--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You kind of have to have a cynical thing…" description: "\"You kind of have to have a cynical thing sometimes.\" — Richard Patrick" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/richard-patrick-16744_cynical_you-kind-of-have-to-have-a-cynical-thing_356293.jpg" --- # You kind of have to have a cynical thing sometimes. ![“You kind of have to have a cynical thing sometimes.” quote by Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/richard-patrick-16744_cynical_you-kind-of-have-to-have-a-cynical-thing_356293.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/richard-patrick-16744_cynical_you-kind-of-have-to-have-a-cynical-thing_356293.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/richard-patrick-16744_cynical_you-kind-of-have-to-have-a-cynical-thing_356293.jpg) > “You kind of have to have a cynical thing sometimes.” [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cynicism can be a useful tool in certain situations. **In simple terms:** Cynicism sometimes helpful. Key Takeaway Use measured skepticism. Themes cynicism critical thinking balance Mood critical balanced Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - decision making - media consumption - risk assessment Key Concepts skepticism realism Questions to Reflect On - When is cynicism productive? - How to balance optimism and skepticism? A Different Perspective Risk of becoming overly negative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) ## Related quotes > [So I'm skeptical and cynical about the whole thing and it's only if something seems to be genuine that I would pursue it. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/so-i-m-skeptical-and-cynical-about-the-whole-thing-and-it-s-only-if/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [The idea of it was I was thinking about how when you're a kid you get this unconditional love and you spend the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-endicott/the-idea-of-it-was-i-was-thinking-about-how-when-you-re-a-kid-you-get/) [Sam Endicott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-endicott/) > [The kind of cynical politics of divide and conquer, that's shameful stuff, and I don't know - people live their life like that, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-newsom/the-kind-of-cynical-politics-of-divide-and-conquer-that-s-shameful/) [Gavin Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-newsom/) > [You have to be cynical because this is a business. Everyone is making money out of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-nash/you-have-to-be-cynical-because-this-is-a-business-everyone-is-making/) [Kate Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-nash/) > [“Doesn’t this make you sad, Ferdinand?” He shrugged his shoulders. “Cynical, if you like. One is sad when one thinks about life—cynical when one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/doesn-t-this-make-you-sad-ferdinand-he-shrugged-his-shoulders-cynical/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [Walt had a marvelous intuition. And because he understood people very well, liked them and had great respect for people, there was nothing cynical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hench/walt-had-a-marvelous-intuition-and-because-he-understood-people-very/) [John Hench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hench/) > [No matter how cynical I get, I can't keep up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/no-matter-how-cynical-i-get-i-can-t-keep-up/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [“a cynical electorate is a self-centered electorate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/a-cynical-electorate-is-a-self-centered-electorate/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The opposite of creativity is cynicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esa-saarinen/the-opposite-of-creativity-is-cynicism/) Esa Saarinen > [We can all pretend to be cynical and scheming, but when we’re faced with purity and innocence, the cynical mask drops off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/we-can-all-pretend-to-be-cynical-and-scheming-but-when-we-re-faced/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [The worst thing you can become in life is cynical. Cynical is like concrete. and nothing grows in concrete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-santana/the-worst-thing-you-can-become-in-life-is-cynical-cynical-is-like/) [Carlos Santana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-santana/) > [We live in a cynical system where the powerful are able to exploit the demand of the aggressive few, from whichever religion or group,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitava-kumar/we-live-in-a-cynical-system-where-the-powerful-are-able-to-exploit/) [Amitava Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitava-kumar/) > [A cynical, mercenary, demagogic press will produce in time a people as base as itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-pulitzer/a-cynical-mercenary-demagogic-press-will-produce-in-time-a-people-as/) [Joseph Pulitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-pulitzer/) > [Cynical realism is the intelligent man's best excuse for doing nothing in an intolerable situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/cynical-realism-is-the-intelligent-man-s-best-excuse-for-doing/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [I'm not cynical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/i-m-not-cynical/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) ## More by Richard Patrick > [CD's are amazing because you get the artwork, you get to look at the lyrics, you get to look at the behind-the-scenes photos or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/cd-s-are-amazing-because-you-get-the-artwork-you-get-to-look-at-the/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [Seeing my children makes me come most alive. I come home and I see my kids' faces light up when they see me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/seeing-my-children-makes-me-come-most-alive-i-come-home-and-i-see-my/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [My idols have always stuck to their guns and said what they want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/my-idols-have-always-stuck-to-their-guns-and-said-what-they-want-to-do/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [Nirvana's amazing, but they're just never going to find another one, there's no artist development anymore, you're never going to have a U2, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/nirvana-s-amazing-but-they-re-just-never-going-to-find-another-one/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [For many people out there in the world, music is the only thing that gives them relief, so it’s awesome to be a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/for-many-people-out-there-in-the-world-music-is-the-only-thing-that/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [I can do whatever I want, I can have my band, I can use different people, I can use studio players, it's complete, total…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/i-can-do-whatever-i-want-i-can-have-my-band-i-can-use-different/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [I just want to touch people's ears. I want to touch people's lives. I want to give them something they can release to towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/i-just-want-to-touch-people-s-ears-i-want-to-touch-people-s-lives-i/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [Stop fighting and learn how to communicate honestly with each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/stop-fighting-and-learn-how-to-communicate-honestly-with-each-other/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [You can't just walk into someone's house and take $15 bucks out of someone's wallet and then walk out with their song. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/you-can-t-just-walk-into-someone-s-house-and-take-15-bucks-out-of/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [I think that part of my success was the fact that I would literally threaten your life if you got in-between me and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/i-think-that-part-of-my-success-was-the-fact-that-i-would-literally/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [I'm on this planet for another forty years at the most and I got a baby and a wife and I'm worried about their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/i-m-on-this-planet-for-another-forty-years-at-the-most-and-i-got-a/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [You just have to follow your own heart. I listen to so many different kinds of music and at the end of the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/you-just-have-to-follow-your-own-heart-i-listen-to-so-many-different/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [I've learned enough things the hard way to know we humans can make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/i-ve-learned-enough-things-the-hard-way-to-know-we-humans-can-make-a/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [The fans have made my dreams come true. For that, I'm super grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/the-fans-have-made-my-dreams-come-true-for-that-i-m-super-grateful/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [Everywhere I go I'm always spotted on the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/everywhere-i-go-i-m-always-spotted-on-the-streets/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) [Explore all 39 Richard Patrick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) ## More Cynical quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. Now I am living on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/sure-i-m-dramatic-and-sloppily-semi-cynical-and-semi-sentimental-but/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [We're so immaturely cynical as a culture. We're not wise enough to look at an institution like marriage and to really things about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peterson/we-re-so-immaturely-cynical-as-a-culture-we-re-not-wise-enough-to/) [Jordan Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peterson/) > [I'm not cynical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/i-m-not-cynical/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [A well governed people are generally a people who do not think much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-siegfried/a-well-governed-people-are-generally-a-people-who-do-not-think-much/) Andre Siegfried > [I love writers who are insightful enough to be cynical but choose not to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/i-love-writers-who-are-insightful-enough-to-be-cynical-but-choose-not/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [It is a very cynical, skeptical, foolish person that suggests Israel does not need a peace process to have a growing economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-quest/it-is-a-very-cynical-skeptical-foolish-person-that-suggests-israel/) [Richard Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-quest/) > [Songwriters might write cynical, world-wise lyrics and constantly talk about money, but most of us are downright naive when it comes to business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/songwriters-might-write-cynical-world-wise-lyrics-and-constantly-talk/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [No one more cynical than an idealist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/no-one-more-cynical-than-an-idealist/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [I've actually always wanted to write like a one-person show that was sort of a romantic comedy - a show that was kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-ve-actually-always-wanted-to-write-like-a-one-person-show-that-was/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [“That's what I've never been able to get about religion: that charmless combination of altruism and insanity. Give me a cynical, self-interested bastard any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey/that-s-what-i-ve-never-been-able-to-get-about-religion-that-charmless/) [Mike Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey/) > [As the rain falls and the sun shines, they grow, grow, grow; minds so open, they go through life aware and accepting, seeing light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/as-the-rain-falls-and-the-sun-shines-they-grow-grow-grow-minds-so/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [One of the weirdest things that happened to artists and art criticism was this moment when everyone got cynical and stopped believing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/one-of-the-weirdest-things-that-happened-to-artists-and-art-criticism/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) [Browse all 968 Cynical quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You kind of have to have a cynical thing sometimes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Patrick" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/you-kind-of-have-to-have-a-cynical-thing-sometimes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cynical" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/you-kind-of-have-to-have-a-cynical-thing-sometimes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/richard-patrick-16744_cynical_you-kind-of-have-to-have-a-cynical-thing_356293.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/richard-patrick-16744_cynical_you-kind-of-have-to-have-a-cynical-thing_356293.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/richard-patrick-16744_cynical_you-kind-of-have-to-have-a-cynical-thing_356293.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You kind of have to have a cynical thing sometimes.” — Richard Patrick", "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": "Richard Patrick", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You kind of have to have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/you-kind-of-have-to-have-a-cynical-thing-sometimes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/you-kind-of-have-to-have-a-cynical-thing-sometimes/#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 } } ] } ```