--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was 7 years old, I plagiarized…" description: "\"When I was 7 years old, I plagiarized, word for word, stories from science fiction magazines so my teachers would think I was smart.\" — James Altucher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ca/james-altucher-1597_fiction_when-i-was-7-years-old-i-plagiarized-wor_203111.png" --- # When I was 7 years old, I plagiarized, word for word… ![“When I was 7 years old, I plagiarized, word for word, stories from science fiction magazines so my teachers would think I was smart.” quote by James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ca/james-altucher-1597_fiction_when-i-was-7-years-old-i-plagiarized-wor_203111.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ca/james-altucher-1597_fiction_when-i-was-7-years-old-i-plagiarized-wor_203111.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ca/james-altucher-1597_fiction_when-i-was-7-years-old-i-plagiarized-wor_203111.png) > “When I was 7 years old, I plagiarized, word for word, stories from science fiction magazines so my teachers would think I was smart.” [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child’s early cheating reveals a desire for approval and fear of inadequacy, leading to unethical shortcuts. **In simple terms:** Kid copied stories to seem smart. Key Takeaway Recognize and address the root of insecurity. Themes insecurity approval ethics creativity Mood reflective concerned Type advice self‑help When to use this quote - school - writing assignments - creative projects - career development Key Concepts psychology selfesteem integrity Questions to Reflect On - What insecurities drive your shortcuts? - How can you seek validation ethically? A Different Perspective Short-term gains can damage long-term trust and growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers/) ## Related quotes > [I wrote the very first stories in science fiction which dealt with homosexuality, The World Well Lost and Affair With a Green Monkey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/i-wrote-the-very-first-stories-in-science-fiction-which-dealt-with/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > ['Cosmos' wouldn't deserve its place in primetime evening network television were it not a landscape on which compelling stories were told. People, when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/cosmos-wouldn-t-deserve-its-place-in-primetime-evening-network/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“Nobody cared if you plagiarized in the third grade. All”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-janz/nobody-cared-if-you-plagiarized-in-the-third-grade-all/) Jonathan Janz > [“It is obvious that the Aryan Romans culturally plagiarized the hexadecimal system from China. Not only did the former utilize the Abacus, they even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibrahim-ibrahim/it-is-obvious-that-the-aryan-romans-culturally-plagiarized-the/) [Ibrahim Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibrahim-ibrahim/) > [“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. Plagiarized from King David of Ysrael written sometime between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-silver/fret-not-thyself-because-of-evildoers-neither-be-thou-envious-against/) [Jordan Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-silver/) > [While I am not a journalist, I have, myself, written more than one thing that has been plagiarized in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/while-i-am-not-a-journalist-i-have-myself-written-more-than-one-thing/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [“I came up with a new reason To write your name today I plagiarized each letter From a love note you wrote me. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-wetch/i-came-up-with-a-new-reason-to-write-your-name-today-i-plagiarized/) [Justin Wetch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-wetch/) > [“In truth we re-create our reputation every day. Journalists with thirty years of credibility have washed their careers down the drain with one plagiarized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-truth-we-re-create-our-reputation-every-day-journalists-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nothing in the television show 'True Detective' was plagiarized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-pizzolatto/nothing-in-the-television-show-true-detective-was-plagiarized/) [Nic Pizzolatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-pizzolatto/) > [I've never fabricated or plagiarized anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kelley/i-ve-never-fabricated-or-plagiarized-anything/) [Jack Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kelley/) > [While we're working on the script, I never see any films. I make it a point because I don't want to get distracted. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepa-mehta/while-we-re-working-on-the-script-i-never-see-any-films-i-make-it-a/) [Deepa Mehta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepa-mehta/) > [“If the several important, uncontested correspondences did not exist, the numerous Christian authorities would not have gone to such lengths to establish that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-m-murdock/if-the-several-important-uncontested-correspondences-did-not-exist/) [D.M. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-m-murdock/) > [I hit adolescence only to discover my autobiography had already been written; plagiarized, in fact, by a man named J.D. Salinger who, in appropriating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-metcalf/i-hit-adolescence-only-to-discover-my-autobiography-had-already-been/) [Stephen Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/) > [I see my work plagiarized in gardening programmes and decorating programmes and car adverts, and I suppose I have to accept that's just the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-goldsworthy/i-see-my-work-plagiarized-in-gardening-programmes-and-decorating/) [Andy Goldsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-goldsworthy/) > [If Shakespeare had lived in our age, he would have been sued for writing Romeo And Juliet, because as everybody knows, he plagiarized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-kaufman/if-shakespeare-had-lived-in-our-age-he-would-have-been-sued-for/) [Lloyd Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-kaufman/) ## More by James Altucher > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Take control of who you report to, what you do, what you create. Or start a business on the side. Deliver some value, any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/take-control-of-who-you-report-to-what-you-do-what-you-create-or/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“oxytocin is the “god hormone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/oxytocin-is-the-god-hormone/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“How do you get past this?” Diversification is everything. You get past “this” by having lots of “that”s.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/how-do-you-get-past-this-diversification-is-everything-you-get-past/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [The best speakers are the ones who have put 10,000 hours into listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/the-best-speakers-are-the-ones-who-have-put-10-000-hours-into/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Someone who is reinventing always has spare time. Part of reinvention is collecting little bits and pieces of time and carving them the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/someone-who-is-reinventing-always-has-spare-time-part-of-reinvention/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [America is a country of fighters. People who fought their way in and then continued fighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/america-is-a-country-of-fighters-people-who-fought-their-way-in-and/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [I'm scammed almost every day. Or, if not scammed, at the very least someone tries to scam me. Usually more than once a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/i-m-scammed-almost-every-day-or-if-not-scammed-at-the-very-least/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Honesty is about the scars. It's about the blemishes. But it's more than just bragging about failure, which could be a form of ego.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/honesty-is-about-the-scars-it-s-about-the-blemishes-but-it-s-more/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Poker is a charismatic game. People who are larger than life play poker and make their living from playing games and hustling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/poker-is-a-charismatic-game-people-who-are-larger-than-life-play/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Help is a conversation. If one side talks too much, the other side will get bored. So make sure you help back when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/help-is-a-conversation-if-one-side-talks-too-much-the-other-side-will/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Finally, I started to care more about getting better than about winning. I started to study my losses. I would take my losses to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/finally-i-started-to-care-more-about-getting-better-than-about/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“g) Time it takes to reinvent yourself: five years. 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Even if you are afraid of what people think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/be-honest-about-mistakes-even-if-you-are-afraid-of-what-people-think/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) [Explore all 224 James Altucher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) ## More Fiction quotes > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [The thing about science fiction is that it's totally wide open. But it's wide open in a conditional way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/the-thing-about-science-fiction-is-that-it-s-totally-wide-open-but-it/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. 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