--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you think Hollywood is depressing and…" description: "\"If you think Hollywood is depressing and corrupt, politics is really depressing and corrupt -- and fueled even more than Hollywood by money -- if that'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/ben-affleck-2043_corrupt_if-you-think-hollywood-is-depressing-and_2276086.jpg" --- # If you think Hollywood is depressing and corrupt, politics… ![“If you think Hollywood is depressing and corrupt, politics is really depressing and corrupt -- and fueled even more than Hollywood by money -- if that's possible.” quote by Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/ben-affleck-2043_corrupt_if-you-think-hollywood-is-depressing-and_2276086.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/ben-affleck-2043_corrupt_if-you-think-hollywood-is-depressing-and_2276086.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/ben-affleck-2043_corrupt_if-you-think-hollywood-is-depressing-and_2276086.jpg) > “If you think Hollywood is depressing and corrupt, politics is really depressing and corrupt -- and fueled even more than Hollywood by money -- if that's possible.” [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He compares Hollywood and politics as corrupt and depressing, both driven by money, suggesting systemic issues beyond entertainment **In simple terms:** Both Hollywood and politics are corrupt and depressing, fueled by money Key Takeaway Recognize systemic corruption across sectors and seek reform Themes politics media corruption Mood cynical critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - government policy - film industry - campaign financing - public trust Key Concepts ethics power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What reforms could reduce money’s influence in politics? - How can media accountability be improved? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched money-driven systems is extremely challenging ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corrupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupt/) [Corrupt Fueled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupt-fueled-5294011/) [Corrupt Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupt-politics-1079780/) [Depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing/) [Depressing Corrupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing-corrupt-5294009/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Hollywood Depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood-depressing-5294010/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Really depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-depressing/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“The unfortunate thing is that as you strive to free the corrupt because of politics, you don't free them of their insatiable greed for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/njau-kihia/the-unfortunate-thing-is-that-as-you-strive-to-free-the-corrupt/) [Njau Kihia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/njau-kihia/) > [...to befoul the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/to-befoul-the-unholy-alliance-between-corrupt-business-and-corrupt/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [You can rule ignorance; you can manipulate the illiterate; you can do whatever you want when a people are uneducated, so that goes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/you-can-rule-ignorance-you-can-manipulate-the-illiterate-you-can-do/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/behind-the-ostensible-government-sits-enthroned-an-invisible/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I'm really interested in making movies that people see: I've made a lot of independent films and it's really depressing when no one sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-banks/i-m-really-interested-in-making-movies-that-people-see-i-ve-made-a/) [Elizabeth Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-banks/) > [It's really funny - when I'm depressed or I'm having a hard time, I'll write really fun stuff. And then when I'm really happy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/it-s-really-funny-when-i-m-depressed-or-i-m-having-a-hard-time-i-ll/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [You're abandoning a lot of ideas when you are too into comfort. 'Comfy'-that's one of the worst words!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/you-re-abandoning-a-lot-of-ideas-when-you-are-too-into-comfort-comfy/) [Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/) > [I mean that's really depressing man. Of course, the kids are freaking out. They watch cartoons and sit in front of the television and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-mean-that-s-really-depressing-man-of-course-the-kids-are-freaking/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [I try not to write for actors because A, they're not the character, and B, it's really depressing when you don't get them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-melfi/i-try-not-to-write-for-actors-because-a-they-re-not-the-character-and/) [Theodore Melfi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-melfi/) > ['Comfy,' that's one of the worst words! I just picture a woman feeling bad, with a big bottle of alcohol, really puffy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/comfy-that-s-one-of-the-worst-words-i-just-picture-a-woman-feeling-2/) [Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/) > [How many demons and people are enslaved here? (Jericho) Define slavery. (Asmodeus) Kept against their will. (Jericho) Good definition. Counting me? (Asmodeus) Why not?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/how-many-demons-and-people-are-enslaved-here-jericho-define-slavery/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [You can take a picture of New York and one person looking at it will think it looks really depressing, frightening; and someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/you-can-take-a-picture-of-new-york-and-one-person-looking-at-it-will/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [That really depressing moment when you wake up during the best part of your dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-really-depressing-moment-when-you-wake-up-during-the-best-part/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you say 'failure,' that seems really dramatic, but a lot of failure is just really depressing and mundane. I remember the first time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/when-you-say-failure-that-seems-really-dramatic-but-a-lot-of-failure/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [I'm really depressing. Some people watch comedy to relax. I watch 21 Grams. I can recognize sadness and tragedy really easily because it's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/i-m-really-depressing-some-people-watch-comedy-to-relax-i-watch-21/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) ## More by Ben Affleck > [School plays are fine. Theater in school is fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/school-plays-are-fine-theater-in-school-is-fine/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [What happens is this sort of bleed-over from the tabloids across your movie work. You go to a movie, you only go once. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/what-happens-is-this-sort-of-bleed-over-from-the-tabloids-across-your/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [Never film yourself having sex. You think you'll look powerful and vital, but you don't. You look like a sick, shivering polar bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/never-film-yourself-having-sex-you-think-you-ll-look-powerful-and/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [No matter how much you change, you still got to pay the price for the things you’ve done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/no-matter-how-much-you-change-you-still-got-to-pay-the-price-for-the/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [All I do, really, is go to work and try to be professional, be on time and be prepared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/all-i-do-really-is-go-to-work-and-try-to-be-professional-be-on-time/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [On the night of the awards, I carried the Oscar around waist-high. I never had so many women ask me 'Can I touch it?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/on-the-night-of-the-awards-i-carried-the-oscar-around-waist-high-i/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [Not that it entirely matters: There is a perception that all actors make their movies. A lot of people assume you're responsible. George Clooney…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/not-that-it-entirely-matters-there-is-a-perception-that-all-actors/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [I just feel like sometimes I'm a force to be dealt with. My talents are sometimes overused and also sometimes underused. It's not easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/i-just-feel-like-sometimes-i-m-a-force-to-be-dealt-with-my-talents/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [Affleck was the bomb in Phantoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/affleck-was-the-bomb-in-phantoms/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [Sometimes the people we meet change us forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/sometimes-the-people-we-meet-change-us-forever/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [To answer the question, though: I didn't always want to direct. I just liked the idea of it. If a friend was making a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/to-answer-the-question-though-i-didn-t-always-want-to-direct-i-just/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [But when I felt like I had something to prove? Then I got up early every morning and worked all day long. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/but-when-i-felt-like-i-had-something-to-prove-then-i-got-up-early/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [I feel things more deeply... anything to do with kids. It just makes a big difference in my life... Having a child is like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/i-feel-things-more-deeply-anything-to-do-with-kids-it-just-makes-a/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [I've learned to think, I may succeed or fail, but I'm going to do so on the merit of my own instincts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/i-ve-learned-to-think-i-may-succeed-or-fail-but-i-m-going-to-do-so-on/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [I flew back just in time to pick up a toilet seat for my girlfriend. It didn't go over that well. I thought, 'It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/i-flew-back-just-in-time-to-pick-up-a-toilet-seat-for-my-girlfriend/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) [Explore all 189 Ben Affleck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) ## More Corrupt quotes > [“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-great/) [John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/) > [The Democrats and the Republicans are equally corrupt where money is concerned. It's only in the amount where the Republicans excel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-democrats-and-the-republicans-are-equally-corrupt-where-money-is/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Chicago is unique. It is the only completely corrupt city in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-edward-merriam/chicago-is-unique-it-is-the-only-completely-corrupt-city-in-america/) [Charles Edward Merriam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-edward-merriam/) > [Chicago's been under the grip of the corrupt and broken political machine for as long as everybody's memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/chicago-s-been-under-the-grip-of-the-corrupt-and-broken-political/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [What astonishes many of us is not so much that human nature is fundamentally corrupt; we are astonished rather that it does not behave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-irving-seiden/what-astonishes-many-of-us-is-not-so-much-that-human-nature-is/) [Morton Irving Seiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-irving-seiden/) > [The problem is that when you grow absolutely certain that all authorities are corrupt, then that would include the Palestinian authorities as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-suleiman/the-problem-is-that-when-you-grow-absolutely-certain-that-all/) [Elia Suleiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-suleiman/) > [Corruption hates what is not corrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-park/corruption-hates-what-is-not-corrupt/) [Paul Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-park/) > [The Islamist camp is infused with a righteous indignation, as the forces of old, corrupt and rotten Egypt unite to try and drive them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/the-islamist-camp-is-infused-with-a-righteous-indignation-as-the/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [I have so many positive points. I am not corrupt, I am competent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamilisai-soundararajan/i-have-so-many-positive-points-i-am-not-corrupt-i-am-competent/) [Tamilisai Soundararajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamilisai-soundararajan/) > [“It’s so easy to lose faith and become lost in all of the politics of the world. That’s why we need the arts. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/it-s-so-easy-to-lose-faith-and-become-lost-in-all-of-the-politics-of/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“Interacting with a corrupt government judge is futile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/interacting-with-a-corrupt-government-judge-is-futile/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-ugly-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-corrupt-without/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [If the Russians masterminded fraud for 40 years at the highest state level in sports, operating behind the scenes to corrupt sports, what else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-fogel/if-the-russians-masterminded-fraud-for-40-years-at-the-highest-state/) [Bryan Fogel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-fogel/) > [Burn a Bush cause for peace he no push no button. Killing over oil and grease, no weapons of destruction, How can we follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/burn-a-bush-cause-for-peace-he-no-push-no-button-killing-over-oil-and/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [ I think everybody is covering their \[posteriors\] with the Enron scandal and it was very convenient that Sept. 11 came along to deflect the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bernhard/i-think-everybody-is-covering-their-posteriors-with-the-enron-scandal/) [Sandra Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bernhard/) [Browse all 602 Corrupt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you think Hollywood is depressing and corrupt, politics is really depressing and corrupt -- and fueled even more than Hollywood by money -- if that's possible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Affleck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/if-you-think-hollywood-is-depressing-and-corrupt-politics-is-really/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Corrupt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/if-you-think-hollywood-is-depressing-and-corrupt-politics-is-really/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/ben-affleck-2043_corrupt_if-you-think-hollywood-is-depressing-and_2276086.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/ben-affleck-2043_corrupt_if-you-think-hollywood-is-depressing-and_2276086.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/ben-affleck-2043_corrupt_if-you-think-hollywood-is-depressing-and_2276086.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you think Hollywood is depressing and corrupt, politics is really depressing and corrupt -- and fueled…” — Ben Affleck", "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": "Ben Affleck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you think Hollywood is depressing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/if-you-think-hollywood-is-depressing-and-corrupt-politics-is-really/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/if-you-think-hollywood-is-depressing-and-corrupt-politics-is-really/#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 } } ] } ```