--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cynicism and defensiveness are two things…" description: "\"Cynicism and defensiveness are two things constantly levelled at me. Look, I've got time for people, I'm good mannered. I usually find that when you're..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/nick-cave-1153_bloody_cynicism-and-defensiveness-are-two-thing_2596506.jpg" --- # Cynicism and defensiveness are two things constantly… ![“Cynicism and defensiveness are two things constantly levelled at me. Look, I've got time for people, I'm good mannered. I usually find that when you're down, nobody has a bloody minute for you. If I was a nobody, you wouldn't even talk to me. People, in general, don't like you being upfront and…” quote by Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/nick-cave-1153_bloody_cynicism-and-defensiveness-are-two-thing_2596506.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/nick-cave-1153_bloody_cynicism-and-defensiveness-are-two-thing_2596506.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/nick-cave-1153_bloody_cynicism-and-defensiveness-are-two-thing_2596506.jpg) > “Cynicism and defensiveness are two things constantly levelled at me. Look, I've got time for people, I'm good mannered. I usually find that when you're down, nobody has a bloody minute for you. If I was a nobody, you wouldn't even talk to me. People, in general, don't like you being upfront and civil. They hate you for it. They label you a cynic 'cos you're reasonable.” [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being reasonable can be misread as cynicism, leading to social alienation. **In simple terms:** Reason can be seen as negativity. Key Takeaway Stay kind but set boundaries. Themes cynicism social perception authenticity boundaries Mood defensive analytical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - workplace interactions - online discussions - friendship negotiations Key Concepts cognitive bias social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Why do people label reasoned voices as cynical? - How can you balance honesty with social acceptance? A Different Perspective People may still reject honesty despite kindness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bloody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bloody/) [Cynic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynic/) [Cynicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynicism/) [Cynicism Defensiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynicism-defensiveness-1907736/) [Defensiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defensiveness/) [Defensiveness Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defensiveness-things-1907737/) [Good man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hate you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-you/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [Talk to me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-to-me/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [ “Learning, and especially unlearning, can take place only in the absence of defensiveness… \[W\]e can drop our defenses only when we love and are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sloane-coffin/learning-and-especially-unlearning-can-take-place-only-in-the-absence/) [William Sloane Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sloane-coffin/) > [I would advise you against defensiveness on priciple. it precludes the best eventualities along with the worst. At the most basic level it expresses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/i-would-advise-you-against-defensiveness-on-priciple-it-precludes-the/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [When people hear needs, it provokes compassion. When people hear diagnoses, it provokes defensiveness and attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-people-hear-needs-it-provokes-compassion-when-people-hear/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [There is a certain degree of satisfaction in having the courage to admit one's errors. It not only clears up the air of guilt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/there-is-a-certain-degree-of-satisfaction-in-having-the-courage-to-2/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Humility is a quality for which I have only a limited admiration. In many phases of life it is a great mistake and degenerates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/humility-is-a-quality-for-which-i-have-only-a-limited-admiration-in/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [There is a certain degree of satisfaction in having the courage to admit one's errors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/there-is-a-certain-degree-of-satisfaction-in-having-the-courage-to/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Why should you want to give up a child's wise not-understanding in exchange for defensiveness and scorn, since not-understanding is, after all, a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/why-should-you-want-to-give-up-a-child-s-wise-not-understanding-in/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“All defensiveness stems from the need to be right and frustration over not being able to control others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/all-defensiveness-stems-from-the-need-to-be-right-and-frustration/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“Defensiveness is usually someone silently screaming that they need you to value and respect them in disguise. When you look for deeper meanings behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-alder/defensiveness-is-usually-someone-silently-screaming-that-they-need/) [Shannon Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-alder/) > [“It is not the absence of defensiveness that characterizes learning teams but the way defensiveness is faced”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-m-senge/it-is-not-the-absence-of-defensiveness-that-characterizes-learning/) [Peter M. Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-m-senge/) > [“To switch effectively from defense to social engagement strategies, the nervous system must do two things: (1) assess risk, and (2) if the environment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-w-porges/to-switch-effectively-from-defense-to-social-engagement-strategies/) [Stephen W. Porges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-w-porges/) > [“When things get personal, we need to resist the natural male instinct to run for cover, man the defenses, or--worst of all--reach for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-feldhahn/when-things-get-personal-we-need-to-resist-the-natural-male-instinct/) [Jeff Feldhahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-feldhahn/) > [A second characteristic of the process which for me is the good life, is that it involves an increasingly tendency to live fully in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/a-second-characteristic-of-the-process-which-for-me-is-the-good-life/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [“Remember every mistreatment experience shows up to give you the opportunity to learn love at a deeper level. You don’t need to defend yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-giles/remember-every-mistreatment-experience-shows-up-to-give-you-the/) [Kimberly Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-giles/) ## More by Nick Cave > [Texting is apocalyptic on some level. It's a reduction of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/texting-is-apocalyptic-on-some-level-it-s-a-reduction-of-things/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [“And I know why our friendship must be kept a secret. Or they will kill You like they killed You in the Bible. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/and-i-know-why-our-friendship-must-be-kept-a-secret-or-they-will-kill/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I want to write songs that are so sad, the kind of sad where you take someone's little finger and break it in three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-want-to-write-songs-that-are-so-sad-the-kind-of-sad-where-you-take/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [“Through these days Bunny made increasingly frequent and protracted visits to the bathroom, beating off with a single-minded savagery intense even by Bunny's standards.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/through-these-days-bunny-made-increasingly-frequent-and-protracted/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Personally I find the story of Christ incredibly moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/personally-i-find-the-story-of-christ-incredibly-moving/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [ That's what we \[outsiders\] feel America is really about - the kind of crazed ravings of the Christian right - when it's probably something… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/that-s-what-we-outsiders-feel-america-is-really-about-the-kind-of/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [“My relationship with my muse is a delicate one at the best of times and I feel that it is my duty to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/my-relationship-with-my-muse-is-a-delicate-one-at-the-best-of-times/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I'm kind of old-school and love nothing more than sitting, opening a book, and reading it. But I also love listening to audio books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-m-kind-of-old-school-and-love-nothing-more-than-sitting-opening-a/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Early on I realized when you write a song about someone, it flatters them on some level, and gives you a lot of room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/early-on-i-realized-when-you-write-a-song-about-someone-it-flatters/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [My father was a teacher and my mother also worked in the school, so the family has a background in education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/my-father-was-a-teacher-and-my-mother-also-worked-in-the-school-so/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I think it's an essential fact for any performer or artist to fail as poignantly as they can succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-think-it-s-an-essential-fact-for-any-performer-or-artist-to-fail-as/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [To my undying shame, I do read reviews. I don't read them all, but I like to get some kind of idea how things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/to-my-undying-shame-i-do-read-reviews-i-don-t-read-them-all-but-i/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Brother, be a brother, fill this tiny cup of mine. And please, sir, make it whiskey: I have no head for wine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/brother-be-a-brother-fill-this-tiny-cup-of-mine-and-please-sir-make/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [When you've been initiated, you can stand in the world differently. And I think it is up to all of us, we can have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/when-you-ve-been-initiated-you-can-stand-in-the-world-differently-and/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Polly Jean, I love you. I love the texture of your skin, the taste of your saliva, the softness of your ears. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/polly-jean-i-love-you-i-love-the-texture-of-your-skin-the-taste-of/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) [Explore all 280 Nick Cave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) ## More Bloody quotes > [Success doesn't have a downside for me. I'm busy, but I've always been busy whatever job I've had. My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) [Victoria Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-derbyshire/) > [AHHHHHH! Goyle has set the bloody place on fire! -Ron Weasley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ahhhhhh-goyle-has-set-the-bloody-place-on-fire-ron-weasley/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My style icon is anyone who makes a bloody effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-blow/my-style-icon-is-anyone-who-makes-a-bloody-effort/) [Isabella Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-blow/) > [If you're going to do something that looks evil, don't smear it with icing and pretend it's good; just bloody well do it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/if-you-re-going-to-do-something-that-looks-evil-don-t-smear-it-with/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [The problem was Le Corbusier was a genius and an enormous artist, but he tried to resolve problems to which there is no solution.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-krier/the-problem-was-le-corbusier-was-a-genius-and-an-enormous-artist-but/) [Leon Krier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-krier/) > [Sound trumpets! Let our bloody colours wave! And either victory, or else a grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/sound-trumpets-let-our-bloody-colours-wave-and-either-victory-or-else/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I was at Mount Tamalpais near San Francisco hiking when a boulder came hurling down the mountainside and smashed my left hand. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-casals/i-was-at-mount-tamalpais-near-san-francisco-hiking-when-a-boulder/) [Pablo Casals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-casals/) > [Women are all the bloody sameyou can't love for five minutes without wanting it abolished in brats and house bloody wifery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/women-are-all-the-bloody-sameyou-can-t-love-for-five-minutes-without/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Mass ought to be in Latin, unless you could do it in Greek or Chinese. In fact, any abracadabra that no bloody member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/mass-ought-to-be-in-latin-unless-you-could-do-it-in-greek-or-chinese/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [“The heart is a bloody thing. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-barlow/the-heart-is-a-bloody-thing/) [Toby Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-barlow/) > [I'd have opened a bloody library if I'd wanted to be quiet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/i-d-have-opened-a-bloody-library-if-i-d-wanted-to-be-quiet/) [Anita Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-roddick/) > [The proud spirit of the original owners of these vast prairies inherited through centuries of fierce and bloody wars for their possession, lingered last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/the-proud-spirit-of-the-original-owners-of-these-vast-prairies/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [If man had his way, the plan of redemption would be an endless and bloody conflict. In reality, salvation was bought not by Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-man-had-his-way-the-plan-of-redemption-would-be-an-endless-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ \[9/11\] was bloody-minded destruction for no other reason than to do it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/9-11-was-bloody-minded-destruction-for-no-other-reason-than-to-do-it/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) [Browse all 865 Bloody quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bloody/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Cynicism and defensiveness are two things constantly levelled at me. Look, I've got time for people, I'm good mannered. I usually find that when you're down, nobody has a bloody minute for you. If I was a nobody, you wouldn't even talk to me. People, in general, don't like you being upfront and civil. They hate you for it. They label you a cynic 'cos you're reasonable.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nick Cave" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/cynicism-and-defensiveness-are-two-things-constantly-levelled-at-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bloody" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/cynicism-and-defensiveness-are-two-things-constantly-levelled-at-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/nick-cave-1153_bloody_cynicism-and-defensiveness-are-two-thing_2596506.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/nick-cave-1153_bloody_cynicism-and-defensiveness-are-two-thing_2596506.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/nick-cave-1153_bloody_cynicism-and-defensiveness-are-two-thing_2596506.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Cynicism and defensiveness are two things constantly levelled at me. Look, I've got time for people, I'm…” — Nick Cave", "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": "Nick Cave", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Cynicism and defensiveness are two things...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/cynicism-and-defensiveness-are-two-things-constantly-levelled-at-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/cynicism-and-defensiveness-are-two-things-constantly-levelled-at-me/#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 } } ] } ```