--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you can't take both sides, it means…" description: "\"If you can't take both sides, it means you can only play yourself.\" — Stella Adler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/stella-adler-11807_both-sides_if-you-can-t-take-both-sides-it-means-yo_85314.jpg" --- # If you can't take both sides, it means you can only play… ![“If you can't take both sides, it means you can only play yourself.” quote by Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/stella-adler-11807_both-sides_if-you-can-t-take-both-sides-it-means-yo_85314.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/stella-adler-11807_both-sides_if-you-can-t-take-both-sides-it-means-yo_85314.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/stella-adler-11807_both-sides_if-you-can-t-take-both-sides-it-means-yo_85314.jpg) > “If you can't take both sides, it means you can only play yourself.” [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) ## 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 highlights that true impartiality is impossible; you must either engage personally or acknowledge your bias. **In simple terms:** Impartiality is a myth. Key Takeaway You cannot be neutral without self‑interest. Themes bias self‑interest subjectivity ethics perspective Mood thoughtful critical introspective Type aphorism philosophical When to use this quote - debates - mediations - self‑reflection - decision‑making - political analysis Key Concepts objectivity identity conflict Practical Applications - ethical training - personal development Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing personal bias affect your judgments? - When is it acceptable to claim neutrality? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Both sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both-sides/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > ['Play the right way' means play unselfishly, respect each other's achievements, play hard, fulfill your role](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-popovich/play-the-right-way-means-play-unselfishly-respect-each-other-s/) [Gregg Popovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-popovich/) > [“If Cosgrove means to play games, then so do I. I will marry him because I must, but I shall not be a lamb-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-enoch/if-cosgrove-means-to-play-games-then-so-do-i-i-will-marry-him-because/) [Suzanne Enoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-enoch/) > [Radio means you can play parts that aren't based on your looks or your age. It's a lot of fun. You can do tremendous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-dobson/radio-means-you-can-play-parts-that-aren-t-based-on-your-looks-or/) [Anita Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-dobson/) > [Any phrase that suggests play is this domain that's the opposite of work, or the thing that you do when you're done working, should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/any-phrase-that-suggests-play-is-this-domain-that-s-the-opposite-of/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [“By all means play the game of life, create new visions and have fun but do not identify yourself with your vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dines/by-all-means-play-the-game-of-life-create-new-visions-and-have-fun/) [Christopher Dines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dines/) > [My family was musical on both sides. My father's family had a famous flautist and a classical pianist. My mother won a contest to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/my-family-was-musical-on-both-sides-my-father-s-family-had-a-famous/) [Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/) > [I find that Americans are all in the middle somewhere, except for the extreme nuts, and extreme nuts on both sides are the loudest.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/i-find-that-americans-are-all-in-the-middle-somewhere-except-for-the/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [When the war ends, it will be found that there was an equal amount of 'thuggery' practiced on both sides, that terrible things were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-jones/when-the-war-ends-it-will-be-found-that-there-was-an-equal-amount-of/) [Rufus Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-jones/) > [I am like all other atheists only in that I do not believe there are any gods. Beyond that, I may differ dramatically in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carrier/i-am-like-all-other-atheists-only-in-that-i-do-not-believe-there-are/) [Richard Carrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carrier/) > [I have an office full of product from brands trying to be in videos and an inbox full of songs from artists, but at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-kluger/i-have-an-office-full-of-product-from-brands-trying-to-be-in-videos/) [Adam Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-kluger/) > [I have yet to see someone attack Obama over his report card. A lot of people I talk to from both sides of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/i-have-yet-to-see-someone-attack-obama-over-his-report-card-a-lot-of/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [It's almost inevitable there's going to be an escalation on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-luther/it-s-almost-inevitable-there-s-going-to-be-an-escalation-on-both-sides/) Bill Luther > [There's no way to have a peace agreement unless the mediator or negotiator looks at both sides from an equal basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-way-to-have-a-peace-agreement-unless-the-mediator-or/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Some of the folks on both sides might be sincere, but it does seem as if it is only the opposition that cares about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/some-of-the-folks-on-both-sides-might-be-sincere-but-it-does-seem-as/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) ## More by Stella Adler > [Acting is in everything but the words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/acting-is-in-everything-but-the-words/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [To grow: that is your deepest and truest need when you say, 'I want to be an actor.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/to-grow-that-is-your-deepest-and-truest-need-when-you-say-i-want-to/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [The actor has to develop his body. The actor has to work on his voice. But the most important thing the actor has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/the-actor-has-to-develop-his-body-the-actor-has-to-work-on-his-voice/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [Our heritage as actors goes back thousands of years, and we have to feel as comfortable in the clothes, and the language of Sophocles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/our-heritage-as-actors-goes-back-thousands-of-years-and-we-have-to/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [Your curse is that you have chosen a form that requires endless study … It means you have to read, you have to observe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/your-curse-is-that-you-have-chosen-a-form-that-requires-endless-study/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [“That spark has to be kept alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/that-spark-has-to-be-kept-alive/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [It's not enough to have talent. You have to have a talent for your talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/it-s-not-enough-to-have-talent-you-have-to-have-a-talent-for-your/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [It's not important to know who you are. It's important to know what you do, and then to do it like hercules!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/it-s-not-important-to-know-who-you-are-it-s-important-to-know-what/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [Your job as actors is to understand the size of what you say, to understand what's beneath the word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/your-job-as-actors-is-to-understand-the-size-of-what-you-say-to/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [You'll begin to act when you can forget your technique - when it is so securely inside you that you need not call upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/you-ll-begin-to-act-when-you-can-forget-your-technique-when-it-is-so/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [Life is boring. The weather is boring. Actors must not be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/life-is-boring-the-weather-is-boring-actors-must-not-be-boring/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [The word theatre comes from the Greeks. It means the seeing place. It is the place people come to see the truth about life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/the-word-theatre-comes-from-the-greeks-it-means-the-seeing-place-it/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [You act with your soul. That's why you all want to be actors, because your souls are not used up by life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/you-act-with-your-soul-that-s-why-you-all-want-to-be-actors-because/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [Acting can be the healthiest profession in the world, because it allows you to do things you can't do in real life. It allows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/acting-can-be-the-healthiest-profession-in-the-world-because-it/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [“Sometimes life beats down and crushes the soul, and art reminds you that you have one”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/sometimes-life-beats-down-and-crushes-the-soul-and-art-reminds-you/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) [Explore all 57 Stella Adler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) ## More Both sides quotes > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Some of the folks on both sides might be sincere, but it does seem as if it is only the opposition that cares about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/some-of-the-folks-on-both-sides-might-be-sincere-but-it-does-seem-as/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [There's no way to have a peace agreement unless the mediator or negotiator looks at both sides from an equal basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-way-to-have-a-peace-agreement-unless-the-mediator-or/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [It's almost inevitable there's going to be an escalation on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-luther/it-s-almost-inevitable-there-s-going-to-be-an-escalation-on-both-sides/) Bill Luther > [I have yet to see someone attack Obama over his report card. A lot of people I talk to from both sides of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/i-have-yet-to-see-someone-attack-obama-over-his-report-card-a-lot-of/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [I have an office full of product from brands trying to be in videos and an inbox full of songs from artists, but at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-kluger/i-have-an-office-full-of-product-from-brands-trying-to-be-in-videos/) [Adam Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-kluger/) > [I am like all other atheists only in that I do not believe there are any gods. Beyond that, I may differ dramatically in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carrier/i-am-like-all-other-atheists-only-in-that-i-do-not-believe-there-are/) [Richard Carrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carrier/) > [When the war ends, it will be found that there was an equal amount of 'thuggery' practiced on both sides, that terrible things were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-jones/when-the-war-ends-it-will-be-found-that-there-was-an-equal-amount-of/) [Rufus Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-jones/) > [I find that Americans are all in the middle somewhere, except for the extreme nuts, and extreme nuts on both sides are the loudest.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/i-find-that-americans-are-all-in-the-middle-somewhere-except-for-the/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [My family was musical on both sides. My father's family had a famous flautist and a classical pianist. My mother won a contest to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/my-family-was-musical-on-both-sides-my-father-s-family-had-a-famous/) [Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/) > [I come from a long line of saloon keepers and proselytizers, and I draw from both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-huntsman-jr/i-come-from-a-long-line-of-saloon-keepers-and-proselytizers-and-i/) [Jon Huntsman, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-huntsman-jr/) > [I usually accept bribes from both sides so that tainted money can never influence my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-usually-accept-bribes-from-both-sides-so-that-tainted-money-can/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I really like seeing players like Ousmane Dembele and other players who can take corners from both sides and things like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-bellingham/i-really-like-seeing-players-like-ousmane-dembele-and-other-players/) [Jude Bellingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-bellingham/) > [I come from both sides of the spectrum: I grew up listening to hip-hop and R&B then learned how to make a track by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lotic/i-come-from-both-sides-of-the-spectrum-i-grew-up-listening-to-hip-hop/) [Lotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lotic/) > [ \[Albert Camus\] positions are sensed. So, naturally, those intellectuals who don't have that experience have difficulty in comprehending it. But I think it made… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/albert-camus-positions-are-sensed-so-naturally-those-intellectuals/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) [Browse all 597 Both sides quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both-sides/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you can't take both sides, it means you can only play yourself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stella Adler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/if-you-can-t-take-both-sides-it-means-you-can-only-play-yourself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Both sides" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/if-you-can-t-take-both-sides-it-means-you-can-only-play-yourself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/stella-adler-11807_both-sides_if-you-can-t-take-both-sides-it-means-yo_85314.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/stella-adler-11807_both-sides_if-you-can-t-take-both-sides-it-means-yo_85314.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/stella-adler-11807_both-sides_if-you-can-t-take-both-sides-it-means-yo_85314.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you can't take both sides, it means you can only play yourself.” — Stella Adler", "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": "Stella Adler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you can't take both sides,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/if-you-can-t-take-both-sides-it-means-you-can-only-play-yourself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/if-you-can-t-take-both-sides-it-means-you-can-only-play-yourself/#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 } } ] } ```