---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I haven't changed my views much since I…"
description: "\"I haven't changed my views much since I was about 12, really, I've just got a 12-year-old mentality.When I was in school I had a brother who was into K..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/david-bowie-508_bigs_i-haven-t-changed-my-views-much-since-i_1046092.jpg"
---

#  I haven't changed my views much since I was about 12…

![“I haven't changed my views much since I was about 12, really, I've just got a 12-year-old mentality.When I was in school I had a brother who was into Kerouac and he gave me On The Road to read when I was 12 years old. That's still been a big influence.” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/david-bowie-508_bigs_i-haven-t-changed-my-views-much-since-i_1046092.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/david-bowie-508_bigs_i-haven-t-changed-my-views-much-since-i_1046092.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/david-bowie-508_bigs_i-haven-t-changed-my-views-much-since-i_1046092.jpg)

> “I haven't changed my views much since I was about 12, really, I've just got a 12-year-old mentality.When I was in school I had a brother who was into Kerouac and he gave me On The Road to read when I was 12 years old. That's still been a big influence.”

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

## About This Quote

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

The speaker reflects that his core worldview has stayed the same since early adolescence, shaped by youthful influences like Kerouac's On The Road.

**In simple terms:** His mindset remains that of a 12‑year‑old, heavily influenced by early reading.

Key Takeaway

Embrace youthful curiosity throughout life.

Themes

identity influence nostalgia growth literature

Mood

reflective nostalgic introspective

Type

personal literary reflective

When to use this quote

- personal development
- creative work
- education
- reading habits

Key Concepts

coming‑of‑age personal narrative cultural impact

Questions to Reflect On

- How does early literary influence shape adult decisions?
- Can you balance youthful optimism with adult responsibility?

A Different Perspective

Youthful perspective may limit mature insight and adaptability.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Brother Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother-kerouac-2474057/) [Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed/) [Changed Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed-views-2474056/) [Havens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/havens/) [I haven't changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-haven-t-changed/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kerouac/) [Kerouac Gave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kerouac-gave-2474058/) [Mentality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentality/) [Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/) [Old men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-men/) [Old Mentality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-mentality-237340/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/)

## Related quotes

> [I remember Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell getting into me quite a bit. I don't think they really rated the way I played. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-smith/i-remember-kevin-pietersen-and-ian-bell-getting-into-me-quite-a-bit-i/)

[Steve Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-smith/)

> [America is a young country with an old mentality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/america-is-a-young-country-with-an-old-mentality/)

[George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [The truest form of any form of revolutionary Left, whatever you want to call it, was Jack Kerouac, E.E. Cummings, &amp; Ginsberg's period. Excuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/the-truest-form-of-any-form-of-revolutionary-left-whatever-you-want-2/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [The truest form of any form of revolutionary left, whatever you want to call it, was Jack Kerouac, E.E. Cummings, and Allan Ginsberg's period.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/the-truest-form-of-any-form-of-revolutionary-left-whatever-you-want/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [I was studying Tibetan Buddhism when I was quite young, again influenced by Kerouac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-was-studying-tibetan-buddhism-when-i-was-quite-young-again/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [I haven't changed. If it seems I'm becoming more mainstream, doesn't that mean instead that Japan is aligning itself with me? I haven't changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takafumi-horie/i-haven-t-changed-if-it-seems-i-m-becoming-more-mainstream-doesn-t/)

[Takafumi Horie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takafumi-horie/)

> [I've learnt that, even though I've travelled about, I haven't changed that much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/i-ve-learnt-that-even-though-i-ve-travelled-about-i-haven-t-changed/)

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

> [It's true I'm more widely recognised now and get invited to take part in all sorts of events and projects but as a person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-milla/it-s-true-i-m-more-widely-recognised-now-and-get-invited-to-take-part/)

[Roger Milla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-milla/)

> [I haven't changed. Something's happened to me, that's all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/i-haven-t-changed-something-s-happened-to-me-that-s-all/)

[Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/)

> [I haven’t changed my mind. That’s the point! I want to spend my life with you even though it’s totally irrational. And you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-haven-t-changed-my-mind-that-s-the-point-i-want-to-spend-my-life/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [I don't want a single state. And I talked about two states where a demilitarized Palestinian state recognizes the Jewish state, and I stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/i-don-t-want-a-single-state-and-i-talked-about-two-states-where-a/)

[Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/)

> [Back when I was in high school, I came out onstage with my guitar and had four guys playing behind me. We were just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dion-dimucci/back-when-i-was-in-high-school-i-came-out-onstage-with-my-guitar-and/)

[Dion DiMucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dion-dimucci/)

> [I haven't changed - the public has. I'm an insider now, which is hilarious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-haven-t-changed-the-public-has-i-m-an-insider-now-which-is-hilarious/)

[John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/)

> [I've still got the same attitude I had when I started. I haven't changed anything but my underwear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mitchum/i-ve-still-got-the-same-attitude-i-had-when-i-started-i-haven-t/)

[Robert Mitchum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mitchum/)

## More by David Bowie

> [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [No more free steps to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/no-more-free-steps-to-heaven/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [I'm not sure whether it is me changing my mind, or whether I lie a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-not-sure-whether-it-is-me-changing-my-mind-or-whether-i-lie-a-lot/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [I do some kind of work, whether writing or painting or recording, on a daily basis. And it's so essential that when I'm involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-do-some-kind-of-work-whether-writing-or-painting-or-recording-on-a/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [To not be modest about it, you'll find that with only a couple of exceptions, most of the musicians that I've worked with have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/to-not-be-modest-about-it-you-ll-find-that-with-only-a-couple-of/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [I went mainstream in a major way with the song "Let's Dance." And what I found I had done was put a box around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-went-mainstream-in-a-major-way-with-the-song-let-s-dance-and-what-i/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [“Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe Put your ray gun to my head Press your space face close to mine, love Freak out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/keep-your-lectric-eye-on-me-babe-put-your-ray-gun-to-my-head-press/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [I'm in awe of the universe, but I don't necessarily believe there's an intelligence or agent behind it. I do have a passion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-in-awe-of-the-universe-but-i-don-t-necessarily-believe-there-s-an/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [TV has eaten up everything else, and Warhol films are all that are left, which is fabulous. Pork could become the next I Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/tv-has-eaten-up-everything-else-and-warhol-films-are-all-that-are/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [“My brain hurt like a warehouse It had no room to spare I had to cram so many things to store everything in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/my-brain-hurt-like-a-warehouse-it-had-no-room-to-spare-i-had-to-cram/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't always just about expressing my work; I really wanted, more than anything else, to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-suppose-for-me-as-an-artist-it-wasn-t-always-just-about-expressing/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [... And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They're quite aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/and-these-children-that-you-spit-on-as-they-try-to-change-their/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [I think the first song I ever wrote ... was called "Can't Help Thinking About Me." That's an illuminating little piece, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-think-the-first-song-i-ever-wrote-was-called-can-t-help-thinking/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [I've come to the realizations that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-ve-come-to-the-realizations-that-i-have-absolutely-no-idea-what-i-m/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [I never really felt like a rock singer or a rock star or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-really-felt-like-a-rock-singer-or-a-rock-star-or-whatever/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

[Explore all 508 David Bowie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

## More Bigs quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/)

[Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/)

> [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/)

[Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/)

> [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/)

[Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/)

> [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/)

[Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/)

> [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/)

[Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/)

> [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/)

[Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/)

> [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/)

[Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/)

> [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/)

[Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/)

> [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/)

[Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/)

> [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/)

[Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/)

> [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/)

[Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/)

> [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/)

[Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/)

> [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/)

[Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/)

[Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I haven't changed my views much since I was about 12, really, I've just got a 12-year-old mentality.When I was in school I had a brother who was into Kerouac and he gave me On The Road to read when I was 12 years old. That's still been a big influence.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Bowie"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-haven-t-changed-my-views-much-since-i-was-about-12-really-i-ve-just/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bigs"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-haven-t-changed-my-views-much-since-i-was-about-12-really-i-ve-just/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/david-bowie-508_bigs_i-haven-t-changed-my-views-much-since-i_1046092.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/david-bowie-508_bigs_i-haven-t-changed-my-views-much-since-i_1046092.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f64/david-bowie-508_bigs_i-haven-t-changed-my-views-much-since-i_1046092.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I haven't changed my views much since I was about 12, really, I've just got a 12-year-old mentality.When I…” — David Bowie",
                "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": "David Bowie",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I haven't changed my views much...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-haven-t-changed-my-views-much-since-i-was-about-12-really-i-ve-just/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-haven-t-changed-my-views-much-since-i-was-about-12-really-i-ve-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
