--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The higher a monkey climbs, the more you…" description: "\"The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of its behind.\" — Joseph Stilwell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/joseph-stilwell-55506_behinds_the-higher-a-monkey-climbs-the-more-you_54469.jpg" --- # The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of its behind. ![“The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of its behind.” quote by Joseph Stilwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/joseph-stilwell-55506_behinds_the-higher-a-monkey-climbs-the-more-you_54469.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/joseph-stilwell-55506_behinds_the-higher-a-monkey-climbs-the-more-you_54469.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/joseph-stilwell-55506_behinds_the-higher-a-monkey-climbs-the-more-you_54469.jpg) > “The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of its behind.” [Joseph Stilwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stilwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Higher ambition or status often reveals personal flaws or hidden aspects that were previously unseen. **In simple terms:** Ambition exposes hidden flaws. Key Takeaway Success can unveil personal shortcomings. Themes humor social critique human nature status perception Mood wry cynical reflective Type aphorism satire observation When to use this quote - corporate promotions - political campaigns - celebrity culture - social media fame - leadership roles Key Concepts ego visibility vulnerability self-awareness Practical Applications - leadership coaching - risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - How does increased visibility affect personal behavior? - What safeguards can protect integrity amid rising status? A Different Perspective Success does not always correlate with moral integrity; many high achievers remain virtuous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-business/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Monkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monkey/) [Monkeys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monkeys/) [Sarcastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sarcastic/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [A meeting is an event at which the minutes are kept and the hours are lost. She should go far. The sooner she starts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stilwell/a-meeting-is-an-event-at-which-the-minutes-are-kept-and-the-hours-are/) [Joseph Stilwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stilwell/) > [The higher the monkey climbs, the more he shows his ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson-jr/the-higher-the-monkey-climbs-the-more-he-shows-his-ass/) [Thomas Watson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson-jr/) > [Keep your sense of humor. As General Joe Stillwell said, 'The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/keep-your-sense-of-humor-as-general-joe-stillwell-said-the-higher-a/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [As the monkey climbs the tree, more people can see his bottom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-louis-gassee/as-the-monkey-climbs-the-tree-more-people-can-see-his-bottom/) [Jean-Louis Gassee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-louis-gassee/) > [The more the monkey climbs the more is exposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaican-proverb/the-more-the-monkey-climbs-the-more-is-exposed/) Jamaican Proverb > [A monkey could drive this train.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-whitman/a-monkey-could-drive-this-train/) [Meg Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-whitman/) > [In all honesty, if somebody asked me the secret of auditioning for Americans, I don't know. Often, I do what's called self-taping for America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wenham/in-all-honesty-if-somebody-asked-me-the-secret-of-auditioning-for/) [David Wenham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wenham/) > [We are creatures of information and the imagination. The monkey we are already beginning to transform and shed. We don't look like the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-creatures-of-information-and-the-imagination-the-monkey-we-are/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [If money grew on trees... girls would date monkeys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/if-money-grew-on-trees-girls-would-date-monkeys/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I don't mind if, according to the Law of Evolution, my grand grand grand etc. father is a monkey,but I do mind if he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/i-don-t-mind-if-according-to-the-law-of-evolution-my-grand-grand/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Well, there's no monkey on my back,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-clijsters/well-there-s-no-monkey-on-my-back/) [Kim Clijsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-clijsters/) > [A monkey was the President, though maybe not the first. And there was peace and harmony throughout the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-t-hall/a-monkey-was-the-president-though-maybe-not-the-first-and-there-was/) [Tom T. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-t-hall/) > [My dream pet? I like a couple of them, man: monkey, I love dogs. See, tigers, I don't know - I can't be playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/french-montana/my-dream-pet-i-like-a-couple-of-them-man-monkey-i-love-dogs-see/) [French Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/french-montana/) > [But then, after all, we are all alike, for we are all derived from the monkey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/but-then-after-all-we-are-all-alike-for-we-are-all-derived-from-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Monkeys who very sensibly refrain from speech, lest they should be set to earn their livings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/monkeys-who-very-sensibly-refrain-from-speech-lest-they-should-be-set/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) ## More by Joseph Stilwell > [Direct, forceful, energetic. Loves power, eats up publicity and flattery... Can turn on charm at will and knows it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stilwell/direct-forceful-energetic-loves-power-eats-up-publicity-and-flattery/) [Joseph Stilwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stilwell/) > [A meeting is an event at which the minutes are kept and the hours are lost. She should go far. The sooner she starts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stilwell/a-meeting-is-an-event-at-which-the-minutes-are-kept-and-the-hours-are/) [Joseph Stilwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stilwell/) > [Illegitimis non carborundum. Lat., Don't let the bastards grind you down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stilwell/illegitimis-non-carborundum-lat-don-t-let-the-bastards-grind-you-down/) [Joseph Stilwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stilwell/) > [I claim we got a hell of a beating. We got run out of Burma and it is as humiliating as hell. 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With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of its behind.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Stilwell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stilwell/the-higher-a-monkey-climbs-the-more-you-see-of-its-behind/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stilwell/the-higher-a-monkey-climbs-the-more-you-see-of-its-behind/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/joseph-stilwell-55506_behinds_the-higher-a-monkey-climbs-the-more-you_54469.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/joseph-stilwell-55506_behinds_the-higher-a-monkey-climbs-the-more-you_54469.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/joseph-stilwell-55506_behinds_the-higher-a-monkey-climbs-the-more-you_54469.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of its behind.” — Joseph Stilwell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joseph Stilwell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stilwell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The higher a monkey climbs, the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stilwell/the-higher-a-monkey-climbs-the-more-you-see-of-its-behind/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stilwell/the-higher-a-monkey-climbs-the-more-you-see-of-its-behind/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```