---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are nice things in the world - and…"
description: "\"There are nice things in the world - and I mean nice things. We're all such morons to get so sidetracked.\" — J. D. Salinger"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/j-d-salinger-2-3505_mean_there-are-nice-things-in-the-world-and-i_1080962.jpg"
---

#  There are nice things in the world - and I mean nice…

![“There are nice things in the world - and I mean nice things. We're all such morons to get so sidetracked.” quote by J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/j-d-salinger-2-3505_mean_there-are-nice-things-in-the-world-and-i_1080962.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/j-d-salinger-2-3505_mean_there-are-nice-things-in-the-world-and-i_1080962.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/j-d-salinger-2-3505_mean_there-are-nice-things-in-the-world-and-i_1080962.jpg)

> “There are nice things in the world - and I mean nice things. We're all such morons to get so sidetracked.”

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

## About This Quote

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

People often overlook simple joys, getting distracted by trivial concerns.

**In simple terms:** We miss simple joys due to distraction.

Key Takeaway

Pause and appreciate the simple.

Themes

mindfulness simplicity distraction

Mood

contemplative calm

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- daily routines
- mental health practices
- education

Key Concepts

philosophy literary critique

Questions to Reflect On

- What simple thing brings you joy?
- How can you reduce mental clutter?

A Different Perspective

Modern life’s complexity can make simplicity seem naïve.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Sidetracked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sidetracked/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [“God damn it, there are nice things in the world – and I mean nice things. We're all such morons to get so sidetracked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/god-damn-it-there-are-nice-things-in-the-world-and-i-mean-nice-things/)

[J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/)

> [“God damn it," he said, "there are nice things in the world- and I mean nice things. We're all such morons to get so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/god-damn-it-he-said-there-are-nice-things-in-the-world-and-i-mean/)

[J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/)

> [All morons hate it when you call them a moron.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/all-morons-hate-it-when-you-call-them-a-moron/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [Unfortunately our nation, nay, our world, is run by evil morons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-rucker/unfortunately-our-nation-nay-our-world-is-run-by-evil-morons/)

[Rudy Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-rucker/)

> [All the children seem to be coming out quite intelligent, thank goodness. It would have been such a bore to be the mother of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/all-the-children-seem-to-be-coming-out-quite-intelligent-thank/)

[Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/)

> [I'll be famous one day, but for now I'm stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons." - Greg Heffley,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-kinney/i-ll-be-famous-one-day-but-for-now-i-m-stuck-in-middle-school-with-a/)

[Jeff Kinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-kinney/)

> [Why are we rock stars? Because we're morons. We sleep all day, we play music at night and very rarely do we sit around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/why-are-we-rock-stars-because-we-re-morons-we-sleep-all-day-we-play/)

[Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/)

> [Never have a dog. Let's not beat around the bush here: dogs are morons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/never-have-a-dog-let-s-not-beat-around-the-bush-here-dogs-are-morons/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [I don’t wanna die, man. They’re not playing. Have you seen how many of them are out there? One just took a shot at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-don-t-wanna-die-man-they-re-not-playing-have-you-seen-how-many-of/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [I have a zero tolerance for sanctimonious morons who try to scare people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/i-have-a-zero-tolerance-for-sanctimonious-morons-who-try-to-scare/)

[Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/)

> [Testosterone is a great equalizer, it turns all men into morons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-deacon/testosterone-is-a-great-equalizer-it-turns-all-men-into-morons/)

[Giles Deacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-deacon/)

> [But, of course only morons would ever think or speak of themselves as intellectuals. That's why they all look so sad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/but-of-course-only-morons-would-ever-think-or-speak-of-themselves-as/)

[Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/)

> [Only morons start a business on a loan?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/only-morons-start-a-business-on-a-loan/)

[Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/)

> [ President George\] Bush talked to us like we were a bunch of morons and we ate it up. Can you imagine, the Pledge of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/president-george-bush-talked-to-us-like-we-were-a-bunch-of-morons-and/)

[John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/)

> [There are four kinds of people in this world: cretins, fools, morons, and lunatics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/there-are-four-kinds-of-people-in-this-world-cretins-fools-morons-and/)

[Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/)

## More by J. D. Salinger

> [... even the most sublimely accomplished non-stop talker can't consistently please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/even-the-most-sublimely-accomplished-non-stop-talker-can-t/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [But where does by far the bulk, the whole ambulance load, of pain really come from? Where must it come from? Isn't the true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/but-where-does-by-far-the-bulk-the-whole-ambulance-load-of-pain/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [“Nobody'd be different. The only thing that would be different would be you. Not that you'd be so much older or anything. It wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/nobody-d-be-different-the-only-thing-that-would-be-different-would-be/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [Sex is something I really don't understand too hot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/sex-is-something-i-really-don-t-understand-too-hot/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [“Meant-to-be-picked-up books. Permanently-left-behind books. Uncertain-what-to-do-with books. But books, books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/meant-to-be-picked-up-books-permanently-left-behind-books-uncertain/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [But if we come back, if German men come back, if British men come back, and Japs, and French, and all the other men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/but-if-we-come-back-if-german-men-come-back-if-british-men-come-back/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [Then again you may pick up just enough education to hate people who say, 'It's a secret between he and I.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/then-again-you-may-pick-up-just-enough-education-to-hate-people-who/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [The worst thing that being an artist could do to you would be that it would make you slightly unhappy constantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/the-worst-thing-that-being-an-artist-could-do-to-you-would-be-that-it/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [I'm sick of not having the courage to be an absolute nobody. I'm sick of myself and everybody else that wants to make some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/i-m-sick-of-not-having-the-courage-to-be-an-absolute-nobody-i-m-sick/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [“You keep records of their troubles. You’ll learn from them. If you want to Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/you-keep-records-of-their-troubles-you-ll-learn-from-them-if-you-want/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [I'm aware that many of my friends will be saddened and shocked, or shock-saddened, over some of the chapters in 'The Catcher In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/i-m-aware-that-many-of-my-friends-will-be-saddened-and-shocked-or/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [Most stuff that is genuine is better left unsaid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/most-stuff-that-is-genuine-is-better-left-unsaid/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [“Sex is something I really don't understand too hot. You never know where the hell you are. I keep making up these sex rules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/sex-is-something-i-really-don-t-understand-too-hot-you-never-know/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [An artist's only concern is to shoot for some kind of perfection, and on his own terms, not anyone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/an-artist-s-only-concern-is-to-shoot-for-some-kind-of-perfection-and/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

> [Its really hard to be roommates with people if your suitcases are much better than theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/its-really-hard-to-be-roommates-with-people-if-your-suitcases-are/)

[J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

[Explore all 121 J. D. Salinger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/)

## More Mean quotes

> [That we have the vote means nothing. That we use it in the right way means everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-henry-hoover/that-we-have-the-vote-means-nothing-that-we-use-it-in-the-right-way/)

[Lou Henry Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-henry-hoover/)

> [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/)

[John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/)

> [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/)

[Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/)

> [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/)

[James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/)

> [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/)

[Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/)

> [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/)

[John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/)

> [Being blonde, for me, means never having to say: 'I'll have the honey-striped half-head of highlights for £200,' to a bored colourist in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-johnson/being-blonde-for-me-means-never-having-to-say-i-ll-have-the-honey/)

[Rachel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-johnson/)

> [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/)

[Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/)

> [What is a moderate interpretation of the text? Halfway between what it really means and what you'd like it to mean?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/what-is-a-moderate-interpretation-of-the-text-halfway-between-what-it/)

[Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/)

> [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/)

[Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/)

> [The one means that wins the easiest victory over reason is terror and force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-one-means-that-wins-the-easiest-victory-over-reason-is-terror-and/)

[Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/)

> [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/)

[Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/)

> [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/)

[Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/)

Browse all 33,959 Mean quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "There are nice things in the world - and I mean nice things. We're all such morons to get so sidetracked.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "J. D. Salinger"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/there-are-nice-things-in-the-world-and-i-mean-nice-things-we-re-all/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Mean"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/there-are-nice-things-in-the-world-and-i-mean-nice-things-we-re-all/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/j-d-salinger-2-3505_mean_there-are-nice-things-in-the-world-and-i_1080962.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/j-d-salinger-2-3505_mean_there-are-nice-things-in-the-world-and-i_1080962.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4c/j-d-salinger-2-3505_mean_there-are-nice-things-in-the-world-and-i_1080962.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There are nice things in the world - and I mean nice things. We're all such morons to get so sidetracked.” — J. D. Salinger",
                "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": "J. D. Salinger",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "There are nice things in the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/there-are-nice-things-in-the-world-and-i-mean-nice-things-we-re-all/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/there-are-nice-things-in-the-world-and-i-mean-nice-things-we-re-all/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
