--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cynical? Thats my fascination. I do…" description: "\"Cynical? Thats my fascination. I do hateful things, for which people love me, And lovable things for which they hate me. I am a friend of enemies, the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/jerome-lawrence-18153_cynical_cynical-thats-my-fascination-i-do-hatefu_2843212.png" --- # Cynical? Thats my fascination. I do hateful things, for… ![“Cynical? Thats my fascination. I do hateful things, for which people love me, And lovable things for which they hate me. I am a friend of enemies, the enemy of friends; I am admired for my detestability. I am both Poles and the Equator, with no Temperate Zones between.” quote by Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/jerome-lawrence-18153_cynical_cynical-thats-my-fascination-i-do-hatefu_2843212.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/jerome-lawrence-18153_cynical_cynical-thats-my-fascination-i-do-hatefu_2843212.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/jerome-lawrence-18153_cynical_cynical-thats-my-fascination-i-do-hatefu_2843212.png) > “Cynical? Thats my fascination. I do hateful things, for which people love me, And lovable things for which they hate me. I am a friend of enemies, the enemy of friends; I am admired for my detestability. I am both Poles and the Equator, with no Temperate Zones between.” [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A paradoxical self‑portrait of someone who thrives on contradictions and polarizing relationships. **In simple terms:** Loves hate, hates love; thrives on opposites. Key Takeaway Embrace complexity, recognize paradoxes. Themes identity contradiction social dynamics Mood conflicted introspective Type character study psychological When to use this quote - personal relationships - public persona - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts polarization self‑perception paradox Questions to Reflect On - Do you seek balance or revel in contradiction? - How does this affect your trust in others? A Different Perspective Such duality can alienate allies and create instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admired Detestability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admired-detestability-3738742/) [Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) [Cynical Thats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical-thats-3738741/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Fascination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascination/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hate me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-me/) [Hateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hateful/) [Lovable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lovable/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [They hate me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/they-hate-me/) [Things Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-hate/) [Zone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zone/) ## Related quotes > [Women can never forgive me; they hate me, they feel that I am disarming them. I show them without their coquetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-degas/women-can-never-forgive-me-they-hate-me-they-feel-that-i-am-disarming/) [Edgar Degas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-degas/) > [ I get flack for saying \[when I visit a college and give a speech\], "This is a nice college, but the really great educator… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-get-flack-for-saying-when-i-visit-a-college-and-give-a-speech-this/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [People don't stop me on the street and throw things at me. But I'm aware of what that dynamic is, so whenever people react…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-schreiber/people-don-t-stop-me-on-the-street-and-throw-things-at-me-but-i-m/) [Pablo Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-schreiber/) > [The stuff I find attractive in women I always regret finding attractive. I always like a kind of madness in a woman... I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/the-stuff-i-find-attractive-in-women-i-always-regret-finding/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [Comedy is frightening at first because you're opening yourself up. When it's just you and people hate it, you're like, "Oh God. Do they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-jost/comedy-is-frightening-at-first-because-you-re-opening-yourself-up/) [Colin Jost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-jost/) > [A revolution is bloody. Revolution is hostile. Revolution knows no compromise. Revolution overturns and destroys everything that gets in its way. And you, sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/a-revolution-is-bloody-revolution-is-hostile-revolution-knows-no/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Maybe they hate me because I'm too good!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-ronaldo/maybe-they-hate-me-because-i-m-too-good/) [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-ronaldo/) > [Then, when I'm in these relationships with people who are also creative, or creative in their own way, what happens is the attraction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/then-when-i-m-in-these-relationships-with-people-who-are-also/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [Home. One place is just like another, really. Maybe not. But truth is it's all just rock and dirt and people are roughly the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shaara/home-one-place-is-just-like-another-really-maybe-not-but-truth-is-it/) [Michael Shaara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shaara/) > [I really don't care what the other team thinks. I don't care what their fans think. If they hate me, great. Hate me. We'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-k-subban-2/i-really-don-t-care-what-the-other-team-thinks-i-don-t-care-what/) [P. K. Subban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-k-subban-2/) > [You know why they hate me, cause they love me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-boosie/you-know-why-they-hate-me-cause-they-love-me/) [Lil Boosie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-boosie/) > [People who know me, love me. People who don't know me love me too... or they hate me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/people-who-know-me-love-me-people-who-don-t-know-me-love-me-too-or/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [If people hate me they hate me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-boll/if-people-hate-me-they-hate-me/) [Uwe Boll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-boll/) > [As long as I'm in this city, I'm a lightning rod, ... People don't like me for a lot of reasons and I create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chaney/as-long-as-i-m-in-this-city-i-m-a-lightning-rod-people-don-t-like-me/) [John Chaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chaney/) > [Why do they call me misanthrope? Because They hate me, not I them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-do-they-call-me-misanthrope-because-they-hate-me-not-i-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jerome Lawrence > [When you lose the power to laugh, you lose your power to think straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/when-you-lose-the-power-to-laugh-you-lose-your-power-to-think-straight/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [“He weighs the volume in his hand; this one has been the center of the whirlwind. Then DRUMMOND notices the Bible on the JUDGE's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/he-weighs-the-volume-in-his-hand-this-one-has-been-the-center-of-the/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [Progress has never been a bargain. You have to pay for it. Sometimes I think there's a man who sits behind a counter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/progress-has-never-been-a-bargain-you-have-to-pay-for-it-sometimes-i/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [I think enthusiasm is the answer to passionate writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/i-think-enthusiasm-is-the-answer-to-passionate-writing/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [All motion is relative. Maybe it's you who've moved away by standing still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/all-motion-is-relative-maybe-it-s-you-who-ve-moved-away-by-standing/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [“I don't swear just for the hell of it. Language is a poor enough means of communication. I think we should use all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/i-don-t-swear-just-for-the-hell-of-it-language-is-a-poor-enough-means/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [The whole point of writing is to have something in your gut or in your soul or in your mind that's burning to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/the-whole-point-of-writing-is-to-have-something-in-your-gut-or-in/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [It's always such a joy that you wake up in the morning and there's work to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/it-s-always-such-a-joy-that-you-wake-up-in-the-morning-and-there-s/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [“Why? Because I refuse to erase a man's lifetime? I tell you Brady had the same right as Cates: the right to be wrong!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/why-because-i-refuse-to-erase-a-man-s-lifetime-i-tell-you-brady-had/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [The aftermath of the war is what inspired us to write many of our plays. The whole reason for our writing Inherit the Wind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/the-aftermath-of-the-war-is-what-inspired-us-to-write-many-of-our/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [“Hot dog? Bible? Now that poses a problem! Which is hungrier-my stomach or my soul?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/hot-dog-bible-now-that-poses-a-problem-which-is-hungrier-my-stomach/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [The man who has everything figured out is probably a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/the-man-who-has-everything-figured-out-is-probably-a-fool/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [Our only competition in the theater is boredom, because if I'm bored with a play, if I'm revolted by a play on stage, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/our-only-competition-in-the-theater-is-boredom-because-if-i-m-bored/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [A play is a passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/a-play-is-a-passion/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) > [“A giant once lived in that body. But Matt Brady got lost. Because he was looking for God too high up and too far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-lawrence/a-giant-once-lived-in-that-body-but-matt-brady-got-lost-because-he/) [Jerome Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) [Explore all 35 Jerome Lawrence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-lawrence/) ## More Cynical quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. Now I am living on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/sure-i-m-dramatic-and-sloppily-semi-cynical-and-semi-sentimental-but/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [We're so immaturely cynical as a culture. We're not wise enough to look at an institution like marriage and to really things about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peterson/we-re-so-immaturely-cynical-as-a-culture-we-re-not-wise-enough-to/) [Jordan Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peterson/) > [I'm not cynical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/i-m-not-cynical/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [A well governed people are generally a people who do not think much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-siegfried/a-well-governed-people-are-generally-a-people-who-do-not-think-much/) [Andre Siegfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-siegfried/) > [I love writers who are insightful enough to be cynical but choose not to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/i-love-writers-who-are-insightful-enough-to-be-cynical-but-choose-not/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [It is a very cynical, skeptical, foolish person that suggests Israel does not need a peace process to have a growing economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-quest/it-is-a-very-cynical-skeptical-foolish-person-that-suggests-israel/) [Richard Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-quest/) > [Songwriters might write cynical, world-wise lyrics and constantly talk about money, but most of us are downright naive when it comes to business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/songwriters-might-write-cynical-world-wise-lyrics-and-constantly-talk/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [No one more cynical than an idealist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/no-one-more-cynical-than-an-idealist/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [I've actually always wanted to write like a one-person show that was sort of a romantic comedy - a show that was kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-ve-actually-always-wanted-to-write-like-a-one-person-show-that-was/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [“That's what I've never been able to get about religion: that charmless combination of altruism and insanity. Give me a cynical, self-interested bastard any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey/that-s-what-i-ve-never-been-able-to-get-about-religion-that-charmless/) [Mike Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey/) > [As the rain falls and the sun shines, they grow, grow, grow; minds so open, they go through life aware and accepting, seeing light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/as-the-rain-falls-and-the-sun-shines-they-grow-grow-grow-minds-so/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [One of the weirdest things that happened to artists and art criticism was this moment when everyone got cynical and stopped believing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/one-of-the-weirdest-things-that-happened-to-artists-and-art-criticism/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) [Browse all 968 Cynical quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Cynical? 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