--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a conscientious man, when I throw…" description: "\"I am a conscientious man, when I throw rocks at seabirds I leave no tern unstoned.\" — Ogden Nash" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/ogden-nash-1286_conscientious_i-am-a-conscientious-man-when-i-throw-ro_1173411.png" --- # I am a conscientious man, when I throw rocks at seabirds I… ![“I am a conscientious man, when I throw rocks at seabirds I leave no tern unstoned.” quote by Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/ogden-nash-1286_conscientious_i-am-a-conscientious-man-when-i-throw-ro_1173411.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/ogden-nash-1286_conscientious_i-am-a-conscientious-man-when-i-throw-ro_1173411.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/ogden-nash-1286_conscientious_i-am-a-conscientious-man-when-i-throw-ro_1173411.png) > “I am a conscientious man, when I throw rocks at seabirds I leave no tern unstoned.” [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He claims conscientiousness yet humorously admits to harming seabirds without remorse. **In simple terms:** He jokes about being careless despite claiming care. Key Takeaway Recognize hypocrisy in self‑descriptions. Themes humor self‑awareness environmental ethics Mood playful ironic Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - environmental activism - personal reflection - ethical behavior Key Concepts poetry satire Questions to Reflect On - Do you notice contradictions in your own actions? - How does humor affect moral accountability? A Different Perspective Humor can obscure serious moral issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscientious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscientious/) [Conscientious Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscientious-man-3410907/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Rocks Seabirds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks-seabirds-3410906/) [Tern Unstoned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tern-unstoned-3410908/) [Throw Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/throw-rocks-526593/) ## Related quotes > [A conscientious man would be cautious how he dealt in blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/a-conscientious-man-would-be-cautious-how-he-dealt-in-blood/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [“The one thing that remains permanently behind the times, especially because it prides itself on its steadfastness, is the human heart, most of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/the-one-thing-that-remains-permanently-behind-the-times-especially/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [The resources of nature, like those of spirit, are running out, and all that a conscientious man can aspire to be is a literal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/the-resources-of-nature-like-those-of-spirit-are-running-out-and-all/) [Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) > [It's so much easier to throw rocks than it is to govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-bass/it-s-so-much-easier-to-throw-rocks-than-it-is-to-govern/) [Karen Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-bass/) > [If people throw rocks at you, collect them and build something...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-garrett/if-people-throw-rocks-at-you-collect-them-and-build-something/) [Jim Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-garrett/) > [When you feel like everyone's against you, but you're not sure why. Just remember that people love to throw rocks at things that shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-feel-like-everyone-s-against-you-but-you-re-not-sure-why/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the first act, you get your hero up a tree. The second act, you throw rocks at him. For the third act, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/in-the-first-act-you-get-your-hero-up-a-tree-the-second-act-you-throw/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [I don't want to throw rice. I want to throw rocks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-don-t-want-to-throw-rice-i-want-to-throw-rocks/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [“Stay away from boys. They'll either throw rocks or look up your skirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/stay-away-from-boys-they-ll-either-throw-rocks-or-look-up-your-skirt/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [People used to throw rocks at me for my clothes, now they wanna know where I buy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyndi-lauper/people-used-to-throw-rocks-at-me-for-my-clothes-now-they-wanna-know/) [Cyndi Lauper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyndi-lauper/) > [You shouldn't be so quick to throw rocks at someone then conceal your hands;more than likely, those same rocks may bounce back and hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veedan-shimakuura/you-shouldn-t-be-so-quick-to-throw-rocks-at-someone-then-conceal-your/) [Veedan Shimakuura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veedan-shimakuura/) > [Aw man, still they hate and talk smack, Knowin if I was gone, theird be no thrown to throw your rocks at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/aw-man-still-they-hate-and-talk-smack-knowin-if-i-was-gone-theird-be/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [I didn't know if Skynyrd fans were going to throw rocks at me or eggs or what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-van-zant/i-didn-t-know-if-skynyrd-fans-were-going-to-throw-rocks-at-me-or-eggs/) [Johnny Van Zant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-van-zant/) > [I'm the one who has to have everybody throw rocks at me all the time, so at least if they're going to throw rocks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/i-m-the-one-who-has-to-have-everybody-throw-rocks-at-me-all-the-time/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [“Boys are stupid, throw rocks at them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sierra/boys-are-stupid-throw-rocks-at-them/) [Sierra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sierra/) ## More by Ogden Nash > [There is only one way to achieve happiness on this terrestrial ball, and that is to have either a clear conscience or none at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/there-is-only-one-way-to-achieve-happiness-on-this-terrestrial-ball/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [The sky is now indelible ink, The branches reft asunder; But you and I we do not shrink; We love the lovely thunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/the-sky-is-now-indelible-ink-the-branches-reft-asunder-but-you-and-i/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [Middle-aged life is merry, and I love to lead it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/middle-aged-life-is-merry-and-i-love-to-lead-it/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [When a lady's erotic life is vexed God knows what God is coming next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/when-a-lady-s-erotic-life-is-vexed-god-knows-what-god-is-coming-next/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [“Love is a word that is constantly heard, Hate is a word that is not. Love, I am told, is more precious that gold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/love-is-a-word-that-is-constantly-heard-hate-is-a-word-that-is-not/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [A husband is a guy who tells you when you've got on too much lipstick and helps you with your girdle when your hips…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/a-husband-is-a-guy-who-tells-you-when-you-ve-got-on-too-much-lipstick/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [Marriage is the alliance of two people, one of whom never remembers birthdays and the other never forgets them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/marriage-is-the-alliance-of-two-people-one-of-whom-never-remembers/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [I claim there ain't Another Saint As great as Valentine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/i-claim-there-ain-t-another-saint-as-great-as-valentine/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [“Senescence begins And middle-age ends The day your descendants Outnumber your friends”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/senescence-begins-and-middle-age-ends-the-day-your-descendants/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [Poets arent very usefulBecause they aren't consumeful or produceful..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/poets-arent-very-usefulbecause-they-aren-t-consumeful-or-produceful/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [I don't mind their having a lot of money, and I don't care how they employ it, but I do think that they damn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/i-don-t-mind-their-having-a-lot-of-money-and-i-don-t-care-how-they/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [To maintain your marriage brimming, with really like in the wedding cup, anytime you are incorrect, admit it each time you're proper, shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/to-maintain-your-marriage-brimming-with-really-like-in-the-wedding/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [No, you never get any fun Out of the things you haven't done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/no-you-never-get-any-fun-out-of-the-things-you-haven-t-done/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [“Which the Chicken and Which the Egg? He drinks because she scolds, he thinks; She thinks she scolds because he drinks; And nether will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/which-the-chicken-and-which-the-egg-he-drinks-because-she-scolds-he/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [“People can't concentrate properly on blowing other people to pieces if their minds are poisoned by thoughts suitable to the twenty-fifth of December.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/people-can-t-concentrate-properly-on-blowing-other-people-to-pieces/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) [Explore all 261 Ogden Nash quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) ## More Conscientious quotes > [“The smell of the sweat is not sweet, but the fruit of the sweat is very sweet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/the-smell-of-the-sweat-is-not-sweet-but-the-fruit-of-the-sweat-is/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [The duty of the grand jury is to separate fact from fiction, after a full and impartial examination of all the evidence involved, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-p-mcculloch/the-duty-of-the-grand-jury-is-to-separate-fact-from-fiction-after-a/) [Robert P. McCulloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-p-mcculloch/) > [“I'm not uptight. I'm conscientious. There's a difference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenore-appelhans/i-m-not-uptight-i-m-conscientious-there-s-a-difference/) [Lenore Appelhans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenore-appelhans/) > [“If books can transform, those have to be conscientious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-books-can-transform-those-have-to-be-conscientious/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Conscientious men are, almost everywhere, less encouraged than tolerated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philibert-joseph-roux/conscientious-men-are-almost-everywhere-less-encouraged-than-tolerated/) [Philibert Joseph Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philibert-joseph-roux/) > [Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/very-few-things-happen-at-the-right-time-and-the-rest-do-not-happen/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [I think I'm very conscientious of how precious life is and how quickly life can be taken away from you, especially at times when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-garcia/i-think-i-m-very-conscientious-of-how-precious-life-is-and-how/) [Jeff Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-garcia/) > [“Time is a conscientious Debunker.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-kristian-goldmund-aumann/time-is-a-conscientious-debunker/) [sir kristian goldmund aumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-kristian-goldmund-aumann/) > [Conscientious people are self-disciplined, hard workers who spend the least amount of time on Facebook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/conscientious-people-are-self-disciplined-hard-workers-who-spend-the/) [Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/) > [In Japan, I live in a little neighborhood in the middle of nowhere. I don't have a bicycle or a car or anything, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/in-japan-i-live-in-a-little-neighborhood-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-i/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [“I am the person beyond the paradigm, I am but a reflection of the best of humankind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/i-am-the-person-beyond-the-paradigm-i-am-but-a-reflection-of-the-best/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I've never had a teenage rebellion; I'm not that type of person. I always work out my problems in a conscientious way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-dunst/i-ve-never-had-a-teenage-rebellion-i-m-not-that-type-of-person-i/) [Kirsten Dunst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-dunst/) > [I feel strongly about showing up and being prepared and not taking the opportunity for granted and being conscientious about my fellow co-workers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-schneider/i-feel-strongly-about-showing-up-and-being-prepared-and-not-taking/) [Paul Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-schneider/) > [I believe all conscientious actors feel the same way - that there is too much hurry-scurry in TV to permit a sufficient amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/i-believe-all-conscientious-actors-feel-the-same-way-that-there-is/) [Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/) > [Conscientious objection is an intrinsic part of being a soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naftali-bennett/conscientious-objection-is-an-intrinsic-part-of-being-a-soldier/) [Naftali Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naftali-bennett/) [Browse all 70 Conscientious quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscientious/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am a conscientious man, when I throw rocks at seabirds I leave no tern unstoned.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ogden Nash" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/i-am-a-conscientious-man-when-i-throw-rocks-at-seabirds-i-leave-no/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conscientious" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/i-am-a-conscientious-man-when-i-throw-rocks-at-seabirds-i-leave-no/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/ogden-nash-1286_conscientious_i-am-a-conscientious-man-when-i-throw-ro_1173411.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/ogden-nash-1286_conscientious_i-am-a-conscientious-man-when-i-throw-ro_1173411.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8e/ogden-nash-1286_conscientious_i-am-a-conscientious-man-when-i-throw-ro_1173411.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am a conscientious man, when I throw rocks at seabirds I leave no tern unstoned.” — Ogden Nash", "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": "Ogden Nash", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am a conscientious man, when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/i-am-a-conscientious-man-when-i-throw-rocks-at-seabirds-i-leave-no/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/i-am-a-conscientious-man-when-i-throw-rocks-at-seabirds-i-leave-no/#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 } } ] } ```