---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In midlife, we're as dumb as we get."
description: "\"In midlife, we're as dumb as we get.\" — P. J. O'Rourke"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/p-j-o-rourke-184_dumb_in-midlife-we-re-as-dumb-as-we-get-30164_3016465.png"
---

#  In midlife, we're as dumb as we get.

![“In midlife, we're as dumb as we get.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/p-j-o-rourke-184_dumb_in-midlife-we-re-as-dumb-as-we-get-30164_3016465.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/p-j-o-rourke-184_dumb_in-midlife-we-re-as-dumb-as-we-get-30164_3016465.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/p-j-o-rourke-184_dumb_in-midlife-we-re-as-dumb-as-we-get-30164_3016465.png)

> “In midlife, we're as dumb as we get.”

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

## About This Quote

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

Midlife is portrayed as the peak of stupidity, implying a humorous self-awareness of aging.

**In simple terms:** Midlife is the dumbest period.

Key Takeaway

Accept and laugh at midlife folly.

Themes

aging humor self-deprecation midlife crisis wisdom

Mood

witty self-aware lighthearted

Type

satirical psychological

When to use this quote

- career transition
- family dynamics
- personal reflection
- health decisions

Key Concepts

Gerontology cognitive bias life stages

Questions to Reflect On

- What lessons can be learned from midlife mistakes?
- How does humor affect coping with aging?

A Different Perspective

Humor may downplay serious midlife issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dumb/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Midlife Dumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/midlife-dumb-4861498/)

## Related quotes

> [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/)

[Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/)

> [I'm pretty cautious and not very athletic, so I've only had really dumb injuries, like sprained ankles and allergic reactions. I did have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/i-m-pretty-cautious-and-not-very-athletic-so-i-ve-only-had-really/)

[Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/)

> [I turned back to the mirror, seeing that there were no lines on it. It was empty. "What happened to my mirror?" I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-turned-back-to-the-mirror-seeing-that-there-were-no-lines-on-it-it/)

[Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/)

> [I just don't like that you can either be ugly and smart or pretty and dumb, or ugly and nice or pretty and mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-just-don-t-like-that-you-can-either-be-ugly-and-smart-or-pretty-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I hate it when people come up to me on trains and ask 'Are you Soulja Boy?' If people want pictures or autographs, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soulja-boy/i-hate-it-when-people-come-up-to-me-on-trains-and-ask-are-you-soulja/)

[Soulja Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soulja-boy/)

> [It is unfortunate to consider all lawyers as natural Satanists many are just dumb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/it-is-unfortunate-to-consider-all-lawyers-as-natural-satanists-many/)

[Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/)

> [Me seeing how thick my callous is on my hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-country/me-seeing-how-thick-my-callous-is-on-my-hand/)

[Michael Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-country/)

> [I always wanted to make big action movies as a kid, and that was my dream. In a way, 'Swingers' was the thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-big-action-movies-as-a-kid-and-that-was-my/)

[Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/)

> [I'm a meathead. I can't help it, man. You've got smart people and you've got dumb people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keanu-reeves/i-m-a-meathead-i-can-t-help-it-man-you-ve-got-smart-people-and-you-ve/)

[Keanu Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keanu-reeves/)

> [Marilyn was a great actress, not a dumb blond bombshell. She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/)

[Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/)

> [I love comedy. I love the absurdity of it. I love the kind of intelligence that's required to be dumb in comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mazin/i-love-comedy-i-love-the-absurdity-of-it-i-love-the-kind-of/)

[Craig Mazin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-mazin/)

> [“War is not nice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bush/war-is-not-nice/)

[Barbara Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bush/)

> [“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/)

> [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-british-government-has-learned-that-saddam-hussein-recently/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

## More by P. J. O'Rourke

> [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [The Democrats said, "We don't know what's wrong with America, but we can fix it." The Republicans said, "There's nothing wrong with America, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-democrats-said-we-don-t-know-what-s-wrong-with-america-but-we-can/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [My whole family can talk. They are all car salesmen. They are all funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-whole-family-can-talk-they-are-all-car-salesmen-they-are-all-funny/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [It was Ronald Reagan who used to say that the 10 most frightening words in the English language are, "I'm from the federal government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/it-was-ronald-reagan-who-used-to-say-that-the-10-most-frightening/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a 'learning experience.' Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-like-to-think-of-my-behavior-in-the-sixties-as-a-learning/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I'll be 56 this year, I've got two kids, and I think it's probably time to go back to writing one-glove jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-ll-be-56-this-year-i-ve-got-two-kids-and-i-think-it-s-probably-time/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

[Explore all 983 P. J. O'Rourke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

## More Dumb quotes

> [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/)

[Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/)

> [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [“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/)

> [“War is not nice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bush/war-is-not-nice/)

[Barbara Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bush/)

> [I love comedy. I love the absurdity of it. I love the kind of intelligence that's required to be dumb in comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mazin/i-love-comedy-i-love-the-absurdity-of-it-i-love-the-kind-of/)

[Craig Mazin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-mazin/)

> [Marilyn was a great actress, not a dumb blond bombshell. She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/)

[Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/)

> [I'm a meathead. I can't help it, man. You've got smart people and you've got dumb people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keanu-reeves/i-m-a-meathead-i-can-t-help-it-man-you-ve-got-smart-people-and-you-ve/)

[Keanu Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keanu-reeves/)

> [I always wanted to make big action movies as a kid, and that was my dream. In a way, 'Swingers' was the thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-big-action-movies-as-a-kid-and-that-was-my/)

[Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/)

> [Me seeing how thick my callous is on my hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-country/me-seeing-how-thick-my-callous-is-on-my-hand/)

[Michael Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-country/)

> [It is unfortunate to consider all lawyers as natural Satanists many are just dumb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/it-is-unfortunate-to-consider-all-lawyers-as-natural-satanists-many/)

[Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/)

> [I hate it when people come up to me on trains and ask 'Are you Soulja Boy?' If people want pictures or autographs, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soulja-boy/i-hate-it-when-people-come-up-to-me-on-trains-and-ask-are-you-soulja/)

[Soulja Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soulja-boy/)

> [I just don't like that you can either be ugly and smart or pretty and dumb, or ugly and nice or pretty and mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-just-don-t-like-that-you-can-either-be-ugly-and-smart-or-pretty-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I turned back to the mirror, seeing that there were no lines on it. It was empty. "What happened to my mirror?" I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-turned-back-to-the-mirror-seeing-that-there-were-no-lines-on-it-it/)

[Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/)

> [I'm pretty cautious and not very athletic, so I've only had really dumb injuries, like sprained ankles and allergic reactions. I did have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/i-m-pretty-cautious-and-not-very-athletic-so-i-ve-only-had-really/)

[Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/)

> [The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-british-government-has-learned-that-saddam-hussein-recently/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

[Browse all 2,053 Dumb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dumb/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In midlife, we're as dumb as we get.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "P. J. O'Rourke"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-midlife-we-re-as-dumb-as-we-get/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dumb"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-midlife-we-re-as-dumb-as-we-get/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/p-j-o-rourke-184_dumb_in-midlife-we-re-as-dumb-as-we-get-30164_3016465.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/p-j-o-rourke-184_dumb_in-midlife-we-re-as-dumb-as-we-get-30164_3016465.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/p-j-o-rourke-184_dumb_in-midlife-we-re-as-dumb-as-we-get-30164_3016465.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In midlife, we're as dumb as we get.” — P. J. O'Rourke",
                "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": "P. J. O'Rourke",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In midlife, we're as dumb as...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-midlife-we-re-as-dumb-as-we-get/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-midlife-we-re-as-dumb-as-we-get/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```