--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that's foolishness on the part of…" description: "\"I think that's foolishness on the part of the playwright to write about himself. People don't know anything about themselves.\" — Edward Albee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bac/edward-albee-1684_actor_i-think-that-s-foolishness-on-the-part-o_991687.png" --- # I think that's foolishness on the part of the playwright… ![“I think that's foolishness on the part of the playwright to write about himself. People don't know anything about themselves.” quote by Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bac/edward-albee-1684_actor_i-think-that-s-foolishness-on-the-part-o_991687.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bac/edward-albee-1684_actor_i-think-that-s-foolishness-on-the-part-o_991687.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bac/edward-albee-1684_actor_i-think-that-s-foolishness-on-the-part-o_991687.png) > “I think that's foolishness on the part of the playwright to write about himself. People don't know anything about themselves.” [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Playwrights should avoid self‑indulgence; personal narratives can obscure universal truth. **In simple terms:** Avoid writing only about yourself. Key Takeaway Focus on broader human experience. Themes art self‑reflection authorship Mood reflective critical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - scriptwriting workshops - literary criticism - creative retreats Key Concepts narrative bias creative integrity audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - Why do creators feel compelled to center themselves? - How can personal insight be balanced with universal themes? A Different Perspective Self‑focus can alienate audiences and limit impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Foolishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foolishness/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Playwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playwright/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [It's the function of a playwright to write. Some playwrights write a large number of plays, some write a small number.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/it-s-the-function-of-a-playwright-to-write-some-playwrights-write-a/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [I don't think we will find a cure for all cancers in the next 50 years let alone 20. I think it's foolishness to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/i-don-t-think-we-will-find-a-cure-for-all-cancers-in-the-next-50/) [Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/) > [If I'd seen a playwright ever write an' play at the same time, I'd have given 'em more of a chance at cards. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-i-d-seen-a-playwright-ever-write-an-play-at-the-same-time-i-d-have/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [It is very, very difficult for a playwright to write a scene in which a young man has his first deep experience of sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/it-is-very-very-difficult-for-a-playwright-to-write-a-scene-in-which/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [And why do you think that foolishness is bad? If human foolishness had been as carefully nurtured and cultivated as intelligence has been for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yevgeny-zamyatin/and-why-do-you-think-that-foolishness-is-bad-if-human-foolishness-had/) [Yevgeny Zamyatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yevgeny-zamyatin/) > [There are lots of young vital playwrights who are experimenting, and these are the plays that people who are interested in the theatre should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/there-are-lots-of-young-vital-playwrights-who-are-experimenting-and/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [A playwright has a responsibility in his society not to aid it, or comfort it, but to comment and criticize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/a-playwright-has-a-responsibility-in-his-society-not-to-aid-it-or/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Do you know what a playwright is? 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They determine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/i-know-playwrights-who-like-to-kid-themselves-into-saying-that-their/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) ## More by Edward Albee > [School curricula that ignore the arts produce highly educated Barbarians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-produce-highly-educated/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [When a critic sets himself up as an arbiter of morality, a judge of the matter and not the manner of a work, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-a-critic-sets-himself-up-as-an-arbiter-of-morality-a-judge-of/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [When people don't like the way a play ends, they're likely to blame the play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-people-don-t-like-the-way-a-play-ends-they-re-likely-to-blame/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [In a democracy you cannot stop public access to that art that will most misinform the people. You cannot stop people from being misinformed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/in-a-democracy-you-cannot-stop-public-access-to-that-art-that-will/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Creativity is magic. 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They determine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/i-know-playwrights-who-like-to-kid-themselves-into-saying-that-their/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [The greatest problem with Irish Wolfhounds, though, is that they don't live very long: their great hearts give out. A good deal of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/the-greatest-problem-with-irish-wolfhounds-though-is-that-they-don-t/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Dashed hopes and good intentions. Good, better, best, bested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/dashed-hopes-and-good-intentions-good-better-best-bested/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Writing has got to be an act of discovery…I write to find out what I'm thinking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/writing-has-got-to-be-an-act-of-discovery-i-write-to-find-out-what-i/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [I'm back in fashion again for a while now. But I imagine that three or four years from now I'll be out again. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/i-m-back-in-fashion-again-for-a-while-now-but-i-imagine-that-three-or/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [What people really want in the theater is fantasy involvement and not reality involvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/what-people-really-want-in-the-theater-is-fantasy-involvement-and-not/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Art should never try to be popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/art-should-never-try-to-be-popular/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) [Explore all 216 Edward Albee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. 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I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. 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In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. 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