--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We proceed in this society of ours on the…" description: "\"“We proceed in this society of ours on the possibly valid but untrue assumption that the public knows what it wants-- indeed, that it is given sufficie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/edward-albee-1684_public-wants_we-proceed-in-this-society-of-ours-on-th_2159333.jpg" --- # We proceed in this society of ours on the possibly valid… ![“We proceed in this society of ours on the possibly valid but untrue assumption that the public knows what it wants-- indeed, that it is given sufficient information about what is available to make such a judgment. And then we jump, irresponsibly and absurdly, to the notion that there is a valid…” quote by Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/edward-albee-1684_public-wants_we-proceed-in-this-society-of-ours-on-th_2159333.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/edward-albee-1684_public-wants_we-proceed-in-this-society-of-ours-on-th_2159333.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/edward-albee-1684_public-wants_we-proceed-in-this-society-of-ours-on-th_2159333.jpg) > ““We proceed in this society of ours on the possibly valid but untrue assumption that the public knows what it wants-- indeed, that it is given sufficient information about what is available to make such a judgment. And then we jump, irresponsibly and absurdly, to the notion that there is a valid relationship between what the public wants and what it should want.”” [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. Society assumes the public’s desires are informed and aligned with what they should want, but this link is often false. **In simple terms:** Public wants may not be informed or correct. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about public desire. Themes media public opinion democracy Mood critical analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - advertising - political campaigns - product design Key Concepts information bias consumer behavior policy making Questions to Reflect On - What evidence shows the public’s wants are uninformed? - How can we improve public knowledge before decisions? A Different Perspective Public opinion can be manipulated, leading to misguided decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [The public knows that human beings are fallible. Only people blinded by ideology fall into the trap of believing in their own infallibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/the-public-knows-that-human-beings-are-fallible-only-people-blinded/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [I don't believe that the public knows what it wants; this is the conclusion that I have drawn from my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/i-don-t-believe-that-the-public-knows-what-it-wants-this-is-the/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [I think that the public is in and the public is in big, and the public is not, I don't think going to pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cramer/i-think-that-the-public-is-in-and-the-public-is-in-big-and-the-public/) [Jim Cramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cramer/) > [The public already knows about me more than I ever wanted it to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-reubens/the-public-already-knows-about-me-more-than-i-ever-wanted-it-to-know/) [Paul Reubens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-reubens/) > [The public never knows what he wants, but he always wants what he knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demis-roussos/the-public-never-knows-what-he-wants-but-he-always-wants-what-he-knows/) [Demis Roussos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demis-roussos/) > [From a personal perspective, because I'm on a watchlist and went through years of trying to find out why, of having the government refuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-poitras/from-a-personal-perspective-because-i-m-on-a-watchlist-and-went/) [Laura Poitras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-poitras/) > [I think what the public knows as 'Southern rock' will never be repeated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-medlocke/i-think-what-the-public-knows-as-southern-rock-will-never-be-repeated/) [Rickey Medlocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-medlocke/) > [If I don’t practice for a day, I know it. If I don’t practice for two days, the critics know it. And if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-armstrong/if-i-don-t-practice-for-a-day-i-know-it-if-i-don-t-practice-for-two/) [Louis Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-armstrong/) > [I'm not sure the public knows what it wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-young/i-m-not-sure-the-public-knows-what-it-wants/) [Loretta Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-young/) > [“Pop is about speaking everybody's language. The imagery and iconography we instantly recognize. When you can rely on things that the public already knows,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuno-roque/pop-is-about-speaking-everybody-s-language-the-imagery-and/) Nuno Roque > [The president can take steps to make sure the American public knows what its Justice Department and FBI have been up to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fitton/the-president-can-take-steps-to-make-sure-the-american-public-knows/) [Tom Fitton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fitton/) > [The public knows how many good things there are as part of the Affordable Care Act. The Republicans say they're going to repeal. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-schumer/the-public-knows-how-many-good-things-there-are-as-part-of-the/) [Charles Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-schumer/) > [Which suggests something about media and war: it's not just that events happen and the media documents and presents them. There is a third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jackson/which-suggests-something-about-media-and-war-it-s-not-just-that/) [Bruce Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jackson/) > [The public wants to know that their political leaders will stay true to the promise made to them that Brexit means Brexit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priti-patel/the-public-wants-to-know-that-their-political-leaders-will-stay-true/) [Priti Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priti-patel/) > [“I foresee no possibility of venturing into themes showing a closer view of reality for a long time to come. The public itself will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-w-griffith-2/i-foresee-no-possibility-of-venturing-into-themes-showing-a-closer/) D.W. Griffith ## 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. Don't examine it too closely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/creativity-is-magic-don-t-examine-it-too-closely/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [When people can't abide things as they are, when they can't abide the present, they do one of two things ... either they ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-people-can-t-abide-things-as-they-are-when-they-can-t-abide-the/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [“Lady, you can’t fuck a metaphor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/lady-you-can-t-fuck-a-metaphor/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [I write to find out what I'm talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/i-write-to-find-out-what-i-m-talking-about/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [I know playwrights who like to kid themselves into saying that their characters are so well formed that they just take over. 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 Public Wants quotes > [“I foresee no possibility of venturing into themes showing a closer view of reality for a long time to come. The public itself will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-w-griffith-2/i-foresee-no-possibility-of-venturing-into-themes-showing-a-closer/) D.W. Griffith > [The public wants to know that their political leaders will stay true to the promise made to them that Brexit means Brexit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priti-patel/the-public-wants-to-know-that-their-political-leaders-will-stay-true/) [Priti Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priti-patel/) > [Which suggests something about media and war: it's not just that events happen and the media documents and presents them. There is a third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jackson/which-suggests-something-about-media-and-war-it-s-not-just-that/) [Bruce Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jackson/) > [“I have learned that it is pretty hard to keep anything from the newspapers that the newspapers think the public wants to know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/i-have-learned-that-it-is-pretty-hard-to-keep-anything-from-the/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [What the public wants is the image of passion, not passion itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/what-the-public-wants-is-the-image-of-passion-not-passion-itself/) [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) > [The public wants to understand and learn in a single day, a single minute, what the artist has spent years learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gauguin/the-public-wants-to-understand-and-learn-in-a-single-day-a-single/) [Paul Gauguin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gauguin/) > [I think the American public wants a solemn ass as a president, and I think I'll go along with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/i-think-the-american-public-wants-a-solemn-ass-as-a-president-and-i/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [The public wants elected officials who have character. The public wants elected officials who are willing to stand up and say things, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/the-public-wants-elected-officials-who-have-character-the-public/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [But, the thing is, since I always had my own little shop and direct access to the public, I've been able to build up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/but-the-thing-is-since-i-always-had-my-own-little-shop-and-direct/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [The public wants real horse operas with action, not a lot of laughs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/the-public-wants-real-horse-operas-with-action-not-a-lot-of-laughs/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [Those who say they give the public what it wants begin by underestimating public taste and end by debauching it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/those-who-say-they-give-the-public-what-it-wants-begin-by/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [I don't care what the public wants, I'm going to give it what it needs!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dodd/i-don-t-care-what-the-public-wants-i-m-going-to-give-it-what-it-needs/) [Christopher Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dodd/) > [He who prides himself on giving what he thinks the public wants is often creating a fictitious demand for low standards which he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-reith-1st-baron-reith/he-who-prides-himself-on-giving-what-he-thinks-the-public-wants-is/) John Reith, 1st Baron Reith > [I know the majority of the British public wants to help when they see suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-mordaunt/i-know-the-majority-of-the-british-public-wants-to-help-when-they-see/) [Penny Mordaunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-mordaunt/) > [The public wants to know how things are going to get better, and the Republican Party just demonstrated its lack of seriousness to address…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neera-tanden/the-public-wants-to-know-how-things-are-going-to-get-better-and-the/) [Neera Tanden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neera-tanden/) Browse all 40 Public Wants quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We proceed in this society of ours on the possibly valid but untrue assumption that the public knows what it wants-- indeed, that it is given sufficient information about what is available to make such a judgment. 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