--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One good reason to only maintain a small…" description: "\"One good reason to only maintain a small circle of friends is that three out of four murders are committed by people who know the victim.\" — George Carlin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/george-carlin-155_circle-of-friends_one-good-reason-to-only-maintain-a-small_2935602.jpg" --- # One good reason to only maintain a small circle of friends… ![“One good reason to only maintain a small circle of friends is that three out of four murders are committed by people who know the victim.” quote by George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/george-carlin-155_circle-of-friends_one-good-reason-to-only-maintain-a-small_2935602.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/george-carlin-155_circle-of-friends_one-good-reason-to-only-maintain-a-small_2935602.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/george-carlin-155_circle-of-friends_one-good-reason-to-only-maintain-a-small_2935602.jpg) > “One good reason to only maintain a small circle of friends is that three out of four murders are committed by people who know the victim.” [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small social circles reduce risk of personal harm, as most murders involve acquaintances. **In simple terms:** Know fewer people to stay safer. Key Takeaway Limit close acquaintances for safety. Themes safety social circles crime Mood pragmatic wry Type comedic observational When to use this quote - networking events - community involvement - online dating Key Concepts trust risk management personal security Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance safety and social connection? - What criteria help you choose trustworthy friends? A Different Perspective Isolation can limit support networks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Circle of friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circle-of-friends/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Small Circle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-circle/) [Small Circle Of Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-circle-of-friends/) ## Related quotes > [Small circle of friends is better than fake friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-angela-deseles/small-circle-of-friends-is-better-than-fake-friends/) [Louise Angela Deseles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-angela-deseles/) > [“When we speak with others about our experience in Christ, it sharpens our attentiveness to the voice and will of the Father. Sharing our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-macchia/when-we-speak-with-others-about-our-experience-in-christ-it-sharpens/) Stephen A. Macchia > [I seriously keep a small circle of friends. If you're friends with everybody then you start to get lost in the mix of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-seriously-keep-a-small-circle-of-friends-if-you-re-friends-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have many acquaintances but a very small circle of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-many-acquaintances-but-a-very-small-circle-of-friends/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“emperor is dead, and has been all these years, then the murders we committed are not his responsibility. They are our own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/emperor-is-dead-and-has-been-all-these-years-then-the-murders-we/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [Most murders are committed by someone who is known to the victim. In fact, you are most likely to be murdered by a member…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/most-murders-are-committed-by-someone-who-is-known-to-the-victim-in/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) > [Except for cases that clearly involve a homicidal maniac, the police like to believe murders are committed by those we know and love, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/except-for-cases-that-clearly-involve-a-homicidal-maniac-the-police/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“More murders have been committed for respectability than one would believe possible! The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/more-murders-have-been-committed-for-respectability-than-one-would/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [25 States allow anyone to buy a gun, strap it on, and walk down the street with no permit of any kind: some say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ford/25-states-allow-anyone-to-buy-a-gun-strap-it-on-and-walk-down-the/) Andrew Ford > [Way over half the murders committed in this country are by close friends or relatives of the deceased. A gun makes a loud and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/way-over-half-the-murders-committed-in-this-country-are-by-close/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [“Footsteps out of the room. The side and rattle of a kitchen drawer. Lounds had covered many murders committed in kitchens where things are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/footsteps-out-of-the-room-the-side-and-rattle-of-a-kitchen-drawer/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [I didn't want people to know me as a victim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-murad/i-didn-t-want-people-to-know-me-as-a-victim/) [Nadia Murad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-murad/) > [Whining lets the brute know there's a victim for him in the neighborhood!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/whining-lets-the-brute-know-there-s-a-victim-for-him-in-the/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“KILL YOUR VICTIM Place an Obituary in the paper you know the victim reads. Place the ad on a Saturday morning. Anonymously spread a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarrin-p-lupo/kill-your-victim-place-an-obituary-in-the-paper-you-know-the-victim/) Tarrin P. Lupo > [“In consequence of this information, Wilhelm, with the most sedulous attention, set about preparing the piece, which was to usher him into the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/in-consequence-of-this-information-wilhelm-with-the-most-sedulous/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## More by George Carlin > [I never go anywhere or do anything that transports me outside the boundaries of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-never-go-anywhere-or-do-anything-that-transports-me-outside-the/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Comedy, although it is not one of the fine arts - it's a vulgar art, it's one of the people's arts, it's the spoken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/comedy-although-it-is-not-one-of-the-fine-arts-it-s-a-vulgar-art-it-s/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. ... These two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-m-completely-in-favor-of-the-separation-of-church-and-state-these/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY. Not true. Today is another day. We have no idea what tomorrow is going to be. It might turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/tomorrow-is-another-day-not-true-today-is-another-day-we-have-no-idea/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [I was a loner as a child. I had an imaginary friend - I didn't bother with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-was-a-loner-as-a-child-i-had-an-imaginary-friend-i-didn-t-bother/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/kilometers-are-shorter-than-miles-save-gas-take-your-next-trip-in/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“If you guys want to get a MOM tattoo and save a little money, just get two letters done. Get about a one-inch capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-you-guys-want-to-get-a-mom-tattoo-and-save-a-little-money-just-get/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-ve-built-up-so-much-speed-that-you-hit-70-after-that-it-s-a-day/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [It ended suddenly for Brenda, more slowly for me. My runs began getting shorter and less pleasurable. I'd feel bad after only one day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/it-ended-suddenly-for-brenda-more-slowly-for-me-my-runs-began-getting/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Is there another word for synonym?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/is-there-another-word-for-synonym/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The whole idea of the pursuit of goods and possessions has completely corrupted the human experience, along with religion, which I think limits the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-whole-idea-of-the-pursuit-of-goods-and-possessions-has-completely/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [These days many politicians are demanding change. Just like homeless people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/these-days-many-politicians-are-demanding-change-just-like-homeless/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [You know the good part about all those executions in Texas? Fewer Texans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-know-the-good-part-about-all-those-executions-in-texas-fewer/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [What was the best thing before sliced bread?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/what-was-the-best-thing-before-sliced-bread/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) [Explore all 1,098 George Carlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## More Circle of friends quotes > [A small ass circle of friends. A small ass circle of trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-small-ass-circle-of-friends-a-small-ass-circle-of-trust/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“All my life I have written letters - to our mother, our relatives, a wide circle of friends and acquaintance, to my husband, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delia-sherman/all-my-life-i-have-written-letters-to-our-mother-our-relatives-a-wide/) [Delia Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delia-sherman/) > [I've been blessed with health and an incredibly supportive circle of friends and family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mccourty/i-ve-been-blessed-with-health-and-an-incredibly-supportive-circle-of/) [Jason McCourty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mccourty/) > [“Fortunate, most fortunate occurrence!—fortunate for the millions of his manacled brethren, yet panting for deliverance from their awful thraldom!—fortunate for the cause of negro…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/fortunate-most-fortunate-occurrence-fortunate-for-the-millions-of-his/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [I have a very good, close circle of friends, I keep it positive. Obviously there is the negative stuff, but you've got to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-coyle/i-have-a-very-good-close-circle-of-friends-i-keep-it-positive/) [Nadine Coyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-coyle/) > [I don't belong to any country clubs. I don't have this big circle of friends. Where I make my friends is where I work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-belong-to-any-country-clubs-i-don-t-have-this-big-circle-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Building a wardrobe is like building a circle of friends your whole life… Your own beauty is to be yourself, but of course we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/building-a-wardrobe-is-like-building-a-circle-of-friends-your-whole/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [“Everyone was so worried about me when I broke my ankle and it confused me. I have a huge, loving family and a solid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/everyone-was-so-worried-about-me-when-i-broke-my-ankle-and-it/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [“In 1956, two psychologists, Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, would conclude that television’s representation of celebrities was carefully constructed to create an “illusion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/in-1956-two-psychologists-donald-horton-and-richard-wohl-would/) [tim wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [In every circle of friends theres always that one person everyone secretly hates. Dont have one? Then its probably you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-every-circle-of-friends-theres-always-that-one-person-everyone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think that it is important to be gregarious, and that friendships are not just a leisure pursuit, that they are an integral part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-ferguson/i-think-that-it-is-important-to-be-gregarious-and-that-friendships/) [Niall Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-ferguson/) > [Prison widens your circle of friends. In my stand-up, I can now talk about things that no one else has the right to touch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-charles/prison-widens-your-circle-of-friends-in-my-stand-up-i-can-now-talk/) [Craig Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-charles/) > [We create our buildings and then they create us. Likewise, we construct our circle of friends and our communities and then they construct us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/we-create-our-buildings-and-then-they-create-us-likewise-we-construct/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [My parents had this extraordinary circle of friends. My father would be photographing somebody every day, someone from the world of the arts, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-linley/my-parents-had-this-extraordinary-circle-of-friends-my-father-would/) [David Linley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-linley/) > [“In consequence of this information, Wilhelm, with the most sedulous attention, set about preparing the piece, which was to usher him into the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/in-consequence-of-this-information-wilhelm-with-the-most-sedulous/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) [Browse all 112 Circle of friends quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circle-of-friends/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One good reason to only maintain a small circle of friends is that three out of four murders are committed by people who know the victim.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Carlin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/one-good-reason-to-only-maintain-a-small-circle-of-friends-is-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Circle of friends" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/one-good-reason-to-only-maintain-a-small-circle-of-friends-is-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/george-carlin-155_circle-of-friends_one-good-reason-to-only-maintain-a-small_2935602.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/george-carlin-155_circle-of-friends_one-good-reason-to-only-maintain-a-small_2935602.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/george-carlin-155_circle-of-friends_one-good-reason-to-only-maintain-a-small_2935602.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One good reason to only maintain a small circle of friends is that three out of four murders are committed…” — George Carlin", "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": "George Carlin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One good reason to only maintain...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/one-good-reason-to-only-maintain-a-small-circle-of-friends-is-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/one-good-reason-to-only-maintain-a-small-circle-of-friends-is-that/#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 } } ] } ```