--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the most important things…" description: "\"One of the most important things, especially when you're leaving school, is to realize you're going to be dealing with a lot of idiots. And a lot of th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/lewis-black-1143_idiot_one-of-the-most-important-things-especia_2125908.png" --- # One of the most important things, especially when you're… ![“One of the most important things, especially when you're leaving school, is to realize you're going to be dealing with a lot of idiots. And a lot of those idiots are in charge of things, so if you're in an interview and you really want to tell the person off, don't do it.” quote by Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/lewis-black-1143_idiot_one-of-the-most-important-things-especia_2125908.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/lewis-black-1143_idiot_one-of-the-most-important-things-especia_2125908.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/lewis-black-1143_idiot_one-of-the-most-important-things-especia_2125908.png) > “One of the most important things, especially when you're leaving school, is to realize you're going to be dealing with a lot of idiots. And a lot of those idiots are in charge of things, so if you're in an interview and you really want to tell the person off, don't do it.” [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaving school, expect many incompetent people in authority; avoid confronting them directly in interviews. **In simple terms:** School ends, idiots remain; stay diplomatic. Key Takeaway Maintain professionalism despite frustration. Themes career authority humor Mood cynical humorous Type satire advice When to use this quote - job interviews - team meetings - networking events Key Concepts social dynamics power structures Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle an incompetent superior? - When is it appropriate to speak up? A Different Perspective Confrontation may damage future opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Especially Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/especially-leaving-4359299/) [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Interview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interview/) [Interview Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interview-really-577269/) [Interviews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviews/) [Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving/) [Leaving school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving-school/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Things Interview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-interview-4359300/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [I think people just, when you say something in an interview, they really like to make it their own story rather than, you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-macdonald/i-think-people-just-when-you-say-something-in-an-interview-they/) [Rory MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-macdonald/) > [With the long-format interview, I can get into really interesting conversations with my guests. You know what it's like to get the opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-green/with-the-long-format-interview-i-can-get-into-really-interesting/) [Tom Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-green/) > [That really sums up the strange bluntness that a really prime German interview can have. They're really interested in your cultural velocity in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/that-really-sums-up-the-strange-bluntness-that-a-really-prime-german/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [The long, forensic interview really matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/the-long-forensic-interview-really-matters/) [Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/) > [Basically, it's somebody who got stuck having to interview me who really wants to be a novelist, so they're writing these novellas and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/basically-it-s-somebody-who-got-stuck-having-to-interview-me-who/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [“what about Bill Gates, famous for dropping out of Harvard to start Microsoft? When Gates sold a new software program as a sophomore, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/what-about-bill-gates-famous-for-dropping-out-of-harvard-to-start/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [The thought of leaving school at the end of this year and hopefully going to college just hit me and its quite scary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-thought-of-leaving-school-at-the-end-of-this-year-and-hopefully/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a working-class actor, leaving school with no qualifications, being a printer and then becoming an actor and then working with people who to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-marsan/as-a-working-class-actor-leaving-school-with-no-qualifications-being/) [Eddie Marsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-marsan/) > [When I look at the world, I see women heading to university and the well paid jobs and boys leaving school to work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-look-at-the-world-i-see-women-heading-to-university-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our kids should be leaving school ready for success, not paying for the misconduct of predatory institutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-mcbath/our-kids-should-be-leaving-school-ready-for-success-not-paying-for/) [Lucy McBath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-mcbath/) > [My parents went out of their way for me ever since I left school. When I was 15, I said to Mum, 'I'm leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orianthi/my-parents-went-out-of-their-way-for-me-ever-since-i-left-school-when/) [Orianthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orianthi/) > [A lot of girls annoy me who go to university - one girl told me she was going to Oxford because it was something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-bernard/a-lot-of-girls-annoy-me-who-go-to-university-one-girl-told-me-she-was/) [Jeffrey Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-bernard/) > [Having to go back and forth between school and filming would sometimes be frustrating because I loved school. It was my chance to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-vega/having-to-go-back-and-forth-between-school-and-filming-would/) [Alexa Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-vega/) > [Drama made me happy. Being on stage made me feel alive. But I did what a lot of people do, and that's follow this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emun-elliott/drama-made-me-happy-being-on-stage-made-me-feel-alive-but-i-did-what/) [Emun Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emun-elliott/) > [“Personally, I think on leaving school we aren't prepared to deal with the seriousness the work place presents. Indeed, the formality of the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/personally-i-think-on-leaving-school-we-aren-t-prepared-to-deal-with/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) ## More by Lewis Black > [I think one reason people play golf is it allows them to obsess about something other than the daily crap. It takes your mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-think-one-reason-people-play-golf-is-it-allows-them-to-obsess-about/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [If you're going to vote for somebody because you think they have a great faith in God, you'd better be sure that God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/if-you-re-going-to-vote-for-somebody-because-you-think-they-have-a/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [I think that I don't panic as much as the folks on the left or the right do. I don't have that sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-think-that-i-don-t-panic-as-much-as-the-folks-on-the-left-or-the/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [“I don't know if you've noticed, but our two-party system is a bowl of shit looking at itself in the mirror.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-don-t-know-if-you-ve-noticed-but-our-two-party-system-is-a-bowl-of/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [These ballot initiatives against same sex marriage remind us that America is the land where people are free to dream whatever they want, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/these-ballot-initiatives-against-same-sex-marriage-remind-us-that/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [If you're going to pick a book and you want to base a system of government around it, why not 'Harry Potter?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/if-you-re-going-to-pick-a-book-and-you-want-to-base-a-system-of/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [No matter what, your parents are going to worry about you. I had a tour bus, and my mother still thought I was broke.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/no-matter-what-your-parents-are-going-to-worry-about-you-i-had-a-tour/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [I'm always amazed when I hear people saying, "That George Bush, he's a great leader". And I wonder, where can one find a drug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-m-always-amazed-when-i-hear-people-saying-that-george-bush-he-s-a/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [I knew that I'd lived in New York too long when, a few years ago, I was on a subway going downtown, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-knew-that-i-d-lived-in-new-york-too-long-when-a-few-years-ago-i-was/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [If you're seeing a psychiatrist, you're wasting money because all you've got to do is get on a plane, get on a subway tomorrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/if-you-re-seeing-a-psychiatrist-you-re-wasting-money-because-all-you/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [Well first of all, I'd just like to say that 2005 was a great year, if you like swimming through crap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/well-first-of-all-i-d-just-like-to-say-that-2005-was-a-great-year-if/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [I'd like the campaigning to be about all the things they're not going to do. Just tell me what you're not going do! Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-d-like-the-campaigning-to-be-about-all-the-things-they-re-not-going/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [All food is comfort food. Maybe I just like to chew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/all-food-is-comfort-food-maybe-i-just-like-to-chew/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [Johnny Vassilaros is the man who has created the finest cup of coffee ever served in the city of New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/johnny-vassilaros-is-the-man-who-has-created-the-finest-cup-of-coffee/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [“At seven p.m., hope is sparked again when some new chirpy airline employee announces that a new plane without that nasty mechanical problem -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/at-seven-p-m-hope-is-sparked-again-when-some-new-chirpy-airline/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) [Explore all 283 Lewis Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) ## More Idiot quotes > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [Thirty guys equals five percent die-off among active wingsuit base jumpers. That means there's a flaw in our system and you're an idiot if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-potter/thirty-guys-equals-five-percent-die-off-among-active-wingsuit-base/) [Dean Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-potter/) > [You have to be an idiot to run out of gas…I just did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-burke/you-have-to-be-an-idiot-to-run-out-of-gas-i-just-did/) [Brooke Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-burke/) > [Mechanical instruments, potentially a vehicle of rational human purposes, are scarcely a blessing when they enable the gossip of the village idiot and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/mechanical-instruments-potentially-a-vehicle-of-rational-human/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [I need to look like an idiot at least twice a day to keep myself humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-need-to-look-like-an-idiot-at-least-twice-a-day-to-keep-myself/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“But no idiot-proofing can overcome a determined idiot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-weir/but-no-idiot-proofing-can-overcome-a-determined-idiot/) [Andy Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-weir/) > [One or two years ago, I didn't know who I was on court and I used to swear a lot. But now I've learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/one-or-two-years-ago-i-didn-t-know-who-i-was-on-court-and-i-used-to/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [“He came for me. I couldn’t believe it. He came for me . Into a flying palace full of thousands of armed rakshasas in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-came-for-me-i-couldn-t-believe-it-he-came-for-me-into-a-flying/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Why does man behave like perfect idiot? This is the problem I wish to deal with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-szent-gyorgyi/why-does-man-behave-like-perfect-idiot-this-is-the-problem-i-wish-to/) [Albert Szent-Gyorgyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-szent-gyorgyi/) > [Without sounding like a right idiot, my mum and my dad are my role models. They devoted everything to my sister and me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/without-sounding-like-a-right-idiot-my-mum-and-my-dad-are-my-role/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [“The woman may be a biomedical engineer, but I begin to think that she is a certifiable idiot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-khoury/the-woman-may-be-a-biomedical-engineer-but-i-begin-to-think-that-she/) [Jessica Khoury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-khoury/) > [“Knowledge cannot replace friendship. I'd rather be an idiot than lose you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-to-spongebob/knowledge-cannot-replace-friendship-i-d-rather-be-an-idiot-than-lose/) [Patrick to Spongebob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-to-spongebob/) > [Solemnity is the shield of idiots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/solemnity-is-the-shield-of-idiots/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I’ve noticed that you are retarded, Dr. Phil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-leigh-stewart/i-ve-noticed-that-you-are-retarded-dr-phil/) [Christy Leigh Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-leigh-stewart/) > [“You heard what she said, idiot. She’s not dating, especially not a man her uptight daddy can’t stand the sight of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/codi-gary/you-heard-what-she-said-idiot-she-s-not-dating-especially-not-a-man/) [Codi Gary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/codi-gary/) [Browse all 2,115 Idiot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of the most important things, especially when you're leaving school, is to realize you're going to be dealing with a lot of idiots. 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