---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While in some quarters it is felt that…"
description: "\"While in some quarters it is felt that the critic is just a necessary evil, most serious-minded, decent, talented theater people agree that the critic ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/jean-kerr-9802_agree_while-in-some-quarters-it-is-felt-that-t_2040293.png"
---

#  While in some quarters it is felt that the critic is just…

![“While in some quarters it is felt that the critic is just a necessary evil, most serious-minded, decent, talented theater people agree that the critic is an unnecessary evil.” quote by Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/jean-kerr-9802_agree_while-in-some-quarters-it-is-felt-that-t_2040293.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/jean-kerr-9802_agree_while-in-some-quarters-it-is-felt-that-t_2040293.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/jean-kerr-9802_agree_while-in-some-quarters-it-is-felt-that-t_2040293.png)

> “While in some quarters it is felt that the critic is just a necessary evil, most serious-minded, decent, talented theater people agree that the critic is an unnecessary evil.”

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Critics are often seen as necessary evils, but many theater professionals view them as unnecessary evils.

**In simple terms:** Critics are viewed as harmful by many.

Key Takeaway

Question the value of criticism.

Themes

criticism theatre evil

Mood

skeptical analytical

Type

cultural literary

When to use this quote

- theatre production
- review reading
- artistic development

Key Concepts

aesthetics cultural discourse

Questions to Reflect On

- When does criticism become constructive?
- How can artists use criticism productively?

A Different Perspective

Critics can also provide valuable feedback.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Agree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agree/) [Agree Critic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agree-critic-3793909/) [Critic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critic/) [Critic Unnecessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critic-unnecessary-3793908/) [Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics/) [Decent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decent/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Felt Critic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-critic-3793910/) [Necessary evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-evil/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Quarters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quarters/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Unnecessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unnecessary/) [Unnecessary Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unnecessary-evil-3793911/)

## Related quotes

> [If you agree with a critic, you admire him or her. If you disagree, you despise them. We all feel a great need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-brantley/if-you-agree-with-a-critic-you-admire-him-or-her-if-you-disagree-you/)

[Ben Brantley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-brantley/)

> [Government is an unnecessary evil. Human beings, when accustomed to taking responsibility for their own behavior, can cooperate on a basis of mutual trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-woodworth/government-is-an-unnecessary-evil-human-beings-when-accustomed-to/)

[Fred Woodworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-woodworth/)

> [Government is an unnecessary evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-berwick/government-is-an-unnecessary-evil/)

[Jeff Berwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-berwick/)

> [Confronted by an absolutely infuriating review, it is sometimes helpful for the victim to do a little personal research on the critic. Is there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/confronted-by-an-absolutely-infuriating-review-it-is-sometimes/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/government-even-in-its-best-state-is-but-a-necessary-evil-in-its/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best stage, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/society-in-every-state-is-a-blessing-but-government-even-in-its-best/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [There are guys who thrive completely on the action in the ring and see the promotion as a necessary evil, whereas I think it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-foley/there-are-guys-who-thrive-completely-on-the-action-in-the-ring-and/)

[Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/)

> [When a person, group, or a government is speaking of necessary evils they must first realize that no evil is truly necessary. It may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-lee/when-a-person-group-or-a-government-is-speaking-of-necessary-evils/)

[Aaron Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-lee/)

> [“Hey." Her host grabbed her by the back of the jacket and hauled her upright. "I'm not fishing you out again if you fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherry-adair/hey-her-host-grabbed-her-by-the-back-of-the-jacket-and-hauled-her/)

[Cherry Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherry-adair/)

> [Sexual expression within a marriage is not an option or an extra. It is certainly not, as it has sometimes been considered, a necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/sexual-expression-within-a-marriage-is-not-an-option-or-an-extra-it/)

[John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/)

> [I think the paparazzi is a necessary evil...and if ya don't like it, and ya don't want to do this, go to Iowa and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-o-grady/i-think-the-paparazzi-is-a-necessary-evil-and-if-ya-don-t-like-it-and/)

[Gail O'Grady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-o-grady/)

> [War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/war-may-sometimes-be-a-necessary-evil-but-no-matter-how-necessary-it/)

[Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/)

> [And now, what has Anarchism to say to all this, this bankruptcy of republicanism, this modern empire that has grown up on the ruins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltairine-de-cleyre/and-now-what-has-anarchism-to-say-to-all-this-this-bankruptcy-of/)

[Voltairine de Cleyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltairine-de-cleyre/)

> [“No longer enslaved or made dependent by force of law, the great majority are so by force of poverty; they are still chained to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/no-longer-enslaved-or-made-dependent-by-force-of-law-the-great/)

[John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/)

> [Rock music is, is a necessary evil, like beating my children with penny loafers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/rock-music-is-is-a-necessary-evil-like-beating-my-children-with-penny/)

[Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/)

## More by Jean Kerr

> [It has been explained to me that toys are packaged in shards, to be assembled by the middle-aged and butter-fingered, because this makes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/it-has-been-explained-to-me-that-toys-are-packaged-in-shards-to-be/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [The average, healthy, well-adjusted adult gets up at seven-thirty in the morning feeling just plain terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/the-average-healthy-well-adjusted-adult-gets-up-at-seven-thirty-in/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [Being divorced is like being hit by a Mack truck. If you live through it, you start looking very carefully to the right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/being-divorced-is-like-being-hit-by-a-mack-truck-if-you-live-through/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [To me having a party is something like having a baby. The fact that you got through the last one alive is not somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/to-me-having-a-party-is-something-like-having-a-baby-the-fact-that/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [I make mistakes; I'll be the second to admit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/i-make-mistakes-i-ll-be-the-second-to-admit-it/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [Man is the only animal that learns by being hypocritical. He pretends to be polite and then, eventually, he becomes polite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/man-is-the-only-animal-that-learns-by-being-hypocritical-he-pretends/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [Oh, wouldn't it be wonderful if some manufacturer would make a toy as tough, as staunch, as hard to crack open as the carton…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/oh-wouldn-t-it-be-wonderful-if-some-manufacturer-would-make-a-toy-as/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [“Oftentimes, in the evening after they have finished spreading the fertiliser, the writer and his wife sit on the fence - with a wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/oftentimes-in-the-evening-after-they-have-finished-spreading-the/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [Being on a ship is something like being pregnant. You can sit there and do absolutely nothing but stare at the water and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/being-on-a-ship-is-something-like-being-pregnant-you-can-sit-there/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [Dearer to me than the evening star A Packard car A Hershey bar Or a bride in her rich adorning Dearer than any of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/dearer-to-me-than-the-evening-star-a-packard-car-a-hershey-bar-or-a/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [Don't be silly. I'm a mature, intelligent woman. Of course I'm afraid of my mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/don-t-be-silly-i-m-a-mature-intelligent-woman-of-course-i-m-afraid-of/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [Even though a number of people have tried, no one has ever found a way to drink for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/even-though-a-number-of-people-have-tried-no-one-has-ever-found-a-way/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [People only call you 'my dear' when they are irritated with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/people-only-call-you-my-dear-when-they-are-irritated-with-you/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> ['Lunch Hour' is suitable for a teenager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/lunch-hour-is-suitable-for-a-teenager/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

> [Children are different - mentally, physically, spiritually, quantitatively, qualitatively; and furthermore, they're all a little bit nuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/children-are-different-mentally-physically-spiritually-quantitatively/)

[Jean Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

[Explore all 69 Jean Kerr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/)

## More Agree quotes

> [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/)

[John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/)

> [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/)

[Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/)

> [“All these creatures spend their time explaining, realizing happily that they agree with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/all-these-creatures-spend-their-time-explaining-realizing-happily/)

[Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/)

> [I talk to fashion designers and say I want some money to save the rainforest, and they say, 'Oh, I agree with you completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-talk-to-fashion-designers-and-say-i-want-some-money-to-save-the/)

[Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/)

> [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/climate-change-poses-clear-catastrophic-threats-we-may-not-agree-on/)

[Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/)

> [Never be afraid of doing the thing you know in your heart is right, even if others don't agree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/never-be-afraid-of-doing-the-thing-you-know-in-your-heart-is-right/)

[Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/)

> [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/)

[Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/)

> [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [“I tend to agree with that little devil more and more these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-tend-to-agree-with-that-little-devil-more-and-more-these-days/)

[Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/)

> [People might not agree with me, but I think a woman should have a feminine shape, something you can get your hands on. You,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/people-might-not-agree-with-me-but-i-think-a-woman-should-have-a/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [On 9-11, we discovered that we cannot escape from the world. To me personally, this was a life-changing experience, and I realized, as did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/on-9-11-we-discovered-that-we-cannot-escape-from-the-world-to-me/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [But I would say if the Security Council is only relevant if it agrees with the United States, then we have come a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/but-i-would-say-if-the-security-council-is-only-relevant-if-it-agrees/)

[Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/)

> [We're never all going to agree with each other. We have to learn to value the diversity. It's one of the presumable principles of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-r-ehrlich/we-re-never-all-going-to-agree-with-each-other-we-have-to-learn-to/)

[Paul R. Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-r-ehrlich/)

> [A contract is an ask game, and if it asks for an hour, and I submit to an hour, then it's an hour. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/a-contract-is-an-ask-game-and-if-it-asks-for-an-hour-and-i-submit-to/)

[Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/)

[Browse all 3,079 Agree quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agree/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "While in some quarters it is felt that the critic is just a necessary evil, most serious-minded, decent, talented theater people agree that the critic is an unnecessary evil.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jean Kerr"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/while-in-some-quarters-it-is-felt-that-the-critic-is-just-a-necessary/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Agree"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/while-in-some-quarters-it-is-felt-that-the-critic-is-just-a-necessary/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/jean-kerr-9802_agree_while-in-some-quarters-it-is-felt-that-t_2040293.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/jean-kerr-9802_agree_while-in-some-quarters-it-is-felt-that-t_2040293.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c8/jean-kerr-9802_agree_while-in-some-quarters-it-is-felt-that-t_2040293.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“While in some quarters it is felt that the critic is just a necessary evil, most serious-minded, decent…” — Jean Kerr",
                "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": "Jean Kerr",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kerr/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "While in some quarters it is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/while-in-some-quarters-it-is-felt-that-the-critic-is-just-a-necessary/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kerr/while-in-some-quarters-it-is-felt-that-the-critic-is-just-a-necessary/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
