---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even when I do roles that are really…"
description: "\"Even when I do roles that are really profoundly abusive, like, I would say, in 'Deadwood' - there's a guy who's a breeding ground for ignorance and hur..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/michael-harney-78890_a-good-thing_even-when-i-do-roles-that-are-really-pro_1982395.jpg"
---

#  Even when I do roles that are really profoundly abusive…

![“Even when I do roles that are really profoundly abusive, like, I would say, in 'Deadwood' - there's a guy who's a breeding ground for ignorance and hurtful behavior - the fact that people are so taken aback by that is a good thing because they're looking at themselves, and there's a part of me in…” quote by Michael Harney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/michael-harney-78890_a-good-thing_even-when-i-do-roles-that-are-really-pro_1982395.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/michael-harney-78890_a-good-thing_even-when-i-do-roles-that-are-really-pro_1982395.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/michael-harney-78890_a-good-thing_even-when-i-do-roles-that-are-really-pro_1982395.jpg)

> “Even when I do roles that are really profoundly abusive, like, I would say, in 'Deadwood' - there's a guy who's a breeding ground for ignorance and hurtful behavior - the fact that people are so taken aback by that is a good thing because they're looking at themselves, and there's a part of me in there, too.”

[Michael Harney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harney/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote highlights how confronting abusive characters forces audiences to reflect on their own biases and uncomfortable traits.

**In simple terms:** Seeing abusive behavior on screen makes us examine our own flaws.

Key Takeaway

Use uncomfortable moments to self‑examine.

Themes

self‑awareness media influence personal growth

Mood

introspective critical thoughtful

Type

analytical inspirational

When to use this quote

- watching TV
- reading literature
- team meetings
- therapy sessions

Key Concepts

psychology mirror effect cognitive dissonance

Questions to Reflect On

- What personal biases do you notice when you see abusive behavior?
- How can you turn discomfort into growth?

A Different Perspective

Self‑reflection can be defensive and may trigger denial.

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[A good thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/a-good-thing/) [Abusive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abusive/) [Abusive Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abusive-like-3391535/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Breeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breeding/) [Deadwood Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deadwood-guy-3391537/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fact/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/) [Ground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ground/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Hurtful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurtful/) [Hurtful Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurtful-behavior-3391536/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Looking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/part/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Profoundly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profoundly/) [Profoundly Abusive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profoundly-abusive-3391534/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken/) [Themselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/themselves/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Too](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/)

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