--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acting a part is not always synonymous…" description: "\"Acting a part is not always synonymous with lying; it is far often the best way of serving the truth. It is more truthful to act what we should feel if..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e1/elizabeth-goudge-2888_acting_acting-a-part-is-not-always-synonymous-w_2812123.png" --- # Acting a part is not always synonymous with lying; it is… ![“Acting a part is not always synonymous with lying; it is far often the best way of serving the truth. It is more truthful to act what we should feel if the community is to be well served rather than behave as we actually do feel in our selfish private feelings.” quote by Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e1/elizabeth-goudge-2888_acting_acting-a-part-is-not-always-synonymous-w_2812123.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e1/elizabeth-goudge-2888_acting_acting-a-part-is-not-always-synonymous-w_2812123.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e1/elizabeth-goudge-2888_acting_acting-a-part-is-not-always-synonymous-w_2812123.png) > “Acting a part is not always synonymous with lying; it is far often the best way of serving the truth. It is more truthful to act what we should feel if the community is to be well served rather than behave as we actually do feel in our selfish private feelings.” [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting truthfully may involve portraying feelings that serve the greater good, rather than personal honesty. **In simple terms:** Sometimes acting for others is more truthful than personal confession. Key Takeaway Prioritize collective well‑being over selfish expression. Themes ethics performance truth community self‑sacrifice Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical literary When to use this quote - public speaking - leadership - community service - artistic performance Key Concepts philosophy psychology theatre Questions to Reflect On - When is personal honesty more important than collective benefit? - How do you balance authenticity with duty? A Different Perspective Acting can be manipulative if motives are hidden. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-feel-751230/) [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Behave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behave/) [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Selfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish/) [Serving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serving/) [Serving Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serving-truth-3435552/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Synonymous Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/synonymous-lying-3527244/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truthful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truthful/) [Truthful Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truthful-act-3527243/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [Serving the Truth becomes our life instead of just an isolated event. 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I feel like I have so much to learn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/i-m-just-trying-to-keep-my-head-above-water-as-i-learn-how-to-act-i/) [Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/) > [I create, dress, and act however I feel in a single moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mija/i-create-dress-and-act-however-i-feel-in-a-single-moment/) [Mija](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mija/) > [P.C. is just too Big Brother - telling me how I should act and feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-kelly/p-c-is-just-too-big-brother-telling-me-how-i-should-act-and-feel/) [Johnny Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-kelly/) > [I'd love to act. I feel that it's another naked, mysterious challenge, like jazz. It kind of intrigues me in the same way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-cole/i-d-love-to-act-i-feel-that-it-s-another-naked-mysterious-challenge/) [Paula Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-cole/) > [To think is an act. To feel is a fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/to-think-is-an-act-to-feel-is-a-fact/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) ## More by Elizabeth Goudge > [“He strolled to the front door and stood watching, letting the picture of Felicity grave itself so deeply on his mind that when with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/he-strolled-to-the-front-door-and-stood-watching-letting-the-picture/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [I have known him nearly all my life, and I am going to marry him, so that there won't ever be a time when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/i-have-known-him-nearly-all-my-life-and-i-am-going-to-marry-him-so/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [Because of course she had known she must go. 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Day and night, life and death, love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/could-you-understand-the-meaning-of-light-if-there-were-no-darkness/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [A well-trained dog is like religion, it sets the deserving at their ease and is a terror to evildoers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/a-well-trained-dog-is-like-religion-it-sets-the-deserving-at-their/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [The sun is still there... even if clouds drift over it. Once you have experienced the reality of sunshine you may weep, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/the-sun-is-still-there-even-if-clouds-drift-over-it-once-you-have/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [ \[Salvation\] is a curious process of divine burglary. The first thing to be wrested from one by a God who said 'Thou shalt not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/salvation-is-a-curious-process-of-divine-burglary-the-first-thing-to/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [The lovers of life, they are children at heart always in their wonder and delight, but they do not grab.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/the-lovers-of-life-they-are-children-at-heart-always-in-their-wonder/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [Our home, our special country, is for all of us the place where we find liberation; a very difficult word ... that tries to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/our-home-our-special-country-is-for-all-of-us-the-place-where-we-find/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [“Nothing whatsoever, not even the existence of God to His lovers, can be proved, but that every man, if he is to live at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/nothing-whatsoever-not-even-the-existence-of-god-to-his-lovers-can-be/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) [Explore all 144 Elizabeth Goudge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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