--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pretty much up until The West Wing, our…" description: "\"Pretty much up until The West Wing, our leaders had always been portrayed in popular culture as either Machiavellian or dolts. But I thought, \"What if ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/aaron-sorkin-2826_culture_pretty-much-up-until-the-west-wing-our-l_1325172.png" --- # Pretty much up until The West Wing, our leaders had always… ![“Pretty much up until The West Wing, our leaders had always been portrayed in popular culture as either Machiavellian or dolts. But I thought, "What if we show a group of people who are highly competent, they're going to lose as much as they win, but we're going to understand that they wake up…” quote by Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/aaron-sorkin-2826_culture_pretty-much-up-until-the-west-wing-our-l_1325172.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/aaron-sorkin-2826_culture_pretty-much-up-until-the-west-wing-our-l_1325172.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/aaron-sorkin-2826_culture_pretty-much-up-until-the-west-wing-our-l_1325172.png) > “Pretty much up until The West Wing, our leaders had always been portrayed in popular culture as either Machiavellian or dolts. But I thought, "What if we show a group of people who are highly competent, they're going to lose as much as they win, but we're going to understand that they wake up every morning wanting to do good?" That was really the spirit behind The West Wing.” [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The series aimed to depict competent, well‑meaning leaders who face both successes and failures, offering a realistic yet hopeful view of public service. **In simple terms:** Shows capable leaders who try to do good despite setbacks. Key Takeaway Seek integrity and effort over perfection. Themes leadership politics optimism Mood inspirational hopeful Type political dramatic When to use this quote - government work - political campaigns - team meetings - policy debates Key Concepts public service character development realism Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders balance ambition with humility? - What role does failure play in growth? A Different Perspective Idealized competence may overlook systemic constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Culture Machiavellian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture-machiavellian-4427575/) [Every morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leaders Portrayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaders-portrayed-4427574/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Machiavellian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machiavellian/) [Machiavellian Dolts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machiavellian-dolts-4427576/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Popular culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popular-culture/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Wake up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wake-up/) [West wing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/west-wing/) [What if](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-if/) [Wing Leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wing-leaders-4427577/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [Education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don't need little changes. We need gigantic revolutionary changes. . . . Competition for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/education-is-the-silver-bullet-education-is-everything-we-don-t-need-2/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [It's important to remember that, first and foremost, if not only, this is entertainment. 'The West Wing' isn't meant to be good for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/it-s-important-to-remember-that-first-and-foremost-if-not-only-this/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [I do enjoy the fact that we don't have a king or queen; we have a person with a very unusual temp job for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/i-do-enjoy-the-fact-that-we-don-t-have-a-king-or-queen-we-have-a/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [To use a basketball metaphor, West Wing cast was a group that liked to pass as much as they liked to shoot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/to-use-a-basketball-metaphor-west-wing-cast-was-a-group-that-liked-to/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [I wrote the show West Wing for the two years before and the two years after 9/11. Suddenly everyone in the world had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/i-wrote-the-show-west-wing-for-the-two-years-before-and-the-two-years/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [“I like how you call homosexuality an abomination." "I don't say homosexuality's an abomination, Mr. President, the bible does." "Yes it does. Leviticus-" "18:22"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/i-like-how-you-call-homosexuality-an-abomination-i-don-t-say/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Larry David called me and said, "You can never watch The West Wing again. Either the show is going to be great without you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/larry-david-called-me-and-said-you-can-never-watch-the-west-wing/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [I'd been concerned all along that the character of the president in the West Wing pilot would throw the ensemble out of whack, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/i-d-been-concerned-all-along-that-the-character-of-the-president-in/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [The Monica Lewinsky scandal was happening at the very time I was writing the West Wing pilot and it was hard, at least for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/the-monica-lewinsky-scandal-was-happening-at-the-very-time-i-was/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [“I did not have an answer for the maestro that day. Instead my answer has been the labor of my life, principally my Discourses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ennis/i-did-not-have-an-answer-for-the-maestro-that-day-instead-my-answer/) [Michael Ennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ennis/) > [“Only a great fool would call the new political science diabolic: it has no attributes peculiar to fallen angels. It is not even Machiavellian,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/only-a-great-fool-would-call-the-new-political-science-diabolic-it/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [“Move away from Machiavellian hearts. Manipulative people can frame you up even if you have a humble, simple and generous heart. Question their motive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/move-away-from-machiavellian-hearts-manipulative-people-can-frame-you/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [“The world is a tapestry of psyops”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-joseph-grant/the-world-is-a-tapestry-of-psyops/) [Henry Joseph-Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-joseph-grant/) > [“If anyone rises to power, it's not only because he could, but also because the stars were aligned in his favor. Many with apparent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/if-anyone-rises-to-power-it-s-not-only-because-he-could-but-also/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“I hope I can never trust my wife. If I trust her it means I know her. If I know her it means I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mitchell/i-hope-i-can-never-trust-my-wife-if-i-trust-her-it-means-i-know-her/) [Ben Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mitchell/) ## More by Aaron Sorkin > [Conflict, when used as a device, makes for good television and bad journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/conflict-when-used-as-a-device-makes-for-good-television-and-bad/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Film doesn't have to worry. Movies are awesome. There's no war going on, theaters aren't going to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/film-doesn-t-have-to-worry-movies-are-awesome-there-s-no-war-going-on/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [People don't live their lives in a series of scenes that form a dramatic narrative, they don't speak in dialogue, they're not lit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/people-don-t-live-their-lives-in-a-series-of-scenes-that-form-a/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [One of the biggest challenges in the past for me in working on the networks was that audiences have grown accustomed to television being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/one-of-the-biggest-challenges-in-the-past-for-me-in-working-on-the/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [You're going to fall down, but the world doesn't care how many times you fall down, as long as it's one fewer than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/you-re-going-to-fall-down-but-the-world-doesn-t-care-how-many-times/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [We live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/we-live-in-a-world-that-has-walls-and-those-walls-have-to-be-guarded/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [As an audience member, I like the sound of something that's been written - I like it to sound written. And then, of course,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/as-an-audience-member-i-like-the-sound-of-something-that-s-been/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [She's a person; the doctor pronounces her dead, not the news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/she-s-a-person-the-doctor-pronounces-her-dead-not-the-news/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [It's nice that HBO is in business with the audience and not with the advertisers. There's a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/it-s-nice-that-hbo-is-in-business-with-the-audience-and-not-with-the/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [“TOBY: The world can move or not by changing some words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/toby-the-world-can-move-or-not-by-changing-some-words/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [I had never thought of doing television. But my agent wanted me to meet John Wells, who had had a lot of success producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/i-had-never-thought-of-doing-television-but-my-agent-wanted-me-to/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Government should be a place where people can come together, and no one gets left behind. No one…gets left behind. An instrument of good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/government-should-be-a-place-where-people-can-come-together-and-no/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Television from its inception had the number one goal to alienate as few people as possible. That's why if you look at 1950s, 1960s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/television-from-its-inception-had-the-number-one-goal-to-alienate-as/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Josh: So, Toby, it’s election night. What do you say about a country that goes out of its way to protect even those citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/josh-so-toby-it-s-election-night-what-do-you-say-about-a-country-that/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [The hardest thing for me is getting started. If I'm writing a script, really 90 per cent of it would be just walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/the-hardest-thing-for-me-is-getting-started-if-i-m-writing-a-script/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) [Explore all 148 Aaron Sorkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) ## More Culture quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/) [Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [Our times demand the declaration of the world's resources as the common heritage of all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/our-times-demand-the-declaration-of-the-world-s-resources-as-the/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [I think it's useful to experience other types of dance and other cultures, and the life of a classical dancer these days is certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-think-it-s-useful-to-experience-other-types-of-dance-and-other/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [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/) > [It is not my intention to explain Turkey, its culture and its problems. My literature has a universal concern: I want to bring people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/it-is-not-my-intention-to-explain-turkey-its-culture-and-its-problems/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [I don't think the distinction between high and low culture exists anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-scott/i-don-t-think-the-distinction-between-high-and-low-culture-exists/) [Jeremy Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-scott/) > [You get below the Mason-Dixon line and you have some of the best music, culture, the two races, the literature, and it's so rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/you-get-below-the-mason-dixon-line-and-you-have-some-of-the-best/) [Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [“Being grounded in your lifelong culture and your personal perspective, you are comfortable with the way you see things and may believe it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/being-grounded-in-your-lifelong-culture-and-your-personal-perspective/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) [Browse all 15,940 Culture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Pretty much up until The West Wing, our leaders had always been portrayed in popular culture as either Machiavellian or dolts. 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