--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't blame the average…" description: "\"I don't blame the average seventeen-year-old punk-rock kid for calling me a sellout. I understand that. And maybe when they grow up a little bit, they'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/kurt-cobain-1260_average_i-don-t-blame-the-average-seventeen-year_284470.jpg" --- # I don't blame the average seventeen-year-old punk-rock kid… ![“I don't blame the average seventeen-year-old punk-rock kid for calling me a sellout. I understand that. And maybe when they grow up a little bit, they'll realize there's more things to life than living out your rock & roll identity so righteously.” quote by Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/kurt-cobain-1260_average_i-don-t-blame-the-average-seventeen-year_284470.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/kurt-cobain-1260_average_i-don-t-blame-the-average-seventeen-year_284470.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/kurt-cobain-1260_average_i-don-t-blame-the-average-seventeen-year_284470.jpg) > “I don't blame the average seventeen-year-old punk-rock kid for calling me a sellout. I understand that. And maybe when they grow up a little bit, they'll realize there's more things to life than living out your rock & roll identity so righteously.” [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker acknowledges being labeled a sellout but hopes youth will later value deeper aspects of life beyond a rigid identity. **In simple terms:** Youth may judge harshly, but maturity brings broader perspective. Key Takeaway Seek authenticity over external labels. Themes identity youth authenticity Mood introspective defiant Type cultural motivational When to use this quote - music industry - personal growth - peer relationships - career choices Key Concepts psychology social pressure Questions to Reflect On - What does authenticity look like in your life? - How can you stay true while evolving? A Different Perspective Labels can limit self‑expression and cause internal conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk/) [Punk rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk-rock/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Sellout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sellout/) ## Related quotes > [I liked seventeen-year-old me, I was happy when I was seventeen. I was this troubled goth kid that wore eyeliner and make-up to school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hoppus/i-liked-seventeen-year-old-me-i-was-happy-when-i-was-seventeen-i-was/) [Mark Hoppus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hoppus/) > [Punk rock should mean freedom, liking and excepting anything that you like. Playing whatever you want. As sloppy as you want. As long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/punk-rock-should-mean-freedom-liking-and-excepting-anything-that-you/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [“Art is sacred. Punk rock is freedom. Expression and right to express is vital. Anyone can be artistic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/art-is-sacred-punk-rock-is-freedom-expression-and-right-to-express-is/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [Looking back on the production of 'Nevermind,' I'm embarrassed by it now. It's closer to a Motley Crue record than it is a punk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/looking-back-on-the-production-of-nevermind-i-m-embarrassed-by-it-now/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [Rap music is the only vital form of music introduced since punk rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/rap-music-is-the-only-vital-form-of-music-introduced-since-punk-rock/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [Punk is musical freedom. It's saying, doing and playing what you want. In Webster's terms, 'nirvana' means freedom from pain, suffering and the external…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/punk-is-musical-freedom-it-s-saying-doing-and-playing-what-you-want/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [Sellout... I'm not crazy about the word. We're all entrepreneurs. To me, I don't care if you own a furniture store or whatever -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-withers/sellout-i-m-not-crazy-about-the-word-we-re-all-entrepreneurs-to-me-i/) [Bill Withers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-withers/) > [Whether it's an $11 flip-flop or a $2 key ring or a $2,000 dress, they're all done with integrity. They're all done with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-jacobs/whether-it-s-an-11-flip-flop-or-a-2-key-ring-or-a-2-000-dress-they-re/) [Marc Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-jacobs/) > [My biggest thing is that I never want to sell out. Or be a sellout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ren/my-biggest-thing-is-that-i-never-want-to-sell-out-or-be-a-sellout/) [Alexis Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ren/) > [When Paul Beatty's 'The Sellout' was first published in America in 2015, it was a small release. It got a rave review in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dean/when-paul-beatty-s-the-sellout-was-first-published-in-america-in-2015/) [Michelle Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dean/) > [All I've got to say is if I'm a sellout, I'm selling out arenas all over the world, and I'd rather be selling out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taboo/all-i-ve-got-to-say-is-if-i-m-a-sellout-i-m-selling-out-arenas-all/) [Taboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taboo/) > [In The Sellout I tried to capture how we can talk and see race, how we see urbanity, and how we see our history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/in-the-sellout-i-tried-to-capture-how-we-can-talk-and-see-race-how-we/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [It is easy to be a sellout but Hard to have Morales and Integrity...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-pilcher/it-is-easy-to-be-a-sellout-but-hard-to-have-morales-and-integrity/) Darrell Pilcher > [Since I became part of the zeitgeist, I've been called a sellout many times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wurzelbacher/since-i-became-part-of-the-zeitgeist-i-ve-been-called-a-sellout-many/) [Joe Wurzelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wurzelbacher/) > [“But now? Being a sellout is the authentic thing. When”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/but-now-being-a-sellout-is-the-authentic-thing-when/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) ## More by Kurt Cobain > [To be positive at all times is to ignore all that is important, sacred or valuable. To be negative at all times is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/to-be-positive-at-all-times-is-to-ignore-all-that-is-important-sacred/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [Rather be dead than cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/rather-be-dead-than-cool/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [Vadalism: beautiful as a rock in a cop's face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/vadalism-beautiful-as-a-rock-in-a-cop-s-face/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [“No one is afraid of heights, they're afraid of falling down. No one is afraid of saying I love you, they're afraid of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/no-one-is-afraid-of-heights-they-re-afraid-of-falling-down-no-one-is/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [“Rather be dead then cool”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/rather-be-dead-then-cool/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [I'll be the first to admit we're the 90's version of Cheap Trick or the Knack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-ll-be-the-first-to-admit-we-re-the-90-s-version-of-cheap-trick-or/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [Don't read my diary when I'm gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/don-t-read-my-diary-when-i-m-gone/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [I'd rather hang out with the losers that would sit and smoke a cigarette than the ones who wanted to throw a baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-d-rather-hang-out-with-the-losers-that-would-sit-and-smoke-a/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [Why in the hell do journalists insist on coming up with a second rate Freudian evaluation on my lyrics when 90% of the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/why-in-the-hell-do-journalists-insist-on-coming-up-with-a-second-rate/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [You know what I hate about rock? I hate tie-dyed tee shirts. I wouldn't wear a tie-dyed tee shirt unless it was dyed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/you-know-what-i-hate-about-rock-i-hate-tie-dyed-tee-shirts-i-wouldn-t/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [I only remember a few things about Jimmy Carter. He had big lips and liked peanuts. I now know that Jimmy Carter was and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-only-remember-a-few-things-about-jimmy-carter-he-had-big-lips-and/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [I've never been a very prolific person, so when creativity flows, it flows. I find myself scribbling on little notepads and pieces of loose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-ve-never-been-a-very-prolific-person-so-when-creativity-flows-it/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [Don't expect me to die for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/don-t-expect-me-to-die-for-you/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [If you guys throw one more shoe or one more coin, I'm just going to leave my guitar next to my amp and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/if-you-guys-throw-one-more-shoe-or-one-more-coin-i-m-just-going-to/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [By definition pop is extremely catchy, whether you like it or not,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/by-definition-pop-is-extremely-catchy-whether-you-like-it-or-not/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) [Explore all 262 Kurt Cobain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) ## More Average quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [There were times last year when people looked at the scoreboard and thought my batting average was the temperature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-martinez/there-were-times-last-year-when-people-looked-at-the-scoreboard-and/) Buck Martinez > [The average condition of the people improving or deteriorating, depends upon whether population is advancing faster than improvement, or improvement than population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-average-condition-of-the-people-improving-or-deteriorating/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The average well-being of our societies is not dependent any longer on national income and economic growth. ... But the differences between us and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-wilkinson/the-average-well-being-of-our-societies-is-not-dependent-any-longer/) [Richard G. Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-wilkinson/) > [I really focus more to hit for average, just try to put the ball in play as much as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-soto/i-really-focus-more-to-hit-for-average-just-try-to-put-the-ball-in/) [Juan Soto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-soto/) > [You give me enough shots, I'll average 20. You give me a particular system where I stick close to the basket, I'll average 10 rebounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bosh/you-give-me-enough-shots-i-ll-average-20-you-give-me-a-particular/) [Chris Bosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bosh/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [The average American expends more time becoming informed about choosing a car than choosing a candidate. But, then, the consequences of the former choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-average-american-expends-more-time-becoming-informed-about/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [My phone rings, they call me up and say, 'Chael, your testosterone level is too high.' I say, 'Well, how high was it?' They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/my-phone-rings-they-call-me-up-and-say-chael-your-testosterone-level/) [Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/) > [In one century, we've added 28 years to our average life span - a change so rapid that our brains couldn't possibly have evolved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/in-one-century-we-ve-added-28-years-to-our-average-life-span-a-change/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I feel like what motivates me is what would motivate the regular average person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rico-nasty/i-feel-like-what-motivates-me-is-what-would-motivate-the-regular/) [Rico Nasty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rico-nasty/) > [We're trying to do something so that when the average person uses Pinterest, it has to make the service better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/we-re-trying-to-do-something-so-that-when-the-average-person-uses/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [The extraordinary woman depends on the ordinary woman. It is only when we know what were the conditions of the average woman's life -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-extraordinary-woman-depends-on-the-ordinary-woman-it-is-only-when/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) Browse all 2,816 Average quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't blame the average seventeen-year-old punk-rock kid for calling me a sellout. I understand that. And maybe when they grow up a little bit, they'll realize there's more things to life than living out your rock & roll identity so righteously.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kurt Cobain" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-don-t-blame-the-average-seventeen-year-old-punk-rock-kid-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Average" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-don-t-blame-the-average-seventeen-year-old-punk-rock-kid-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/kurt-cobain-1260_average_i-don-t-blame-the-average-seventeen-year_284470.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/kurt-cobain-1260_average_i-don-t-blame-the-average-seventeen-year_284470.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/kurt-cobain-1260_average_i-don-t-blame-the-average-seventeen-year_284470.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't blame the average seventeen-year-old punk-rock kid for calling me a sellout. I understand that. And…” — Kurt Cobain", "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": "Kurt Cobain", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't blame the average seventeen-year-old...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-don-t-blame-the-average-seventeen-year-old-punk-rock-kid-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-don-t-blame-the-average-seventeen-year-old-punk-rock-kid-for/#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 } } ] } ```