--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now we really like to put people in…" description: "\"Now we really like to put people in boxes. As men, we do it because we don't understand characters that aren't ourselves and we aren't willing to put o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dc/paul-haggis-5313_boxes_now-we-really-like-to-put-people-in-boxe_758998.jpg" --- # Now we really like to put people in boxes. As men, we do… ![“Now we really like to put people in boxes. As men, we do it because we don't understand characters that aren't ourselves and we aren't willing to put ourselves in the skin of those characters and women, I think, terrify us. We tend not to write women as human beings. It's cartoons we're making…” quote by Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dc/paul-haggis-5313_boxes_now-we-really-like-to-put-people-in-boxe_758998.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dc/paul-haggis-5313_boxes_now-we-really-like-to-put-people-in-boxe_758998.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dc/paul-haggis-5313_boxes_now-we-really-like-to-put-people-in-boxe_758998.jpg) > “Now we really like to put people in boxes. As men, we do it because we don't understand characters that aren't ourselves and we aren't willing to put ourselves in the skin of those characters and women, I think, terrify us. We tend not to write women as human beings. It's cartoons we're making now. And that's a shame.” [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) ## 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 criticizes the tendency to stereotype characters, especially women, because of a lack of empathy and understanding, resulting in shallow, cartoonish portrayals. **In simple terms:** People stereotype women due to misunderstanding and fear, creating shallow characters. Key Takeaway Seek deeper empathy when creating characters. Themes stereotyping empathy gender representation creative responsibility Mood reflective critical concerned Type analytical observational When to use this quote - screenwriting - novel writing - theatre production - media criticism Key Concepts character development gender bias audience perception Questions to Reflect On - How can writers cultivate empathy for characters different from themselves? - What steps can creators take to avoid cartoonish depictions? A Different Perspective Stereotyping can also be a market-driven shortcut that limits artistic risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Good people can do terrible things, and that's what life is all about, the complexities and grey areas. And often characters aren't written that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/good-people-can-do-terrible-things-and-that-s-what-life-is-all-about/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [“All the lies, all the ways we have of trying to make life simple for ourselves by putting people into boxes marked black, white,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-gregson/all-the-lies-all-the-ways-we-have-of-trying-to-make-life-simple-for/) [Julia Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-gregson/) > [Stuffing people into boxes is for those who have issues about their own box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/stuffing-people-into-boxes-is-for-those-who-have-issues-about-their/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [A lot of the time in Ireland we put people into boxes and that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-dunbar/a-lot-of-the-time-in-ireland-we-put-people-into-boxes-and-that-s-it/) [Adrian Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-dunbar/) > [Labels put people in boxes, and those boxes are shaped like coffins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chirlane-mccray/labels-put-people-in-boxes-and-those-boxes-are-shaped-like-coffins/) [Chirlane McCray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chirlane-mccray/) > [Humans are complex, and I think in entertainment in general, it's very easy to put people in boxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/humans-are-complex-and-i-think-in-entertainment-in-general-it-s-very/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [Comedy in the past hasn't spoken to women because it wasn't written by women, and male writers don't make women three-dimensional characters. Too often,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/comedy-in-the-past-hasn-t-spoken-to-women-because-it-wasn-t-written/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [The sci-fi genre just happens to have a lot of really great characters for women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel-staite/the-sci-fi-genre-just-happens-to-have-a-lot-of-really-great/) [Jewel Staite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel-staite/) > [Let's be real: more often than not, Hollywood does not have three-dimensional characters for women to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/let-s-be-real-more-often-than-not-hollywood-does-not-have-three/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In Hollywood, way too often, the goal for actresses is to get cast in roles as the wife or the mother or a relationship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-shor/in-hollywood-way-too-often-the-goal-for-actresses-is-to-get-cast-in/) [Miriam Shor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-shor/) > [While my work is usually about the Igbo woman experience, there are many aspects of my female characters that women everywhere can and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chika-anadu/while-my-work-is-usually-about-the-igbo-woman-experience-there-are/) [Chika Anadu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chika-anadu/) > [There really needs to be more of progressive shows and strong characters that women should aspire to be like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandira-bedi/there-really-needs-to-be-more-of-progressive-shows-and-strong/) [Mandira Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandira-bedi/) > [I don't think that the feminist movement has done much for the characters of women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/i-don-t-think-that-the-feminist-movement-has-done-much-for-the/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [I do see a lot of roles that are, like, the girlfriend or the love interest or the girl next door. Maybe not totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalia-dyer/i-do-see-a-lot-of-roles-that-are-like-the-girlfriend-or-the-love/) [Natalia Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalia-dyer/) > [I want to do roles that provoke us to think differently or realise ourselves in a new light. Characters of women who have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-haydon/i-want-to-do-roles-that-provoke-us-to-think-differently-or-realise/) [Lisa Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-haydon/) ## More by Paul Haggis > [There's something that's so basically corrupt about any system in which a good and fair profit is not enough. There has to be more,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/there-s-something-that-s-so-basically-corrupt-about-any-system-in/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [In 'The Next Three Days,' even though it was a prison breakout movie, I was asking myself, 'What would I do? How far would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/in-the-next-three-days-even-though-it-was-a-prison-breakout-movie-i/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [I made a very good living as a bad writer. I wrote a lot of comedies, 'Diff'rent Strokes,' 'Facts of Life,' while all my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/i-made-a-very-good-living-as-a-bad-writer-i-wrote-a-lot-of-comedies/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [The wrong one will start saying things like "withdraw with honor." 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I write in coffee shops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/i-m-such-an-antsy-type-of-person-i-can-t-write-in-a-room-without/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [You hear this story that we're all on the left, but when there's a demonstration, you count how many actors actually come out. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/you-hear-this-story-that-we-re-all-on-the-left-but-when-there-s-a/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [Right after we invaded Iraq, I put a sign on my lawn that said "War is not the answer." That sign was either defaced,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/right-after-we-invaded-iraq-i-put-a-sign-on-my-lawn-that-said-war-is/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [When I discovered European filmmakers, it affected me so deeply. It redefined what cinema could be. 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I saw horrible things in people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/crash-came-from-personal-experience-i-saw-things-inside-me-from/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [Unless I'm really uneasy with what I'm writing, I lose interest very quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/unless-i-m-really-uneasy-with-what-i-m-writing-i-lose-interest-very/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) [Explore all 101 Paul Haggis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) ## More Boxes quotes > [ The best way to marginalize the Muslim Brotherhood \[in Egypt\] is in the ballot box, not through arrests and killing people. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/the-best-way-to-marginalize-the-muslim-brotherhood-in-egypt-is-in-the/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. 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It was not so much a matter of deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/he-decided-then-that-he-would-love-her-forever-no-matter-what-came-to/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I have nothing but praise for the boy. He is easily the best player in the world. 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The more you eat, the more you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-library-is-the-biggest-cracker-box-factory-in-the-world-the-more/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [3 people get stranded on a remote Island A Banker, a Daily Mail reader & an Asylum seeker All they have to eat is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-brookmyre/3-people-get-stranded-on-a-remote-island-a-banker-a-daily-mail-reader/) [Christopher Brookmyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-brookmyre/) > [Unpleasant questions are being raised about Mother's Day. Is this day necessary? . . . Isn't it bad public policy? . . . No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/unpleasant-questions-are-being-raised-about-mother-s-day-is-this-day/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [I could party in a cardboard box with people who are funny and don't care. 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