---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Half the people who snuff people, that's…"
description: "\"Half the people who snuff people, that's what they want: recognition. Get their picture in the paper.\" — Truman Capote"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/truman-capote-376_half_half-the-people-who-snuff-people-that-s_1226765.jpg"
---

#  Half the people who snuff people, that's what they want…

![“Half the people who snuff people, that's what they want: recognition. Get their picture in the paper.” quote by Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/truman-capote-376_half_half-the-people-who-snuff-people-that-s_1226765.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/truman-capote-376_half_half-the-people-who-snuff-people-that-s_1226765.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/truman-capote-376_half_half-the-people-who-snuff-people-that-s_1226765.jpg)

> “Half the people who snuff people, that's what they want: recognition. Get their picture in the paper.”

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

## About This Quote

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

Some individuals seek notoriety through violent acts, craving public recognition.

**In simple terms:** Violence can be a twisted path to fame.

Key Takeaway

Address underlying motives behind sensational crimes.

Themes

psychology media influence celebrity culture crime

Mood

critical cautionary

Type

ethical psychological

When to use this quote

- law enforcement training
- media ethics guidelines
- public education on mental health
- community vigilance

Key Concepts

attention seeking social pathology ethical responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do some crave infamy?
- How can media avoid glorifying perpetrators?

A Different Perspective

Fame pursuit can glorify harmful behavior.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Recognition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognition/)

## Related quotes

> [“You want recognition? I mean real recognition? Your life story in all the papers, your face on television all over the country. Books written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-stevens/you-want-recognition-i-mean-real-recognition-your-life-story-in-all/)

Shane Stevens

> [“Not to put too fine a point on it, if you want the dream, if you want to sculpt the magic inside your head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annaliese-morgan/not-to-put-too-fine-a-point-on-it-if-you-want-the-dream-if-you-want/)

Annaliese Morgan

> [Most painters want recognition, especially by their peers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-ross/most-painters-want-recognition-especially-by-their-peers/)

[Bob Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-ross/)

> [“We must give the very thing that we want. That's worth repeating. We must give the very thing that we want. If you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-robert-anthony/we-must-give-the-very-thing-that-we-want-that-s-worth-repeating-we/)

[Dr. Robert Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-robert-anthony/)

> [Writers want recognition, audience, some corroboration that all those hours at the desk and in daydreams add up to something in the esteem of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-hawthorne-deming/writers-want-recognition-audience-some-corroboration-that-all-those/)

[Alison Hawthorne Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-hawthorne-deming/)

> [You need characters who want things. They want love, they want recognition, they want happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/you-need-characters-who-want-things-they-want-love-they-want/)

[Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/)

> [... men want recognition of their work, to help them believe in themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-want-recognition-of-their-work-to-help-them-believe-in-themselves/)

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

> [The people that go on 'American Idol' do want some recognition and fame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-caldwell/the-people-that-go-on-american-idol-do-want-some-recognition-and-fame/)

[Kimberly Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-caldwell/)

> [We all want recognition and validation to an extent for our art, but greatness as a trade for decency is a risky proposition. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/we-all-want-recognition-and-validation-to-an-extent-for-our-art-but/)

[El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/)

> [No matter who you are, you always want more recognition, but I'm grateful for what I do have, and I feel like I've earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wall/no-matter-who-you-are-you-always-want-more-recognition-but-i-m/)

[Paul Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wall/)

> [“We want recognition, not accomplishment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-de-becker/we-want-recognition-not-accomplishment/)

[Gavin de Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-de-becker/)

> [Every time you blow the whistle, half the people are going to be mad at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cuccinelli/every-time-you-blow-the-whistle-half-the-people-are-going-to-be-mad/)

[Ken Cuccinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cuccinelli/)

> [“The nation is divided, roughly half-and-half, between people who instinctively resent the Nanny State, and those who instinctively long for its ministrations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-warren/the-nation-is-divided-roughly-half-and-half-between-people-who/)

David Warren

> [No society can thrive when half its people are left behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/no-society-can-thrive-when-half-its-people-are-left-behind/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [That whole Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame thing - at least half the people in there don't have a place in any kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-trucks/that-whole-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-thing-at-least-half-the-people/)

[Butch Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-trucks/)

## More by Truman Capote

> [“You can beat your brains out for her, and she’ll hand you horseshit on a platter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/you-can-beat-your-brains-out-for-her-and-she-ll-hand-you-horseshit-on/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“The walls of the cell fell away, the sky came down, I saw the big yellow bird.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/the-walls-of-the-cell-fell-away-the-sky-came-down-i-saw-the-big/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“Don't wanna ride on the devil's side...just wanna ride with you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/don-t-wanna-ride-on-the-devil-s-side-just-wanna-ride-with-you/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [Wrinkles and bones, white hair and diamonds: I can't wait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/wrinkles-and-bones-white-hair-and-diamonds-i-can-t-wait/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [You can't blame a writer for what the characters say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/you-can-t-blame-a-writer-for-what-the-characters-say/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [There is really no practical help that one can offer; it is a matter of self-discovery, of one's own convictions, or working with one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/there-is-really-no-practical-help-that-one-can-offer-it-is-a-matter/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“...Narcissus was so egotist...he was merely another of us who, in our unshatterable isolation, recognized, on seeing his reflection, the beautiful comrade, the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/narcissus-was-so-egotist-he-was-merely-another-of-us-who-in-our/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“Is it - I'm not certain - possible to love someone if your first interest is the use you can make of him? Doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/is-it-i-m-not-certain-possible-to-love-someone-if-your-first-interest/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [One of the most difficult things in writing a novel or anything at all is to choose the point of view from which it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-in-writing-a-novel-or-anything-at/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [I've never worked for a newspaper. I've had some very bad reviews in newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/i-ve-never-worked-for-a-newspaper-i-ve-had-some-very-bad-reviews-in/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [But, my dear, so few things are fulfilled: what are most lives but a series of incompleted episodes? 'We work in the dark, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/but-my-dear-so-few-things-are-fulfilled-what-are-most-lives-but-a/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“…she, glittery voyager of secure destination, steamed down the harbor with whistles whistling and confetti in the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/she-glittery-voyager-of-secure-destination-steamed-down-the-harbor/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“Because it's indeed difficult to portray, in any meaningful depth, another being, his appearance, speech, mentality, without to some degree, and often for quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/because-it-s-indeed-difficult-to-portray-in-any-meaningful-depth/)

[truman capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“It's a bore, but the answer is good things only happen to you if you're good. Good? Honest is more what I mean. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/it-s-a-bore-but-the-answer-is-good-things-only-happen-to-you-if-you/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“In the courtyard there was an angel of black stone, and its angel head rose above giant elephant leaves; the stark glass angel eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/in-the-courtyard-there-was-an-angel-of-black-stone-and-its-angel-head/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

[Explore all 585 Truman Capote quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

## More Half quotes

> [When you listen to someone improvise, the notes that are played are only half the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-laws/when-you-listen-to-someone-improvise-the-notes-that-are-played-are/)

Hubert Laws

> [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/)

[Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/)

> [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/)

[Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/)

> [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/)

Brian Reade

> [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/)

> [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/)

[Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/)

> [But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-the-effect-of-her-being-on-those-around-her-was-incalculably/)

[George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/)

> [I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-with-borrow-d-silver-shine-what-you-see-is-none-of-mine-first-i/)

[Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/)

> [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. But, if you want to just alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-you-want-to-change-something-by-tuesday-theater-is-no-good/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [I spend a lot of time loathing the sentences that I put down on the page. Once I'm past that phase, it doesn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-loathing-the-sentences-that-i-put-down-on-the/)

[Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/)

> [I usually write from the rhythm section...If a drummer got a funky beat on some things - like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-usually-write-from-the-rhythm-section-if-a-drummer-got-a-funky-beat/)

[Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/)

> [The wisdom of our actions in the first three years of peace will determine the course of world history for half a century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-wallace/the-wisdom-of-our-actions-in-the-first-three-years-of-peace-will/)

[Henry A. Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-wallace/)

> [The thing about living alone is that it gives you a lot of time to think. You don't necessarily reach any conclusions, because wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/the-thing-about-living-alone-is-that-it-gives-you-a-lot-of-time-to/)

[Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/)

> [In a couple of decades you have half of the wells that are drilled right now, and you're talking about numbers in the millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-fox/in-a-couple-of-decades-you-have-half-of-the-wells-that-are-drilled/)

[Josh Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-fox/)

Browse all 8,570 Half quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Half the people who snuff people, that's what they want: recognition. Get their picture in the paper.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Truman Capote"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/half-the-people-who-snuff-people-that-s-what-they-want-recognition/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Half"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/half-the-people-who-snuff-people-that-s-what-they-want-recognition/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/truman-capote-376_half_half-the-people-who-snuff-people-that-s_1226765.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/truman-capote-376_half_half-the-people-who-snuff-people-that-s_1226765.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/490/truman-capote-376_half_half-the-people-who-snuff-people-that-s_1226765.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Half the people who snuff people, that's what they want: recognition. Get their picture in the paper.” — Truman Capote",
                "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": "Truman Capote",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Half the people who snuff people,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/half-the-people-who-snuff-people-that-s-what-they-want-recognition/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/half-the-people-who-snuff-people-that-s-what-they-want-recognition/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
