--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: HENRY JOPLIN'S PRECEPT Don't be friends…" description: "\"“HENRY JOPLIN'S PRECEPT Don't be friends with jerks.”\" — R.J. Palacio" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/r-j-palacio-2789_friendship_henry-joplin-s-precept-don-t-be-friends_3222658.png" --- # HENRY JOPLIN'S PRECEPT Don't be friends with jerks. ![“HENRY JOPLIN'S PRECEPT Don't be friends with jerks.” quote by R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/r-j-palacio-2789_friendship_henry-joplin-s-precept-don-t-be-friends_3222658.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/r-j-palacio-2789_friendship_henry-joplin-s-precept-don-t-be-friends_3222658.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/r-j-palacio-2789_friendship_henry-joplin-s-precept-don-t-be-friends_3222658.png) > ““HENRY JOPLIN'S PRECEPT Don't be friends with jerks.”” [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing friends wisely means avoiding toxic relationships that can harm personal growth and well‑being. **In simple terms:** Avoid friends who are harmful. Key Takeaway Select supportive companions. Themes friendship personal growth boundaries Mood thoughtful encouraging Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - school - workplace - online communities - family life Key Concepts social dynamics psychology Questions to Reflect On - Who in your life challenges you positively? - How do you set boundaries with difficult people? A Different Perspective Sometimes people change, making it hard to reassess friendships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ## Related quotes > [Don’t be friends with jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio-2/don-t-be-friends-with-jerks/) [R. J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio-2/) > [I remember my mom dressed like Janis Joplin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-white/i-remember-my-mom-dressed-like-janis-joplin/) [Bryan White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-white/) > [To her audience, Janis Joplin has remained a symbol, artifact and reminder of late Sixties youth culture. Her popularity never derived from her musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/to-her-audience-janis-joplin-has-remained-a-symbol-artifact-and/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [... we weren't very professional; she could have gone to almost any town and put together a smoother ensemble, but we were pioneers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-andrew/we-weren-t-very-professional-she-could-have-gone-to-almost-any-town/) Sam Andrew > [America? They had a good girl singer, Janis Joplin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-gibb/america-they-had-a-good-girl-singer-janis-joplin/) [Maurice Gibb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-gibb/) > [It was really special for Bass Pro Shops to take Tracker off the side and put Joplin, Missouri on there. They have helped me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcmurray/it-was-really-special-for-bass-pro-shops-to-take-tracker-off-the-side/) Jamie McMurray > [The late, great Janis Joplin could drink ten men under the table, then sing loud enough to shake the teeth out of their head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-amos/the-late-great-janis-joplin-could-drink-ten-men-under-the-table-then/) [Shawn Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-amos/) > [I think no-one was surprised to hear that Janis Joplin was dead. She seemed to be living up all of her energy that she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wadleigh/i-think-no-one-was-surprised-to-hear-that-janis-joplin-was-dead-she/) Michael Wadleigh > [My idols are Janis Joplin and Annie Lennox, who are neither of them from the typical pop culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-cole/my-idols-are-janis-joplin-and-annie-lennox-who-are-neither-of-them/) [Natalie Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-cole/) > [“I guess we've both managed to plow through a lot of shit. Well listen, it's been enough to make me nothing short of fanatically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-joplin/i-guess-we-ve-both-managed-to-plow-through-a-lot-of-shit-well-listen/) [Laura Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-joplin/) > [In this country, particularly, actually in times that are difficult, or from corners of America where you least expect it, unbelievable pure creativity has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baz-luhrmann/in-this-country-particularly-actually-in-times-that-are-difficult-or/) [Baz Luhrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baz-luhrmann/) > [Janis Joplin didn't just sing a song, she took it over. She swallowed it whole, then sent it back through her gut and her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-simon/janis-joplin-didn-t-just-sing-a-song-she-took-it-over-she-swallowed/) [Scott Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-simon/) > [I don't want to be known as Janis Joplin the rest of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-don-t-want-to-be-known-as-janis-joplin-the-rest-of-my-life/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [I just loved Amy Winehouse. I would rather have managed her than anybody in the world. To me, it was like the first time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-heller/i-just-loved-amy-winehouse-i-would-rather-have-managed-her-than/) [Jerry Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-heller/) > [“Germany was being run by a loudmouthed rabble-rouser, bent on baiting other nations to war and making life miserable for countless innocent citizens. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-shattuck/germany-was-being-run-by-a-loudmouthed-rabble-rouser-bent-on-baiting/) [Jessica Shattuck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-shattuck/) ## More by R.J. Palacio > [“I think there should be a rule that everyone should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives because they overcometh the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/i-think-there-should-be-a-rule-that-everyone-should-get-a-standing/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“And being at school was awful in the beginning. Every new class I had was like a new chance for kids to “not stare”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/and-being-at-school-was-awful-in-the-beginning-every-new-class-i-had/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“That’s when I saw Daisy sitting near my bed. I mean, I knew it wasn’t Daisy, but for a second I saw a shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/that-s-when-i-saw-daisy-sitting-near-my-bed-i-mean-i-knew-it-wasn-t/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Funny how sometimes you worry a lot about something and it turns out to be nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/funny-how-sometimes-you-worry-a-lot-about-something-and-it-turns-out/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“The first look I got of August, well, it made me want to cover my eyes and run away screaming.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/the-first-look-i-got-of-august-well-it-made-me-want-to-cover-my-eyes/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“We’re kind of like Beauty and the Beast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/we-re-kind-of-like-beauty-and-the-beast/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“No, it’s okay,” I said. “Let’s just go”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/no-it-s-okay-i-said-let-s-just-go/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Or, what does a poor man have, a rich man need, and you would die if you ate it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/or-what-does-a-poor-man-have-a-rich-man-need-and-you-would-die-if-you/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Sometimes when I have the feeling like I’m almost crying, it can turn into an almost-laughing feeling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/sometimes-when-i-have-the-feeling-like-i-m-almost-crying-it-can-turn/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“My name is August, by the way. I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/my-name-is-august-by-the-way-i-won-t-describe-what-i-look-like/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Actually, I prefer not to even try to imagine it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/actually-i-prefer-not-to-even-try-to-imagine-it/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Her smile hugged me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/her-smile-hugged-me/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Here I was looking for symbolism and metaphors and um . . . sometimes a duck is just a duck!"--Mr. Tushman”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/here-i-was-looking-for-symbolism-and-metaphors-and-um-sometimes-a/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Shall we make a new rule of life... always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/shall-we-make-a-new-rule-of-life-always-to-try-to-be-a-little-kinder/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“August is the Sun. Me and Mom and Dad are planets orbiting the Sun. The rest of our family and friends are asteroids and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/august-is-the-sun-me-and-mom-and-dad-are-planets-orbiting-the-sun-the/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) [Explore all 135 R.J. Palacio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) ## More Friendship quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) Maureen Andeson > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) Unknwon > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/) Unknow > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Kings don’t move mountains as a favor to a friend,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/kings-don-t-move-mountains-as-a-favor-to-a-friend/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) [Browse all 45,469 Friendship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“HENRY JOPLIN'S PRECEPT Don't be friends with jerks.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R.J. 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