--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't want to manipulate actuality; I…" description: "\"I don't want to manipulate actuality; I want to record it.\" — Janet Malcolm" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/janet-malcolm-10933_actuality_i-don-t-want-to-manipulate-actuality-i-w_255274.png" --- # I don't want to manipulate actuality; I want to record it. ![“I don't want to manipulate actuality; I want to record it.” quote by Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/janet-malcolm-10933_actuality_i-don-t-want-to-manipulate-actuality-i-w_255274.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/janet-malcolm-10933_actuality_i-don-t-want-to-manipulate-actuality-i-w_255274.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/janet-malcolm-10933_actuality_i-don-t-want-to-manipulate-actuality-i-w_255274.png) > “I don't want to manipulate actuality; I want to record it.” [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author prefers documenting reality over altering it, emphasizing observation over manipulation. **In simple terms:** Record, don’t manipulate. Key Takeaway Prioritize factual recording in journalism. Themes journalism ethics observation Mood analytical inquisitive Type journalistic philosophical When to use this quote - news reporting - academic research - documentary filmmaking - media critique Key Concepts truth media responsibility documentary practice Questions to Reflect On - How to balance truth with interpretation? - When is intervention justified? A Different Perspective Pure observation may miss deeper context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actuality/) [Actuality Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actuality-want-2529929/) [Manipulate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manipulate/) [Manipulate Actuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manipulate-actuality-2529928/) [Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Manipulate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-manipulate-1621126/) [Want Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-record/) ## Related quotes > [People who want to manipulate you will fear your joy, because it's not easily controlled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/people-who-want-to-manipulate-you-will-fear-your-joy-because-it-s-not/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [I want to throw my voice more, I want to manipulate melody more... I want to be less deliberate and mechanical... I want less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sufjan-stevens/i-want-to-throw-my-voice-more-i-want-to-manipulate-melody-more-i-want/) [Sufjan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sufjan-stevens/) > [You must discriminate between those who claim to help you and only want to manipulate you and those who are free, who never manipulate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-must-discriminate-between-those-who-claim-to-help-you-and-only/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [When people know what you want, they can then manipulate that to achieve the end that they seek. It's far more interesting and valuable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjan-sundaram/when-people-know-what-you-want-they-can-then-manipulate-that-to/) [Anjan Sundaram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjan-sundaram/) > [The last thing you want to see is your record sit on a shelf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-kracker/the-last-thing-you-want-to-see-is-your-record-sit-on-a-shelf/) [Uncle Kracker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-kracker/) > [I find the songs I want to record by listening to as much music as I can. 'When I hear things I really like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-krauss/i-find-the-songs-i-want-to-record-by-listening-to-as-much-music-as-i/) [Alison Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-krauss/) > [We live in a difficult but inspiring world, and there is so much out there that I want to record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/we-live-in-a-difficult-but-inspiring-world-and-there-is-so-much-out/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [I always said, if I got a record deal, I'd want to record the best songs I could, whether I wrote them or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-swindell/i-always-said-if-i-got-a-record-deal-i-d-want-to-record-the-best/) [Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/) > [I forget very fast and want to record thus simply impress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christa-wolf/i-forget-very-fast-and-want-to-record-thus-simply-impress/) [Christa Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christa-wolf/) > [Of course we all want a record deal, get the big check, and all that, but it might not be good for you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-the-butcher/of-course-we-all-want-a-record-deal-get-the-big-check-and-all-that/) [Benny the Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-the-butcher/) > [I just want to keep living on and enjoying food! Even though I'm gaining weight, I want to record if the Lord wants me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jones/i-just-want-to-keep-living-on-and-enjoying-food-even-though-i-m/) [George Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jones/) > [All through the kind of late '80s and '90s, every A&R record company man was saying, 'Now what we want is another record like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/all-through-the-kind-of-late-80s-and-90s-every-a-r-record-company-man/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [I write all year long, and at the end of the year I pull these forty or fifty things out and say, 'Which of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/i-write-all-year-long-and-at-the-end-of-the-year-i-pull-these-forty/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [“I want to have a record of your nudity in one of my works of art." ~Larsson TIGER”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pet-torres/i-want-to-have-a-record-of-your-nudity-in-one-of-my-works-of-art/) [Pet TorreS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pet-torres/) > [People want to be the first with the record, they want to be the first to know which songs are on the record, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-thompson/people-want-to-be-the-first-with-the-record-they-want-to-be-the-first/) [Richard Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-thompson/) ## More by Janet Malcolm > [The camera is simply not the supple and powerful instrument of description that the pen is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/the-camera-is-simply-not-the-supple-and-powerful-instrument-of/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [“The writer ultimately tires of the subject's self-serving story, and substitutes a story of his own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/the-writer-ultimately-tires-of-the-subject-s-self-serving-story-and/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [Society mediates between the extremes of, on the one hand, intolerably strict morality and, on the other, dangerously anarchic permissiveness through an unspoken agreement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/society-mediates-between-the-extremes-of-on-the-one-hand-intolerably/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [Something seems to happen to people when they meet a journalist, and what happens is exactly the opposite of what one would expect. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/something-seems-to-happen-to-people-when-they-meet-a-journalist-and/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [The ‘I’ character in journalism is almost pure invention. Unlike the ‘I’ of autobiography, who is meant to be seen as a representation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/the-i-character-in-journalism-is-almost-pure-invention-unlike-the-i/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [The journalistic 'I' is an overreliable narrator, a functionary to whom crucial tasks of narration and argument and tone have been entrusted, an ad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/the-journalistic-i-is-an-overreliable-narrator-a-functionary-to-whom/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [“The subject of a piece of writing has not suffered the tension and anxiety endured by the subject of the "Eichmann experiment" (as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/the-subject-of-a-piece-of-writing-has-not-suffered-the-tension-and/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [People talk in ungrammatical, unwriterly ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/people-talk-in-ungrammatical-unwriterly-ways/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [This is what it is the business of the artist to do. Art is theft, art is armed robbery, art is not pleasing your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/this-is-what-it-is-the-business-of-the-artist-to-do-art-is-theft-art/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [The journalist confines himself to the clean, gentlemanly work of exposing the griefs and shames of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/the-journalist-confines-himself-to-the-clean-gentlemanly-work-of/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [The dominant and most deep-dyed trait of the journalist is his timorousness. Where the novelist fearlessly plunges into the water of self-exposure, the journalist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/the-dominant-and-most-deep-dyed-trait-of-the-journalist-is-his/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [If I write a page a day, I feel very good about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/if-i-write-a-page-a-day-i-feel-very-good-about-it/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [“Something seems to happen to people when they meet a journalist, and what happens is exactly the opposite of what one would expect. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/something-seems-to-happen-to-people-when-they-meet-a-journalist-and-2/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [You could say that any book that takes a position is not fair, unless you keep saying, 'On the one hand, on the other...'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/you-could-say-that-any-book-that-takes-a-position-is-not-fair-unless/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [Malice remains its animating impulse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/malice-remains-its-animating-impulse/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) [Explore all 62 Janet Malcolm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) ## More Actuality quotes > [When indeed shall we learn that we are all related one to the other, that we are all members of one body? Until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/when-indeed-shall-we-learn-that-we-are-all-related-one-to-the-other/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [If the theme is simple, you can include a hundred details that create the illusion of actuality better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satyajit-ray/if-the-theme-is-simple-you-can-include-a-hundred-details-that-create/) [Satyajit Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satyajit-ray/) > [The superhero shows and movies are always having the spotlight on the superheroes themselves. It's never about the people who are living in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-hudgens/the-superhero-shows-and-movies-are-always-having-the-spotlight-on-the/) [Vanessa Hudgens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-hudgens/) > [Man is the "ethical animal" ethical in potentiality even if, unfortunately, not in actuality. His capacity for ethical judgment like freedom, reason and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/man-is-the-ethical-animal-ethical-in-potentiality-even-if/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [It may look as though two chess players are sitting at the board peacefully calculating possibilities, but in actuality they are seething with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankarananda/it-may-look-as-though-two-chess-players-are-sitting-at-the-board/) [Shankarananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankarananda/) > [The question of historicity and actuality with regard to gods and unicorns is a relatively trifling matter which may be left to antiquarians and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odell-shepard/the-question-of-historicity-and-actuality-with-regard-to-gods-and/) [Odell Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odell-shepard/) > [Each mental act opens up a new dimension of actuality. In a manner of speaking, your slightest thought gives birth to worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-roberts/each-mental-act-opens-up-a-new-dimension-of-actuality-in-a-manner-of/) [Jane Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-roberts/) > [Behavior must also be adequately assessed under appropriate circumstances. Ill-defined global measures of perceived self-efficacy or defective assessments of performance will yield discordances. Disparities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-bandura/behavior-must-also-be-adequately-assessed-under-appropriate/) [Albert Bandura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-bandura/) > [During the reign of Rameses III (the Twentieth Dynasty) Egypt saw a flowering of its civilization and the harp became the royal instrument of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-heline/during-the-reign-of-rameses-iii-the-twentieth-dynasty-egypt-saw-a/) [Corinne Heline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-heline/) > [The problems of philosophy and the systems designed to solve them are formulated in terms which tend to refer, not to the realm of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/the-problems-of-philosophy-and-the-systems-designed-to-solve-them-are/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [I am not especially good at remembering the actualities of the world I inhabit, but I have pretty strong associative memories of how it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bradfield/i-am-not-especially-good-at-remembering-the-actualities-of-the-world/) [Scott Bradfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bradfield/) > [If only the sense of actuality can be lulled-and it sleeps for ever in most historians-there is no passion that cannot be gratified in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/if-only-the-sense-of-actuality-can-be-lulled-and-it-sleeps-for-ever/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [I recognise a distinction between dream life and real life, between appearances and actualities. I confess to an over-powering desire to know whether I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/i-recognise-a-distinction-between-dream-life-and-real-life-between/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [If tone is granted to be subjected to control, why not line also, which has equal emotional significance? And if line, why not shapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mortensen/if-tone-is-granted-to-be-subjected-to-control-why-not-line-also-which/) [William Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mortensen/) > [“Although we had had no precise exponents of realism, yet after Pushkin it was impossible for a Russian writer to depart too far from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-shestov/although-we-had-had-no-precise-exponents-of-realism-yet-after-pushkin/) [Lev Shestov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-shestov/) [Browse all 142 Actuality quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actuality/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't want to manipulate actuality; I want to record it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Janet Malcolm" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/i-don-t-want-to-manipulate-actuality-i-want-to-record-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actuality" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/i-don-t-want-to-manipulate-actuality-i-want-to-record-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/janet-malcolm-10933_actuality_i-don-t-want-to-manipulate-actuality-i-w_255274.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/janet-malcolm-10933_actuality_i-don-t-want-to-manipulate-actuality-i-w_255274.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/janet-malcolm-10933_actuality_i-don-t-want-to-manipulate-actuality-i-w_255274.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't want to manipulate actuality; I want to record it.” — Janet Malcolm", "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": "Janet Malcolm", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't want to manipulate actuality;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/i-don-t-want-to-manipulate-actuality-i-want-to-record-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/i-don-t-want-to-manipulate-actuality-i-want-to-record-it/#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 } } ] } ```