--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They were exactly the same morons that…" description: "\"“They were exactly the same morons that laugh like hyenas in the movies at stuff that isn't funny. I swear to God, if I were a piano player or an actor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc2/j-d-salinger-560_crowd_they-were-exactly-the-same-morons-that-l_2647441.png" --- # They were exactly the same morons that laugh like hyenas… ![“They were exactly the same morons that laugh like hyenas in the movies at stuff that isn't funny. I swear to God, if I were a piano player or an actor or something and all those dopes thought I was terrific, I'd hate it. I wouldn't even want them to clap for me. People always clap for the wrong…” quote by J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc2/j-d-salinger-560_crowd_they-were-exactly-the-same-morons-that-l_2647441.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc2/j-d-salinger-560_crowd_they-were-exactly-the-same-morons-that-l_2647441.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc2/j-d-salinger-560_crowd_they-were-exactly-the-same-morons-that-l_2647441.png) > ““They were exactly the same morons that laugh like hyenas in the movies at stuff that isn't funny. I swear to God, if I were a piano player or an actor or something and all those dopes thought I was terrific, I'd hate it. I wouldn't even want them to clap for me. People always clap for the wrong things.”” [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) ## 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 praise superficial talent, causing frustration for those who value genuine skill. **In simple terms:** False praise frustrates authentic creators. Key Takeaway Seek authentic feedback, not empty applause. Themes authenticity validation creativity frustration Mood irritated reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - performing arts - writing workshops - online reviews - social media Key Concepts self‑esteem public perception artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate genuine praise from flattery? - What role does humility play in creative work? A Different Perspective Not all criticism is harmful; constructive feedback can guide growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor Dopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-dopes-2321983/) [Clap People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clap-people-1255008/) [Crowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crowd/) [Exactly Morons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exactly-morons-2321982/) [Morons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morons/) [Morons Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morons-laugh-2321981/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Piano Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano-player/) [Popularity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popularity/) ## Related quotes > [I'd swear to God, if I were a piano player or an actor or something and all those dopes thought I was terrific, I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-swear-to-god-if-i-were-a-piano-player-or-an-actor-or-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I swear to God, if I were a piano player or an actor or something and all those dopes thought I was terrific, I’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/i-swear-to-god-if-i-were-a-piano-player-or-an-actor-or-something-and/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [People like to clap back at the people who speak out most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-winter/people-like-to-clap-back-at-the-people-who-speak-out-most/) [Ariel Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-winter/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [“I'm not too sure what the name of the song was that he was playing when I came in, but whatever it was, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-m-not-too-sure-what-the-name-of-the-song-was-that-he-was-playing/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [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/) > [“It’s not true I think all politicians are morons. Morons are far too intelligent to be politicians.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/it-s-not-true-i-think-all-politicians-are-morons-morons-are-far-too/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [If there is one way that I would sum up what the 2016 election was on cable news, it was world-class journalists interviewing morons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovett/if-there-is-one-way-that-i-would-sum-up-what-the-2016-election-was-on/) [Jon Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovett/) > [“Finnie kicked a packet of washing powder. "Why am I surrounded by morons? Did I tick the wrong bloody box for room service? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-macbride/finnie-kicked-a-packet-of-washing-powder-why-am-i-surrounded-by/) [Stuart MacBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-macbride/) > [We've all heard stories of lottery winners, rock stars, heirs and heiresses, and professional athletes becoming millionaire morons who wake up rich but are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/we-ve-all-heard-stories-of-lottery-winners-rock-stars-heirs-and/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Its hard to decide if TV makes morons out of everyone, or if it mirrors Americans who really are morons to begin with](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mull/its-hard-to-decide-if-tv-makes-morons-out-of-everyone-or-if-it/) [Martin Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mull/) > [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/) > [Men think that not being able to wire a plug somehow makes them more creative or intellectual. It just makes them morons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-may/men-think-that-not-being-able-to-wire-a-plug-somehow-makes-them-more/) [James May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-may/) ## More by J.D. Salinger > [“I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all… I'm standing on the edge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-keep-picturing-all-these-little-kids-playing-some-game-in-this-big/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“If you're a poet, you do something beautiful. I mean you're supposed to leave something beautiful after you get off the page and everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/if-you-re-a-poet-you-do-something-beautiful-i-mean-you-re-supposed-to/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was… The only thing that would be different would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/the-best-thing-though-in-that-museum-was-that-everything-always/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“And you make people nervous, young man," she said - most equably, for her. "You either take to somebody or you don't. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/and-you-make-people-nervous-young-man-she-said-most-equably-for-her/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“I still think that, in a way, I can't get past half my childhood dogmas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-still-think-that-in-a-way-i-can-t-get-past-half-my-childhood-dogmas/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“He stuck around till around dinnertime, talking about all the guys at Pencey that he hated their guts, and squeezing this big pimple on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/he-stuck-around-till-around-dinnertime-talking-about-all-the-guys-at/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“For example, when Seymour told one of the twins or Zooey or Franny or even Mme. Boo Boo (who was only two years younger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/for-example-when-seymour-told-one-of-the-twins-or-zooey-or-franny-or/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“One thing? One thing I like? Okay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/one-thing-one-thing-i-like-okay/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“The cigars are ballast, sweetheart. Sheer ballast. If he didn’t have a cigar to hold on to, his feet would leave the ground. We’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/the-cigars-are-ballast-sweetheart-sheer-ballast-if-he-didn-t-have-a/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“They're just people that write poems that get published and anthologized all over the place but they're not poets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/they-re-just-people-that-write-poems-that-get-published-and/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“In certain Zen monasteries, it's a cardinal rule, if not the only serious enforced discipline, that when one monk calls out 'Hi!' to another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/in-certain-zen-monasteries-it-s-a-cardinal-rule-if-not-the-only/) [j.d. salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“And I hate to tell you... but I think that once you have a fair idea where you want to go, your first move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/and-i-hate-to-tell-you-but-i-think-that-once-you-have-a-fair-idea/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“Hi,' he said. He always said it like he was terrifically bored or terrifically tired. He didn't want you to think he was visiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/hi-he-said-he-always-said-it-like-he-was-terrifically-bored-or/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [ “\[Y\]ou’re someone who took up birds in the first place because they fired your imagination; they fascinated you because ‘they seemed of all created… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/y-ou-re-someone-who-took-up-birds-in-the-first-place-because-they/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) [Explore all 416 J.D. Salinger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) ## More Crowd quotes > [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [I guess because we're essentially a two-man band, we're attracting Wham's crowd. But Wham! are more of a businessman's band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-guess-because-we-re-essentially-a-two-man-band-we-re-attracting/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [Regardless of what I do, whether I write a book or whether I act or whether I host, I'll always do stand-up comedy because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/regardless-of-what-i-do-whether-i-write-a-book-or-whether-i-act-or/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [“An applause is not just the recognition of good performance, but its proof of being different than the crowd.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-applause-is-not-just-the-recognition-of-good-performance-but-its/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Chicago, to me, is the best wrestling crowd on the planet. They are the best. They are loud, they are ruthless, and they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldust/chicago-to-me-is-the-best-wrestling-crowd-on-the-planet-they-are-the/) [Goldust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldust/) > [I always tried to be different from everyone else. Then I found out about boxing. That was the way I could be different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riddick-bowe/i-always-tried-to-be-different-from-everyone-else-then-i-found-out/) [Riddick Bowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riddick-bowe/) > [It's fun, and a laugh for you... you can boo me and feel happy about yourself because you're part of the crowd that did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-goodes/it-s-fun-and-a-laugh-for-you-you-can-boo-me-and-feel-happy-about/) [Adam Goodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-goodes/) > [Yeah, we might have a video on 'TRL,' but when you go to the Warped Tour you're going to see us walking around in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-gilbert/yeah-we-might-have-a-video-on-trl-but-when-you-go-to-the-warped-tour/) [Chad Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-gilbert/) > [You can have the best production, the best stage in the world, but without a crowd, the festival is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardwell/you-can-have-the-best-production-the-best-stage-in-the-world-but/) [Hardwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardwell/) > [“On Broadway it was still bright afternoon and the gassy air was almost motionless under the leaden spokes of sunlight, and sawdust footprints lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/on-broadway-it-was-still-bright-afternoon-and-the-gassy-air-was/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [“The crowd wants a hero,not just someone cutting up meat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dewey-gram/the-crowd-wants-a-hero-not-just-someone-cutting-up-meat/) [Dewey Gram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dewey-gram/) > [The crowd, especially at Anfield, want us to win so much that it transmits itself down on to the pitch at times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/the-crowd-especially-at-anfield-want-us-to-win-so-much-that-it/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I like playing with a good crowd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-garcia/i-like-playing-with-a-good-crowd/) [Sergio Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-garcia/) > [I was DJing for this party promotion called 1st Flight Entertainment, having to DJ on the weekends and then also going to school in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tay-keith/i-was-djing-for-this-party-promotion-called-1st-flight-entertainment/) [Tay Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tay-keith/) [Browse all 1,548 Crowd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crowd/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They were exactly the same morons that laugh like hyenas in the movies at stuff that isn't funny. 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