--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ah, but you see, I didn't want to be fair." description: "\"Ah, but you see, I didn't want to be fair.\" — E. M. Forster" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdf/e-m-forster-1118_book_ah-but-you-see-i-didn-t-want-to-be-fair_75536.png" --- # Ah, but you see, I didn't want to be fair. ![“Ah, but you see, I didn't want to be fair.” quote by E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdf/e-m-forster-1118_book_ah-but-you-see-i-didn-t-want-to-be-fair_75536.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdf/e-m-forster-1118_book_ah-but-you-see-i-didn-t-want-to-be-fair_75536.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdf/e-m-forster-1118_book_ah-but-you-see-i-didn-t-want-to-be-fair_75536.png) > “Ah, but you see, I didn't want to be fair.” [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) ## 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 admits a deliberate choice to avoid impartiality, revealing a preference or hidden agenda. **In simple terms:** Admission of bias. Key Takeaway Bias can be intentional. Themes honesty bias self-awareness ethics power dynamics Mood reflective candid Type aphoristic confessional When to use this quote - political negotiations - personal relationships - business decisions Key Concepts fairness subjectivity intentionality Practical Applications - ethical training - conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - What motivates someone to reject fairness? - How does bias shape outcomes? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) ## Related quotes > [I want my fair share and thats All of it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-palast/i-want-my-fair-share-and-thats-all-of-it/) [Greg Palast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-palast/) > [I'm not really trying to break the bank like some other people. I just want what's fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-jacobs/i-m-not-really-trying-to-break-the-bank-like-some-other-people-i-just/) [Brandon Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-jacobs/) > ['Fair' is, like, this incredibly overused term in negotiations: 'I just want what's fair.' 'What's the fair market price?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-voss/fair-is-like-this-incredibly-overused-term-in-negotiations-i-just/) [Christopher Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-voss/) > [All some folks want is their fair share and yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-h-glasow/all-some-folks-want-is-their-fair-share-and-yours/) [Arnold H. Glasow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-h-glasow/) > [I want to be a fair trader. I want to be a firm and fair trader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-want-to-be-a-fair-trader-i-want-to-be-a-firm-and-fair-trader/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I just want to be fair. I want to be a firm and fair trader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-just-want-to-be-fair-i-want-to-be-a-firm-and-fair-trader/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“A blaster against a knife isn’t fair. (a Partini) No shit…and so goes my incentive to fight fairly. You want fair, play with kids.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/a-blaster-against-a-knife-isn-t-fair-a-partini-no-shit-and-so-goes-my/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I just want the respect I deserve. Not for what I can do in the future but what I've done in the past. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beasley/i-just-want-the-respect-i-deserve-not-for-what-i-can-do-in-the-future/) [Michael Beasley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beasley/) > [Lots of disabled people don't want to be magically cured, they just want a fair crack at life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-brooker/lots-of-disabled-people-don-t-want-to-be-magically-cured-they-just/) [Alex Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-brooker/) > [What men of science want is only a fair day's wages for more than a fair day's work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/what-men-of-science-want-is-only-a-fair-day-s-wages-for-more-than-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [All I want is what I have coming to me. All I want is my fair share. -Sally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brown-christmas/all-i-want-is-what-i-have-coming-to-me-all-i-want-is-my-fair-share/) [Charlie Brown Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brown-christmas/) > [Just let me use the technology I want at a fair price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-potter/just-let-me-use-the-technology-i-want-at-a-fair-price/) [Jonathan Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-potter/) > [ \[Donald\] Trump is going to appeal better to African Americans, Hispanics, and others than previous Republican candidates because he's talking about what they want:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/donald-trump-is-going-to-appeal-better-to-african-americans-hispanics/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [As governor, I don't want my fair share. I want more than my fair share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcauliffe/as-governor-i-don-t-want-my-fair-share-i-want-more-than-my-fair-share/) [Terry McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcauliffe/) > [I think what my father is saying is I want a fair election. I want a fair election.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-trump/i-think-what-my-father-is-saying-is-i-want-a-fair-election-i-want-a/) [Eric Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-trump/) ## More by E. M. Forster > [Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/do-not-be-proud-of-your-inconsistency-it-is-a-pity-it-is-a-pity-that/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Reverence is fatal to literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/reverence-is-fatal-to-literature/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [This element of surprise or mystery - the detective element as it is sometimes rather emptily called - is of great importance in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/this-element-of-surprise-or-mystery-the-detective-element-as-it-is/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [It is so difficult - at least, I find it difficult - to understand people who speak the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/it-is-so-difficult-at-least-i-find-it-difficult-to-understand-people/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Railway termini are our gates to the glorious and the unknown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/railway-termini-are-our-gates-to-the-glorious-and-the-unknown/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [The final test for a novel will be our affection for it, as it is the test of our friends, and of anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/the-final-test-for-a-novel-will-be-our-affection-for-it-as-it-is-the/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [America is rather like life. You can usually find in it what you look for It will probably be interesting, and it is sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/america-is-rather-like-life-you-can-usually-find-in-it-what-you-look/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [A critic has no right to the narrowness which is the frequent prerogative of the creative artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/a-critic-has-no-right-to-the-narrowness-which-is-the-frequent/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [All men are equal — all men, that is to say, who possess umbrellas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/all-men-are-equal-all-men-that-is-to-say-who-possess-umbrellas/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Before the civil war, Pottibakia was a normal member of the Comity of Nations. She erected tariff walls, broke treaties, persecuted minorities, obstructed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/before-the-civil-war-pottibakia-was-a-normal-member-of-the-comity-of/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Chess is a forcing house where the fruits of character can ripen more fully than in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/chess-is-a-forcing-house-where-the-fruits-of-character-can-ripen-more/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [I distrust Great Men... I believe in aristocracy, though... 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Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [It is pleasant to be transferred from an office where one is afraid of a sergeant-major into an office where one can intimidate generals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/it-is-pleasant-to-be-transferred-from-an-office-where-one-is-afraid/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) [Explore all 287 E. M. 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