---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People can be really mean - they say the…"
description: "\"People can be really mean - they say the most vicious things.\" — Rutina Wesley"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/rutina-wesley-10216_mean_people-can-be-really-mean-they-say-the-m_1778096.jpg"
---

#  People can be really mean - they say the most vicious…

![“People can be really mean - they say the most vicious things.” quote by Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/rutina-wesley-10216_mean_people-can-be-really-mean-they-say-the-m_1778096.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/rutina-wesley-10216_mean_people-can-be-really-mean-they-say-the-m_1778096.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/rutina-wesley-10216_mean_people-can-be-really-mean-they-say-the-m_1778096.jpg)

> “People can be really mean - they say the most vicious things.”

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

## About This Quote

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

People often say harsh, hurtful things, reflecting human cruelty.

**In simple terms:** People can be very cruel.

Key Takeaway

Practice empathy and restraint.

Themes

human nature communication empathy

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- online comments
- personal relationships
- workplace dynamics

Key Concepts

psychology of aggression social interaction

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we resort to cruelty?
- How can we foster kinder speech?

A Different Perspective

Not all remarks are intended to harm.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [It is false to say that you are a vicious man, Zoilus; you are not a vicious man, you are vice itself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/it-is-false-to-say-that-you-are-a-vicious-man-zoilus-you-are-not-a/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [TV has a lot of problems, but I think the Internet and social media have a lot more. Under the cover of anonymity people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-c-nussbaum/tv-has-a-lot-of-problems-but-i-think-the-internet-and-social-media/)

[Martha C. Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-c-nussbaum/)

> [Many times, right from the time that Karen and I first hit with 'Close to You,' there was so many beyond nasty, vicious things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carpenter/many-times-right-from-the-time-that-karen-and-i-first-hit-with-close/)

[Richard Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carpenter/)

> [“I really mean it what do I say, unless I won’t say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/i-really-mean-it-what-do-i-say-unless-i-won-t-say/)

[M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/)

> [I'm gullible. I think people mean what they say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-trevorrow/i-m-gullible-i-think-people-mean-what-they-say/)

[Colin Trevorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-trevorrow/)

> [“The way you want to be treated is a lot like how Google wants to be approached. Play nicely. Mean what you say. Don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-conner/the-way-you-want-to-be-treated-is-a-lot-like-how-google-wants-to-be/)

Joel Conner

> [“Say what you mean and mean what you say. Don’t be afraid to stand firm on the decisions that you make. Trust yourself. Believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-lahart/say-what-you-mean-and-mean-what-you-say-don-t-be-afraid-to-stand-firm/)

[Stephanie Lahart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-lahart/)

> [“Scared people don’t really mean what they say, they’re just looking for ways to rationalize everything so they have someone or something to blame.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/scared-people-don-t-really-mean-what-they-say-they-re-just-looking/)

[Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/)

> [Profiles mean nothing. You could say, 'I want this,' but then it's not out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kelly/profiles-mean-nothing-you-could-say-i-want-this-but-then-it-s-not-out/)

[Chip Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kelly/)

> [People who know me know that I'm not going to open my mouth and say something if I don't mean it. I'm very short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-ward/people-who-know-me-know-that-i-m-not-going-to-open-my-mouth-and-say/)

[Andre Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-ward/)

> [“You really shouldn't say "I love you" unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-white-smith/you-really-shouldn-t-say-i-love-you-unless-you-mean-it-but-if-you/)

Debra White Smith

> [Don't say I love you when you dont mean it, because when you mean it what will you say?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-say-i-love-you-when-you-dont-mean-it-because-when-you-mean-it/)

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

> [communication is such a two-edged sword for guys. On the one hand, they almost always mean what they say. Refreshing, I know. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rardin/communication-is-such-a-two-edged-sword-for-guys-on-the-one-hand-they/)

[Jennifer Rardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rardin/)

> [We have to redefine what we mean when we say, 'Who are your people?' 'Where are you from?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-have-to-redefine-what-we-mean-when-we-say-who-are-your-people/)

[Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/)

> [“I didn't mean to offend," he quickly adds. "Then, what exactly did you mean to say?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhonielle-clayton/i-didn-t-mean-to-offend-he-quickly-adds-then-what-exactly-did-you/)

[Dhonielle Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhonielle-clayton/)

## More by Rutina Wesley

> [I enjoy working with Deborah Ann, I think she's brilliant. It's been a joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-enjoy-working-with-deborah-ann-i-think-she-s-brilliant-it-s-been-a/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [Fiona Shaw is one of my idols. She's phenomenatastic. I just make up a word for her - that's how much I love her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/fiona-shaw-is-one-of-my-idols-she-s-phenomenatastic-i-just-make-up-a/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [Dance is in my background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/dance-is-in-my-background/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [I worked as a singing, dancing busgirl in high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-worked-as-a-singing-dancing-busgirl-in-high-school/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [I still see myself on TV and think, 'Oh my God, I'm on a television, and there are millions of people watching,' and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-still-see-myself-on-tv-and-think-oh-my-god-i-m-on-a-television-and/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [I think that an actor shouldn't work from a place of fear, because it'll show in your work. You should work from a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-think-that-an-actor-shouldn-t-work-from-a-place-of-fear-because-it/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [My grandmother is very liberal, but... she still has her opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/my-grandmother-is-very-liberal-but-she-still-has-her-opinions/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [Id like to do a romantic comedy like Notting Hill, which is one of my favorite movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/id-like-to-do-a-romantic-comedy-like-notting-hill-which-is-one-of-my/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [You know, it cuts both ways... no one wants to lose a job, but everybody wants to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/you-know-it-cuts-both-ways-no-one-wants-to-lose-a-job-but-everybody/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [Staying in Vegas would've been too easy for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/staying-in-vegas-would-ve-been-too-easy-for-me/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [I always tell other young actors to go to school, or at least watch movies to learn as much as you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-always-tell-other-young-actors-to-go-to-school-or-at-least-watch/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [I was born to be on the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-was-born-to-be-on-the-stage/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [At Julliard, they don't teach you where to move your face for the camera, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/at-julliard-they-don-t-teach-you-where-to-move-your-face-for-the/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [I used to love Jem and the Holograms. I think if they were doing a concert, I would stand in line to see Jem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/i-used-to-love-jem-and-the-holograms-i-think-if-they-were-doing-a/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

> [New York is home to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/new-york-is-home-to-me/)

[Rutina Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

[Explore all 67 Rutina Wesley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/)

## More Mean quotes

> [That we have the vote means nothing. That we use it in the right way means everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-henry-hoover/that-we-have-the-vote-means-nothing-that-we-use-it-in-the-right-way/)

[Lou Henry Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-henry-hoover/)

> [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/)

[John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/)

> [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/)

[Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/)

> [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/)

[James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/)

> [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/)

[Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/)

> [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/)

[John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/)

> [Being blonde, for me, means never having to say: 'I'll have the honey-striped half-head of highlights for £200,' to a bored colourist in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-johnson/being-blonde-for-me-means-never-having-to-say-i-ll-have-the-honey/)

[Rachel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-johnson/)

> [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/)

[Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/)

> [What is a moderate interpretation of the text? Halfway between what it really means and what you'd like it to mean?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/what-is-a-moderate-interpretation-of-the-text-halfway-between-what-it/)

[Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/)

> [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/)

[Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/)

> [The one means that wins the easiest victory over reason is terror and force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-one-means-that-wins-the-easiest-victory-over-reason-is-terror-and/)

[Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/)

> [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/)

[Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/)

> [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/)

[Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/)

Browse all 33,959 Mean quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "People can be really mean - they say the most vicious things.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rutina Wesley"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/people-can-be-really-mean-they-say-the-most-vicious-things/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Mean"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/people-can-be-really-mean-they-say-the-most-vicious-things/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/rutina-wesley-10216_mean_people-can-be-really-mean-they-say-the-m_1778096.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/rutina-wesley-10216_mean_people-can-be-really-mean-they-say-the-m_1778096.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e70/rutina-wesley-10216_mean_people-can-be-really-mean-they-say-the-m_1778096.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“People can be really mean - they say the most vicious things.” — Rutina Wesley",
                "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": "Rutina Wesley",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutina-wesley/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "People can be really mean -...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/people-can-be-really-mean-they-say-the-most-vicious-things/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutina-wesley/people-can-be-really-mean-they-say-the-most-vicious-things/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
