--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not only is a good prank harmless, but…" description: "\"Not only is a good prank harmless, but, like a good story, it reveals an essential truth that would otherwise be hidden.\" — Mac Barnett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/129/mac-barnett-23936_essentials_not-only-is-a-good-prank-harmless-but-li_826823.png" --- # Not only is a good prank harmless, but, like a good story… ![“Not only is a good prank harmless, but, like a good story, it reveals an essential truth that would otherwise be hidden.” quote by Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/129/mac-barnett-23936_essentials_not-only-is-a-good-prank-harmless-but-li_826823.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/129/mac-barnett-23936_essentials_not-only-is-a-good-prank-harmless-but-li_826823.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/129/mac-barnett-23936_essentials_not-only-is-a-good-prank-harmless-but-li_826823.png) > “Not only is a good prank harmless, but, like a good story, it reveals an essential truth that would otherwise be hidden.” [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Harmless pranks, like good stories, uncover hidden truths. **In simple terms:** Pranks can reveal deeper truths. Key Takeaway Use humor to expose reality. Themes humor truth storytelling Mood playful insightful Type literary educational When to use this quote - classroom - family gatherings - media Key Concepts social dynamics psychology Questions to Reflect On - When has a joke revealed something important? - How can you ensure humor remains harmless? A Different Perspective Pranks can be misinterpreted as harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-story/) [Prank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prank/) [Pranks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pranks/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [ Mac \[Barnett\] and I prank each other during our presentation. We show baby pictures of each other looking completely ridiculous. I can't believe the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jory-john/mac-barnett-and-i-prank-each-other-during-our-presentation-we-show/) [Jory John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jory-john/) > [Whenever I read stories of people doing huge pranks on set, all I think is, 'These people have too much time on their hands.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/whenever-i-read-stories-of-people-doing-huge-pranks-on-set-all-i/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Of course God enjoys a good prank as much as the next infallible deity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/of-course-god-enjoys-a-good-prank-as-much-as-the-next-infallible-deity/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [You know me...I can't resist a good prank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/you-know-me-i-can-t-resist-a-good-prank/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) > [I sometimes have birthday parties for the kids in my neighborhood and then pretend to suggest that I am going to molest them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-sometimes-have-birthday-parties-for-the-kids-in-my-neighborhood-and/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [One of the first TV shows that I did was this prank show. And we did a prank where we took a Michael Jackson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-huebel/one-of-the-first-tv-shows-that-i-did-was-this-prank-show-and-we-did-a/) [Rob Huebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-huebel/) > [When I was a kid, among the other embarrassing things I would do, and there's a list of stupid things, but I would make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/when-i-was-a-kid-among-the-other-embarrassing-things-i-would-do-and/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [Think about it. These guys have far more reasons to pull a prank on Doug than they do me. I kind of wished we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-jones-gunn/think-about-it-these-guys-have-far-more-reasons-to-pull-a-prank-on/) [Robin Jones Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-jones-gunn/) > [ Mac \[Barnett \] and I have been friends for more than ten years. We met working at an educational nonprofit. And we have been… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jory-john/mac-barnett-and-i-have-been-friends-for-more-than-ten-years-we-met/) [Jory John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jory-john/) > [My parents both had a great sense of humor, and always laughed a lot. One night, when they were watching 'Candid Camera,' I finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/my-parents-both-had-a-great-sense-of-humor-and-always-laughed-a-lot/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [We're barely a prank show, in my opinion. We don't consider it that, we don't call our stuff pranks. The challenges that we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-gatto/we-re-barely-a-prank-show-in-my-opinion-we-don-t-consider-it-that-we/) [Joe Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-gatto/) > [Nobody pulls a prank like George Clooney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kendrick/nobody-pulls-a-prank-like-george-clooney/) [Anna Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kendrick/) > [She's just playing a trick on us. This is just an Alaska Young Prank Extraordinaire. It's Alaska being Alaska, funny and playful and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-s-just-playing-a-trick-on-us-this-is-just-an-alaska-young-prank/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [It's important that the way you dress tells a story and reveals something about you and your philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/it-s-important-that-the-way-you-dress-tells-a-story-and-reveals/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [There's something exciting about weekly strips in that you're following the way the story reveals itself to the writer week by week. All the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-katchor/there-s-something-exciting-about-weekly-strips-in-that-you-re/) [Ben Katchor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-katchor/) ## More by Mac Barnett > [I'd much rather have a book that a few people love intensely than a book that a lot of people like okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/i-d-much-rather-have-a-book-that-a-few-people-love-intensely-than-a/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [Kevin Cornell and I have worked together a bunch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/kevin-cornell-and-i-have-worked-together-a-bunch/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [“I live well! I may have been swallowed, but I have no intention of being eaten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/i-live-well-i-may-have-been-swallowed-but-i-have-no-intention-of/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [“A clue! From M!" "Who's M?" "Maybe M is for Mackintosh! Maybe Grabes ans Mackintosh are in cahoots!" "Or maybe M is for Mom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/a-clue-from-m-who-s-m-maybe-m-is-for-mackintosh-maybe-grabes-ans/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [Danger is the snack food of a true sleuth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/danger-is-the-snack-food-of-a-true-sleuth/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [I think the trick of writing a good picture book manuscript is to leave that space for illustration. An illustrated novel can do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/i-think-the-trick-of-writing-a-good-picture-book-manuscript-is-to/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [Every Librarian is a highly trained agent. An expert in intelligence, counterintelligence, Boolean searching, and hand-to-hand combat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/every-librarian-is-a-highly-trained-agent-an-expert-in-intelligence/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [Too often we tell kids pleasant stories devoid of truth, and stories without truth are not good stories. Our audience deserves more from us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/too-often-we-tell-kids-pleasant-stories-devoid-of-truth-and-stories/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [We put authors on such a pedestal, and it's a moment that humanizes the whole thing, and lends an absurdity to what otherwise is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/we-put-authors-on-such-a-pedestal-and-it-s-a-moment-that-humanizes/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [Pranking is a great way to indicate the underlying absurdities of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/pranking-is-a-great-way-to-indicate-the-underlying-absurdities-of-the/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [“He checked out his surrounding. More books. A drinking fountain. A poster showing a guy slam-dunking a basketball with one hand and holding a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/he-checked-out-his-surrounding-more-books-a-drinking-fountain-a/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [ I love those adult writers with the pranking ethos, \[Don\] DeLillo and \[Donald\] Barthelme and David Foster Wallace. I don't see any reason not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/i-love-those-adult-writers-with-the-pranking-ethos-don-delillo-and/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [“Dana was what Steve called a "silent partner" in the Brixton Brothers Detective Agency. Being a silent partner meant that Dana didn't carry a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/dana-was-what-steve-called-a-silent-partner-in-the-brixton-brothers/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [“I may have been swallowed, said the duck, but I have no intention of being eaten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/i-may-have-been-swallowed-said-the-duck-but-i-have-no-intention-of/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [“No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) [Explore all 25 Mac Barnett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) ## More Essentials quotes > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [History is, in its essentials, the science of change. It knows and it teaches that it is impossible to find two events that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-bloch/history-is-in-its-essentials-the-science-of-change-it-knows-and-it/) [Marc Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-bloch/) > [Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of at least two lives. 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We claim them from a higher source - from the King of kings and Lord of all the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/the-rights-essential-to-happiness-we-claim-them-from-a-higher-source/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [They are the gateway for our modern esthetic development, the prophets of the new time. They are most of all, the primitives of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/they-are-the-gateway-for-our-modern-esthetic-development-the-prophets/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [Intellectual methods-study and reason-are essential to our progress toward eternal life, but they are not sufficient. They can prepare the way. They can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/intellectual-methods-study-and-reason-are-essential-to-our-progress/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [It is essential for world peace that the world religions make peace with each other. 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