--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Irony ruined everything Even the best…" description: "\"Irony ruined everything Even the best exploitation movies were never meant to be 'so bad they were good'. They were not made for the intelligentsia. Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf5/john-waters-751_exploitation_irony-ruined-everything-even-the-best-ex_248425.jpg" --- # Irony ruined everything Even the best exploitation movies… ![“Irony ruined everything Even the best exploitation movies were never meant to be 'so bad they were good'. They were not made for the intelligentsia. They were made to be violent for real, or to be sexy for real. But now everybody has irony. Even horror films now are ironic. Everybody's in on the…” quote by John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf5/john-waters-751_exploitation_irony-ruined-everything-even-the-best-ex_248425.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf5/john-waters-751_exploitation_irony-ruined-everything-even-the-best-ex_248425.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf5/john-waters-751_exploitation_irony-ruined-everything-even-the-best-ex_248425.jpg) > “Irony ruined everything Even the best exploitation movies were never meant to be 'so bad they were good'. They were not made for the intelligentsia. They were made to be violent for real, or to be sexy for real. But now everybody has irony. Even horror films now are ironic. Everybody's in on the joke now. Everybody's hip. Nobody takes anything at face value anymore.” [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques how irony has eroded genuine artistic intent, turning all media into self‑referential jokes. **In simple terms:** Irony makes art lose its sincere impact. Key Takeaway Beware of over‑irony. Themes art culture irony authenticity Mood cynical reflective Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - film criticism - music videos - advertising - social media content Key Concepts post‑modernism media criticism Questions to Reflect On - How does irony affect your enjoyment of art? - Can sincerity coexist with irony? A Different Perspective Some audiences still appreciate earnest works; irony isn’t universal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Everybody Irony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everybody-irony-2476476/) [Exploitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploitation/) [Face value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-value/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Films Ironic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films-ironic-2476475/) [Hips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hips/) [Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror/) [Horror film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror-film/) [Horror films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror-films/) [Ironic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ironic/) [Irony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irony/) [Irony Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irony-horror-2476478/) [Irony Ruined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irony-ruined-2476477/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Meant to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meant-to-be/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Ruined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruined/) [Sexy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexy/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent/) ## Related quotes > [There's always something at least a little smug about self-reference - magazine articles about idealistic journalists, TV shows about TV actors, ironic films within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/there-s-always-something-at-least-a-little-smug-about-self-reference/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [All you have to do is take a man at face value. Don't go into it thinking you can change them. Men aren't fixer-uppers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/all-you-have-to-do-is-take-a-man-at-face-value-don-t-go-into-it/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [“An average teenager today, if he or she could time-travel back to 1950, would have had an IQ of 118. If the teenager went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/an-average-teenager-today-if-he-or-she-could-time-travel-back-to-1950/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [A lot of books, if you take them at face value, they're just not gonna work as films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/a-lot-of-books-if-you-take-them-at-face-value-they-re-just-not-gonna/) [Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/) > [People look at you, and they think they know you. They think they can place you in a certain category by what they think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/people-look-at-you-and-they-think-they-know-you-they-think-they-can/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [People take things at face value on social media. Earnestness is the assumption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/people-take-things-at-face-value-on-social-media-earnestness-is-the/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [I not only think but also look and study things carefully. When I travel around, I look at things carefully, make comparisons of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/i-not-only-think-but-also-look-and-study-things-carefully-when-i/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [The main idea of making a movie is to provide entertainment. But as a director, I also say what I want to say with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-khan/the-main-idea-of-making-a-movie-is-to-provide-entertainment-but-as-a/) [Kabir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-khan/) > [“Autonomous people assert themselves against the status quo. They don't accept the prevailing opinion just because it's the one given to them. Nothing creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brito/autonomous-people-assert-themselves-against-the-status-quo-they-don-t/) [Maria Brito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brito/) > [Fans, and people in general, look to people to take certain things on, and I'm a guy you can take at face value. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-till/fans-and-people-in-general-look-to-people-to-take-certain-things-on/) [Darren Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-till/) > [Brain research tells us that only twenty percent of human beings have a sense of irony, which means that eighty percent of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/brain-research-tells-us-that-only-twenty-percent-of-human-beings-have/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Our ideas of happiness, gratification, contentment, satisfaction, all demand that those feelings come from within us. If you flip that on its head and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/our-ideas-of-happiness-gratification-contentment-satisfaction-all/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [“But Dag, for all of his efforts, might as well have been talking to a cat. Our parents’ generation seems neither able nor interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/but-dag-for-all-of-his-efforts-might-as-well-have-been-talking-to-a/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“An important aspect of Kaplan’s New York Observer and its self-conscious inside media baseball was that the paper became the prime school for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/an-important-aspect-of-kaplan-s-new-york-observer-and-its-self/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Waters > [There was a cultural war going on, the '60s was going on. All the film critics were square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/there-was-a-cultural-war-going-on-the-60s-was-going-on-all-the-film/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I'm here today because of LSD. LSD gave me the confidence to be who I am today. Completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-m-here-today-because-of-lsd-lsd-gave-me-the-confidence-to-be-who-i/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [When I was young, there were bars called the 'Hungry Hole,' and in those same neighbourhoods are now gay people pushing baby carriages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/when-i-was-young-there-were-bars-called-the-hungry-hole-and-in-those/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [True success is figuring out your life and career so you never have to be around jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/true-success-is-figuring-out-your-life-and-career-so-you-never-have/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Around '62 in Baltimore, all the girls had those big hairdos. And then suddenly, a few of the really hip ones started doing their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/around-62-in-baltimore-all-the-girls-had-those-big-hairdos-and-then/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [“John!?” I ask in shock. This woman recognizes me? It can’t be! “How do you know my name?” I wonder out loud. Suddenly she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/john-i-ask-in-shock-this-woman-recognizes-me-it-can-t-be-how-do-you/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > ['Serial Mom' tested really well when we finally got with the right audience. But they would go to some shopping mall in a deep,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/serial-mom-tested-really-well-when-we-finally-got-with-the-right/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [One Christmas, Dennis Dermody, the movie critic of 'Paper,' gave me 'Rock Hudson: A Gathering of Friends,' the master invitation list from Rock Hudson's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/one-christmas-dennis-dermody-the-movie-critic-of-paper-gave-me-rock/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Many hundred-million-dollar Hollywood comedies aren't any good. They're trying to shock you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/many-hundred-million-dollar-hollywood-comedies-aren-t-any-good-they/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [The Easter Bunny is a major reason for heroin addiction in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/the-easter-bunny-is-a-major-reason-for-heroin-addiction-in-america/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [To use bad taste, you have to know the rules of good taste. I've always thanked my mother for that. She taught how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/to-use-bad-taste-you-have-to-know-the-rules-of-good-taste-i-ve-always/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I'm an old person because I still buy DVDs. I have every one of my albums and 45s - I even have a couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-m-an-old-person-because-i-still-buy-dvds-i-have-every-one-of-my/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I do like Christmas. I do understand that there are people who hate it, and there are other religions that resent it. So, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-do-like-christmas-i-do-understand-that-there-are-people-who-hate-it/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I love to read about anger. A "feel bad" book always makes me feel good. And no other novel in the history of literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-love-to-read-about-anger-a-feel-bad-book-always-makes-me-feel-good/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [ Maybe I'll just write books. I'd like to make another movie, but I don't want to go back and \[do\] what they want you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/maybe-i-ll-just-write-books-i-d-like-to-make-another-movie-but-i-don/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) [Explore all 381 John Waters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) ## More Exploitation quotes > [I remember being a kid and seeing the 'National Inquirer' at the grocery store checkout line. When somebody actually picked up a copy, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-seeing-the-national-inquirer-at-the/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [Nothing better protects a human being against the stupidity of prejudice, racism, religious or political sectarianism, and exclusivist nationalism than this truth that invariably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/nothing-better-protects-a-human-being-against-the-stupidity-of/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [When the idea came up, (Newman's Own) I said, "Are you crazy? Stick my face on the label of salad dressing?" And then, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/when-the-idea-came-up-newman-s-own-i-said-are-you-crazy-stick-my-face/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [Communism is inequality, but not as property is. Property is exploitation of the weak by the strong. Communism is exploitation of the strong by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-inequality-but-not-as-property-is-property-is/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [Marx saw exploitation in terms of the rewards of human labor, but we can see it in terms of all the values of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/marx-saw-exploitation-in-terms-of-the-rewards-of-human-labor-but-we/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [The sexual abuse and exploitation of children is one of the most vicious crimes conceivable, a violation of mankind's most basic duty to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-walsh/the-sexual-abuse-and-exploitation-of-children-is-one-of-the-most/) [James T. Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-walsh/) > [Exploitation and manipulation produce boredom and triviality; they cripple man, and all factors that make man into a psychic cripple turn him also into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/exploitation-and-manipulation-produce-boredom-and-triviality-they/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I have visited sweatshops, factories, and crowded slums. If I could not see it, I could smell it. The foundation of society is laid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/i-have-visited-sweatshops-factories-and-crowded-slums-if-i-could-not/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [For my whole life I have dedicated myself to those who have been subjected to injustice. I've conducted investigations and written in newspapers about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/for-my-whole-life-i-have-dedicated-myself-to-those-who-have-been/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [If we human beings learn to see the intricacies that bind one part of a natural system to another and then to us, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-nelson/if-we-human-beings-learn-to-see-the-intricacies-that-bind-one-part-of/) [Gaylord Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-nelson/) > [The marketing of anything is full of exploitation and lies and hype.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/the-marketing-of-anything-is-full-of-exploitation-and-lies-and-hype/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [“Often, her mate is the child of a narcissist, already indoctrinated to regard exploitation and disregard as love. Others lured by the narcissistic aura…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elan-golomb/often-her-mate-is-the-child-of-a-narcissist-already-indoctrinated-to/) [Elan Golomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elan-golomb/) > [“A flat tire is like a bad attitude, you won't go anywhere until you change it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-brown/a-flat-tire-is-like-a-bad-attitude-you-won-t-go-anywhere-until-you/) [Winston Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-brown/) > [Extension work is not exhortation. Nor is it exploitation of the people, or advertising of an institution, or publicity work for securing students. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liberty-hyde-bailey/extension-work-is-not-exhortation-nor-is-it-exploitation-of-the/) [Liberty Hyde Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liberty-hyde-bailey/) [Browse all 648 Exploitation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploitation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Irony ruined everything Even the best exploitation movies were never meant to be 'so bad they were good'. They were not made for the intelligentsia. They were made to be violent for real, or to be sexy for real. But now everybody has irony. Even horror films now are ironic. Everybody's in on the joke now. Everybody's hip. 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