--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a certain kind of human compact that…" description: "\"It's a certain kind of human compact that obviously you lose as soon as there is a screen and a camera there, so I think we'll always have theater. I t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e92/john-buffalo-mailer-14345_cell-phone_it-s-a-certain-kind-of-human-compact-tha_209605.jpg" --- # It's a certain kind of human compact that obviously you… ![“It's a certain kind of human compact that obviously you lose as soon as there is a screen and a camera there, so I think we'll always have theater. I think theater will always be a powerful force because we need that human touch, particularly as we spend more and more time with machines, cell…” quote by John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e92/john-buffalo-mailer-14345_cell-phone_it-s-a-certain-kind-of-human-compact-tha_209605.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e92/john-buffalo-mailer-14345_cell-phone_it-s-a-certain-kind-of-human-compact-tha_209605.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e92/john-buffalo-mailer-14345_cell-phone_it-s-a-certain-kind-of-human-compact-tha_209605.jpg) > “It's a certain kind of human compact that obviously you lose as soon as there is a screen and a camera there, so I think we'll always have theater. I think theater will always be a powerful force because we need that human touch, particularly as we spend more and more time with machines, cell phones, computers we start to lose our humanity.” [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human connection in theater remains vital as technology distances us, preserving our humanity. **In simple terms:** Theater keeps us human amid tech. Key Takeaway Value live, human‑centered experiences. Themes humanity technology theater connection digital age Mood thoughtful inspirational Type artistic cultural When to use this quote - theater productions - school curricula - community events - digital detox retreats Key Concepts philosophy media studies cultural criticism Questions to Reflect On - What role should theater play in a digital society? - How can we balance tech use with human interaction? A Different Perspective Overreliance on screens may diminish real‑world empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cell phone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cell-phone/) [Cell phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cell-phones/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theater Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater-powerful-2166839/) [Theater Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater-think-256919/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Think Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-theater-254494/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think theater is powerful. The best experiences I had in the theater are more powerful than the best experiences I had in movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-think-theater-is-powerful-the-best-experiences-i-had-in-the-theater/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [I love theater. I think theater, when its done right, is the best, like a religious experience. When it is done badly, it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leguizamo/i-love-theater-i-think-theater-when-its-done-right-is-the-best-like-a/) [John Leguizamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leguizamo/) > [If you want to really deeply touch the viewer or the reader, the theater might be the most powerful way to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayad-akhtar/if-you-want-to-really-deeply-touch-the-viewer-or-the-reader-the/) [Ayad Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayad-akhtar/) > [Equipped with cell phones, beepers, and handheld computers, the 'conspicuously industrious' blur the line between home and office by working anytime, anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-ann-davis/equipped-with-cell-phones-beepers-and-handheld-computers-the/) [Jo Ann Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-ann-davis/) > [Cell phones, alas, have pretty much ruined train travel, which I used to love. I could read or even sketch notes for what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/cell-phones-alas-have-pretty-much-ruined-train-travel-which-i-used-to/) [Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/) > [Email, instant messaging, and cell phones give us fabulous communication ability, but because we live and work in our own little worlds, that communication…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/email-instant-messaging-and-cell-phones-give-us-fabulous/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [I sort of gave up on this whole human adventure a long time ago, divorced myself from it emotionally. It gives me an artistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-sort-of-gave-up-on-this-whole-human-adventure-a-long-time-ago/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [I think there's been a gigantic shift in the way we talk to each other, and the way that we communicate with each other.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/i-think-there-s-been-a-gigantic-shift-in-the-way-we-talk-to-each/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [As the OLPC laptop was getting ready to go into mass production in 2007, many executives approached me wanting the screen that I invented,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-jepsen/as-the-olpc-laptop-was-getting-ready-to-go-into-mass-production-in/) [Mary Lou Jepsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-jepsen/) > [But I'm acutely aware that the possibility of fraud is even more prevalent in today's world because of the Internet and cell phones and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armistead-maupin/but-i-m-acutely-aware-that-the-possibility-of-fraud-is-even-more/) [Armistead Maupin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armistead-maupin/) > [Cell phones are so convenient that they're an inconvenience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/cell-phones-are-so-convenient-that-they-re-an-inconvenience/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I remember one point seeing I had like 60-some different cell phones. I know I only use one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-kosar/i-remember-one-point-seeing-i-had-like-60-some-different-cell-phones/) [Bernie Kosar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-kosar/) > [“To me, at least in retrospect, the really interesting question is why dullness proves to be such a powerful impediment to attention. Why we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/to-me-at-least-in-retrospect-the-really-interesting-question-is-why/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“Kindle Paperwhite 3G models use the same technology as cell phones, so they are dependent on cellular coverage areas. By default, a 3G device…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amazon/kindle-paperwhite-3g-models-use-the-same-technology-as-cell-phones-so/) [amazon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amazon/) ## More by John Buffalo Mailer > [I think that if you look at places like Amsterdam and places where pot is very legal they do well with it. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/i-think-that-if-you-look-at-places-like-amsterdam-and-places-where/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) > [I just I love telling stories and as long as I can make my living doing that in all the different mediums that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/i-just-i-love-telling-stories-and-as-long-as-i-can-make-my-living/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) > [I think that you know you have experts in fields who spend their life studying one thing. When an event goes on that chances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/i-think-that-you-know-you-have-experts-in-fields-who-spend-their-life/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) > [I think about the college graduating classes and high school classes that are coming up now they're in a unique position. I mean they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/i-think-about-the-college-graduating-classes-and-high-school-classes/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) > [What's against legalization in a practical sense? 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You know, we're tweeting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/we-ve-been-duped-into-believing-we-don-t-have-25-minutes-to-have/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) > [My father, Norman Mailer, expected a lot from us and he really pushed us and you know one of his favorite lines was, "If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/my-father-norman-mailer-expected-a-lot-from-us-and-he-really-pushed/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) > [Whatever the reasons, 2008 it felt as though the combination of distribution models starting to tighten and the publishing and film and music industries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/whatever-the-reasons-2008-it-felt-as-though-the-combination-of/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) > [My hope is that the film Wall Street 2 will actually serve as a way for us to bridge that gap between Wall Street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/my-hope-is-that-the-film-wall-street-2-will-actually-serve-as-a-way/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) > [You're going to find the good people and bad all around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/you-re-going-to-find-the-good-people-and-bad-all-around/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) > [I think that one of the things that my dad was grappling with towards the end was how that shift had happened now and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/i-think-that-one-of-the-things-that-my-dad-was-grappling-with-towards/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) > [I'm probably most proud of the plays that I've written just because as the playwright, you know, you're God. You get to do everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/i-m-probably-most-proud-of-the-plays-that-i-ve-written-just-because/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) > [I remember talking to my dad about legalization in a book we did together called "The Big Empty." He was saying like, "Oh, no,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/i-remember-talking-to-my-dad-about-legalization-in-a-book-we-did/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) > [It seems to be the sense that once you throw guys in prison they're not going to come out. No, they're going to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/it-seems-to-be-the-sense-that-once-you-throw-guys-in-prison-they-re/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) [Explore all 47 John Buffalo Mailer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) ## More Cell phone quotes > [“What you’re holding in your hands is a BookShots Flames story. It’s part of a revolution in reading. Hand-picked by James Patterson, BookShots Flames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ciotta/what-you-re-holding-in-your-hands-is-a-bookshots-flames-story-it-s/) [Beth Ciotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ciotta/) > [“Kindle Paperwhite 3G models use the same technology as cell phones, so they are dependent on cellular coverage areas. By default, a 3G device…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amazon/kindle-paperwhite-3g-models-use-the-same-technology-as-cell-phones-so/) [amazon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amazon/) > [“I’m not sure how the ponies happened, though I have an inkling: “Can I get you anything?” I’ll say, getting up from a dinner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/i-m-not-sure-how-the-ponies-happened-though-i-have-an-inkling-can-i/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [I like everything with a heaping dose of feminitity, including my cell phone. I created this phone for the classic woman, who like me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimora-lee-simmons/i-like-everything-with-a-heaping-dose-of-feminitity-including-my-cell/) [Kimora Lee Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimora-lee-simmons/) > [“People were sitting together, talking and telling stories face-to-face again, instead of staring at a cell phone screens while texting or chatting with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-foster/people-were-sitting-together-talking-and-telling-stories-face-to-face/) [Mike Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-foster/) > [“To me, at least in retrospect, the really interesting question is why dullness proves to be such a powerful impediment to attention. Why we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/to-me-at-least-in-retrospect-the-really-interesting-question-is-why/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“Another night then,' Mom said. 'Maybe on the weekend we can have a barbecue and invite your sister.' 'Or,' I said turning to Rafe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/another-night-then-mom-said-maybe-on-the-weekend-we-can-have-a/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Girls are like cell phones they love to be held and talked to but whewn you press the wrong buttons you will be disconnected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/superman/girls-are-like-cell-phones-they-love-to-be-held-and-talked-to-but/) [Superman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/superman/) > [Sometimes life really sucks. Then I see your name pop up on my cell phone and I cant help but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-life-really-sucks-then-i-see-your-name-pop-up-on-my-cell/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I remember one point seeing I had like 60-some different cell phones. 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Political scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/was-my-first-indication-that-the-policies-of-mamaw-s-party-of-the/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) [Browse all 982 Cell phone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cell-phone/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's a certain kind of human compact that obviously you lose as soon as there is a screen and a camera there, so I think we'll always have theater. 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