--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I learned just to be a belligerent…" description: "\"I learned just to be a belligerent asshole, which was really: \"You have to get what you need to get out of it.\" You have to fight for things you believ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/david-fincher-7615_being-smart_i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-assho_62370.jpg" --- # I learned just to be a belligerent asshole, which was… ![“I learned just to be a belligerent asshole, which was really: "You have to get what you need to get out of it." You have to fight for things you believe in, and you have to be smart about how you position it so that you don't just become white noise.” quote by David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/david-fincher-7615_being-smart_i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-assho_62370.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/david-fincher-7615_being-smart_i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-assho_62370.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/david-fincher-7615_being-smart_i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-assho_62370.jpg) > “I learned just to be a belligerent asshole, which was really: "You have to get what you need to get out of it." You have to fight for things you believe in, and you have to be smart about how you position it so that you don't just become white noise.” [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates aggressive, strategic advocacy to achieve goals, warning against passive complacency. **In simple terms:** Strategic aggression for results Key Takeaway Fight wisely, avoid being ignored Themes assertiveness strategy self-advocacy resilience communication Mood determined defiant Type advice motivational When to use this quote - negotiating a raise - activism for a cause - career advancement - standing up to authority Key Concepts power dynamics personal agency Practical Applications - leadership coaching - conflict resolution training Questions to Reflect On - How can you be assertive without alienating allies? - When does aggression become counterproductive? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-smart/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) ## Related quotes > [We're just very belligerent, and I'm not trying to put Americans down, by and large I think we're nice people, but we operate with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/we-re-just-very-belligerent-and-i-m-not-trying-to-put-americans-down/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [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/) > [This nation has given the world an object lesson in the whole duty of neutrals, which is to furnish an outlet for the wrath…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/this-nation-has-given-the-world-an-object-lesson-in-the-whole-duty-of/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [Though I was not a belligerent kid, I do not think I ever passed up a good opportunity to fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-tunney/though-i-was-not-a-belligerent-kid-i-do-not-think-i-ever-passed-up-a/) [Gene Tunney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-tunney/) > [I'm a little too belligerent. I cuss and swear at people. I yell at umpires and maybe I'm a little to tough at home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-munson/i-m-a-little-too-belligerent-i-cuss-and-swear-at-people-i-yell-at/) [Thurman Munson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-munson/) > [When you get a certain level of resources, and you want things a certain way, I find it difficult to get too belligerent because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-soderbergh/when-you-get-a-certain-level-of-resources-and-you-want-things-a/) [Steven Soderbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-soderbergh/) > [I'm belligerent rather than ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hart/i-m-belligerent-rather-than-ambitious/) [Ian Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hart/) > [A belligerent state permits itself every such misdeed, every such act of violence, as would disgrace the individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/a-belligerent-state-permits-itself-every-such-misdeed-every-such-act/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [How d’you spell ‘belligerent’?” said Ron, shaking his quill very hard while staring at his parchment. “It can’t be B — U — M…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-d-you-spell-belligerent-said-ron-shaking-his-quill-very-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Religion turned some folks belligerent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-wilks/religion-turned-some-folks-belligerent/) [Eileen Wilks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-wilks/) > [Insurgent, he says. Noun. A person who acts in opposition to the established authority, who is not necessarily regarded as a belligerent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/insurgent-he-says-noun-a-person-who-acts-in-opposition-to-the/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Strength does not have to be belligerent and loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/strength-does-not-have-to-be-belligerent-and-loud/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [I get a little belligerent when not enough protesters show up at my appearances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/i-get-a-little-belligerent-when-not-enough-protesters-show-up-at-my/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Wait, damn, there I go again. I be trippin', I be flippin', I be so belligerent. Man the shit that we be fighting over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/wait-damn-there-i-go-again-i-be-trippin-i-be-flippin-i-be-so/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [I am not Christ or a philanthropist, old lady, I am all the contrary of a Christ I fight for the things I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/i-am-not-christ-or-a-philanthropist-old-lady-i-am-all-the-contrary-of/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) ## More by David Fincher > [Again, a franchise to me doesn't have to be a billion dollar title.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/again-a-franchise-to-me-doesn-t-have-to-be-a-billion-dollar-title/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [“If you think that you can hide what your interests are, what your prurient interests are, what your noble interests are, what your fascinations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/if-you-think-that-you-can-hide-what-your-interests-are-what-your/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [A movie is made for an audience and a film is made for both the audience and the film-makers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/a-movie-is-made-for-an-audience-and-a-film-is-made-for-both-the/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [For me, the scariest thing about a serial killer is that there's somebody who lives next door to you, running power tools late into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/for-me-the-scariest-thing-about-a-serial-killer-is-that-there-s/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [I like studios. I just don't like bureaucracies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-like-studios-i-just-don-t-like-bureaucracies/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [Filmmaking isn’t if you can just strap on a camera onto an actor, and steadicam, and point it at their face, and follow them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/filmmaking-isn-t-if-you-can-just-strap-on-a-camera-onto-an-actor-and/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [Entertainment has to come hand in hand with a little bit of medicine. Some people go to the movies to be reminded that everything's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/entertainment-has-to-come-hand-in-hand-with-a-little-bit-of-medicine/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [Directing ain't about drawing a neat little picture and showing it to the cameraman. I didn't want to go to film school. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/directing-ain-t-about-drawing-a-neat-little-picture-and-showing-it-to/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [When you go and you tell a studio and that it's an ensemble, that doesn't mean a lot to them. But, my hats off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/when-you-go-and-you-tell-a-studio-and-that-it-s-an-ensemble-that/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [You can’t take everything on. That’s why when people ask how does this film fit into my oeuvre. I say 'I don’t know. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/you-can-t-take-everything-on-that-s-why-when-people-ask-how-does-this/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [Look, it's nice. I like the fact that critics liked this movie, but most of the movies that I've made, you'll find a handful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/look-it-s-nice-i-like-the-fact-that-critics-liked-this-movie-but-most/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [I don't know how to depict intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-don-t-know-how-to-depict-intelligence/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [When I'm watching somebody act, it's a behavior editorial function - I look at someone act, and I might say, 'I don't believe him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/when-i-m-watching-somebody-act-it-s-a-behavior-editorial-function-i/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [In film, we sculpt time, we sculpt behavior and we sculpt light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/in-film-we-sculpt-time-we-sculpt-behavior-and-we-sculpt-light/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [I like characters who don't change, who don't learn from their mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-like-characters-who-don-t-change-who-don-t-learn-from-their-mistakes/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) [Explore all 89 David Fincher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) ## More Being smart quotes > [But if you get chronically, psychosocially stressed, you're going to compromise your health. So, essentially, we've evolved to be smart enough to make ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/but-if-you-get-chronically-psychosocially-stressed-you-re-going-to/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Listen! Say less rather than more. If you want to be smart, play stupid!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-rubinstein/listen-say-less-rather-than-more-if-you-want-to-be-smart-play-stupid/) [Helena Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-rubinstein/) > [I hated grunge. No one’s more feminist than me, but you don’t have to look as if you don’t give a - you know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-hated-grunge-no-one-s-more-feminist-than-me-but-you-don-t-have-to/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [To be smart, spend carefully. To be wise, save regularly. To be genius, give extravagantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-ingram/to-be-smart-spend-carefully-to-be-wise-save-regularly-to-be-genius/) [Chip Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-ingram/) > [For the past few years, I've been more selective than I have any right to be, but I think that's finally starting to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzy-caplan/for-the-past-few-years-i-ve-been-more-selective-than-i-have-any-right/) [Lizzy Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzy-caplan/) > [If you're stupid enough to whiff, you should be smart enough to forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/if-you-re-stupid-enough-to-whiff-you-should-be-smart-enough-to-forget/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [I know it sounds weird, but my definition of 'sexy' has changed as I've gotten older. And being smart and informed makes me feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-shahi/i-know-it-sounds-weird-but-my-definition-of-sexy-has-changed-as-i-ve/) [Sarah Shahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-shahi/) > [It's always better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-always-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [Each practitioner thinks there's one magic way to get a machine to be smart, and so they're all wasting their time in a sense.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-minsky/each-practitioner-thinks-there-s-one-magic-way-to-get-a-machine-to-be/) [Marvin Minsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-minsky/) > [All my serving utensils are measured. It's not obvious, because they're really beautiful, but I have the option of tracking what I'm eating. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-vincent/all-my-serving-utensils-are-measured-it-s-not-obvious-because-they-re/) [Ali Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-vincent/) > [We should all feel confident in our intelligence. By the way, intelligence to me isn't just being book-smart or having a college degree; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabatha-coffey/we-should-all-feel-confident-in-our-intelligence-by-the-way/) [Tabatha Coffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabatha-coffey/) > [Calling someone fat wont make you any skinnier, calling someone dumb dosnt make you any smarter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mean-girls/calling-someone-fat-wont-make-you-any-skinnier-calling-someone-dumb/) [Mean Girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mean-girls/) > [The way to win is to work, work, work, work and hope to have a few insights And you're probably not going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/the-way-to-win-is-to-work-work-work-work-and-hope-to-have-a-few/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [What we are saying is we have to be smart about the ideology that is putting this idea into the world that a woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asra-nomani/what-we-are-saying-is-we-have-to-be-smart-about-the-ideology-that-is/) [Asra Nomani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asra-nomani/) > [It's better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) [Browse all 243 Being smart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-smart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I learned just to be a belligerent asshole, which was really: \"You have to get what you need to get out of it.\" You have to fight for things you believe in, and you have to be smart about how you position it so that you don't just become white noise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Fincher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-asshole-which-was-really-you-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being smart" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-asshole-which-was-really-you-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/david-fincher-7615_being-smart_i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-assho_62370.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/david-fincher-7615_being-smart_i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-assho_62370.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/david-fincher-7615_being-smart_i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-assho_62370.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I learned just to be a belligerent asshole, which was really: \"You have to get what you need to get out of…” — David Fincher", "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 Fincher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I learned just to be a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-asshole-which-was-really-you-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-asshole-which-was-really-you-have/#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 } } ] } ```