--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every time I see somebody behaving truly…" description: "\"Every time I see somebody behaving truly insanely in real life, I think, 'Yes! I'm not over the top after all!'\" — John Lithgow" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/john-lithgow-2438_behaving_every-time-i-see-somebody-behaving-truly_523814.jpg" --- # Every time I see somebody behaving truly insanely in real… ![“Every time I see somebody behaving truly insanely in real life, I think, 'Yes! I'm not over the top after all!'” quote by John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/john-lithgow-2438_behaving_every-time-i-see-somebody-behaving-truly_523814.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/john-lithgow-2438_behaving_every-time-i-see-somebody-behaving-truly_523814.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/john-lithgow-2438_behaving_every-time-i-see-somebody-behaving-truly_523814.jpg) > “Every time I see somebody behaving truly insanely in real life, I think, 'Yes! I'm not over the top after all!'” [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Witnessing extreme behavior can reassure us that our own actions are moderate. **In simple terms:** Seeing crazy people makes me feel normal. Key Takeaway Embrace your own balance. Themes self-awareness confidence moderation Mood relieved confident Type observational self‑reflective When to use this quote - daily interactions - social media - public events - workplace dynamics Key Concepts social comparison self-perception Questions to Reflect On - Does seeing others' excess help you accept yourself? - How do you define “over the top” for yourself? A Different Perspective Extreme behavior may be staged or atypical, not a true benchmark. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [If you're an actor, you tend to fool yourself into thinking you're much younger than you are because you're playing parts and behaving like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/if-you-re-an-actor-you-tend-to-fool-yourself-into-thinking-you-re/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [I was brought up to believe that human beings are good, which is why it shocks me to the core when I see human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/i-was-brought-up-to-believe-that-human-beings-are-good-which-is-why/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [Life is all about ass. You're either covering it, kicking it, kissing it, busting it, trying to get a piece of it or behaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-all-about-ass-you-re-either-covering-it-kicking-it-kissing-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We're herded into schools and terrified into behaving. Taught how we're supposed to pretend to be, taught to parrot all kinds of nonsense at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/we-re-herded-into-schools-and-terrified-into-behaving-taught-how-we/) [Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/) > [If you know why someone is doing what they're doing, why they're behaving the way they are, then that's your job to reveal that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/if-you-know-why-someone-is-doing-what-they-re-doing-why-they-re/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Life is all about ass; you're either covering it,laughing it off, kicking it, kissing it, busting it, trying to get a piece of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-all-about-ass-you-re-either-covering-it-laughing-it-off/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [At some point you have to stop acting as though life is happening to you and acknowledge the ways you are happening to it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-michaels/at-some-point-you-have-to-stop-acting-as-though-life-is-happening-to/) [Jillian Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-michaels/) > [“A great many grown-up and intelligent people believe, or pretend to believe, that by behaving in a friendly and accommodating way to our attackers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowman/a-great-many-grown-up-and-intelligent-people-believe-or-pretend-to/) James Bowman > [Happiness comes from knowing what you truly value, and behaving in a way that's consistent with those beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rowe/happiness-comes-from-knowing-what-you-truly-value-and-behaving-in-a/) [Mike Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rowe/) > [“We need to get our minds right, because right now we are behaving as if we are out of our right minds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-wallace/we-need-to-get-our-minds-right-because-right-now-we-are-behaving-as/) [Carlos Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-wallace/) > [In a world where people want answers immediately, I'm behaving a lot of the time in ways that contradict certain people's beliefs, or normally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matty-healy/in-a-world-where-people-want-answers-immediately-i-m-behaving-a-lot/) [Matty Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matty-healy/) > [I always laugh a lot when I see the dramas that I end up doing. I see myself behaving very seriously and I'm like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-garcia-bernal/i-always-laugh-a-lot-when-i-see-the-dramas-that-i-end-up-doing-i-see/) [Gael Garcia Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-garcia-bernal/) > [We have recognized that the world is changing. How your children are behaving, how their friends are behaving. What they consume and what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-packer/we-have-recognized-that-the-world-is-changing-how-your-children-are/) [James Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-packer/) > [It's risky because any number of things are going to happen that nobody can foresee. But right now everybody is the left is playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-s-risky-because-any-number-of-things-are-going-to-happen-that/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [So long as God reveals Himself, or doesn't, He is behaving like God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/so-long-as-god-reveals-himself-or-doesn-t-he-is-behaving-like-god/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) ## More by John Lithgow > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [The Broadway audience is made up of a greater percentage of tourists now. There's not nearly as much variety and danger and challenge in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/the-broadway-audience-is-made-up-of-a-greater-percentage-of-tourists/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [My sense of myself is that I'm a character actor, and character actors are ready, willing, and able to do anything, to be totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/my-sense-of-myself-is-that-i-m-a-character-actor-and-character-actors/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [The essence of comedy, drama, and horror is surprise. I have an uncanny ability to surprise people because they look at my face, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/the-essence-of-comedy-drama-and-horror-is-surprise-i-have-an-uncanny/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [I never get tired of hearing compliments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/i-never-get-tired-of-hearing-compliments/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [I think there are all sorts of ways of turning into an actor, and there are a vast variety of different actors. You know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/i-think-there-are-all-sorts-of-ways-of-turning-into-an-actor-and/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [I'd sleep under a Vermeer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/i-d-sleep-under-a-vermeer/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [I'm an avid Boston Red Sox fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/i-m-an-avid-boston-red-sox-fan/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [My very first role was when I was 2 1/2 years old; I was one of Nora's children in 'A Doll's House,' with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/my-very-first-role-was-when-i-was-2-1-2-years-old-i-was-one-of-nora-s/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [I'm as flighty as anybody. You put a lot out there. I've been through the process a lot. When I play a major role,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/i-m-as-flighty-as-anybody-you-put-a-lot-out-there-i-ve-been-through/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [We all grow up with inherited genes and inherited sensibilities, and they run very, very deep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/we-all-grow-up-with-inherited-genes-and-inherited-sensibilities-and/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [I don't deal with the nuts and bolts of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/i-don-t-deal-with-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-life/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [My worst audition was for Tim Burton for 'Batman.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/my-worst-audition-was-for-tim-burton-for-batman/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [I gave up shame a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/i-gave-up-shame-a-long-time-ago/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [Time sneaks up on you like a windshield on a bug.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/time-sneaks-up-on-you-like-a-windshield-on-a-bug/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) [Explore all 166 John Lithgow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) ## More Behaving quotes > [So long as God reveals Himself, or doesn't, He is behaving like God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/so-long-as-god-reveals-himself-or-doesn-t-he-is-behaving-like-god/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [It's risky because any number of things are going to happen that nobody can foresee. But right now everybody is the left is playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-s-risky-because-any-number-of-things-are-going-to-happen-that/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We have recognized that the world is changing. How your children are behaving, how their friends are behaving. What they consume and what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-packer/we-have-recognized-that-the-world-is-changing-how-your-children-are/) [James Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-packer/) > [I always laugh a lot when I see the dramas that I end up doing. I see myself behaving very seriously and I'm like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-garcia-bernal/i-always-laugh-a-lot-when-i-see-the-dramas-that-i-end-up-doing-i-see/) [Gael Garcia Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-garcia-bernal/) > [In a world where people want answers immediately, I'm behaving a lot of the time in ways that contradict certain people's beliefs, or normally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matty-healy/in-a-world-where-people-want-answers-immediately-i-m-behaving-a-lot/) [Matty Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matty-healy/) > [“We need to get our minds right, because right now we are behaving as if we are out of our right minds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-wallace/we-need-to-get-our-minds-right-because-right-now-we-are-behaving-as/) [Carlos Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-wallace/) > [Happiness comes from knowing what you truly value, and behaving in a way that's consistent with those beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rowe/happiness-comes-from-knowing-what-you-truly-value-and-behaving-in-a/) [Mike Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rowe/) > [“A great many grown-up and intelligent people believe, or pretend to believe, that by behaving in a friendly and accommodating way to our attackers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bowman/a-great-many-grown-up-and-intelligent-people-believe-or-pretend-to/) James Bowman > [At some point you have to stop acting as though life is happening to you and acknowledge the ways you are happening to it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-michaels/at-some-point-you-have-to-stop-acting-as-though-life-is-happening-to/) [Jillian Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-michaels/) > [Life is all about ass; you're either covering it,laughing it off, kicking it, kissing it, busting it, trying to get a piece of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-all-about-ass-you-re-either-covering-it-laughing-it-off/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you know why someone is doing what they're doing, why they're behaving the way they are, then that's your job to reveal that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/if-you-know-why-someone-is-doing-what-they-re-doing-why-they-re/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [We're herded into schools and terrified into behaving. Taught how we're supposed to pretend to be, taught to parrot all kinds of nonsense at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/we-re-herded-into-schools-and-terrified-into-behaving-taught-how-we/) [Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/) > [Life is all about ass. You're either covering it, kicking it, kissing it, busting it, trying to get a piece of it or behaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-all-about-ass-you-re-either-covering-it-kicking-it-kissing-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was brought up to believe that human beings are good, which is why it shocks me to the core when I see human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/i-was-brought-up-to-believe-that-human-beings-are-good-which-is-why/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [I believe, when in my behavior or in relationships or in the way I react to something, that I'm still dealing with some leftover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/i-believe-when-in-my-behavior-or-in-relationships-or-in-the-way-i/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) Browse all 119 Behaving quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every time I see somebody behaving truly insanely in real life, I think, 'Yes! 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