--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was an adolescent, I was obsessed…" description: "\"When I was an adolescent, I was obsessed with having many commercial things, cars, clothes, stupid things. Now that I have all that, I understand that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/till-lindemann-23416_car_when-i-was-an-adolescent-i-was-obsessed_1419597.jpg" --- # When I was an adolescent, I was obsessed with having many… ![“When I was an adolescent, I was obsessed with having many commercial things, cars, clothes, stupid things. Now that I have all that, I understand that the superfluous things can turn to you into a very stupid idiot-type. In East Germany there were very few things, but there was also a feeling of…” quote by Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/till-lindemann-23416_car_when-i-was-an-adolescent-i-was-obsessed_1419597.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/till-lindemann-23416_car_when-i-was-an-adolescent-i-was-obsessed_1419597.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/till-lindemann-23416_car_when-i-was-an-adolescent-i-was-obsessed_1419597.jpg) > “When I was an adolescent, I was obsessed with having many commercial things, cars, clothes, stupid things. Now that I have all that, I understand that the superfluous things can turn to you into a very stupid idiot-type. In East Germany there were very few things, but there was also a feeling of solidarity that no longer exists. Now we are up to the neck in consumption, the ego, the individualism. Now before friendship, it is merchandise.” [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excessive materialism leads to shallow identity and loss of community values. **In simple terms:** Too many possessions make us foolish and isolated. Key Takeaway Prioritize relationships over things. Themes materialism identity community individualism solidarity Mood reflective critical Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - social critique - urban life - friendship - self‑assessment Key Concepts consumer culture psychology social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - How does your consumption affect your relationships? - What would a balanced life look like? A Different Perspective The quote idealizes simplicity and may overlook benefits of progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Car](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/car/) [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Consumerism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumerism/) [Consumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/) [Consumption Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption-ego-5023857/) [East](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/east/) [East germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/east-germany/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Ego Individualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego-individualism-5023859/) [Feeling Solidarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-solidarity-917987/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/germany/) [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Individualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualism/) [Individualism Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualism-friendship-5023858/) [Merchandise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merchandise/) [Necks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necks/) [Obsessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsessed/) [Solidarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solidarity/) [Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid/) [Stupid things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid-things/) [Superfluous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superfluous/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Type](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/type/) [Very stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-stupid/) ## Related quotes > [One of the main points about travelling is to develop in us a feeling of solidarity, of that oneness without which no better world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/one-of-the-main-points-about-travelling-is-to-develop-in-us-a-feeling/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [“The feeling of solidarity is the leading characteristic of all animals living in society. The eagle devours the sparrow, the wolf devours the marmot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kropotkin/the-feeling-of-solidarity-is-the-leading-characteristic-of-all/) [Peter Kropotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kropotkin/) > [Within each such social group, a feeling of solidarity prevails, a compelling need to work together and a joy in doing so that represent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-lous-lange/within-each-such-social-group-a-feeling-of-solidarity-prevails-a/) [Christian Lous Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-lous-lange/) > [You know, I grew up in the East part of Germany so we never had English in school, we had to learn Russian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/you-know-i-grew-up-in-the-east-part-of-germany-so-we-never-had/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [“The former East Germany hardly had a monopoly on complicity. Life’s every moment caught one out in one form or another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-russell/the-former-east-germany-hardly-had-a-monopoly-on-complicity-life-s/) [Paul Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-russell/) > [There was no special event that made me decide. I had collected some photos and the idea was in the back of my mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/there-was-no-special-event-that-made-me-decide-i-had-collected-some/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [There was no such thing as a solo career in East Germany. You had to get the best orchestra job that you could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-vogler/there-was-no-such-thing-as-a-solo-career-in-east-germany-you-had-to/) [Jan Vogler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-vogler/) > [It's a historical fact that the Stasi did horrible things and that they monitored a lot of people in East Germany, but I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-schwochow/it-s-a-historical-fact-that-the-stasi-did-horrible-things-and-that/) [Christian Schwochow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-schwochow/) > [“More riveting to me in the end than the politics of Berlin was the vast social experiment its division had become... it was possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krista-tippett/more-riveting-to-me-in-the-end-than-the-politics-of-berlin-was-the/) [Krista Tippett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krista-tippett/) > [ Okay, NATO expanded to East Berlin and East Germany. Under \[Bill\] Clinton NATO expanded further, to the former Russian satellites. In 2008 NATO formally… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/okay-nato-expanded-to-east-berlin-and-east-germany-under-bill-clinton/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I was the very first athlete in East Germany allowed to go professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katarina-witt/i-was-the-very-first-athlete-in-east-germany-allowed-to-go/) [Katarina Witt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katarina-witt/) > [ “The penalties for being an accessory to the attempt to flee the \[GDR\] were greater than the crime of trying to flee itself.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-funder/the-penalties-for-being-an-accessory-to-the-attempt-to-flee-the-gdr/) [Anna Funder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-funder/) > [East Germany was so total in its totalitarianism that everything was banned which wasn't compulsory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/east-germany-was-so-total-in-its-totalitarianism-that-everything-was/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [We played an old U-Boat factory in East Germany once and that was massive - 35,000 people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-flint/we-played-an-old-u-boat-factory-in-east-germany-once-and-that-was/) [Keith Flint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-flint/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) ## More by Till Lindemann > [You know, I grew up in the East part of Germany so we never had English in school, we had to learn Russian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/you-know-i-grew-up-in-the-east-part-of-germany-so-we-never-had/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [It's just really efficient to work with a person who can do everything in the studio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/it-s-just-really-efficient-to-work-with-a-person-who-can-do/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [Loneliness sometimes gives me a quantity of creativeness - you're drinking another glass of wine and you're feeling even worse. Art doesn't work without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/loneliness-sometimes-gives-me-a-quantity-of-creativeness-you-re/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [In the very beginning, we went on tours with Rammstein in really small clubs. We didn't even have a record out. We played in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/in-the-very-beginning-we-went-on-tours-with-rammstein-in-really-small/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [Transsexuals are amazing. You have all the great stuff in one place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/transsexuals-are-amazing-you-have-all-the-great-stuff-in-one-place/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [Nobody speaks German outside of Germany.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/nobody-speaks-german-outside-of-germany/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [In German, there are only so many things you can write about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/in-german-there-are-only-so-many-things-you-can-write-about/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [Oh, my kids know me, and they know the Rammstein's history. It's hard to shock them. I got punished, in the sense that they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/oh-my-kids-know-me-and-they-know-the-rammstein-s-history-it-s-hard-to/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [Rammstein's music demands German lyrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/rammstein-s-music-demands-german-lyrics/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [You can't easily break out of this cycle of love. It's always here and there up and down.. pain and joy, this wonderful feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/you-can-t-easily-break-out-of-this-cycle-of-love-it-s-always-here-and/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [I'm not a big hip-hop fan, but I respect all kinds of music and some of them are really cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/i-m-not-a-big-hip-hop-fan-but-i-respect-all-kinds-of-music-and-some/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [I would love to make a really cool Spanish song, definitely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/i-would-love-to-make-a-really-cool-spanish-song-definitely/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [For me, it's a big challenge to translate everything in English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/for-me-it-s-a-big-challenge-to-translate-everything-in-english/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [I grew up learning Russian and translating English songs when I became a teenager, we got to listen to West Germany radio stations, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/i-grew-up-learning-russian-and-translating-english-songs-when-i/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [We love the American crowds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/we-love-the-american-crowds/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) [Explore all 24 Till Lindemann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) ## More Car quotes > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I don't own a yacht or a flashy car. I've always had safe cars because I do so much driving. I don't think I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/i-don-t-own-a-yacht-or-a-flashy-car-i-ve-always-had-safe-cars-because/) [Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) > [I mean, you've kind of got the track down, especially with ovals. 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The extra minute to find the briefcase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-shreve/the-things-that-don-t-happen-to-us-that-we-ll-never-know-didn-t/) [Anita Shreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-shreve/) > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [It is amazing how may drivers, even at the Formula One Level, think that the brakes are for slowing the car down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/it-is-amazing-how-may-drivers-even-at-the-formula-one-level-think/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [I don't have to have the biggest house or the biggest car or the longest mink, but quality of life is really glamorous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-don-t-have-to-have-the-biggest-house-or-the-biggest-car-or-the/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) [Browse all 6,849 Car quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/car/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was an adolescent, I was obsessed with having many commercial things, cars, clothes, stupid things. Now that I have all that, I understand that the superfluous things can turn to you into a very stupid idiot-type. In East Germany there were very few things, but there was also a feeling of solidarity that no longer exists. 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