---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like a thing is a thing. Someone like a…"
description: "\"“Like a thing is a thing. Someone like a thief is a thief. Someone like a cut-up is a cut-up. And somebody like a dipso is definitely a dipso. Like jus..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/tadzio-koelb-281260_like-thief_like-a-thing-is-a-thing-someone-like-a-t_785984.jpg"
---

#  Like a thing is a thing. Someone like a thief is a thief…

![“Like a thing is a thing. Someone like a thief is a thief. Someone like a cut-up is a cut-up. And somebody like a dipso is definitely a dipso. Like just is, there’s no difference.” quote by Tadzio Koelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/tadzio-koelb-281260_like-thief_like-a-thing-is-a-thing-someone-like-a-t_785984.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/tadzio-koelb-281260_like-thief_like-a-thing-is-a-thing-someone-like-a-t_785984.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c57/tadzio-koelb-281260_like-thief_like-a-thing-is-a-thing-someone-like-a-t_785984.jpg)

> ““Like a thing is a thing. Someone like a thief is a thief. Someone like a cut-up is a cut-up. And somebody like a dipso is definitely a dipso. Like just is, there’s no difference.””

[Tadzio Koelb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadzio-koelb/)

## About This Quote

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

The speaker asserts that labels are immutable; a thing remains what it is, without nuance or distinction.

**In simple terms:** Things stay the same; labels don’t change reality.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge inherent nature without over‑labelling.

Themes

identity labeling essence philosophy

Mood

philosophical critical neutral

Type

Like Thief:0 Thief Like:0 Like Dipso:0 Dipso Like:0 Dipso Definitely:0

When to use this quote

- social interaction
- self‑identification
- critical analysis

Key Concepts

categorization stereotype simplicity

Questions to Reflect On

- Do labels ever truly capture essence?
- How does this view affect how you judge others?

A Different Perspective

Over‑simplification can ignore individual complexity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dipso Definitely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dipso-definitely-6046150/) [Dipso Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dipso-like-6046149/) [Like Dipso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-dipso-6046148/) [Like Thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-thief-1090776/) [Thief Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thief-like-1691097/)

## Related quotes

> [Come like a Horse, Sit like a Thief, And Go like a King… This Slogan was written on a.. Public Toilet Door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/come-like-a-horse-sit-like-a-thief-and-go-like-a-king-this-slogan-was/)

[Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/)

> [A thief is like a person who has been dead from the start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashi/a-thief-is-like-a-person-who-has-been-dead-from-the-start/)

[Rashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashi/)

> [There's no thief like a bad movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ewing/there-s-no-thief-like-a-bad-movie/)

[Sam Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ewing/)

> [It's hard to breath nights days are thief like. The beast roam the streets the police is Greeklike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/it-s-hard-to-breath-nights-days-are-thief-like-the-beast-roam-the/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [And when I smiled, 'Bing!' I almost blinded her. She said, 'Great Scot, are you a thief? Seems like you have a mouth full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slick-rick/and-when-i-smiled-bing-i-almost-blinded-her-she-said-great-scot-are/)

[Slick Rick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slick-rick/)

> [I'm a great thief. I like to lift stuff and play it better. The real trick is taking whatever you've stolen and trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-palmer/i-m-a-great-thief-i-like-to-lift-stuff-and-play-it-better-the-real/)

[Carl Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-palmer/)

> [ “\[S\]he stepped out into the yard, like a thief in reverse: breaking and exiting. Stealing herself.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-cross/s-he-stepped-out-into-the-yard-like-a-thief-in-reverse-breaking-and/)

[Sarah Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-cross/)

> [“Nobody is fully ready for paradise. That is why 'the kingdom come' will be like thief in the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/nobody-is-fully-ready-for-paradise-that-is-why-the-kingdom-come-will/)

[Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/)

> [You started like a saint and now you've finished like a thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kellogg/you-started-like-a-saint-and-now-you-ve-finished-like-a-thief/)

[Stephen Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kellogg/)

> [I creep like a thief, no doubt the man's swift, I'm more magnificent than Lee Van Cleef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diamond-d/i-creep-like-a-thief-no-doubt-the-man-s-swift-i-m-more-magnificent/)

[Diamond D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diamond-d/)

> [“This time, he fumbled for Collin's hand in the elevator. He still felt like a thief, there was no denying it, but sometimes thieves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-lane/this-time-he-fumbled-for-collin-s-hand-in-the-elevator-he-still-felt/)

[Amy Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-lane/)

> [I felt like a thief with a bagful of stolen glances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-felt-like-a-thief-with-a-bagful-of-stolen-glances/)

[Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/)

> [“Love is like a thief, it robs you of all thought and logic, and all you have left is a heart that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/love-is-like-a-thief-it-robs-you-of-all-thought-and-logic-and-all-you/)

[Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/)

> [They say death comes like a thief in the night, where is he? I'll hug his neck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/they-say-death-comes-like-a-thief-in-the-night-where-is-he-i-ll-hug/)

[Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/)

> [“Now you are thinking like a thief. Fewer guns and more exits. We'll cure your cowboy ways yet. (Vidocq)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-kadrey/now-you-are-thinking-like-a-thief-fewer-guns-and-more-exits-we-ll/)

[Richard Kadrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-kadrey/)

## More Like Thief quotes

> [“Now you are thinking like a thief. Fewer guns and more exits. We'll cure your cowboy ways yet. (Vidocq)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-kadrey/now-you-are-thinking-like-a-thief-fewer-guns-and-more-exits-we-ll/)

[Richard Kadrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-kadrey/)

> [They say death comes like a thief in the night, where is he? I'll hug his neck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/they-say-death-comes-like-a-thief-in-the-night-where-is-he-i-ll-hug/)

[Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/)

> [“Love is like a thief, it robs you of all thought and logic, and all you have left is a heart that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/love-is-like-a-thief-it-robs-you-of-all-thought-and-logic-and-all-you/)

[Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/)

> [I felt like a thief with a bagful of stolen glances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-felt-like-a-thief-with-a-bagful-of-stolen-glances/)

[Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/)

> [“This time, he fumbled for Collin's hand in the elevator. He still felt like a thief, there was no denying it, but sometimes thieves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-lane/this-time-he-fumbled-for-collin-s-hand-in-the-elevator-he-still-felt/)

[Amy Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-lane/)

> [Come like a Horse, Sit like a Thief, And Go like a King… This Slogan was written on a.. Public Toilet Door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/come-like-a-horse-sit-like-a-thief-and-go-like-a-king-this-slogan-was/)

[Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/)

> [I creep like a thief, no doubt the man's swift, I'm more magnificent than Lee Van Cleef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diamond-d/i-creep-like-a-thief-no-doubt-the-man-s-swift-i-m-more-magnificent/)

[Diamond D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diamond-d/)

> [You started like a saint and now you've finished like a thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kellogg/you-started-like-a-saint-and-now-you-ve-finished-like-a-thief/)

[Stephen Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kellogg/)

> [“Nobody is fully ready for paradise. That is why 'the kingdom come' will be like thief in the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/nobody-is-fully-ready-for-paradise-that-is-why-the-kingdom-come-will/)

[Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/)

> [ “\[S\]he stepped out into the yard, like a thief in reverse: breaking and exiting. Stealing herself.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-cross/s-he-stepped-out-into-the-yard-like-a-thief-in-reverse-breaking-and/)

[Sarah Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-cross/)

> [In gold sandals / dawn like a thief / fell upon me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sappho/in-gold-sandals-dawn-like-a-thief-fell-upon-me/)

[Sappho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sappho/)

> [“It feels like a thief in slow motion, stealing the man I knew one memory at a time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ruczko/it-feels-like-a-thief-in-slow-motion-stealing-the-man-i-knew-one/)

[Daniel Ruczko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ruczko/)

> [And happiness will come like a thief in the night and steal all the pain away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-shadow/and-happiness-will-come-like-a-thief-in-the-night-and-steal-all-the/)

[Ash&Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-shadow/)

> [Live life so completely that when death comes to you like a thief in the night, there will be nothing left for him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/live-life-so-completely-that-when-death-comes-to-you-like-a-thief-in/)

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

> [Death never comes at the right time, despite what mortals believe. Death always comes like a thief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-pike/death-never-comes-at-the-right-time-despite-what-mortals-believe/)

[Christopher Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-pike/)

[Browse all 21 Like Thief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-thief-1090776/)

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