A Lion Doesn’t Concern Himself With The Opinions Of The Sheep – Meaning & Usage (10+ Examples)

Idioms are an important way to pick up new trends and meanings in English when we learn them. The phrase “a lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep” is one of those phrases that you need to know before you start trying to use it yourself.

What Does “A Lion Doesn’t Concern Himself With The Opinions Of The Sheep” Mean?

The meaning of “a lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep” is that the lion is far above the reasoning skills and mentality of the general sheep herd. In the instance of this phrase, a person is “a lion” if they don’t follow the crowd and don’t let other people affect their emotions or feelings, and instead live their own independent life. “A sheep” is a person who follows the crowd and doesn’t do anything with independent thinking.

Many people believe this saying to be elitist, meaning that the only people who say it consider themselves above the rest of the world. This phrase implies that everyone else is a “sheep,” whereas the person saying it is a “lion.” Typically, this is seen as a rude way of acting like you’re better than everyone else, and most people reject the premise entirely. Nevertheless, the phrase comes with great meaning and history.

What Is The Origin Of “A Lion Doesn’t Concern Himself With The Opinions Of The Sheep”?

To understand the exact meaning of the phrase “a lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep,” we have to go back to its roots. We’ll start by looking at the sheep of the world. If you think about sheep as animals, they’re simply living their lives as part of a herd. They never react to anything without another sheep reacting to it first, and they will blindly follow without knowing what the other sheep might be following.

Then there’s the lion. In the wild, the lion is at the top of the food chain. They’re aware of the sheep of the world and want to keep them calm and collected so that when the time comes to strike and take their meal finally, they’ll supply themselves with the best quality meat going. A lion has the ability to think independently, allowing it to hunt prey (like sheep) when the time comes and work on its own to do so. One lion could take down multiple sheep at the same time.

This stark contrast between the two animals in the wild gave birth to this common phrase. People will compare themselves to lions when they believe they are a stroke above the world’s sheep. They believe that they’re capable of making their own decisions and will strike down the sheep if necessary. The phrase basically says that whatever the sheep believe in is of no concern to me (as a lion) because I’m above that.

Examples Of How To Use The Phrase

Now let’s look at some ways we can use the phrase. It mostly comes up when presented with the idea that is believed to be “mainstream.” In this instance, we mean that the idea is presented and followed by most of the world (or at least a local group to you). However, the “lion” in each scenario will always go against the beliefs, making sure they give themselves the chance to develop their own ideas about it.

  1. Your political opinions are incorrect. But I suppose a lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep.
  2. A lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep, and I don’t want to hear any more from you.
  3. You talk a lot of nonsense. A lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep.
  4. A lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep, so stop talking to me and find your sheep herd.
  5. The people in this country are all the same. A lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep.
  6. It isn’t my opinion. It’s a fact. And the fact is that a lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep.
  7. You’ll forgive me if I stop listening to you now. After all, a lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep.
  8. Seriously, a lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep. What I say goes.
  9. Why do you let their words get to you? A lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep.
  10. Ignore them, and you’ll feel better. After all, a lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep.

Note the tone of each of these examples. Each one seems a bit aggressive in how it’s delivered, which shows how the phrase is considered rude and elitist. It’s not common for people to like hearing this phrase. It’s even worse when the people listening to it are typically considered the “sheep” in the situation. Everyone wants to believe themselves a lion until they’re proven to be a sheep.

Related Phrases

Let’s finish up by looking through some related phrases. These phrases are similar in meaning to “a lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinions of the sheep” but are slightly different in delivery. It’s important to have a good understanding of them all so that you can use them interchangeably should the situation ever appear where you need to use it.

  • No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

This phrase follows the same general principle. It’s saying that no one can put you down unless you let them get to you.

  • A king doesn’t confer with peasants.

This phrase is even more elitist than the lion phrase, but it follows the same idea. The speaker is the “king” above all others.

  • Be who you are and say what you mean. Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.

This one is a famous phrase from Dr. Seuss. It comes with the same idea as the lion phrase but is less elitist and is a nice mantra to remember when you’re going through your life.