--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What a fine comedy this world would be if…" description: "\"What a fine comedy this world would be if one did not play a part in it.\" — Denis Diderot" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ad/denis-diderot-1536_comedy_what-a-fine-comedy-this-world-would-be-i_1929452.png" --- # What a fine comedy this world would be if one did not play… ![“What a fine comedy this world would be if one did not play a part in it.” quote by Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ad/denis-diderot-1536_comedy_what-a-fine-comedy-this-world-would-be-i_1929452.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ad/denis-diderot-1536_comedy_what-a-fine-comedy-this-world-would-be-i_1929452.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ad/denis-diderot-1536_comedy_what-a-fine-comedy-this-world-would-be-i_1929452.png) > “What a fine comedy this world would be if one did not play a part in it.” [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that life would be more enjoyable if people didn’t act or fulfill roles. **In simple terms:** Life would be better without playing parts. Key Takeaway Consider authenticity over performance. Themes existential philosophy authenticity Mood thoughtful ironic Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - theater - daily interactions - social media - political discourse Key Concepts roletheory existentialism socialconstruction Questions to Reflect On - What roles do you play that feel inauthentic? - Can a society function without prescribed roles? A Different Perspective People often need roles to find purpose; abandoning them may cause chaos. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comedy World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy-world-333908/) [Did Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-play/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Fine Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine-comedy-1616050/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [This world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-did-271410/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [Whatever makes you laugh is fine, and all we can do as comedy professionals is try to steer you towards something that we think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/whatever-makes-you-laugh-is-fine-and-all-we-can-do-as-comedy/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [Making it big in pop would have suited me fine, although comedy is a far better world for an older person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-whitehouse/making-it-big-in-pop-would-have-suited-me-fine-although-comedy-is-a/) [Paul Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-whitehouse/) > [“a world fair celebrated the progress of the nations of the world. It did not investigate its underpinnings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-emmerson/a-world-fair-celebrated-the-progress-of-the-nations-of-the-world-it/) [Charles Emmerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-emmerson/) > [The creation of the world did not occur at the beginning of time, it occurs every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-creation-of-the-world-did-not-occur-at-the-beginning-of-time-it/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [The world did not make any promises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-proverb/the-world-did-not-make-any-promises/) [African Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-proverb/) > [“It baffled her, the world. She did not want to leave it yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/it-baffled-her-the-world-she-did-not-want-to-leave-it-yet/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [“If there was a family in the world to which I did not belong, it was my own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-chance/if-there-was-a-family-in-the-world-to-which-i-did-not-belong-it-was/) [Megan Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-chance/) > [Remember that the biggest gap in the world is between 'I should' and 'I did.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/remember-that-the-biggest-gap-in-the-world-is-between-i-should-and-i/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [“There were times when the world did not need policemen, because what it really did need was for somebody who knew what they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-times-when-the-world-did-not-need-policemen-because-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [God built the world, but he did not know it was round.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/god-built-the-world-but-he-did-not-know-it-was-round/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [Christ died to save this lost world; he did not come to destroy, maim or pour out wrath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wilkerson/christ-died-to-save-this-lost-world-he-did-not-come-to-destroy-maim/) [David Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wilkerson/) > [“He had not known a world that did not have her in it. Yet now he was going to discover just that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-k-p-o-neill/he-had-not-known-a-world-that-did-not-have-her-in-it-yet-now-he-was/) [Shane K.P. O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-k-p-o-neill/) > [I lost my power in the world because I did not use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/i-lost-my-power-in-the-world-because-i-did-not-use-it/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [“When in the world did anyone die from a dream?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/when-in-the-world-did-anyone-die-from-a-dream/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [“Terrible as was what the world did to me, what I did to myself was far more terrible still.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/terrible-as-was-what-the-world-did-to-me-what-i-did-to-myself-was-far/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More by Denis Diderot > [But if you will recall the history of our civil troubles, you will see half the nation bathe itself, out of piety, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/but-if-you-will-recall-the-history-of-our-civil-troubles-you-will-see/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [One declaims endlessly against the passions; one imputes all of man's suffering to them. One forgets that they are also the source of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/one-declaims-endlessly-against-the-passions-one-imputes-all-of-man-s/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Time, matter, space - all, it may be, are no more than a point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/time-matter-space-all-it-may-be-are-no-more-than-a-point/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [We are far more liable to catch the vices than the virtues of our associates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/we-are-far-more-liable-to-catch-the-vices-than-the-virtues-of-our/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [One composition is meagre, though it has many figures; another is rich, though it has few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/one-composition-is-meagre-though-it-has-many-figures-another-is-rich/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [I have only a small flickering light to guide me in the darkness of a thick forest. Up comes a theologian and blows it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/i-have-only-a-small-flickering-light-to-guide-me-in-the-darkness-of-a/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [The world is the house of the strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/the-world-is-the-house-of-the-strong/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [“One swallows the lie that flatters, but sips the bitter truth drop by drop.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/one-swallows-the-lie-that-flatters-but-sips-the-bitter-truth-drop-by/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [There is less harm to be suffered in being mad among madmen than in being sane all by oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/there-is-less-harm-to-be-suffered-in-being-mad-among-madmen-than-in/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Integrity is the evidence of all civil virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/integrity-is-the-evidence-of-all-civil-virtues/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Watch out for the fellow who talks about putting things in order! Putting things in order always means getting other people under your control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/watch-out-for-the-fellow-who-talks-about-putting-things-in-order/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [“Nie wiem, co to zasady, chyba że tak nazywamy prawidła, które przypisuje się innym, a nie sobie. Myślę tak, a nie umiałbym się powstrzymać…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/nie-wiem-co-to-zasady-chyba-e-tak-nazywamy-prawid-a-kt-re-przypisuje/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [There is no good father who would want to resemble our Heavenly Father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/there-is-no-good-father-who-would-want-to-resemble-our-heavenly-father/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Isn't it better to have men being ungrateful than to miss a chance to do good?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/isn-t-it-better-to-have-men-being-ungrateful-than-to-miss-a-chance-to/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [A nation which thinks that it is belief in God and not good law which makes people honest does not seem to me very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/a-nation-which-thinks-that-it-is-belief-in-god-and-not-good-law-which/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) [Explore all 210 Denis Diderot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What a fine comedy this world would be if one did not play a part in it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Denis Diderot" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/what-a-fine-comedy-this-world-would-be-if-one-did-not-play-a-part-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/what-a-fine-comedy-this-world-would-be-if-one-did-not-play-a-part-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ad/denis-diderot-1536_comedy_what-a-fine-comedy-this-world-would-be-i_1929452.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ad/denis-diderot-1536_comedy_what-a-fine-comedy-this-world-would-be-i_1929452.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ad/denis-diderot-1536_comedy_what-a-fine-comedy-this-world-would-be-i_1929452.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What a fine comedy this world would be if one did not play a part in it.” — Denis Diderot", "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": "Denis Diderot", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What a fine comedy this world...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/what-a-fine-comedy-this-world-would-be-if-one-did-not-play-a-part-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/what-a-fine-comedy-this-world-would-be-if-one-did-not-play-a-part-in/#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 } } ] } ```