--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Truth is that the best ideas are often…" description: "\"Truth is that the best ideas are often psychotic, obscene and unoriginal.\" — Keith Johnstone" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/keith-johnstone-13430_ideas_truth-is-that-the-best-ideas-are-often-p_1725509.png" --- # Truth is that the best ideas are often psychotic, obscene… ![“Truth is that the best ideas are often psychotic, obscene and unoriginal.” quote by Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/keith-johnstone-13430_ideas_truth-is-that-the-best-ideas-are-often-p_1725509.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/keith-johnstone-13430_ideas_truth-is-that-the-best-ideas-are-often-p_1725509.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/keith-johnstone-13430_ideas_truth-is-that-the-best-ideas-are-often-p_1725509.png) > “Truth is that the best ideas are often psychotic, obscene and unoriginal.” [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Groundbreaking ideas often emerge from unconventional, even chaotic, mental states that defy norms. **In simple terms:** Crazy ideas can be valuable. Key Takeaway Embrace unconventional thinking. Themes creativity innovation norm-challenging Mood provocative inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - artistic creation - brainstorming sessions - entrepreneurial pitches - writing workshops Key Concepts psychotic obscene unoriginal Questions to Reflect On - What risks do you accept when pursuing radical ideas? - How do you balance originality with responsibility? A Different Perspective Such ideas may face social rejection or ethical concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Unoriginal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unoriginal/) ## Related quotes > [At school any spontaneous act was likely to get me into trouble. I learned never to act on impulse, and that whatever came into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/at-school-any-spontaneous-act-was-likely-to-get-me-into-trouble-i/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [“Every successful venture is based on an unoriginal idea, beautifully executed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/every-successful-venture-is-based-on-an-unoriginal-idea-beautifully/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [Even if you think you're being original...you're probably still unoriginal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-if-you-think-you-re-being-original-you-re-probably-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Originality is the one thing which unoriginal minds cannot feel the use of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/originality-is-the-one-thing-which-unoriginal-minds-cannot-feel-the/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Sorry if we can't all be unoriginal but I have a mold to break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffree-star/sorry-if-we-can-t-all-be-unoriginal-but-i-have-a-mold-to-break/) [Jeffree Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffree-star/) > [“No one is just a victim or a victor. Everyone is somewhere in between. People who go around casting themselves as one or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-jenkins-reid/no-one-is-just-a-victim-or-a-victor-everyone-is-somewhere-in-between/) [Taylor Jenkins Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-jenkins-reid/) > [A good way to have good ideas is by being unoriginal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-cohen/a-good-way-to-have-good-ideas-is-by-being-unoriginal/) [Bram Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-cohen/) > [“There's lower wisdom in comment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/there-s-lower-wisdom-in-comment/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“When I wrote this song I felt pretty unoriginal because everybody writes love songs, and everybody feels like their love is the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tegan-quin/when-i-wrote-this-song-i-felt-pretty-unoriginal-because-everybody/) [Tegan Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tegan-quin/) > [People would come up to me, saying, 'You sound a lot like the lead singer from Queen.' I started wondering, 'Who is this guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/people-would-come-up-to-me-saying-you-sound-a-lot-like-the-lead/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [“Truth is unoriginal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/truth-is-unoriginal/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“Man is an unoriginal animal," said Hercule Poirot”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/man-is-an-unoriginal-animal-said-hercule-poirot/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [You said, 'I love you.' Why is it that the most unoriginal thing we can say to one another is still the thing we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-said-i-love-you-why-is-it-that-the-most-unoriginal-thing-we-can/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Everything seems just alike in these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/everything-seems-just-alike-in-these-days/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [That young people don't have valid thoughts about the world because they haven't been alive long enough is sadly a very popular and, frankly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/that-young-people-don-t-have-valid-thoughts-about-the-world-because/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) ## More by Keith Johnstone > [Suppose Mozart had tried to be original? It would have been like a man at the North Pole trying to walk north, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/suppose-mozart-had-tried-to-be-original-it-would-have-been-like-a-man/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [An artist who is inspired is being obvious. He’s not making any decisions, he’s not weighing one idea against another. He’s accepting his first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/an-artist-who-is-inspired-is-being-obvious-he-s-not-making-any/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [I was crazy about silent comedy - in the old days, and crazy about Japanese movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/i-was-crazy-about-silent-comedy-in-the-old-days-and-crazy-about/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [The problem's always been to deal with the fear.Cos the fear is pretty . . . it ruins everybody really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/the-problem-s-always-been-to-deal-with-the-fear-cos-the-fear-is/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/none-of-us-really-grow-up-all-we-ever-do-is-learn-how-to-behave-in/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [Wherever you go it's the same fear. And the same protective devices. There is one big error I think and partly my fault which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/wherever-you-go-it-s-the-same-fear-and-the-same-protective-devices/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [Good improvisers seem telepathic; everything looks pre-arranged, This is because they accept all offers made—which is something no ‘normal’ person would do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/good-improvisers-seem-telepathic-everything-looks-pre-arranged-this/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [I left my theatre the Loose Moose almost twenty years ago, and I hardly ever go back. Sometimes I go back to do a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/i-left-my-theatre-the-loose-moose-almost-twenty-years-ago-and-i/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [There are people who prefer to say ‘Yes’, and there are people who prefer to say ‘No’. Those who say ‘Yes’ are rewarded by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/there-are-people-who-prefer-to-say-yes-and-there-are-people-who/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [I don't even think you should tell the audience you're improvising. It's like an apology in case it's bad : 'we're just making it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/i-don-t-even-think-you-should-tell-the-audience-you-re-improvising-it/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [You can sort of trick people into being really good. Even if they didn't know anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/you-can-sort-of-trick-people-into-being-really-good-even-if-they-didn/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [The best laughs are on the recognition of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/the-best-laughs-are-on-the-recognition-of-truth/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [If you have a good idea, open your mouth and say something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/if-you-have-a-good-idea-open-your-mouth-and-say-something-else/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [Enjoy things even when you’re screwing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/enjoy-things-even-when-you-re-screwing-up/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [My feeling is the moment the theatre is not full you have to do something else. But most people somehow think 'If we did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/my-feeling-is-the-moment-the-theatre-is-not-full-you-have-to-do/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) [Explore all 50 Keith Johnstone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) ## More Ideas quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It revealed a cruelty that really made one wonder if the universe was such a good idea after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-revealed-a-cruelty-that-really-made-one-wonder-if-the-universe-was/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [What is music? Music is language. A human being wants to express ideas in this language, but not ideas that can be translated into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/what-is-music-music-is-language-a-human-being-wants-to-express-ideas/) [Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) [Browse all 24,908 Ideas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Truth is that the best ideas are often psychotic, obscene and unoriginal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Keith Johnstone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/truth-is-that-the-best-ideas-are-often-psychotic-obscene-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ideas" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/truth-is-that-the-best-ideas-are-often-psychotic-obscene-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/keith-johnstone-13430_ideas_truth-is-that-the-best-ideas-are-often-p_1725509.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/keith-johnstone-13430_ideas_truth-is-that-the-best-ideas-are-often-p_1725509.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/keith-johnstone-13430_ideas_truth-is-that-the-best-ideas-are-often-p_1725509.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Truth is that the best ideas are often psychotic, obscene and unoriginal.” — Keith Johnstone", "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": "Keith Johnstone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Truth is that the best ideas...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/truth-is-that-the-best-ideas-are-often-psychotic-obscene-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/truth-is-that-the-best-ideas-are-often-psychotic-obscene-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 } } ] } ```