--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Both cream and scum can rise to the top…" description: "\"Both cream and scum can rise to the top, unfortunately. This lower-quality stuff that's going higher isn't doing it on fundamentals.\" — John Manley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/john-manley-38458_cream_both-cream-and-scum-can-rise-to-the-top_2603101.jpg" --- # Both cream and scum can rise to the top, unfortunately… ![“Both cream and scum can rise to the top, unfortunately. This lower-quality stuff that's going higher isn't doing it on fundamentals.” quote by John Manley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/john-manley-38458_cream_both-cream-and-scum-can-rise-to-the-top_2603101.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/john-manley-38458_cream_both-cream-and-scum-can-rise-to-the-top_2603101.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/john-manley-38458_cream_both-cream-and-scum-can-rise-to-the-top_2603101.jpg) > “Both cream and scum can rise to the top, unfortunately. This lower-quality stuff that's going higher isn't doing it on fundamentals.” [John Manley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-manley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Superficial success often elevates low‑quality entities, revealing systemic flaws over genuine merit. **In simple terms:** Low quality can rise to the top. Key Takeaway Critically assess surface success. Themes leadership quality systems meritocracy critique Mood critical skeptical insightful Type analysis commentary When to use this quote - corporate promotions - political elections - media hype - viral trends Key Concepts economics political science organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - What indicators reveal true quality? - How can merit be better recognized? A Different Perspective Not all high‑visibility successes are unsustainable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cream/) [Cream Scum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cream-scum-1962804/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher/) [Lower Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lower-quality-932553/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Rise to the top](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rise-to-the-top/) [Rise Unfortunately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rise-unfortunately-1962807/) [Scum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scum/) [Scum Rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scum-rise-1962805/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Unfortunately Lower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfortunately-lower-1962806/) ## Related quotes > [Never lower the quality of yourself to please others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-robinson/never-lower-the-quality-of-yourself-to-please-others/) [Bernie Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-robinson/) > [When you start out, you have to make compromises, which include doing films of lower quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-cates/when-you-start-out-you-have-to-make-compromises-which-include-doing/) [Phoebe Cates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-cates/) > [A star wants to see himself rise to the top. A leader wants to see those around him rise to the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/a-star-wants-to-see-himself-rise-to-the-top-a-leader-wants-to-see/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [You never wanna rise to the top too fast in anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-ricch/you-never-wanna-rise-to-the-top-too-fast-in-anything/) [Roddy Ricch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-ricch/) > [Talent is going to rise to the top, whether they come from TNA or from outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-daniels/talent-is-going-to-rise-to-the-top-whether-they-come-from-tna-or-from/) [Christopher Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-daniels/) > [I would ask: Given the nature of free-market capitalism - where the rule is to rise to the top at all costs - is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/i-would-ask-given-the-nature-of-free-market-capitalism-where-the-rule/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [Cause everything I've done - there's no smokescreen. Everything the people have seen me do, they've literally seen me start from the bottom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riff-raff/cause-everything-i-ve-done-there-s-no-smokescreen-everything-the/) [Riff Raff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riff-raff/) > [ In short form I'll say it was an approach to the family and to \[author\] Jon Krakauer that then led to me seeming to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-penn/in-short-form-i-ll-say-it-was-an-approach-to-the-family-and-to-author/) [Sean Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-penn/) > [We can't wait until elections to fight for what we care about. We can't hope for a benevolent leader who may choose to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-pincus/we-can-t-wait-until-elections-to-fight-for-what-we-care-about-we-can/) [Mark Pincus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-pincus/) > [If we recognize our talents and use them appropriately, and choose a field that uses those talents, we will rise to the top of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-we-recognize-our-talents-and-use-them-appropriately-and-choose-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I always thought that I was a good swimmer, you know? That in a sink or swim situation I would rise to the top.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hayes/i-always-thought-that-i-was-a-good-swimmer-you-know-that-in-a-sink-or/) [Rachel Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hayes/) > [We live in an age of unprecedented opportunity: If you’ve got ambition and smarts, you can rise to the top of your chosen profession,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/we-live-in-an-age-of-unprecedented-opportunity-if-you-ve-got-ambition/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [“I am excited to report that I may have gotten a job as an elevator attendant. It's a three-flight elevator, and my primary objective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-am-excited-to-report-that-i-may-have-gotten-a-job-as-an-elevator/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Invest maximum amount of time into refining your gift and become best at what you were called to do and you will be surprised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/invest-maximum-amount-of-time-into-refining-your-gift-and-become-best/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [This whole phenomenon of the diversion of organizations from their purposes and ideals does not seem very serious when the scum rise to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shea/this-whole-phenomenon-of-the-diversion-of-organizations-from-their/) [Robert Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shea/) ## More by John Manley > [Both Donald Trump and the Democrats have said terrible things about the healthcare companies. If healthcare companies think they can make money in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-manley/both-donald-trump-and-the-democrats-have-said-terrible-things-about/) [John Manley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-manley/) > [The fact that the bond market is rallying today is a plus. If this ends up being a bear market, it will be one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-manley/the-fact-that-the-bond-market-is-rallying-today-is-a-plus-if-this/) [John Manley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-manley/) > [Be flexible. Don't be afraid to change your mind. If you're wrong, change your mind. If you go down the wrong path, and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-manley/be-flexible-don-t-be-afraid-to-change-your-mind-if-you-re-wrong/) [John Manley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-manley/) > [The other kind of market like technology is healthcare. Nobody likes the healthcare industry, but on the other hand, everyone wants to live longer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-manley/the-other-kind-of-market-like-technology-is-healthcare-nobody-likes/) [John Manley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-manley/) > [What caused 2008, in my opinion, is that people just didn't see the risk. These people that took on all this risk didn't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-manley/what-caused-2008-in-my-opinion-is-that-people-just-didn-t-see-the/) [John Manley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-manley/) > [Being flexible is incredibly important. You can change your mind. I understand not wanting to flit around, jumping at something little, but you also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-manley/being-flexible-is-incredibly-important-you-can-change-your-mind-i/) [John Manley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-manley/) > [I always think of the economy as going down a pretty broad road that has mud on either side - for inflation and deflation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-manley/i-always-think-of-the-economy-as-going-down-a-pretty-broad-road-that/) [John Manley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-manley/) > [People are getting tired of being constantly on edge. Maybe that means they do let down their guard or that they're complacent. What does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-manley/people-are-getting-tired-of-being-constantly-on-edge-maybe-that-means/) [John Manley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-manley/) > [There's an old line that goes, the truck you see 400 yards down the road is not the truck that hits you. When we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-manley/there-s-an-old-line-that-goes-the-truck-you-see-400-yards-down-the/) [John Manley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-manley/) > [I think people are complacent. But complacency is like any other metric. It's easy to measure where it is, but it's hard to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-manley/i-think-people-are-complacent-but-complacency-is-like-any-other/) [John Manley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-manley/) [Explore all 11 John Manley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-manley/) ## More Cream quotes > [I have a lot of secret uses for sour cream, which is the magic ingredient in my mac and cheese. It's an old-timey, Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-deen/i-have-a-lot-of-secret-uses-for-sour-cream-which-is-the-magic/) [Paula Deen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-deen/) > [The improved American highway system isolated the American-in-transit. On his speedway he had no contact with the towns which he by-passed. If he stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-improved-american-highway-system-isolated-the-american-in-transit/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [It's still possible to savor the remarkable foods that millennia of human ingenuity have teased from milk. A sip of milk itself or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-mcgee/it-s-still-possible-to-savor-the-remarkable-foods-that-millennia-of/) [Harold McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-mcgee/) > ['Constitutional' is just a real pip of a word. Positively rolls off the tongue. In fact, it's downright fun to say. 'Con-stit-too-shun-al.' It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/constitutional-is-just-a-real-pip-of-a-word-positively-rolls-off-the/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [Better the fragrant herb of wit and a little cream of affability than all the pretty cups in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-wyck-brooks/better-the-fragrant-herb-of-wit-and-a-little-cream-of-affability-than/) [Van Wyck Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-wyck-brooks/) > [Oh wow, you know what's wrong with all these families on TV? All these kids say stuff no kid would say. Stuff grown-ups want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macaulay-culkin/oh-wow-you-know-what-s-wrong-with-all-these-families-on-tv-all-these/) [Macaulay Culkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macaulay-culkin/) > [It was a very intense and stressful situation. There was playing in the Johnny-pump (an opened fire hydrant) and the ice-cream man coming around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/it-was-a-very-intense-and-stressful-situation-there-was-playing-in/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [It shows you exactly how a star is formed; nothing else can be so pretty! A cluster of vapor, the cream of the milky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/it-shows-you-exactly-how-a-star-is-formed-nothing-else-can-be-so/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [There were some problems only coffee and ice cream could fix.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amal-el-mohtar/there-were-some-problems-only-coffee-and-ice-cream-could-fix/) [Amal El-Mohtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amal-el-mohtar/) > [We have lost the good old British spirit. Instead we have American journalism and black-shirted buffoons making a cheap imitation of ice-cream sellers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-mosley/we-have-lost-the-good-old-british-spirit-instead-we-have-american/) [Oswald Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-mosley/) > [The elevator shaft was a kind of heat sink. Hot food was cold by the time it arrived. Cold food got colder. No one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-elevator-shaft-was-a-kind-of-heat-sink-hot-food-was-cold-by-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I like Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, as it's great for soothing dry skin and adding shine. I use it instead of balm, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-madekwe/i-like-elizabeth-arden-eight-hour-cream-as-it-s-great-for-soothing/) [Ashley Madekwe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-madekwe/) > [I don't deny myself food. I'm no saint. I love butter and cream, but I also eat lots of grains and fruits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-don-t-deny-myself-food-i-m-no-saint-i-love-butter-and-cream-but-i/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [I don't always have the best eating habits. I like butter and ice cream. There are days when I should work out and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-griffith-joyner/i-don-t-always-have-the-best-eating-habits-i-like-butter-and-ice/) [Florence Griffith Joyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-griffith-joyner/) > [I didn't grow up in one of those restrictive Christian households where you couldn't do this or that. We were brought up with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolanda-adams/i-didn-t-grow-up-in-one-of-those-restrictive-christian-households/) [Yolanda Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolanda-adams/) [Browse all 813 Cream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Both cream and scum can rise to the top, unfortunately. 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