--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why can't people say what they mean at…" description: "\"“Why can't people say what they mean at the time?”\" — Alice Hoffman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d97/alice-hoffman-427_mean_why-can-t-people-say-what-they-mean-at-t_1966524.png" --- # Why can't people say what they mean at the time? ![“Why can't people say what they mean at the time?” quote by Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d97/alice-hoffman-427_mean_why-can-t-people-say-what-they-mean-at-t_1966524.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d97/alice-hoffman-427_mean_why-can-t-people-say-what-they-mean-at-t_1966524.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d97/alice-hoffman-427_mean_why-can-t-people-say-what-they-mean-at-t_1966524.png) > ““Why can't people say what they mean at the time?”” [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## 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 questions why people often fail to express their true thoughts promptly, highlighting a gap between intention and communication. **In simple terms:** People often don’t say what they mean when they should. Key Takeaway Speak your mind promptly. Themes communication honesty self-awareness Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - team meetings - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What holds you back from speaking truthfully? - How can you create safe spaces for open dialogue? A Different Perspective People may fear judgment or lack confidence, hindering honest expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Mean Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean-time-1550029/) [People say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-say/) [Say Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-mean/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I was dangerous mean from the time I was about 16 until I was 30.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-was-dangerous-mean-from-the-time-i-was-about-16-until-i-was-30/) [Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/) > [There has never been a man mean and at the same time virtuous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/there-has-never-been-a-man-mean-and-at-the-same-time-virtuous/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Size doesn't mean anything - not all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deontay-wilder/size-doesn-t-mean-anything-not-all-the-time/) [Deontay Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deontay-wilder/) > [I mean, when it's time to rhyme rhyme, I can get down for mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-mean-when-it-s-time-to-rhyme-rhyme-i-can-get-down-for-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Say only what you mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/say-only-what-you-mean/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some people say, 'Save yourself and you save your ways.' I say, 'Be yourself and you save your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/some-people-say-save-yourself-and-you-save-your-ways-i-say-be/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [I can't explain love, but when I say it I mean it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livefree2dream44/i-can-t-explain-love-but-when-i-say-it-i-mean-it/) [Livefree2dream44](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livefree2dream44/) > [Say what you mean and mean what you say because the people that mind don't matter and the people that matter don't mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/say-what-you-mean-and-mean-what-you-say-because-the-people-that-mind/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [“Now I was going to be myself. I wasn't going to be hard to get along with or go out of my way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-specht/now-i-was-going-to-be-myself-i-wasn-t-going-to-be-hard-to-get-along/) [Robert Specht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-specht/) > [“Say what you mean and mean what you say. Don’t be afraid to stand firm on the decisions that you make. Trust yourself. Believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-lahart/say-what-you-mean-and-mean-what-you-say-don-t-be-afraid-to-stand-firm/) [Stephanie Lahart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-lahart/) > [“Friends say: “He’s mean.” But she knows many ways in which he has been good to her. Friends say: “He treats you that way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/friends-say-he-s-mean-but-she-knows-many-ways-in-which-he-has-been/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [To me, the most important thing was to treat people the way you want to be treated. Some people say that I'm a mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-mustaine/to-me-the-most-important-thing-was-to-treat-people-the-way-you-want/) [Dave Mustaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-mustaine/) > [People who know me know that I'm not going to open my mouth and say something if I don't mean it. I'm very short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-ward/people-who-know-me-know-that-i-m-not-going-to-open-my-mouth-and-say/) [Andre Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-ward/) > [“I just reminded myself that she didn't say it mean. She wasn't making fun of me. She wasn't comparing. Or criticizing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chboskyhen/i-just-reminded-myself-that-she-didn-t-say-it-mean-she-wasn-t-making/) [Stephen Chboskyhen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chboskyhen/) > [When I say something, I mean it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bellew/when-i-say-something-i-mean-it/) [Tony Bellew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bellew/) ## More by Alice Hoffman > [Women know things that men will never know. We keep the best secrets. We tell the best stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/women-know-things-that-men-will-never-know-we-keep-the-best-secrets/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“All of the quarters in his hand were tarnished. He had no idea that the silver in a man’s pockets always turns black if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/all-of-the-quarters-in-his-hand-were-tarnished-he-had-no-idea-that/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [But most important of all, she explained that it was all right to say 'No. I disagree.' that was a gift. I understood it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/but-most-important-of-all-she-explained-that-it-was-all-right-to-say/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“It was after dark when the woods were most filled with magic, when there were fireflies and the mist was rising from the streams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/it-was-after-dark-when-the-woods-were-most-filled-with-magic-when/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Never look back, that's what she's told herself. Don't think about swans or being alone in the dark. Don't think of storms, or lightning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/never-look-back-that-s-what-she-s-told-herself-don-t-think-about/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [This was what it meant to be human, to know that time moved and all things changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/this-was-what-it-meant-to-be-human-to-know-that-time-moved-and-all/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“She preferred cats to human beings and turned down every offer from the men who fell in love with her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/she-preferred-cats-to-human-beings-and-turned-down-every-offer-from/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [I'm a really eclectic reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-m-a-really-eclectic-reader/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [It's not the lie that's the problem; it's the distance the lie forges between you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/it-s-not-the-lie-that-s-the-problem-it-s-the-distance-the-lie-forges/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Her vision was going, but she could see him, the way people see clouds-beautiful, racing by, casting shadows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/her-vision-was-going-but-she-could-see-him-the-way-people-see-clouds/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [That's why there are ten gates to pass through before you reach the garden. If life were easy there would be one gate. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/that-s-why-there-are-ten-gates-to-pass-through-before-you-reach-the/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“...the summer of the gypsy moths when all the trees in their yard were bare, the leaves chewed by caterpillars. You could hear crunching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/the-summer-of-the-gypsy-moths-when-all-the-trees-in-their-yard-were/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“The best way to die is when you're living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/the-best-way-to-die-is-when-you-re-living/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Haylin was given a good talking-to by the headmaster and made to write a paper about workers’ rights, which he considered a privilege rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/haylin-was-given-a-good-talking-to-by-the-headmaster-and-made-to/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/my-darling-girl-when-are-you-going-to-realize-that-being-normal-is/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) [Explore all 571 Alice Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## More Mean quotes > [That we have the vote means nothing. That we use it in the right way means everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-henry-hoover/that-we-have-the-vote-means-nothing-that-we-use-it-in-the-right-way/) [Lou Henry Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-henry-hoover/) > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [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/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [What is a moderate interpretation of the text? Halfway between what it really means and what you'd like it to mean?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/what-is-a-moderate-interpretation-of-the-text-halfway-between-what-it/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [The one means that wins the easiest victory over reason is terror and force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-one-means-that-wins-the-easiest-victory-over-reason-is-terror-and/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) [Browse all 33,959 Mean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Why can't people say what they mean at the time?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alice Hoffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/why-can-t-people-say-what-they-mean-at-the-time/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Mean" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/why-can-t-people-say-what-they-mean-at-the-time/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d97/alice-hoffman-427_mean_why-can-t-people-say-what-they-mean-at-t_1966524.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d97/alice-hoffman-427_mean_why-can-t-people-say-what-they-mean-at-t_1966524.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d97/alice-hoffman-427_mean_why-can-t-people-say-what-they-mean-at-t_1966524.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Why can't people say what they mean at the time?” — Alice Hoffman", "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": "Alice Hoffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Why can't people say what they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/why-can-t-people-say-what-they-mean-at-the-time/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/why-can-t-people-say-what-they-mean-at-the-time/#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 } } ] } ```