--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem is, you can't tell people…" description: "\"The problem is, you can't tell people these things. They'll think you're crazy. And I say to myself: What can I do with this life inside me? I'd like t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/roberto-arlt-35795_cities_the-problem-is-you-can-t-tell-people-the_1107700.jpg" --- # The problem is, you can't tell people these things… ![“The problem is, you can't tell people these things. They'll think you're crazy. And I say to myself: What can I do with this life inside me? I'd like to give it ... to make a present of it ... to go up to people and tell them: You need to be joyful! You know? You have to play at being pirates…” quote by Roberto Arlt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/roberto-arlt-35795_cities_the-problem-is-you-can-t-tell-people-the_1107700.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/roberto-arlt-35795_cities_the-problem-is-you-can-t-tell-people-the_1107700.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2a/roberto-arlt-35795_cities_the-problem-is-you-can-t-tell-people-the_1107700.jpg) > “The problem is, you can't tell people these things. They'll think you're crazy. And I say to myself: What can I do with this life inside me? I'd like to give it ... to make a present of it ... to go up to people and tell them: You need to be joyful! You know? You have to play at being pirates ... to build cities of marble ... to laugh ... to set off firecrackers” Roberto Arlt ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels trapped by inability to share inner joy, urging bold, playful, and creative expression despite fear of being judged. **In simple terms:** Share joy boldly despite fear of judgment. Key Takeaway Embrace playful creativity and express joy. Themes joy creativity fear expression playfulness Mood hopeful defiant reflective Type Cities:0 Crazy:1 Firecracker:0 Giving:0 Joyful:1 Laughing:0 Life:1 Marble:0 Needs:0 People:1 Pirate:0 Play:1 Problem:0 Thinking:0 This life:1 Tell People:0 People Tell:0 Think Crazy:0 Make Present:0 Need Joyful:1 When to use this quote - personal monologue - public speaking - creative writing - performance art - counselling Key Concepts existential angst authenticity self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - How can you share inner joy without alienating others? - What small act of playfulness could you start today? A Different Perspective Society often resists unconventional ideas, making honest expression risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Firecracker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firecracker/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joyful/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pirate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pirate/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [This life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-life/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not going to make a present of Santa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/i-m-not-going-to-make-a-present-of-santa/) [Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/) > [If I can be in a position of power and influence, and be able to make my present better, then I want to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bozoma-saint-john/if-i-can-be-in-a-position-of-power-and-influence-and-be-able-to-make/) [Bozoma Saint John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bozoma-saint-john/) > [Though past cant be changed or edited but it open the gate for future to be changed or edited. Take past as lesson,make your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/though-past-cant-be-changed-or-edited-but-it-open-the-gate-for-future/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [Make your present the way you will never regret when it becomes part of our past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/make-your-present-the-way-you-will-never-regret-when-it-becomes-part/) Senoraroy > [Make the present good, and the past will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/knute-rockne/make-the-present-good-and-the-past-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Knute Rockne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/knute-rockne/) > [You must be present in the present to make it a present.-RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/you-must-be-present-in-the-present-to-make-it-a-present-rvm/) RVM > [but there was nothing I could do to dim the supernovae exploding inside my brain, an endless chain of intra cranial firecrackers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/but-there-was-nothing-i-could-do-to-dim-the-supernovae-exploding/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I'm attracted to a lot of hot guys. If Chris Hemsworth were here, I'd light him up like a firecracker with how fast I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-m-attracted-to-a-lot-of-hot-guys-if-chris-hemsworth-were-here-i-d/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Fourth of July. My birthday is July first, and my best friend's birthday is July fifth, so it's always been a favorite holiday. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilarie-burton/fourth-of-july-my-birthday-is-july-first-and-my-best-friend-s/) [Hilarie Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilarie-burton/) > [You’ve claimed me, little firecracker. You kicked a pair of two hundred pound men’s asses. I will never get over that. You kicked my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-evans/you-ve-claimed-me-little-firecracker-you-kicked-a-pair-of-two-hundred/) [Katy Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-evans/) > [My dog does have his failings, of course. He's afraid of firecrackers and hides in the clothes closet whenever we run the vacuum cleaner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-a-kowalski/my-dog-does-have-his-failings-of-course-he-s-afraid-of-firecrackers/) [Gary A. Kowalski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-a-kowalski/) > [I don't know," I said. "What else did you do for your first eighteen years?" "Like I said," he said as I unlocked the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-don-t-know-i-said-what-else-did-you-do-for-your-first-eighteen/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > ['Firecracker' was such a fun song to write and to perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-turner/firecracker-was-such-a-fun-song-to-write-and-to-perform/) [Josh Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-turner/) > [I used to be a mean maniac. Someone once threw a firecracker at a show and I jumped off the side of the stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/i-used-to-be-a-mean-maniac-someone-once-threw-a-firecracker-at-a-show/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [May you eat an unfamiliar dessert in a strange land at least once every three years. May you wake up... and start dancing while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/may-you-eat-an-unfamiliar-dessert-in-a-strange-land-at-least-once/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) ## More by Roberto Arlt > [“Y sin embargo, yo necesito amar a alguien, darme forzosamente a alguien.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-arlt/y-sin-embargo-yo-necesito-amar-a-alguien-darme-forzosamente-a-alguien/) Roberto Arlt Explore all 2 Roberto Arlt quotes ## More Cities quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/) James Cross Giblin > [Nice is a city of ghosts and specters, but I hope not to become one of them right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/nice-is-a-city-of-ghosts-and-specters-but-i-hope-not-to-become-one-of/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [We will neglect our cities to our peril, for in neglecting them we neglect the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-will-neglect-our-cities-to-our-peril-for-in-neglecting-them-we/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Outside of Paris, there is no hope for the cultured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/outside-of-paris-there-is-no-hope-for-the-cultured/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I was too tired to think. I merely felt the town as a unique unreality. What was it? I knew -- the moon's picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-too-tired-to-think-i-merely-felt-the-town-as-a-unique-unreality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 7,153 Cities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The problem is, you can't tell people these things. They'll think you're crazy. And I say to myself: What can I do with this life inside me? I'd like to give it ... to make a present of it ... to go up to people and tell them: You need to be joyful! You know? 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