--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No sense in being a grifter if it's the…" description: "\"No sense in being a grifter if it's the same as being a citizen.\" — Paul Newman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/paul-newman-2526_citizen_no-sense-in-being-a-grifter-if-it-s-the_1649191.png" --- # No sense in being a grifter if it's the same as being a… ![“No sense in being a grifter if it's the same as being a citizen.” quote by Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/paul-newman-2526_citizen_no-sense-in-being-a-grifter-if-it-s-the_1649191.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/paul-newman-2526_citizen_no-sense-in-being-a-grifter-if-it-s-the_1649191.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/paul-newman-2526_citizen_no-sense-in-being-a-grifter-if-it-s-the_1649191.png) > “No sense in being a grifter if it's the same as being a citizen.” [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests that being a grifter is no different from being a citizen, implying moral equivalence. **In simple terms:** Being a grifter equals being a citizen. Key Takeaway Question moral distinctions. Themes ethics society identity Mood provocative philosophical Type ethical reflective When to use this quote - career choices - legal considerations - personal integrity Key Concepts morality social roles Questions to Reflect On - Is deception ever justified? - How do we define citizenship? A Different Perspective Societal impact varies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizen/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [For the grifter, ripping people off is seldom the point. The grifter is an artiste who invests in the long con.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/for-the-grifter-ripping-people-off-is-seldom-the-point-the-grifter-is/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [There really are two Americas, one for the grifter class and one for everybody else. In everybody-else land, the world of small businesses and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/there-really-are-two-americas-one-for-the-grifter-class-and-one-for/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [Donald Trump is an archetypal grifter. Using the presidency to promote your golf courses, hotels, and real estate business is grifting. So is getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/donald-trump-is-an-archetypal-grifter-using-the-presidency-to-promote/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Where the grifter is shameless, the grafter shrinks from exposure, which could only endanger the racket. He is greedy but not creatively ambitious. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/where-the-grifter-is-shameless-the-grafter-shrinks-from-exposure/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Nearly everyone who chooses to work for Donald Trump is disreputable in one way or another; Ali Baba didn't find 40 wise men in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/nearly-everyone-who-chooses-to-work-for-donald-trump-is-disreputable/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [A grifter's got an irresistible urge to be the guy who's wise. There's nothin' to whipping a fool. Hell, fools are made to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/a-grifter-s-got-an-irresistible-urge-to-be-the-guy-who-s-wise-there-s/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [“It is a tragedy, at rate at which EBOLA VIRUS is spreading in West Africa. It is a fatal disease in the history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/it-is-a-tragedy-at-rate-at-which-ebola-virus-is-spreading-in-west/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Bernard Shaw remains the only model we have of what the citizen of a democracy should be: an informed participant in all things we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/bernard-shaw-remains-the-only-model-we-have-of-what-the-citizen-of-a/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“I am a citizen of this country,” I declare, “and Mr. Mayor, tonight I will be a citizen of this city when I put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-ash/i-am-a-citizen-of-this-country-i-declare-and-mr-mayor-tonight-i-will/) [Jerry Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-ash/) > [To be a good citizen, it's important to be able to put yourself in other people's shoes and see the big picture. If everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-pariser/to-be-a-good-citizen-it-s-important-to-be-able-to-put-yourself-in/) [Eli Pariser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-pariser/) > [Individuality is the aim of political liberty. By leaving to the citizen as much freedom of action and of being as comports with order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/individuality-is-the-aim-of-political-liberty-by-leaving-to-the/) [James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/) > [“An anarchist government somehow creates an impression in the hearts of citizens that no one cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-anarchist-government-somehow-creates-an-impression-in-the-hearts/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [I will be a model prisoner, as I have been a model citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-edwards/i-will-be-a-model-prisoner-as-i-have-been-a-model-citizen/) [Edwin Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-edwards/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) ## More by Paul Newman > [George Roy Hill, Redford, and I have been looking for a script to do together for 13 years. We haven't been able to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/george-roy-hill-redford-and-i-have-been-looking-for-a-script-to-do/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [An actor has to evaluate his own abilities and be honest with himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/an-actor-has-to-evaluate-his-own-abilities-and-be-honest-with-himself/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [When the idea came up, (Newman's Own) I said, "Are you crazy? Stick my face on the label of salad dressing?" And then, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/when-the-idea-came-up-newman-s-own-i-said-are-you-crazy-stick-my-face/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [When you see the right thing to do, you'd better do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/when-you-see-the-right-thing-to-do-you-d-better-do-it/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [In racing, the fastest person wins. It is very simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/in-racing-the-fastest-person-wins-it-is-very-simple/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [I never ask my wife about my flaws. Instead I try to get her to ignore them and concentrate on my sense of humor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/i-never-ask-my-wife-about-my-flaws-instead-i-try-to-get-her-to-ignore/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [I would like it if people would think that beyond Newman, there's a spirit that takes action, a heart, and a talent that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/i-would-like-it-if-people-would-think-that-beyond-newman-there-s-a/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [What we got here is a failure to communicate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/what-we-got-here-is-a-failure-to-communicate/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [Newman's first law: It is useless to put on your brakes when you're upside down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/newman-s-first-law-it-is-useless-to-put-on-your-brakes-when-you-re/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [A feud should live a full and colorful life, and then it should die a natural death and be forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/a-feud-should-live-a-full-and-colorful-life-and-then-it-should-die-a/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [People like to do what they used to do after they've stopped being able to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/people-like-to-do-what-they-used-to-do-after-they-ve-stopped-being/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [We've polluted the stratosphere with these chlorine and bromine compounds, and because it's now colder, and because we have this change in the climate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/we-ve-polluted-the-stratosphere-with-these-chlorine-and-bromine/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [I am convinced that a person is entitled to as much privacy as he wants. It should be his privilege to keep certain areas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/i-am-convinced-that-a-person-is-entitled-to-as-much-privacy-as-he/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [For some players, luck itself is an art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/for-some-players-luck-itself-is-an-art/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [I can eat fifty eggs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/i-can-eat-fifty-eggs/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) [Explore all 162 Paul Newman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) ## More Citizen quotes > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [I will be a model prisoner, as I have been a model citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-edwards/i-will-be-a-model-prisoner-as-i-have-been-a-model-citizen/) [Edwin Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-edwards/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [I'm less concerned about whether being a good corporate citizen burnishes a company's reputation. That's just an added benefit. I believe it's a responsibility,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-burns/i-m-less-concerned-about-whether-being-a-good-corporate-citizen/) [Ursula Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-burns/) > [As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/as-a-citizen-hopefully-i-m-humanist-as-an-artist-i-m-free/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [The typical American citizen is the business man. The typical business man is a bad citizen; he is busy. If he is a 'big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-steffens/the-typical-american-citizen-is-the-business-man-the-typical-business/) [Lincoln Steffens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-steffens/) > [I am here, a citizen of this country, and I'm saying, 'Hey, the system failed me. I am a good citizen. I contribute to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-am-here-a-citizen-of-this-country-and-i-m-saying-hey-the-system/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [“An anarchist government somehow creates an impression in the hearts of citizens that no one cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-anarchist-government-somehow-creates-an-impression-in-the-hearts/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [If the many allegations made to this date are true, then the burglars who broke into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/if-the-many-allegations-made-to-this-date-are-true-then-the-burglars/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [Individuality is the aim of political liberty. By leaving to the citizen as much freedom of action and of being as comports with order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/individuality-is-the-aim-of-political-liberty-by-leaving-to-the/) [James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/) > [Up until the point that you're a citizen, we wanna continue to make sure we understand who you are and why you're here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirstjen-nielsen/up-until-the-point-that-you-re-a-citizen-we-wanna-continue-to-make/) [Kirstjen Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirstjen-nielsen/) > [To be a good citizen, it's important to be able to put yourself in other people's shoes and see the big picture. If everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-pariser/to-be-a-good-citizen-it-s-important-to-be-able-to-put-yourself-in/) [Eli Pariser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-pariser/) > [“I am a citizen of this country,” I declare, “and Mr. Mayor, tonight I will be a citizen of this city when I put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-ash/i-am-a-citizen-of-this-country-i-declare-and-mr-mayor-tonight-i-will/) [Jerry Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-ash/) > [“In a country of ideas, consciousness is its' citizen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/in-a-country-of-ideas-consciousness-is-its-citizen/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“I have no country to fight for; my country is the earth; I am a citizen of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/i-have-no-country-to-fight-for-my-country-is-the-earth-i-am-a-citizen/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) [Browse all 464 Citizen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No sense in being a grifter if it's the same as being a citizen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Newman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/no-sense-in-being-a-grifter-if-it-s-the-same-as-being-a-citizen/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Citizen" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/no-sense-in-being-a-grifter-if-it-s-the-same-as-being-a-citizen/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/paul-newman-2526_citizen_no-sense-in-being-a-grifter-if-it-s-the_1649191.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/paul-newman-2526_citizen_no-sense-in-being-a-grifter-if-it-s-the_1649191.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/paul-newman-2526_citizen_no-sense-in-being-a-grifter-if-it-s-the_1649191.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No sense in being a grifter if it's the same as being a citizen.” — Paul Newman", "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": "Paul Newman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No sense in being a grifter...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/no-sense-in-being-a-grifter-if-it-s-the-same-as-being-a-citizen/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/no-sense-in-being-a-grifter-if-it-s-the-same-as-being-a-citizen/#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 } } ] } ```