--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always been attracted to negative…" description: "\"I've always been attracted to negative influences - I thought that meant you were smart.\" — Stephen Malkmus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/stephen-malkmus-2984_always_i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-negative-i_732166.png" --- # I've always been attracted to negative influences - I… ![“I've always been attracted to negative influences - I thought that meant you were smart.” quote by Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/stephen-malkmus-2984_always_i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-negative-i_732166.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/stephen-malkmus-2984_always_i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-negative-i_732166.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/stephen-malkmus-2984_always_i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-negative-i_732166.png) > “I've always been attracted to negative influences - I thought that meant you were smart.” [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attracting harmful people was mistaken for intelligence, conflating danger with cleverness. **In simple terms:** Mistaking bad company for smartness. Key Takeaway Choose healthier influences. Themes self‑awareness relationships intelligence Mood reflective cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - college friendships - workplace mentorship - online communities - personal growth Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Do you equate risk with brilliance? - How can you identify truly supportive people? A Different Perspective Negative influences can still teach valuable lessons if reflected upon. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Attracted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attracted/) [Attracted Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attracted-negative-5733331/) [Meant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meant/) [Meant Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meant-smart-3207245/) [Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative/) [Negative Influences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-influences-678260/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Ve Attracted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-attracted-283690/) ## Related quotes > [“Adela you are as smart as a boy.” This remark stung, because if it meant that I was as smart as my brothers, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/adela-you-are-as-smart-as-a-boy-this-remark-stung-because-if-it-meant/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've always been attracted to temporary families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-temporary-families/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [But I've always attracted attention, it's true, ever since I was very young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrice-dalle/but-i-ve-always-attracted-attention-it-s-true-ever-since-i-was-very/) [Beatrice Dalle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrice-dalle/) > [“He's nothing I've ever been attracted to, but everything I'm currently drawn to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-wilcox/he-s-nothing-i-ve-ever-been-attracted-to-but-everything-i-m-currently/) [Ashley Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-wilcox/) > [I've always been attracted to weirdos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roisin-murphy/i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-weirdos/) [Roisin Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roisin-murphy/) > [I guess I've always been attracted to people who stand out as individuals - people who are adventurous and take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-electra/i-guess-i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-people-who-stand-out-as/) [Carmen Electra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-electra/) > [I suppose I've always been attracted to this sort of outsider in general - in literature, in music, politics, whatever - and to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-suppose-i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-this-sort-of-outsider-in/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [The way I would choose to identify myself wouldn't be gay. I've been attracted mostly to 'she's' but I've been with many people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-miller/the-way-i-would-choose-to-identify-myself-wouldn-t-be-gay-i-ve-been/) [Ezra Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-miller/) > [I've always been attracted to characters that were interesting to me, and different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milla-jovovich/i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-characters-that-were-interesting-to-me/) [Milla Jovovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milla-jovovich/) > [I don't have a type, really. But I've always been more attracted to girls who yell fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-don-t-have-a-type-really-but-i-ve-always-been-more-attracted-to/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [We should not let negative influences get to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/we-should-not-let-negative-influences-get-to-us/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [Thoughts are things. Negativity is what kills you... It's tough to do, but you've got to work at living, you know? Most people work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lalanne/thoughts-are-things-negativity-is-what-kills-you-it-s-tough-to-do-but/) [Jack LaLanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lalanne/) > [“Negativity is contagious. Life the flu, or some snotty, head-pounding cold. That’s why it’s best to keep a good distance from negative influences. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/negativity-is-contagious-life-the-flu-or-some-snotty-head-pounding/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [“Don’t naively assume that negative influences have no impact on you, they do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mensah-oteh/don-t-naively-assume-that-negative-influences-have-no-impact-on-you/) [Mensah Oteh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mensah-oteh/) > [Don't listen to negative influences. Believe in yourself, and show others what you can do. Only "you" can find your potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marla-runyan/don-t-listen-to-negative-influences-believe-in-yourself-and-show/) [Marla Runyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marla-runyan/) ## More by Stephen Malkmus > ['Silence Kid' starts with a broken classic-rock intro. It's funny to hear us do that. Obviously, we weren't skillful rock stars. Then it's spinning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/silence-kid-starts-with-a-broken-classic-rock-intro-it-s-funny-to/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [What producers did was mostly recording in the studio, so it never changed our sound just that much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/what-producers-did-was-mostly-recording-in-the-studio-so-it-never/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I'm better when I'm an autodidact and things just come. Or you're just blessed. I'm not bragging or anything, it just comes to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-m-better-when-i-m-an-autodidact-and-things-just-come-or-you-re-just/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [Men are men and women are women, but the men are dumber than the women, usually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/men-are-men-and-women-are-women-but-the-men-are-dumber-than-the-women/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I am good at just looking in the kitchen and getting stuff on the table and keeping the mess minimal. There's an art to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-am-good-at-just-looking-in-the-kitchen-and-getting-stuff-on-the/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [ Traditionally, when we lived here \[in Portland\], we have a record player in the living room, and there's lots of stuff playing, all different… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/traditionally-when-we-lived-here-in-portland-we-have-a-record-player/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [The word "down," is very musical. It just always comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/the-word-down-is-very-musical-it-just-always-comes/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I'm more into describing a scenario and I move around in that scenario.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-m-more-into-describing-a-scenario-and-i-move-around-in-that-scenario/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I like visual imagery in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-like-visual-imagery-in-my-head/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I'll cover just about anything - except for a Kid Rock song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-ll-cover-just-about-anything-except-for-a-kid-rock-song/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [“I cannot do even one sit-up / Sit-ups are so bourgeoisie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-cannot-do-even-one-sit-up-sit-ups-are-so-bourgeoisie/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I like a narrative, even if it's fractured, or kind of psychedelic. But my favorite thing is if I hear words and I close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-like-a-narrative-even-if-it-s-fractured-or-kind-of-psychedelic-but/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [Freddie Gray was a story I followed closer than others, for whatever reason, in this larger narrative of police brutality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/freddie-gray-was-a-story-i-followed-closer-than-others-for-whatever/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [We're not on a desperate mission to write chart compatible stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/we-re-not-on-a-desperate-mission-to-write-chart-compatible-stuff/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I'm not dying for things to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-m-not-dying-for-things-to-say/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) [Explore all 143 Stephen Malkmus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [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/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always been attracted to negative influences - I thought that meant you were smart.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Malkmus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-negative-influences-i-thought-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-negative-influences-i-thought-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/stephen-malkmus-2984_always_i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-negative-i_732166.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/stephen-malkmus-2984_always_i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-negative-i_732166.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/stephen-malkmus-2984_always_i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-negative-i_732166.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've always been attracted to negative influences - I thought that meant you were smart.” — Stephen Malkmus", "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": "Stephen Malkmus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've always been attracted to negative...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-negative-influences-i-thought-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-negative-influences-i-thought-that/#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 } } ] } ```