--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't write about aspects of my public…" description: "\"I didn't write about aspects of my public life because that's a small part of my life.\" — Patti Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/patti-smith-394_aspect_i-didn-t-write-about-aspects-of-my-publi_1283364.jpg" --- # I didn't write about aspects of my public life because… ![“I didn't write about aspects of my public life because that's a small part of my life.” quote by Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/patti-smith-394_aspect_i-didn-t-write-about-aspects-of-my-publi_1283364.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/patti-smith-394_aspect_i-didn-t-write-about-aspects-of-my-publi_1283364.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/patti-smith-394_aspect_i-didn-t-write-about-aspects-of-my-publi_1283364.jpg) > “I didn't write about aspects of my public life because that's a small part of my life.” [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She separates her private life from her public image, viewing the latter as a minor slice of her whole self. **In simple terms:** Public life is only a small part of who she is. Key Takeaway Recognize the difference between public image and private self. Themes privacy identity public vs private self‑perception Mood reflective thoughtful Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - media interviews - social media presence - personal relationships - public speaking Key Concepts personal boundaries celebrity culture authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect your private self from public scrutiny? - What parts of your life are you comfortable sharing? A Different Perspective Public perception can still dominate despite personal boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Public life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-life/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [With such a small life, with such a small energy source, it is simply stupid to waste it in sadness, in anger, in hatred,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-such-a-small-life-with-such-a-small-energy-source-it-is-simply/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't count myself as a fashionista because I do a lot of other things. That's just a small part of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/i-don-t-count-myself-as-a-fashionista-because-i-do-a-lot-of-other/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [I don't think public life in and of itself can destroy you. I think it's the way people react to it, and some people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-don-t-think-public-life-in-and-of-itself-can-destroy-you-i-think-it/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [My public life was so demanding that I wasn't doing the things that I deemed the most important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/my-public-life-was-so-demanding-that-i-wasn-t-doing-the-things-that-i/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [The pop culture has become more frenetic. There are more forces at work that are far more invasive. However, I think it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/the-pop-culture-has-become-more-frenetic-there-are-more-forces-at/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [It's got two aspects. The bit that involves the public life I could not really tolerate and cannot really tolerate. I just can't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/it-s-got-two-aspects-the-bit-that-involves-the-public-life-i-could/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, let them complain over what might have been, but not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/let-others-lead-small-lives-but-not-you-let-others-argue-over-small/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [Sometimes I wonder about my life. 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How little I expected of myself and those who claimed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-palmer/i-think-how-small-my-life-seemed-then-how-little-i-wanted-for-myself/) [Liza Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-palmer/) > [Let others lead small lives, but not you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/let-others-lead-small-lives-but-not-you/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) ## More by Patti Smith > [I had a really happy childhood - my siblings were great, my mother was very fanciful, and I loved to read. But there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-had-a-really-happy-childhood-my-siblings-were-great-my-mother-was/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/as-a-citizen-hopefully-i-m-humanist-as-an-artist-i-m-free/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [ Sometimes \[people\] seem to think I came out of the womb, you know, cursing, with an electric guitar. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/sometimes-people-seem-to-think-i-came-out-of-the-womb-you-know/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“Inside it he inscribed a few lines of poetry, portraying us as the gypsy and the fool, one creating silence; one listening closely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/inside-it-he-inscribed-a-few-lines-of-poetry-portraying-us-as-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Who can know the heart of youth but youth itself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/who-can-know-the-heart-of-youth-but-youth-itself/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“I clawed through a thick web of the culture’s consciousness that I hadn’t known existed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-clawed-through-a-thick-web-of-the-culture-s-consciousness-that-i/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Ultimately, we are not seeking others to bow to, but to reinforce our individual natures, to help us suffer our own choices, to guide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/ultimately-we-are-not-seeking-others-to-bow-to-but-to-reinforce-our/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [If I'm taking a picture of Brancusi's grave, I know that there's something of him, of his mortal remains, beneath my feet, and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/if-i-m-taking-a-picture-of-brancusi-s-grave-i-know-that-there-s/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm certain, as we filled down the great staircase, that I appeared the same as ever, a moping twelve years-old, all arms and legs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-certain-as-we-filled-down-the-great-staircase-that-i-appeared-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. 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I'd like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-don-t-wanna-be-equal-with-anybody-i-wanna-be-above-equal-i-don-t/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I think I'm constantly in a state of adjustment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-think-i-m-constantly-in-a-state-of-adjustment/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Somehow I started introducing writing into my drawings, and after a time, the language took over and I started getting very involved with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/somehow-i-started-introducing-writing-into-my-drawings-and-after-a/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm okay with roaming around the world in my bunk for days on end. Maybe every third day I'll get a shower or stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-okay-with-roaming-around-the-world-in-my-bunk-for-days-on-end/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) [Explore all 595 Patti Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## More Aspect quotes > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It is according to the shapes that I lay the plans for victory, but the multitude does not comprehend this. 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