_945652.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/colin-quinn-11466_anarchy_when-i-look-back-now-i-realize-i-was-suc_945652.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/colin-quinn-11466_anarchy_when-i-look-back-now-i-realize-i-was-suc_945652.jpg) > “When I look back now I realize I was such an obnoxious kid but, you know, I went to schools like you, like a public school in New York so compared to the anarchy that was going on there, they really wouldn't - I wasn't like a bad kid. I saw people come in and punch the teachers.” [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on a chaotic school environment, noting his own misbehavior was minor compared to extreme violence. **In simple terms:** His school was violent, but he wasn't the worst. Key Takeaway Recognize relative privilege. Themes education violence personal growth Mood humorous reflective Type comedic personal narrative When to use this quote - discussing school violence - mental health awareness - supporting at‑risk youth Key Concepts trauma resilience school safety Questions to Reflect On - How did that environment shape you? - What can schools do to protect students? A Different Perspective Violence can normalize harmful behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchy/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Obnoxious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obnoxious/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Public school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-school/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Schools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schools/) [Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers/) ## Related quotes > [I was kind of an obnoxious kid. I would imitate Celine Dion. I would jump around and belt to the rafters and do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimiko-glenn/i-was-kind-of-an-obnoxious-kid-i-would-imitate-celine-dion-i-would/) [Kimiko Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimiko-glenn/) > [I was probably that obnoxious kid in first-year university who would try to win a political debate by just, you know, being belligerent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-scheer/i-was-probably-that-obnoxious-kid-in-first-year-university-who-would/) [Andrew Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-scheer/) > [I was looking for a last name that was a first name. Growing up, I knew a kid who was the most obnoxious kid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-reubens/i-was-looking-for-a-last-name-that-was-a-first-name-growing-up-i-knew/) [Paul Reubens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-reubens/) > [When I was growing up, in L.A., I went to these schools, Fairfax High School, Bancroft Junior High School, and they had great music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flea/when-i-was-growing-up-in-l-a-i-went-to-these-schools-fairfax-high/) [Flea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flea/) > [I'd like to keep our kids in their schools. I'd like to keep our young men and women in jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-forrest/i-d-like-to-keep-our-kids-in-their-schools-i-d-like-to-keep-our-young/) [Andrew Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-forrest/) > [We moved a lot. I went to nine schools in four states before I was 14. It gave me tough skin, exposed me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/we-moved-a-lot-i-went-to-nine-schools-in-four-states-before-i-was-14/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [I hate the fact that public schools like the one I went to have fantastic sports facilities, and state schools don't. That's not fair.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-balding/i-hate-the-fact-that-public-schools-like-the-one-i-went-to-have/) [Clare Balding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-balding/) > [I think the boarding schools are like miniature versions of "Lord of the Flies."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/i-think-the-boarding-schools-are-like-miniature-versions-of-lord-of/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Our schools are much like our prisons: they disappoint us because they only do what they're designed to do, and it annoys us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/our-schools-are-much-like-our-prisons-they-disappoint-us-because-they/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [Growing up, I went to many schools, and I had to fit in to many different types of environments with totally different social groups.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/growing-up-i-went-to-many-schools-and-i-had-to-fit-in-to-many/) [Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/) > [I went to schools that were small enough that basically everyone was in a play. I played a bouncing ball in a production of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-went-to-schools-that-were-small-enough-that-basically-everyone-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Someone told me about drama schools, and they seemed like mythological places - you can really go and be in drama classes all day?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-moran/someone-told-me-about-drama-schools-and-they-seemed-like-mythological/) [Nick Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-moran/) > [I went to schools that had a significantly large Caucasian population and I feel very fortunate because I was able to compare that perspective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mena-massoud/i-went-to-schools-that-had-a-significantly-large-caucasian-population/) [Mena Massoud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mena-massoud/) > [Are traditional schools very much like mini-prisons? Do they stifle imagination, cramp the child physically and mentally, and run on various forms of overt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/are-traditional-schools-very-much-like-mini-prisons-do-they-stifle/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [We need schools like Doon and Mayo for the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiv-nadar/we-need-schools-like-doon-and-mayo-for-the-poor/) [Shiv Nadar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiv-nadar/) ## More by Colin Quinn > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [So instead of talking about theoretical ways of ending the war and violence, I say that we have to get rid of the individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/so-instead-of-talking-about-theoretical-ways-of-ending-the-war-and/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [You can't make money on Broadway. You make nothing. You maybe make like $1,350 a week after you pay out all the producers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/you-can-t-make-money-on-broadway-you-make-nothing-you-maybe-make-like/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [I think everyone should own six guns, even though I don't own any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-think-everyone-should-own-six-guns-even-though-i-don-t-own-any/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [Twitter is one of those dangerous toys that if it gets in the hands of the wrong person you'll have the mind of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/twitter-is-one-of-those-dangerous-toys-that-if-it-gets-in-the-hands/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [With comedians, you have that understanding that we're trying to get laughs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/with-comedians-you-have-that-understanding-that-we-re-trying-to-get/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [Marie Antoinette was funny, I'm sure she was just misinterpreted. You know the 'Let them eat cake' line. She seems like she was kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/marie-antoinette-was-funny-i-m-sure-she-was-just-misinterpreted-you/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [I get the impression the English kings were witty, for some reason. I feel like all you had was your wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-get-the-impression-the-english-kings-were-witty-for-some-reason-i/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [You can't make everybody laugh. You gotta just do what you think is funny. Just be obstreperous to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/you-can-t-make-everybody-laugh-you-gotta-just-do-what-you-think-is/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [I love people, I love studying people more than history. So whatever situation I see, then I look at, what were the people like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-love-people-i-love-studying-people-more-than-history-so-whatever/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [“I think the world honestly would be a much healthier place if instead of trying to find rationalizations for our bad behavior we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-think-the-world-honestly-would-be-a-much-healthier-place-if-instead/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [People say history is boring, and that is true because people are boring. We haven't changed since time began. We're still the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/people-say-history-is-boring-and-that-is-true-because-people-are/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [The ancient Greeks were the first ones to say an unexamined life is not worth living. They don't tell you of course what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/the-ancient-greeks-were-the-first-ones-to-say-an-unexamined-life-is/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [People's - most people's job is talking about the future or like money not even in the present tense. It's not even paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/people-s-most-people-s-job-is-talking-about-the-future-or-like-money/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [People say history was written by the winners. No, it wasn't. It was written by the bullies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/people-say-history-was-written-by-the-winners-no-it-wasn-t-it-was/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) [Explore all 59 Colin Quinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) ## More Anarchy quotes > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-law-is-the-collective-organization-of-the-individual-s-right-to/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [So far I'm still standing on 'Sons of Anarchy' but all the rest of the people on the show have me in their crosshairs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-pileggi/so-far-i-m-still-standing-on-sons-of-anarchy-but-all-the-rest-of-the/) Mitch Pileggi > [“Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science and Bad Religion in a World Without God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/anarchy-evolution-faith-science-and-bad-religion-in-a-world-without/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [Perhaps it is this theory of all work and no play that has made the Marxist such a very dull boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-read/perhaps-it-is-this-theory-of-all-work-and-no-play-that-has-made-the/) [Herbert Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-read/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [In morals as in politics anarchy is not for the weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/in-morals-as-in-politics-anarchy-is-not-for-the-weak/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [I think that if you run a big company, you've got to, four or five times a year, just say, 'Hey team, look, here's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-think-that-if-you-run-a-big-company-you-ve-got-to-four-or-five/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Where you have no religion, you are sure to have no government, for as religion disappears, anarchy takes place and fixes a compleat Hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-morgan/where-you-have-no-religion-you-are-sure-to-have-no-government-for-as/) [Daniel Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-morgan/) > [What a comfort it is to feel that amid the chaos and anarchy which sweep the surface, God is holding fast the foundations on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-b-meyer/what-a-comfort-it-is-to-feel-that-amid-the-chaos-and-anarchy-which/) [F.B. Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-b-meyer/) > [“An anarchist government somehow creates an impression in the hearts of citizens that no one cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-anarchist-government-somehow-creates-an-impression-in-the-hearts/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Would you like to do something good for the future of the human race; well, start killing some of its powerful members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-brown/would-you-like-to-do-something-good-for-the-future-of-the-human-race/) [William C. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-brown/) > [“twenty-three years of RFRAs to produce anarchy,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/twenty-three-years-of-rfras-to-produce-anarchy/) [John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/) > [Freedom is that faculty that enlarges the usefulness of all other faculties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/freedom-is-that-faculty-that-enlarges-the-usefulness-of-all-other/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) [Browse all 795 Anarchy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I look back now I realize I was such an obnoxious kid but, you know, I went to schools like you, like a public school in New York so compared to the anarchy that was going on there, they really wouldn't - I wasn't like a bad kid. I saw people come in and punch the teachers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Colin Quinn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/when-i-look-back-now-i-realize-i-was-such-an-obnoxious-kid-but-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anarchy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/when-i-look-back-now-i-realize-i-was-such-an-obnoxious-kid-but-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/colin-quinn-11466_anarchy_when-i-look-back-now-i-realize-i-was-suc_945652.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/colin-quinn-11466_anarchy_when-i-look-back-now-i-realize-i-was-suc_945652.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/colin-quinn-11466_anarchy_when-i-look-back-now-i-realize-i-was-suc_945652.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I look back now I realize I was such an obnoxious kid but, you know, I went to schools like you, like a…” — Colin Quinn", "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": "Colin Quinn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I look back now I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/when-i-look-back-now-i-realize-i-was-such-an-obnoxious-kid-but-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/when-i-look-back-now-i-realize-i-was-such-an-obnoxious-kid-but-you/#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 } } ] } ```