--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a perversion, much practised in…" description: "\"There is a perversion, much practised in Hollywood movies, that might be called sado-paternalism, whereby a surrogate father treats a gifted but diffic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/philip-french-53990_aim_there-is-a-perversion-much-practised-in_1770339.jpg" --- # There is a perversion, much practised in Hollywood movies… ![“There is a perversion, much practised in Hollywood movies, that might be called sado-paternalism, whereby a surrogate father treats a gifted but difficult pupil with derision and constant punishment. The aim is to bring out the best in the victim and to make him into a he-man or...a he-woman.” quote by Philip French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/philip-french-53990_aim_there-is-a-perversion-much-practised-in_1770339.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/philip-french-53990_aim_there-is-a-perversion-much-practised-in_1770339.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/philip-french-53990_aim_there-is-a-perversion-much-practised-in_1770339.jpg) > “There is a perversion, much practised in Hollywood movies, that might be called sado-paternalism, whereby a surrogate father treats a gifted but difficult pupil with derision and constant punishment. The aim is to bring out the best in the victim and to make him into a he-man or...a he-woman.” [Philip French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-french/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hollywood often portrays harsh paternal figures who believe harsh punishment will forge strong individuals, reflecting a misguided belief in tough love. **In simple terms:** Harsh mentors think cruelty builds strength. Key Takeaway Question the value of punitive mentorship. Themes parenting authority power dynamics Mood critical reflective Type analytical critical When to use this quote - film direction - education - personal development - leadership training Key Concepts psychology media influence masculinity Questions to Reflect On - Is cruelty ever justified in mentorship? - What alternatives foster growth without harm? A Different Perspective Such methods can cause lasting trauma and resentment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant/) [Derision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/derision/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Gifted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gifted/) [He man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he-man/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Hollywood movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood-movies/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Paternalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paternalism/) [Paternalism Surrogate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paternalism-surrogate-1774544/) [Perversion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perversion/) [Punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishment/) [Pupils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pupils/) [Sado Paternalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sado-paternalism-1774546/) [Surrogate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrogate/) [Surrogate Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrogate-father-1774545/) [Surrogates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrogates/) [Treats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treats/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [Oscar Hammerstein was a surrogate father. I liked my father a lot, he was a swell fellow, but I didn’t see him very often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/oscar-hammerstein-was-a-surrogate-father-i-liked-my-father-a-lot-he/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [For me, and maybe for many religious kids of the '60s, the church lost relevance the more it became a surrogate in the movement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccurry/for-me-and-maybe-for-many-religious-kids-of-the-60s-the-church-lost/) [Mike McCurry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccurry/) > [All the time I was playing the flute, the lines, the solos, the riffs, the construction, were based on my guitar skills. I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/all-the-time-i-was-playing-the-flute-the-lines-the-solos-the-riffs/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [I was a surrogate for Obama; I helped fundraise. I'm still a supporter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-j-white/i-was-a-surrogate-for-obama-i-helped-fundraise-i-m-still-a-supporter/) [Brian J. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-j-white/) > [“Autonomy is absolutized in principle and practice. This may lead to the second response, namely, that physicians will accede to whatever the patient or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-d-pellegrino/autonomy-is-absolutized-in-principle-and-practice-this-may-lead-to/) [Edmund D. Pellegrino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-d-pellegrino/) > [Surrogate experience and surrogate environments have become the American way of life. Distinctions are no longer made, or deemed necessary, between the real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-louise-huxtable/surrogate-experience-and-surrogate-environments-have-become-the/) [Ada Louise Huxtable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-louise-huxtable/) > [Oscar Hammerstein was a surrogate father during all those many days, and weeks and months when I didn't see my own father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/oscar-hammerstein-was-a-surrogate-father-during-all-those-many-days/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [“The first is that seemingly small features of social situations can have massive effects on people’s behavior; nudges are everywhere, even if we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/the-first-is-that-seemingly-small-features-of-social-situations-can/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [We should know why paternalism, collectivism, or unnecessary federal supervision will hold our standard of living down and reduce productivity just as it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/we-should-know-why-paternalism-collectivism-or-unnecessary-federal/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [A Progressive is one who is in favor of more taxes instead of less, more bureaus and jobholders, more paternalism and meddling, more regulation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-progressive-is-one-who-is-in-favor-of-more-taxes-instead-of-less/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [We may as well face the fact, and face it squarely, that we are too much governed. The agencies of government have multiplied, their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-h-hartley/we-may-as-well-face-the-fact-and-face-it-squarely-that-we-are-too/) [Roland H. Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-h-hartley/) > [“Libertarian paternalism is a relatively weak, soft, and nonintrusive type of paternalism because choices are not blocked, fenced off, or significantly burdened. If people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/libertarian-paternalism-is-a-relatively-weak-soft-and-nonintrusive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The lessons of paternalism ought to be unlearned and the better lesson taught that while people should patriotically and cheerfully support their Government its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-cleveland/the-lessons-of-paternalism-ought-to-be-unlearned-and-the-better/) [Grover Cleveland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-cleveland/) > [“Selective paternalism, for those on low incomes or for other groups needing state assistance, is perhaps even worse than general paternalism, since the minority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-standing/selective-paternalism-for-those-on-low-incomes-or-for-other-groups/) [Guy Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-standing/) > [Paternalism is everywhere in our lives. We have to immunise our children unless we are upset about it. In India, it is the opposite.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-duflo/paternalism-is-everywhere-in-our-lives-we-have-to-immunise-our/) [Esther Duflo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-duflo/) ## More by Philip French > [The Pink Panther wasn't shown to the press for reasons that soon became apparent when I saw it at a public performance. Two people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-french/the-pink-panther-wasn-t-shown-to-the-press-for-reasons-that-soon/) [Philip French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-french/) > [Casablanca is back on the big screen in a new print and looks and sounds better as time goes by. It is the product…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-french/casablanca-is-back-on-the-big-screen-in-a-new-print-and-looks-and/) [Philip French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-french/) > [In "The Myth of Sisyphus", his most important non-fiction work, Albert Camus suggested that if we believed what most people claim to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-french/in-the-myth-of-sisyphus-his-most-important-non-fiction-work-albert/) [Philip French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-french/) > [In the late 1930s, both the British and American movie industries made a succession of films celebrating the decency of the British Empire in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-french/in-the-late-1930s-both-the-british-and-american-movie-industries-made/) [Philip French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-french/) > [The American independent cinema is as formulaic as Hollywood and one genre is what you might call the 'inaction movie'. The setting is invariably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-french/the-american-independent-cinema-is-as-formulaic-as-hollywood-and-one/) [Philip French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-french/) [Explore all 6 Philip French quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-french/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is a perversion, much practised in Hollywood movies, that might be called sado-paternalism, whereby a surrogate father treats a gifted but difficult pupil with derision and constant punishment. The aim is to bring out the best in the victim and to make him into a he-man or...a he-woman.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip French" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-french/there-is-a-perversion-much-practised-in-hollywood-movies-that-might/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-french/there-is-a-perversion-much-practised-in-hollywood-movies-that-might/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/philip-french-53990_aim_there-is-a-perversion-much-practised-in_1770339.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/philip-french-53990_aim_there-is-a-perversion-much-practised-in_1770339.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/philip-french-53990_aim_there-is-a-perversion-much-practised-in_1770339.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is a perversion, much practised in Hollywood movies, that might be called sado-paternalism, whereby a…” — Philip French", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Philip French", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-french/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is a perversion, much practised...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-french/there-is-a-perversion-much-practised-in-hollywood-movies-that-might/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-french/there-is-a-perversion-much-practised-in-hollywood-movies-that-might/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```