--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A friend at school was always being…" description: "\"A friend at school was always being laughed at because his father emptied dustbins for a living. But those who laughed worshipped famous footballers. T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/david-icke-2940_collectors_a-friend-at-school-was-always-being-laug_2120106.jpg" --- # A friend at school was always being laughed at because his… ![“A friend at school was always being laughed at because his father emptied dustbins for a living. But those who laughed worshipped famous footballers. This is an example of our topsy-turvy view of 'success.' Who would we miss most if they did not work for a month, the footballer or the garbage…” quote by David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/david-icke-2940_collectors_a-friend-at-school-was-always-being-laug_2120106.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/david-icke-2940_collectors_a-friend-at-school-was-always-being-laug_2120106.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/david-icke-2940_collectors_a-friend-at-school-was-always-being-laug_2120106.jpg) > “A friend at school was always being laughed at because his father emptied dustbins for a living. But those who laughed worshipped famous footballers. This is an example of our topsy-turvy view of 'success.' Who would we miss most if they did not work for a month, the footballer or the garbage collector?” [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques how society glorifies fame while demeaning essential labor. **In simple terms:** Society values fame over essential work. Key Takeaway Question and redefine what true success means. Themes social hierarchy class perception celebrity culture Mood thoughtful challenging Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - career counseling - public policy - education curricula - media literacy Key Concepts sociology value systems media influence Questions to Reflect On - Who truly enriches community life? - How can we honor essential workers? A Different Perspective Fame can distort genuine contributions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Collectors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectors/) [Dustbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dustbin/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Footballer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/footballer/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Topsy turvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/topsy-turvy/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Well, hey, let's just make everything into a closure, and then we'll have our general garbage collector, installed by 'use less memory'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/well-hey-let-s-just-make-everything-into-a-closure-and-then-we-ll/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I feel sorry sometimes for these sportsmen and women who put in just as much effort as the footballers. For example, athletes train at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/i-feel-sorry-sometimes-for-these-sportsmen-and-women-who-put-in-just/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [The fountains of sacred rivers flow upwards (i.e., everything is turned topsy turvy).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/the-fountains-of-sacred-rivers-flow-upwards-i-e-everything-is-turned/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [If you look at any normal organization, the CEO is the person with the highest E.Q. The person with the highest IQ is often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-o-brien/if-you-look-at-any-normal-organization-the-ceo-is-the-person-with-the/) [Walter O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-o-brien/) > [As long as hope does not embrace and transform the thought and action of men, it remains topsy-turvy and ineffective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/as-long-as-hope-does-not-embrace-and-transform-the-thought-and-action/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [The idea of storage as a solution of economic problems at least has the support of common sense.It is diametrically opposed to the topsy-turvy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-idea-of-storage-as-a-solution-of-economic-problems-at-least-has/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [That poverty is no disaster is understood by everyone who has not yet succumbed to the madness of greed and luxury that turns everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/that-poverty-is-no-disaster-is-understood-by-everyone-who-has-not-yet/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [It was the saying of a great man, that if we could trace our descents, we should find all slaves to come from princes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-was-the-saying-of-a-great-man-that-if-we-could-trace-our-descents/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Men's activities are occupied into ways -- in grappling with external circumstances and in striving to set things at one in their own topsy-turvy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/men-s-activities-are-occupied-into-ways-in-grappling-with-external/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Dare to turn life on its end, and you may find that topsy-turvy is a truer perspective than turvy-topsy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/dare-to-turn-life-on-its-end-and-you-may-find-that-topsy-turvy-is-a/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [I've studied men from my topsy-turvy Close, and I reckon, rather true. Some are fine fellows: some, right scurvy; Most, a dash between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meredith/i-ve-studied-men-from-my-topsy-turvy-close-and-i-reckon-rather-true/) [George Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meredith/) > [Ours is the first society in history in which parents expect to learn from their children, rather than the other way around. Such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shana-alexander/ours-is-the-first-society-in-history-in-which-parents-expect-to-learn/) [Shana Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shana-alexander/) > [What has happened to create this doubt is that a problem (such as a deep conflict or a bad experience) has been allowed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-has-happened-to-create-this-doubt-is-that-a-problem-such-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ \[My advice\] will one day be found With other relics of 'a former world,' When this world shall be former, underground, Thrown topsy-turvy, twisted,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/my-advice-will-one-day-be-found-with-other-relics-of-a-former-world/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [It's a topsy-turvy world in which a country can import the same amount of ice-cream, toilet paper and other goods to trading partners as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-simms/it-s-a-topsy-turvy-world-in-which-a-country-can-import-the-same/) [Andrew Simms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-simms/) ## More by David Icke > [The families in positions of great financial power obsessively interbreed with each other. But I'm not talking about one Earth race, Jewish or non-Jewish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/the-families-in-positions-of-great-financial-power-obsessively/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [Dogmatic religion has been used to fantastic effect over thousands of years to fuel and exploit emotions like fear and guilt, and the feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/dogmatic-religion-has-been-used-to-fantastic-effect-over-thousands-of/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [“Yesterday is gone, tomorrow doesn’t exist – we need to accept Now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/yesterday-is-gone-tomorrow-doesn-t-exist-we-need-to-accept-now/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [Any society where it's a crime or a hassle to be different is a society based on psychological fascism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/any-society-where-it-s-a-crime-or-a-hassle-to-be-different-is-a/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [Life constantly presents the greatest opportunity brilliantly disguised as the biggest disaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/life-constantly-presents-the-greatest-opportunity-brilliantly/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [What is interesting to me, as I travel, is that exactly the same agenda is being implemented in every country I travel to. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/what-is-interesting-to-me-as-i-travel-is-that-exactly-the-same-agenda/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [“Most people would deny such a world (ancient highly advanced civilizations in the remote past) ever existed because it would be so at odds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/most-people-would-deny-such-a-world-ancient-highly-advanced/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [Cleverness without wisdom: the most destructive force on Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/cleverness-without-wisdom-the-most-destructive-force-on-earth/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [In terms of the way people see me, it breaks down into two very clear and distinct groups: those who think they know me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/in-terms-of-the-way-people-see-me-it-breaks-down-into-two-very-clear/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [I know that you are part of me and I am part of you because we are all aspects of the same infinite consciousness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/i-know-that-you-are-part-of-me-and-i-am-part-of-you-because-we-are/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [It's not where you start or where you finish. It is the distance between the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/it-s-not-where-you-start-or-where-you-finish-it-is-the-distance/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [The most effective way to close down the human mind and to manipulate its sense of self is to program into it some form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/the-most-effective-way-to-close-down-the-human-mind-and-to-manipulate/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [Interestingly, the British government announced a few weeks ago that they were going to introduce 500 educational targets for preschool children. And teachers complained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/interestingly-the-british-government-announced-a-few-weeks-ago-that/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [In the Atlantean period there were many energies being used and information and knowledge being used which were, for particular reasons of safety, withdrawn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/in-the-atlantean-period-there-were-many-energies-being-used-and/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [“When we give our minds and our responsibility away, we give our lives away. If enough of us do it, we give the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/when-we-give-our-minds-and-our-responsibility-away-we-give-our-lives/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) [Explore all 139 David Icke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) ## More Collector quotes > [Sometimes I am a collector of data, and only a collector, and am likely to be gross and miserly, piling up notes, pleased with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fort/sometimes-i-am-a-collector-of-data-and-only-a-collector-and-am-likely/) [Charles Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fort/) > [I bought tiny infant onesies while still in college and compiled a killer toy collection throughout my 20s and 30s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/i-bought-tiny-infant-onesies-while-still-in-college-and-compiled-a/) [Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/) > [I am a collector of jewels, old jewels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandro-michele/i-am-a-collector-of-jewels-old-jewels/) [Alessandro Michele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandro-michele/) > [“His life was now the life of a collector, and that gave it meaning. Evening after evening he would count and arrange his cuttings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/his-life-was-now-the-life-of-a-collector-and-that-gave-it-meaning/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [Before I had kids, my bag was clean. In case I need to occupy them, I like to have Hot Wheels cars, See's lollipops,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-brandt/before-i-had-kids-my-bag-was-clean-in-case-i-need-to-occupy-them-i/) [Betsy Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-brandt/) > [I love rare books. Not that I own a lot of them, mind you. You couldn't quite call me a rare-book collector. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/i-love-rare-books-not-that-i-own-a-lot-of-them-mind-you-you-couldn-t/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [Colder than a tax-collector's heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/colder-than-a-tax-collector-s-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“he was a collector rather than a hunter, buying his knowledge rather than seeking it with his own eyes and hands. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/he-was-a-collector-rather-than-a-hunter-buying-his-knowledge-rather/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [I woke up one day and I was like, "I don't have anything to save for myself for the future." That's when I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-wu/i-woke-up-one-day-and-i-was-like-i-don-t-have-anything-to-save-for/) [Jason Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-wu/) > [I'm a geeky toy collector, and to have toys of your own characters is unbelievably cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mccracken/i-m-a-geeky-toy-collector-and-to-have-toys-of-your-own-characters-is/) [Craig McCracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-mccracken/) > [I started getting back into buying old analog gear while we were recording. Lots of old drum machines and synths. It wasn't a conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-started-getting-back-into-buying-old-analog-gear-while-we-were/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I'm not a hoarder, I'm a collector: if you have something you like, every time you see it, you have a little happy hit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-m-not-a-hoarder-i-m-a-collector-if-you-have-something-you-like/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [My specialty as a collector is books that almost have value. When I love a book, I don't buy the first edition, because those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/my-specialty-as-a-collector-is-books-that-almost-have-value-when-i/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [I think when you get interested in antiques, the most frustrating thing is that books don't have enough photos. When you go to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-miller/i-think-when-you-get-interested-in-antiques-the-most-frustrating/) [Judith Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-miller/) > [I like sneakers. I guess I could call myself a collector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/i-like-sneakers-i-guess-i-could-call-myself-a-collector/) [Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/) Browse all 268 Collector quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A friend at school was always being laughed at because his father emptied dustbins for a living. But those who laughed worshipped famous footballers. This is an example of our topsy-turvy view of 'success.' Who would we miss most if they did not work for a month, the footballer or the garbage collector?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Icke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/a-friend-at-school-was-always-being-laughed-at-because-his-father/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Collector" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/a-friend-at-school-was-always-being-laughed-at-because-his-father/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/david-icke-2940_collectors_a-friend-at-school-was-always-being-laug_2120106.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/david-icke-2940_collectors_a-friend-at-school-was-always-being-laug_2120106.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/david-icke-2940_collectors_a-friend-at-school-was-always-being-laug_2120106.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A friend at school was always being laughed at because his father emptied dustbins for a living. But those…” — David Icke", "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 Icke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A friend at school was always...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/a-friend-at-school-was-always-being-laughed-at-because-his-father/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/a-friend-at-school-was-always-being-laughed-at-because-his-father/#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 } } ] } ```