--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it would be exhausting and…" description: "\"I think it would be exhausting and depressing, to write, to watch and to live, if it was just focused on drama. It's heavy. Also, I think the humor rea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/jenji-kohan-21916_depressing_i-think-it-would-be-exhausting-and-depre_2205730.png" --- # I think it would be exhausting and depressing, to write… ![“I think it would be exhausting and depressing, to write, to watch and to live, if it was just focused on drama. It's heavy. Also, I think the humor really highlights the pathos and the struggle. You can slam it up against drama, and it makes both shine.” quote by Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/jenji-kohan-21916_depressing_i-think-it-would-be-exhausting-and-depre_2205730.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/jenji-kohan-21916_depressing_i-think-it-would-be-exhausting-and-depre_2205730.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/jenji-kohan-21916_depressing_i-think-it-would-be-exhausting-and-depre_2205730.png) > “I think it would be exhausting and depressing, to write, to watch and to live, if it was just focused on drama. It's heavy. Also, I think the humor really highlights the pathos and the struggle. You can slam it up against drama, and it makes both shine.” [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing drama with humor deepens emotional impact and highlights struggle. **In simple terms:** Mixing drama and humor makes stories richer. Key Takeaway Blend seriousness with wit for compelling narratives. Themes storytelling humor drama pathos Mood analytical creative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - scriptwriting - film production - theatre - advertising campaigns Key Concepts narrative theory emotional resonance Questions to Reflect On - How can humor amplify a serious theme? - When does humor risk trivializing drama? A Different Perspective Humor may undercut serious messages if misused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Focused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Pathos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pathos/) [Shining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shining/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [One of the great things about drama is that it makes you feel like you're not a crackpot, and that there are other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-purefoy/one-of-the-great-things-about-drama-is-that-it-makes-you-feel-like/) [James Purefoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-purefoy/) > [I really like people who can do both drama and comedy and not some like middle of the road do both drama and comedy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/i-really-like-people-who-can-do-both-drama-and-comedy-and-not-some/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) > [I remember the first film I did, the lead actor would, in between scenes, be reading a newspaper or sleeping and I'd think, 'How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-remember-the-first-film-i-did-the-lead-actor-would-in-between/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [If you become too aware of people looking at you, and worrying about what they think, it's exhausting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-scanlon/if-you-become-too-aware-of-people-looking-at-you-and-worrying-about/) [Angela Scanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-scanlon/) > [There are artists who think they have to be on top all the time. I think that would be exhausting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-imbruglia/there-are-artists-who-think-they-have-to-be-on-top-all-the-time-i/) [Natalie Imbruglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-imbruglia/) > [I sort of leave the character at the end of the day. I don't carry anything around with me - no excess baggage or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-bean/i-sort-of-leave-the-character-at-the-end-of-the-day-i-don-t-carry/) [Sean Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-bean/) > [Maybe what life needs is a good soundtrack, especially during the long stretches when nothing interesting is being said. A soundtrack might dignify things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-hull/maybe-what-life-needs-is-a-good-soundtrack-especially-during-the-long/) [Jonathan Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-hull/) > [I didn't expect to feel pathos for the villains in our show. I feel quite moved in several of our episodes; I never realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-lehman/i-didn-t-expect-to-feel-pathos-for-the-villains-in-our-show-i-feel/) [Kristin Lehman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-lehman/) > [“The fundamental basis by which the court’s decision might be made is, in itself, imperfect and subject to contradictions. There is very little consideration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashim-shanker/the-fundamental-basis-by-which-the-court-s-decision-might-be-made-is/) [Ashim Shanker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashim-shanker/) > [There is a peculiar pathos in the extinction of a nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-hulbert/there-is-a-peculiar-pathos-in-the-extinction-of-a-nation/) Homer Hulbert > [The sickly cultural pathos which the whole of France indulges in, that fetishism of the cultural heritage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/the-sickly-cultural-pathos-which-the-whole-of-france-indulges-in-that/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [I like to play characters that get to do it all - to have a bit of comedy here and a bit of pathos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/i-like-to-play-characters-that-get-to-do-it-all-to-have-a-bit-of/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [I like to weed out the people who aren't going to enjoy me straight off the bat. If you look at all my specials,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/i-like-to-weed-out-the-people-who-aren-t-going-to-enjoy-me-straight/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [How can we manage to illuminate the pathos of our lives?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/how-can-we-manage-to-illuminate-the-pathos-of-our-lives/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [Humor is consistent with pathos, whilst wit is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/humor-is-consistent-with-pathos-whilst-wit-is-not/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) ## More by Jenji Kohan > [But, how many times can you get exactly what you want, when you want it? Not very often. So, why not have it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/but-how-many-times-can-you-get-exactly-what-you-want-when-you-want-it/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [As long as there are still interesting stories and still interesting people that we want to meet, I can keep it going. But, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/as-long-as-there-are-still-interesting-stories-and-still-interesting/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [First of all, I find everything funny, which is upsetting to my children sometimes, and to people in my life, in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/first-of-all-i-find-everything-funny-which-is-upsetting-to-my/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [I'm always looking for a nexus, where you can put all these diverse people together, see how they respond to one another, see what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/i-m-always-looking-for-a-nexus-where-you-can-put-all-these-diverse/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [There's more to us than the moment we made a bad decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/there-s-more-to-us-than-the-moment-we-made-a-bad-decision/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [I'm always looking for those places where you can slam really disparate people up against one another, and they have to deal with each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/i-m-always-looking-for-those-places-where-you-can-slam-really/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [But if I had my way, there would be so much more, in everything. It's so vital and integral in life, and it should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/but-if-i-had-my-way-there-would-be-so-much-more-in-everything-it-s-so/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [But, I like the challenge of, "How can we stretch this out? Where can we go with it?" It's an open road, especially at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/but-i-like-the-challenge-of-how-can-we-stretch-this-out-where-can-we/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [The oppression of it, the sense of helplessness, and really being part of a system and a bureaucracy that is arbitrary. I never thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/the-oppression-of-it-the-sense-of-helplessness-and-really-being-part/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [I begged her to write a song and she said yes. I am a huge Regina Spektor fan. I think she's a genius and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/i-begged-her-to-write-a-song-and-she-said-yes-i-am-a-huge-regina/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [We did tons of research. We went to visit a prison. We had speakers. We have read tons of supplementary material, books and articles.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/we-did-tons-of-research-we-went-to-visit-a-prison-we-had-speakers-we/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [I think a good story, well told is a good story, well told, whether you're watching the episodes all in a row or not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/i-think-a-good-story-well-told-is-a-good-story-well-told-whether-you/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [We're also talking a lot in the room about planting seeds that can grow over the course of the season, knowing that people might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/we-re-also-talking-a-lot-in-the-room-about-planting-seeds-that-can/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [You spend so much of your life crafting this stuff that you want to laugh in the room. I don't want to sit there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/you-spend-so-much-of-your-life-crafting-this-stuff-that-you-want-to/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) > [To be able to be there first, I love the pioneer thing. It's exciting to me. And they pay full rate, they're really nice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/to-be-able-to-be-there-first-i-love-the-pioneer-thing-it-s-exciting/) [Jenji Kohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) [Explore all 28 Jenji Kohan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/) ## More Depressing quotes > [We don't make glamorous movies today. Everything now is very realistic, artistic - and depressing. When is the last time you you saw a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-head/we-don-t-make-glamorous-movies-today-everything-now-is-very-realistic/) [Edith Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-head/) > [There is not a country on earth that could get its fiscal house in order by shrinking opportunity and depressing growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/there-is-not-a-country-on-earth-that-could-get-its-fiscal-house-in/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [It is true that from a behavioral economics perspective we are fallible, easily confused, not that smart, and often irrational. We are more like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/it-is-true-that-from-a-behavioral-economics-perspective-we-are/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/of-all-the-bewildering-things-about-a-new-country-the-absence-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [I think it is kind of depressing how few female filmmakers there are. I think it is in general depressing how few women there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanne-bier/i-think-it-is-kind-of-depressing-how-few-female-filmmakers-there-are/) [Susanne Bier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanne-bier/) > [We're in a situation where talented, motivated school leavers and graduates can send off a hundred CVs and not get a reply, and where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jameela-jamil/we-re-in-a-situation-where-talented-motivated-school-leavers-and/) [Jameela Jamil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jameela-jamil/) > [It's so Canada. On some level, you laugh, but on another level, it's just depressing. We pride ourselves: We're not like the bad old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-backhouse/it-s-so-canada-on-some-level-you-laugh-but-on-another-level-it-s-just/) [Constance Backhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-backhouse/) > [It is, of course, a luxury to create art and, on top of this, to insist on expressing one's own artistic opinion. Nothing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beckmann/it-is-of-course-a-luxury-to-create-art-and-on-top-of-this-to-insist/) [Max Beckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beckmann/) > [Antidepressants sure kill your sexual life...Now, THAT'S depressing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/antidepressants-sure-kill-your-sexual-life-now-that-s-depressing/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [“They went through the last of the cars and then walked up the track to the locomotive and climbed up to the catwalk. Rust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/they-went-through-the-last-of-the-cars-and-then-walked-up-the-track/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [I read the most extravagant things about people who suffer and depress because of things written about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-jagger/i-read-the-most-extravagant-things-about-people-who-suffer-and/) [Mick Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-jagger/) > [Take the story of Cain and Abel. Why were we given that story? Scientifically, you may have an explanation for it, but I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/take-the-story-of-cain-and-abel-why-were-we-given-that-story/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Despite my extremely modest prices, dealers and art lovers are turning their backs on me. It is very depressing to see the lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/despite-my-extremely-modest-prices-dealers-and-art-lovers-are-turning/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [I've seen few things more depressing than the end-of-season Giants-Padres series in 2001 in which Barry Bonds hit his 68th homer of the year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rodrick/i-ve-seen-few-things-more-depressing-than-the-end-of-season-giants/) [Stephen Rodrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rodrick/) > [Everything we do really is just a little marker on the long road to death. And sometimes that’s overwhelmingly depressing to me, and sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/everything-we-do-really-is-just-a-little-marker-on-the-long-road-to/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) [Browse all 888 Depressing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think it would be exhausting and depressing, to write, to watch and to live, if it was just focused on drama. It's heavy. Also, I think the humor really highlights the pathos and the struggle. You can slam it up against drama, and it makes both shine.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jenji Kohan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/i-think-it-would-be-exhausting-and-depressing-to-write-to-watch-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Depressing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/i-think-it-would-be-exhausting-and-depressing-to-write-to-watch-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/jenji-kohan-21916_depressing_i-think-it-would-be-exhausting-and-depre_2205730.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/jenji-kohan-21916_depressing_i-think-it-would-be-exhausting-and-depre_2205730.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/jenji-kohan-21916_depressing_i-think-it-would-be-exhausting-and-depre_2205730.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think it would be exhausting and depressing, to write, to watch and to live, if it was just focused on…” — Jenji Kohan", "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": "Jenji Kohan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenji-kohan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think it would be exhausting...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/i-think-it-would-be-exhausting-and-depressing-to-write-to-watch-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenji-kohan/i-think-it-would-be-exhausting-and-depressing-to-write-to-watch-and/#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 } } ] } ```