--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing is for men who can think and…" description: "\"Writing is for men who can think and feel, not mindless sensation seekers out of nightclubs and bars. But these are bad times. We are condemned to work..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/naguib-mahfouz-4982_bad-time_writing-is-for-men-who-can-think-and-fee_35254.jpg" --- # Writing is for men who can think and feel, not mindless… ![“Writing is for men who can think and feel, not mindless sensation seekers out of nightclubs and bars. But these are bad times. We are condemned to work with upstarts, clowns who no doubt got their training in a circus and then turned to journalism as the appropriate place to display their tricks.” quote by Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/naguib-mahfouz-4982_bad-time_writing-is-for-men-who-can-think-and-fee_35254.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/naguib-mahfouz-4982_bad-time_writing-is-for-men-who-can-think-and-fee_35254.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/naguib-mahfouz-4982_bad-time_writing-is-for-men-who-can-think-and-fee_35254.jpg) > “Writing is for men who can think and feel, not mindless sensation seekers out of nightclubs and bars. But these are bad times. We are condemned to work with upstarts, clowns who no doubt got their training in a circus and then turned to journalism as the appropriate place to display their tricks.” [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author laments that true writing requires depth of thought and emotion, contrasting it with superficial, sensationalist media driven by trivial pursuits. **In simple terms:** Depth vs. sensationalism Key Takeaway Authentic writing demands substance Themes authenticity media criticism cultural decay intellectualism Mood critical reflective Type critique observation When to use this quote - academic writing - literary criticism - media analysis Key Concepts writing journalism societal values Practical Applications - teaching writing ethics - curating thoughtful content Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do writers have to society? - How can readers discern depth from spectacle? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-time/) [Bad times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-times/) [Bars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bars/) [Circus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circus/) [Clown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-think/) [Mindless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mindless/) [Nightclubs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightclubs/) [Sensation Seekers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensation-seekers-439079/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tricks/) [Upstart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upstart/) [Upstarts Clowns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upstarts-clowns-439078/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-men-439077/) ## Related quotes > [“It is usual to explain the motivation of those who enjoy dangerous activities as some sort of pathological need: they are trying to exorcise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/it-is-usual-to-explain-the-motivation-of-those-who-enjoy-dangerous/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [I'm not an especially male novelist, but I think men are better at writing about men, and the same is true for women. Reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cartwright/i-m-not-an-especially-male-novelist-but-i-think-men-are-better-at/) [Justin Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cartwright/) > [I like writing about women, weak and strong, pathetic and heroic. I like writing about men, ditto. And all the variants of men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/i-like-writing-about-women-weak-and-strong-pathetic-and-heroic-i-like/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [I love writing about men. To get by in the world you have to know how men think. Not that all guys think alike,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-jo-campbell/i-love-writing-about-men-to-get-by-in-the-world-you-have-to-know-how/) [Bonnie Jo Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-jo-campbell/) > [“Then it dawned on me that men throughout the country had to know about nu shu (women's written word). How could they not? They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/then-it-dawned-on-me-that-men-throughout-the-country-had-to-know/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [People say I'm not good at writing about men. My dad left when I was 16. Give me a break. I'm doing the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-weiner/people-say-i-m-not-good-at-writing-about-men-my-dad-left-when-i-was/) [Jennifer Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-weiner/) > [I write to escape from my life. Writing about men separates 'me' from my work in a way that I find comforting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-write-to-escape-from-my-life-writing-about-men-separates-me-from-my/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [The imaginative leap for me of writing for women is no more difficult than the one of writing for men. I've always wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-minghella/the-imaginative-leap-for-me-of-writing-for-women-is-no-more-difficult/) [Anthony Minghella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-minghella/) > [I worry sometimes that I'm a bit moralistic; always writing about men who are learning to grow up, not be so self-absorbed, selfish or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/i-worry-sometimes-that-i-m-a-bit-moralistic-always-writing-about-men/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [Writing 'Men We Reaped' broke me in different ways at different spots in the drafting process. The first draft was hard because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/writing-men-we-reaped-broke-me-in-different-ways-at-different-spots/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [For me, writing the 'X-Men' was easy - is easy. I know these people, they're my friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-claremont/for-me-writing-the-x-men-was-easy-is-easy-i-know-these-people-they-re/) [Chris Claremont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-claremont/) > [“There are more similarities between the writing of men and women than there are differences. Aren't we all just trying to tell stories? How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxanne-gay/there-are-more-similarities-between-the-writing-of-men-and-women-than/) [Roxanne Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxanne-gay/) > [In the old times, women did not get their lives written, though I don't doubt many of them were much better worth writing than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/in-the-old-times-women-did-not-get-their-lives-written-though-i-don-t/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [the writing of some men is like a vast bridge that carries you over the many things that claw and tear. The Wine of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-writing-of-some-men-is-like-a-vast-bridge-that-carries-you-over/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I do use husbands a bit (in books). It's what writers of this kind do, actually. I am quite careful to try to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/i-do-use-husbands-a-bit-in-books-it-s-what-writers-of-this-kind-do/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) ## More by Naguib Mahfouz > [He seemed to be waiting for a miracle to save him from the depths his life had reached and take him to a land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/he-seemed-to-be-waiting-for-a-miracle-to-save-him-from-the-depths-his/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [I thought they would never select an Eastern writer for the Nobel. I was surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/i-thought-they-would-never-select-an-eastern-writer-for-the-nobel-i/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [Happy is he who can give himself up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/happy-is-he-who-can-give-himself-up/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [We wont develop until we accept that reading is a vital necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/we-wont-develop-until-we-accept-that-reading-is-a-vital-necessity/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [The Arab world also won the Nobel with me. I believe that international doors have opened, and that from now on, literate people will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/the-arab-world-also-won-the-nobel-with-me-i-believe-that/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [I am the son of two civilizations that at a certain age in history have formed a happy marriage. The first of these, seven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/i-am-the-son-of-two-civilizations-that-at-a-certain-age-in-history/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [God did not intend religion to be an exercise club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/god-did-not-intend-religion-to-be-an-exercise-club/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [If life has no meaning, why don't we create a meaning for it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/if-life-has-no-meaning-why-don-t-we-create-a-meaning-for-it/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [I accepted the interviews and encounters that had to be held with the media, but I would have preferred to work in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/i-accepted-the-interviews-and-encounters-that-had-to-be-held-with-the/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [Events at home, at work, in the street - these are the bases for a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/events-at-home-at-work-in-the-street-these-are-the-bases-for-a-story/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [Today's interpretations of religion are often backward and contradict the needs of civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/today-s-interpretations-of-religion-are-often-backward-and-contradict/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [I am practically in the employ of Mr. Nobel. I have to meet everyone he sends my way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/i-am-practically-in-the-employ-of-mr-nobel-i-have-to-meet-everyone-he/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [I reject any path which rejects life, but I can't help loving Sufism because it sounds so beautiful. It gives relief in the midst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/i-reject-any-path-which-rejects-life-but-i-can-t-help-loving-sufism/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [At my age it is unseemly to be pessimistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/at-my-age-it-is-unseemly-to-be-pessimistic/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [“When disasters come at the same time, they compete with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/when-disasters-come-at-the-same-time-they-compete-with-each-other/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) [Explore all 100 Naguib Mahfouz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) ## More Bad time quotes > [Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don’t really have or avoid feelings that you do have. If you are miserable you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buddhism-advises-you-not-to-implant-feelings-that-you-don-t-really/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My friends and family are my support system. They tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-clarkson/my-friends-and-family-are-my-support-system-they-tell-me-what-i-need/) [Kelly Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-clarkson/) > [Always respect, honour And Pray for those who helped you in your bad time. Also be thankful to bad time, For showing you those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/always-respect-honour-and-pray-for-those-who-helped-you-in-your-bad/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [It's certainly been very important to have my own family with me. They came with me to Italy, left what they had in Brazil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/it-s-certainly-been-very-important-to-have-my-own-family-with-me-they/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [The passing of John Bonham... Let's just put it... Before we say, 'the passing of John Bonham,' the introduction of John Bonham on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/the-passing-of-john-bonham-let-s-just-put-it-before-we-say-the/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) > [The good time become good memories. The bad time become good lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glemar/the-good-time-become-good-memories-the-bad-time-become-good-lesson/) [Glemar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glemar/) > [“Don’t let the bad times get you down, You have some of those moments where life tells you, it’s time to cry. Without those,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-mcdaniel-on-the-savage-side/don-t-let-the-bad-times-get-you-down-you-have-some-of-those-moments/) [Tiffany McDaniel, On the Savage Side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-mcdaniel-on-the-savage-side/) > [The comments I most appreciate come from ordinary readers who've happened on one of my books at some time of stress in their lives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-saberhagen/the-comments-i-most-appreciate-come-from-ordinary-readers-who-ve/) [Fred Saberhagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-saberhagen/) > [Everybody need a partner to stand right by their side. Not only down for the good times. But also down through the bad times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/everybody-need-a-partner-to-stand-right-by-their-side-not-only-down/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I don't know if it's fair to say that it's a bad time for movies. It seems to me that throughout the entire history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-fair-to-say-that-it-s-a-bad-time-for-movies-it/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Love is . . . Being happy for the other person when they are happy, Being sad for the person when they are sad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/love-is-being-happy-for-the-other-person-when-they-are-happy-being/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Don't give up on yourself. Fight for yourself and what you stand for. In life, you've got to go through some bad times to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-give-up-on-yourself-fight-for-yourself-and-what-you-stand-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My dad? He died when I was 19, which is a bad time for your dad to die, because there's an awful lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-dad-he-died-when-i-was-19-which-is-a-bad-time-for-your-dad-to-die/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “My dear friend, clear your mind of cant \[excessive thought\]. You may talk as other people do: you may say to a man, "Sir,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-excessive-thought-you-may-talk/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Life\_pain is something we'all must pass through, so when Life hits you hard, just rmile and said your bad time has come and will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/treezy/life-pain-is-something-we-all-must-pass-through-so-when-life-hits-you/) [Treezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/treezy/) [Browse all 638 Bad time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-time/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Writing is for men who can think and feel, not mindless sensation seekers out of nightclubs and bars. But these are bad times. 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