--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a kid it was like, who could…" description: "\"When I was a kid it was like, who could be the coolest? Who could do the stupidest thing? And you knew it was a stupid thing to do, but you would do it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/mike-judge-13169_coolest_when-i-was-a-kid-it-was-like-who-could-b_2931966.jpg" --- # When I was a kid it was like, who could be the coolest?… ![“When I was a kid it was like, who could be the coolest? Who could do the stupidest thing? And you knew it was a stupid thing to do, but you would do it just so you could be the coolest guy. And then you end up doing really cruel crap.” quote by Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/mike-judge-13169_coolest_when-i-was-a-kid-it-was-like-who-could-b_2931966.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/mike-judge-13169_coolest_when-i-was-a-kid-it-was-like-who-could-b_2931966.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/mike-judge-13169_coolest_when-i-was-a-kid-it-was-like-who-could-b_2931966.jpg) > “When I was a kid it was like, who could be the coolest? Who could do the stupidest thing? And you knew it was a stupid thing to do, but you would do it just so you could be the coolest guy. And then you end up doing really cruel crap.” [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children often seek social approval by performing reckless acts, believing it will earn them status, which can lead to harmful behavior. **In simple terms:** Kids try to be cool by doing risky things, which can become cruel. Key Takeaway Think before acting for approval. Themes peer pressure identity risk consequences Mood anxious reflective Type advice observational When to use this quote - schoolyard - online challenges - party stunts - sports teams Key Concepts social validation adolescent behavior moral development Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to act for others' praise? - How can you find confidence without risky deeds? A Different Perspective Seeking approval can mask underlying insecurities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coolest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coolest/) [Coolest Stupidest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coolest-stupidest-4327030/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Crap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crap/) [Cruel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel/) [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kid/) [Kid Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kid-like-405283/) [Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Like Coolest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-coolest-1675896/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Really Cruel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-cruel-940850/) [Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid/) [Stupidest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidest/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [I'm Richie Rich. I land in New York, secretly thinking I'm like the coolest guy in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shia-labeouf/i-m-richie-rich-i-land-in-new-york-secretly-thinking-i-m-like-the/) [Shia LaBeouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shia-labeouf/) > [I've done a collaboration with Action Bronson, which is, like, the coolest thing I've done so far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendon-urie/i-ve-done-a-collaboration-with-action-bronson-which-is-like-the/) [Brendon Urie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendon-urie/) > [Juno: You're like... the coolest person I've ever met and you don't even have to try. Paulie: I try really hard actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juno-the-movie/juno-you-re-like-the-coolest-person-i-ve-ever-met-and-you-don-t-even/) [Juno (The Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juno-the-movie/) > [The jokes that take my last name and equate them to a sex act ... is a really cruel thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-lewinsky/the-jokes-that-take-my-last-name-and-equate-them-to-a-sex-act-is-a/) [Monica Lewinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-lewinsky/) > [I love being around my friends and my family and spending time with my husband. I like being normal and recharging my batteries, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-underwood/i-love-being-around-my-friends-and-my-family-and-spending-time-with/) [Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-underwood/) > [Sometimes people who dont know me say really cruel things that are way off base. But you can't care too much about what people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimora-lee-simmons/sometimes-people-who-dont-know-me-say-really-cruel-things-that-are/) [Kimora Lee Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimora-lee-simmons/) > [I have to say that Dave's Grohl amazing too. You see all these interviews with him and he seems like the coolest and nicest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-mullin/i-have-to-say-that-dave-s-grohl-amazing-too-you-see-all-these/) [Reed Mullin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-mullin/) > [Comedy is a cruel mistress, especially if you're already seeing a really cruel mistress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dov-davidoff/comedy-is-a-cruel-mistress-especially-if-you-re-already-seeing-a/) [Dov Davidoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dov-davidoff/) > [They send a person who can never stay," she whispered. "Who can never accept my offer of companionship for more than a little while.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/they-send-a-person-who-can-never-stay-she-whispered-who-can-never/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Kevin Eastman is like a Buddha, like the coolest thing in the world, like a rock star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cipes/kevin-eastman-is-like-a-buddha-like-the-coolest-thing-in-the-world/) [Greg Cipes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cipes/) > [Kids are really cruel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-palmer/kids-are-really-cruel/) [Teresa Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-palmer/) > [“I realized the Fates really were cruel... For the rest of my life I would be thinking about her. She would always be my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-realized-the-fates-really-were-cruel-for-the-rest-of-my-life-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The best part about being really young and silly is stuff like piercing your ears makes you feel like the coolest mf'er on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-part-about-being-really-young-and-silly-is-stuff-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't like getting older, but there's nothing I can do. Hitting 60 wasn't great, but I think I was lucky in not being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-birkin/i-don-t-like-getting-older-but-there-s-nothing-i-can-do-hitting-60/) [Jane Birkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-birkin/) > [I'm like a big kid. But it's not like a called myself the Instagram King. I put up what people want to see and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bilzerian/i-m-like-a-big-kid-but-it-s-not-like-a-called-myself-the-instagram/) [Dan Bilzerian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bilzerian/) ## More by Mike Judge > [I went to a Catholic high school and it seemed like every time I drew something for a class project, it either got thrown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/i-went-to-a-catholic-high-school-and-it-seemed-like-every-time-i-drew/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [I'm sorry I can't get into Scooby Doo on any level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/i-m-sorry-i-can-t-get-into-scooby-doo-on-any-level/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [Susie Lynn, the producer of those segments, goes in and lays all the voices over the video.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/susie-lynn-the-producer-of-those-segments-goes-in-and-lays-all-the/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [It's amazing what we can get away with and what we can't. But it's not for me to decide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/it-s-amazing-what-we-can-get-away-with-and-what-we-can-t-but-it-s-not/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [When you make movies, you've picked the most expensive art form, and somebody has to pay for it. You kind of owe it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/when-you-make-movies-you-ve-picked-the-most-expensive-art-form-and/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [She defaced my fly. And I've never been the same since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/she-defaced-my-fly-and-i-ve-never-been-the-same-since/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [“I don't get as much fan mail as an actor or singer would, but when I get a letter 99% of the time it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/i-don-t-get-as-much-fan-mail-as-an-actor-or-singer-would-but-when-i/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [I think I do too many voices in these shows. I think it's because we have trouble getting voice talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/i-think-i-do-too-many-voices-in-these-shows-i-think-it-s-because-we/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [People say that the Beavis voice doesn't sound like me or some other voices. Butt-Head I think sounds like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/people-say-that-the-beavis-voice-doesn-t-sound-like-me-or-some-other/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [Why should every single character be an honor student who goes around helping others and never doing anything wrong? Is that like the rule…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/why-should-every-single-character-be-an-honor-student-who-goes-around/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [I put the storyboard down and came back to it like two weeks later and saw that I had written 'Butt-Head' next to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/i-put-the-storyboard-down-and-came-back-to-it-like-two-weeks-later/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [They say it figures MTV would do such a vulgar, awful, horrible show and they completely miss that it's satirizing the people who watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/they-say-it-figures-mtv-would-do-such-a-vulgar-awful-horrible-show/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [I've seen a lot of pairs of guys that have been hanging out together way too long-until they're laughing all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-pairs-of-guys-that-have-been-hanging-out-together/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [I think at the point when they were first starting to talk about a movie, it was a little bit different back then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/i-think-at-the-point-when-they-were-first-starting-to-talk-about-a/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) > [I often feel that my life, much like my shows, will end on a cliffhanger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-judge/i-often-feel-that-my-life-much-like-my-shows-will-end-on-a-cliffhanger/) [Mike Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) [Explore all 51 Mike Judge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-judge/) ## More Coolest quotes > [That's been the coolest thing about all this, I get to meet people that I worship!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/that-s-been-the-coolest-thing-about-all-this-i-get-to-meet-people/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > [Always life life to the fullest, Then you ll forever be the coolest;p](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roselle-caluban/always-life-life-to-the-fullest-then-you-ll-forever-be-the-coolest-p/) [Roselle Caluban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roselle-caluban/) > [The coolest thing, too, is that people that have never even seen 'One Tree Hill' tell me, 'I love your music.' And I'm like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-kramer/the-coolest-thing-too-is-that-people-that-have-never-even-seen-one/) [Jana Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jana-kramer/) > [Jordans? No. I thought mohawks, leather jackets, studs, piercings, colored hair, leopard print, platforms, all the bondage wear, I thought that was the coolest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/princess-nokia/jordans-no-i-thought-mohawks-leather-jackets-studs-piercings-colored/) [Princess Nokia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/princess-nokia/) > [The coolest thing to me, and especially now that our program is PG-friendly, and we advertise that to the hilt, but fathers and mothers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/the-coolest-thing-to-me-and-especially-now-that-our-program-is-pg/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [The coolest thing is when you don’t care about being cool anymore. Indifference is the greatest aphrodisiac - that’s what really sums up style…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-owens/the-coolest-thing-is-when-you-don-t-care-about-being-cool-anymore/) [Rick Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-owens/) > [I got into DJing because that was the coolest thing to do and I've never looked back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-blue/i-got-into-djing-because-that-was-the-coolest-thing-to-do-and-i-ve/) [Jonas Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-blue/) > [“You are officially the coolest person I know." "That's sad, Finch. You should get out more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/you-are-officially-the-coolest-person-i-know-that-s-sad-finch-you/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [I worshipped Ethel Merman and I worshipped Ethel Merman a lot. It's incredible - Ethel Merman was a conventional singer. Her naming her child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-worshipped-ethel-merman-and-i-worshipped-ethel-merman-a-lot-it-s/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [When I'm in a bar I need to be the coolest one that can drink more than anyone else and I need the girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-clifton/when-i-m-in-a-bar-i-need-to-be-the-coolest-one-that-can-drink-more/) [Kevin Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-clifton/) > [The coolest thing ever to me is just somebody looking up to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ingram-ii/the-coolest-thing-ever-to-me-is-just-somebody-looking-up-to-me/) [Mark Ingram II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ingram-ii/) > [Robert Pastorelli was about the coolest guy I had ever met in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-lloyd/robert-pastorelli-was-about-the-coolest-guy-i-had-ever-met-in-my-life/) [Sam Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-lloyd/) > [To me, rap music is bigger than who's the coolest rapper, the biggest rapper. It's everything about your personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diplo/to-me-rap-music-is-bigger-than-who-s-the-coolest-rapper-the-biggest/) [Diplo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diplo/) > [I love Hugh Jackman. Love Hugh Jackman. He's the coolest. He's one of the coolest actors I've ever worked with, and I'll do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-singer/i-love-hugh-jackman-love-hugh-jackman-he-s-the-coolest-he-s-one-of/) [Bryan Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-singer/) > [“blue. True? False? What’s the coolest thing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tui-t-sutherland/blue-true-false-what-s-the-coolest-thing/) [Tui T. Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tui-t-sutherland/) [Browse all 177 Coolest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coolest/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a kid it was like, who could be the coolest? Who could do the stupidest thing? 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