---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's just a big excuse to say awful things."
description: "\"It's just a big excuse to say awful things.\" — Louis C. K"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/louis-c-k-1150_awful_it-s-just-a-big-excuse-to-say-awful-thin_405473.png"
---

#  It's just a big excuse to say awful things.

![“It's just a big excuse to say awful things.” quote by Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/louis-c-k-1150_awful_it-s-just-a-big-excuse-to-say-awful-thin_405473.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/louis-c-k-1150_awful_it-s-just-a-big-excuse-to-say-awful-thin_405473.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/louis-c-k-1150_awful_it-s-just-a-big-excuse-to-say-awful-thin_405473.png)

> “It's just a big excuse to say awful things.”

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A flimsy justification is used to mask harsh or hurtful remarks.

**In simple terms:** Excuses hide cruelty.

Key Takeaway

Avoid using excuses to justify negativity.

Themes

communication honesty respect

Mood

defensive critical

Type

advice reflective

When to use this quote

- online debates
- personal arguments
- media commentary

Key Concepts

psychology defensiveness

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we resort to excuses when criticizing?
- How can we confront harsh truths without blame?

A Different Perspective

Excuses can be rationalizations for deeper insecurities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Awful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awful/) [Awful Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awful-things-1391133/) [Big Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-excuse-3625780/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse/) [Excuse Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse-say-2155043/) [Say Awful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-awful-540721/)

## Related quotes

> [If you can play an asshole you never get to do it in life, so what rich joy there is to go and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-koechner/if-you-can-play-an-asshole-you-never-get-to-do-it-in-life-so-what/)

[David Koechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-koechner/)

> [For all that you have taken away. There is no excuse from me to say, Allahu Akbar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boonaa-mohammed/for-all-that-you-have-taken-away-there-is-no-excuse-from-me-to-say/)

[Boonaa Mohammed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boonaa-mohammed/)

> [Nobody has had more awful things written about them than me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigitte-nielsen/nobody-has-had-more-awful-things-written-about-them-than-me/)

[Brigitte Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigitte-nielsen/)

> [“People have to do awful things for money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/people-have-to-do-awful-things-for-money/)

[Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/)

> [I'm fascinated by the awful, awful things that human beings do to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/i-m-fascinated-by-the-awful-awful-things-that-human-beings-do-to-each/)

[Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/)

> [“It seemed awful that the only things she knew about him were those that made him miserable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-jane-howard/it-seemed-awful-that-the-only-things-she-knew-about-him-were-those/)

[Elizabeth Jane Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-jane-howard/)

> [I assure you that some of the most awesome things God has ever done for me have come out of the most awful things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/i-assure-you-that-some-of-the-most-awesome-things-god-has-ever-done/)

[Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/)

> [I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-accept-that-people-are-going-to-call-me-awful-things-every-day-and/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [And I sing and sing of awful things The pleasure that my sadness brings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/and-i-sing-and-sing-of-awful-things-the-pleasure-that-my-sadness/)

[Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/)

> [“I’m not a superhero,” I say. It’s an awful tag. It’s egotistical, and it doesn’t fit. I don’t parade around in spandex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/i-m-not-a-superhero-i-say-it-s-an-awful-tag-it-s-egotistical-and-it/)

[Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/)

> [We didn't say anything because there was such an awful lot to say, and no language to say it in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/we-didn-t-say-anything-because-there-was-such-an-awful-lot-to-say-and/)

[William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/)

> [I'm not afraid of what people say about me. I don't care if people say, 'You're an awful person.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/i-m-not-afraid-of-what-people-say-about-me-i-don-t-care-if-people-say/)

[Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/)

> [I usually don't agree with what I say very much. I'm an awful liar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-usually-don-t-agree-with-what-i-say-very-much-i-m-an-awful-liar/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [“I usually hated when people said ‘just saying’ because they thought it gave them an excuse to say whatever the hell they wanted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santino-hassell/i-usually-hated-when-people-said-just-saying-because-they-thought-it/)

[Santino Hassell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santino-hassell/)

> [“Now that you’re old, cut yourself some slack, would you? Let yourself off the hook. Give yourself a break. You don’t have to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-fisher/now-that-you-re-old-cut-yourself-some-slack-would-you-let-yourself/)

[Lionel Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-fisher/)

## More by Louis C. K

> [Technically, I've learned that having good legs and wind is good for being on stage. You have to be in shape and have endurance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/technically-i-ve-learned-that-having-good-legs-and-wind-is-good-for/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [I think I'm past any window where I'm suddenly going to become surprisingly ripped so that people go, 'Oh, my God, what happened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-think-i-m-past-any-window-where-i-m-suddenly-going-to-become/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [I can feel how an audience is reacting when I'm on a stage, but when you are on stage, your perception is distorted. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-can-feel-how-an-audience-is-reacting-when-i-m-on-a-stage-but-when/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [“You need to develop the ability to just be yourself and not be doing something, that's what the phones are taking away. The ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/you-need-to-develop-the-ability-to-just-be-yourself-and-not-be-doing/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [I know what it's like to have a bunch of material that's working that you don't care about. You want to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-know-what-it-s-like-to-have-a-bunch-of-material-that-s-working-that/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [I just love learning. I think learning is how you live. The verb of my life is learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-just-love-learning-i-think-learning-is-how-you-live-the-verb-of-my/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [There's been a lot of simple vilification of right-wing people. It's really easy to say, 'Well, you're Christian, you're anti-this and that, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/there-s-been-a-lot-of-simple-vilification-of-right-wing-people-it-s/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [“A woman saying yes to a date with a man is literally insane and ill-advised, and the whole species' existence counts on them doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/a-woman-saying-yes-to-a-date-with-a-man-is-literally-insane-and-ill/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [When your kid is being selfish or greedy and you want to help them not be that way, you have to find a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/when-your-kid-is-being-selfish-or-greedy-and-you-want-to-help-them/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [You have to be really tenacious. You have to keep at it. There are many roads to get there. If you can get yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/you-have-to-be-really-tenacious-you-have-to-keep-at-it-there-are-many/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [When I take my kids out for dinner or lunch, people smile at us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/when-i-take-my-kids-out-for-dinner-or-lunch-people-smile-at-us/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [I'd love to have a shitty job. I couldn't hold any down. Standup was the only thing I could stick with. I'm an idiot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-d-love-to-have-a-shitty-job-i-couldn-t-hold-any-down-standup-was/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [There's no way you ask Sean Penn a question and then, you're gonna be HUGE !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/there-s-no-way-you-ask-sean-penn-a-question-and-then-you-re-gonna-be/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [If you had a jetpack you'd be like I have the shittiest jetpack. Who's your service provider on your jetpack? Did they make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/if-you-had-a-jetpack-you-d-be-like-i-have-the-shittiest-jetpack-who-s/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

> [I spend enough time onscreen looking hangdog and depressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/i-spend-enough-time-onscreen-looking-hangdog-and-depressed/)

[Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

[Explore all 282 Louis C. K quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/)

## More Awful quotes

> [It must be that I am dreaming, and that I shall awaken in a moment to see that awful knife descending toward my heart-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/it-must-be-that-i-am-dreaming-and-that-i-shall-awaken-in-a-moment-to/)

[Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/)

> [I spent two years in Palo Alto - what an awful, suffocating place for those of us who don't care about yoga, yogurts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/i-spent-two-years-in-palo-alto-what-an-awful-suffocating-place-for/)

[Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/)

> [Layla brought her arms around herself, no doubt because she was remembering the feel of another, stronger set. "I have wanted to, but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/layla-brought-her-arms-around-herself-no-doubt-because-she-was/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [You've seen the first issue and what happened in the last page. Some pretty awful stuff. I don't know why I seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-shalvey/you-ve-seen-the-first-issue-and-what-happened-in-the-last-page-some/)

[Declan Shalvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-shalvey/)

> [It is not like studying German, where you mull along, in a groping, uncertain way, for thirty years; and at last, just as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-is-not-like-studying-german-where-you-mull-along-in-a-groping/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [There was a special challenge in describing the awful childhood of a person who happens to be my own husband. It was very painful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-stephenson/there-was-a-special-challenge-in-describing-the-awful-childhood-of-a/)

[Pamela Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-stephenson/)

> [On balance the moral influence of religion has been awful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/on-balance-the-moral-influence-of-religion-has-been-awful/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [When you finish a poem, it clicks shut like the top of a jewel box, but prose is endless. I haven't experienced an awful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/when-you-finish-a-poem-it-clicks-shut-like-the-top-of-a-jewel-box-but/)

[Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/)

> [Fascism: awful stench of saw and axe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-leiris/fascism-awful-stench-of-saw-and-axe/)

[Michel Leiris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-leiris/)

> [No one with a bad tie is getting my vote. Some Lib Dems wear the most shockingly awful ties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-fox/no-one-with-a-bad-tie-is-getting-my-vote-some-lib-dems-wear-the-most/)

[Freddie Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-fox/)

> [“Here she was back in the brightly lit world she had been avoiding for twenty years, and it was exactly as awful as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/here-she-was-back-in-the-brightly-lit-world-she-had-been-avoiding-for/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [I'm pretty indiscriminating, and I have awful taste, generally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nellie-mckay/i-m-pretty-indiscriminating-and-i-have-awful-taste-generally/)

[Nellie McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nellie-mckay/)

> [The blessed Religion revealed in the word of God will remain an eternal and awful monument to prove that the best Institution may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-blessed-religion-revealed-in-the-word-of-god-will-remain-an/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [“I am awful. I am heartless. I am scared that these things are actually true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-am-awful-i-am-heartless-i-am-scared-that-these-things-are-actually/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [Democracy is an awful way to run a country, but it's the best system we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/democracy-is-an-awful-way-to-run-a-country-but-it-s-the-best-system/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

[Browse all 1,826 Awful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awful/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It's just a big excuse to say awful things.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Louis C. K"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/it-s-just-a-big-excuse-to-say-awful-things/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Awful"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/it-s-just-a-big-excuse-to-say-awful-things/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/louis-c-k-1150_awful_it-s-just-a-big-excuse-to-say-awful-thin_405473.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/louis-c-k-1150_awful_it-s-just-a-big-excuse-to-say-awful-thin_405473.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/louis-c-k-1150_awful_it-s-just-a-big-excuse-to-say-awful-thin_405473.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's just a big excuse to say awful things.” — Louis C. K",
                "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": "Louis C. K",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It's just a big excuse to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/it-s-just-a-big-excuse-to-say-awful-things/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/it-s-just-a-big-excuse-to-say-awful-things/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
