--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People who are wise, good, smart…" description: "\"People who are wise, good, smart, skillful, or hardworking don't need politics, they have jobs.\" — P. J. O'Rourke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/p-j-o-rourke-184_good-smart_people-who-are-wise-good-smart-skillful_933796.png" --- # People who are wise, good, smart, skillful, or hardworking… ![“People who are wise, good, smart, skillful, or hardworking don't need politics, they have jobs.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/p-j-o-rourke-184_good-smart_people-who-are-wise-good-smart-skillful_933796.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/p-j-o-rourke-184_good-smart_people-who-are-wise-good-smart-skillful_933796.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/p-j-o-rourke-184_good-smart_people-who-are-wise-good-smart-skillful_933796.png) > “People who are wise, good, smart, skillful, or hardworking don't need politics, they have jobs.” [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. People who are competent and diligent often focus on work rather than political maneuvering, suggesting that skill can bypass politics. **In simple terms:** Competent people may avoid politics by focusing on work. Key Takeaway Value skill and productivity over political games. Themes competence productivity politics Mood pragmatic critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - career advice - political science - organizational behavior Key Concepts work ethic skill apolitical approach Questions to Reflect On - When does political awareness become essential for effective work? - How can skilled individuals influence politics positively? A Different Perspective Complex issues often require political navigation regardless of skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-smart/) [Hardworking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardworking/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-wise-1037051/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Politics Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-jobs-1541745/) [Skillful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skillful/) [Skillful Hardworking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skillful-hardworking-1541744/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-good-343599/) ## Related quotes > [Government usually doesn't work. It doesn't work because it is political. People who are wise, good, smart, skillful, or hardworking don't need politics, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/government-usually-doesn-t-work-it-doesn-t-work-because-it-is/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [All I have to do is be the best Al I can be, because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and, doggone it, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/all-i-have-to-do-is-be-the-best-al-i-can-be-because-i-m-good-enough-i/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Being Smart Is Good...But Being Too Much Smart Is Not Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/being-smart-is-good-but-being-too-much-smart-is-not-good/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [I like to take risks as long as they're healthy, you know. They're good, smart risks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-stoner/i-like-to-take-risks-as-long-as-they-re-healthy-you-know-they-re-good/) [Alyson Stoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-stoner/) > [“The best way to deal with the voice that tells you that you're not good enough, or smart enough, or qualified enough, is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-may-fowles/the-best-way-to-deal-with-the-voice-that-tells-you-that-you-re-not/) [Stacey May Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-may-fowles/) > [When I took over 'The New Yorker,' there was a very, very good, smart staff in place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/when-i-took-over-the-new-yorker-there-was-a-very-very-good-smart/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [Some of these kids just don't plain know how good they are: how smart and how much they have to say. You can tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/some-of-these-kids-just-don-t-plain-know-how-good-they-are-how-smart/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [I think the best fighters are the smart guys. They do what they are good at. They're smart about what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cm-punk/i-think-the-best-fighters-are-the-smart-guys-they-do-what-they-are/) [CM Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cm-punk/) > [Thats what Im afraid of¦ not being enough. not good enough, not smart enough, not pretty enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thats-what-im-afraid-of-not-being-enough-not-good-enough-not-smart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of our jobs is to keep women working, which we do by keeping women coming to the movies. And doing that means making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-obst/one-of-our-jobs-is-to-keep-women-working-which-we-do-by-keeping-women/) [Lynda Obst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-obst/) > [The knocking out of a pipe can be made almost as important as the smoking of it, especially if there are nervous people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/the-knocking-out-of-a-pipe-can-be-made-almost-as-important-as-the/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [Werdum is good, is a smart fighter. He knows how to set up a beautiful strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royce-gracie/werdum-is-good-is-a-smart-fighter-he-knows-how-to-set-up-a-beautiful/) [Royce Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/royce-gracie/) > [That's what I'm afraid of. Not being enough. Not good enough, not smart enough, not pretty enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-what-i-m-afraid-of-not-being-enough-not-good-enough-not-smart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and dog-gone it, people like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-good-enough-i-m-smart-enough-and-dog-gone-it-people-like-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You is good, You is smart, You is important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-is-good-you-is-smart-you-is-important/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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. 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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 Good smart quotes > [“You is good, You is smart, You is important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-is-good-you-is-smart-you-is-important/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and dog-gone it, people like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-good-enough-i-m-smart-enough-and-dog-gone-it-people-like-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That's what I'm afraid of. Not being enough. Not good enough, not smart enough, not pretty enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-what-i-m-afraid-of-not-being-enough-not-good-enough-not-smart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Werdum is good, is a smart fighter. He knows how to set up a beautiful strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royce-gracie/werdum-is-good-is-a-smart-fighter-he-knows-how-to-set-up-a-beautiful/) [Royce Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/royce-gracie/) > [The knocking out of a pipe can be made almost as important as the smoking of it, especially if there are nervous people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/the-knocking-out-of-a-pipe-can-be-made-almost-as-important-as-the/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [One of our jobs is to keep women working, which we do by keeping women coming to the movies. And doing that means making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-obst/one-of-our-jobs-is-to-keep-women-working-which-we-do-by-keeping-women/) [Lynda Obst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-obst/) > [Thats what Im afraid of¦ not being enough. not good enough, not smart enough, not pretty enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thats-what-im-afraid-of-not-being-enough-not-good-enough-not-smart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think the best fighters are the smart guys. They do what they are good at. They're smart about what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cm-punk/i-think-the-best-fighters-are-the-smart-guys-they-do-what-they-are/) [CM Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cm-punk/) > [Some of these kids just don't plain know how good they are: how smart and how much they have to say. You can tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/some-of-these-kids-just-don-t-plain-know-how-good-they-are-how-smart/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [When I took over 'The New Yorker,' there was a very, very good, smart staff in place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/when-i-took-over-the-new-yorker-there-was-a-very-very-good-smart/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [“The best way to deal with the voice that tells you that you're not good enough, or smart enough, or qualified enough, is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-may-fowles/the-best-way-to-deal-with-the-voice-that-tells-you-that-you-re-not/) [Stacey May Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-may-fowles/) > [I like to take risks as long as they're healthy, you know. They're good, smart risks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-stoner/i-like-to-take-risks-as-long-as-they-re-healthy-you-know-they-re-good/) [Alyson Stoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-stoner/) > [Being Smart Is Good...But Being Too Much Smart Is Not Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/being-smart-is-good-but-being-too-much-smart-is-not-good/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [All I have to do is be the best Al I can be, because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and, doggone it, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/all-i-have-to-do-is-be-the-best-al-i-can-be-because-i-m-good-enough-i/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Government usually doesn't work. It doesn't work because it is political. People who are wise, good, smart, skillful, or hardworking don't need politics, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/government-usually-doesn-t-work-it-doesn-t-work-because-it-is/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) [Browse all 22 Good smart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-smart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People who are wise, good, smart, skillful, or hardworking don't need politics, they have jobs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P. J. 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