---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm absolute attacking my own instinct…"
description: "\"I'm absolute attacking my own instinct for politeness, but I think I admire artists who just speak out or who are strong, so it's very hard.\" — Stephen..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/stephen-fry-573_absolutes_i-m-absolute-attacking-my-own-instinct-f_2402218.png"
---

#  I'm absolute attacking my own instinct for politeness, but…

![“I'm absolute attacking my own instinct for politeness, but I think I admire artists who just speak out or who are strong, so it's very hard.” quote by Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/stephen-fry-573_absolutes_i-m-absolute-attacking-my-own-instinct-f_2402218.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/stephen-fry-573_absolutes_i-m-absolute-attacking-my-own-instinct-f_2402218.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/stephen-fry-573_absolutes_i-m-absolute-attacking-my-own-instinct-f_2402218.png)

> “I'm absolute attacking my own instinct for politeness, but I think I admire artists who just speak out or who are strong, so it's very hard.”

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Balancing politeness with outspoken honesty is challenging, yet valuing bold expression can inspire authenticity.

**In simple terms:** Politeness can clash with speaking boldly.

Key Takeaway

Embrace honest expression despite discomfort.

Themes

politeness authenticity artistic expression social pressure

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- public debates
- creative collaborations
- social activism
- personal relationships

Key Concepts

courage self‑expression cultural norms

Questions to Reflect On

- When have you suppressed your true thoughts?
- What risks come with speaking out?

A Different Perspective

Boldness may alienate others or cause conflict.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Admire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admire/) [Admire Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admire-artists-2604886/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Attacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacking/) [Attacking Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacking-instinct-6019796/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Instinct Politeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct-politeness-6019794/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Politeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politeness/) [Politeness Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politeness-think-6019795/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speaks out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaks-out/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Think Admire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-admire-1283011/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [Well, I think you do have to admire Nancy Pelosi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-trump/well-i-think-you-do-have-to-admire-nancy-pelosi/)

[Lara Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-trump/)

> [“Papa always said that in the beginning men and women roamed the world together, equal in strength - like lions and tigers -" "And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/papa-always-said-that-in-the-beginning-men-and-women-roamed-the-world/)

[Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/)

> [“If they think you admire them, they will admire you because of your good taste, and when they admire you, you have an illusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/if-they-think-you-admire-them-they-will-admire-you-because-of-your/)

[Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/)

> [I want men to admire me, but that's a trick you learn at school--a movement of the eyes, a tone of voice, a touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/i-want-men-to-admire-me-but-that-s-a-trick-you-learn-at-school-a/)

[Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/)

> [Ease is something that I think many admire in other people, in sports or whatever it may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-riegert/ease-is-something-that-i-think-many-admire-in-other-people-in-sports/)

[Peter Riegert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-riegert/)

> [“If they think you admire them, they will admire you because of your good taste, and when they admire you, you have an illusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/if-they-think-you-admire-them-they-will-admire-you-because-of-your-2/)

[Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/)

> [I admire the artists that work everyday to attest things for themselves... In the act of transforming the objects of the everyday they transform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-orozco/i-admire-the-artists-that-work-everyday-to-attest-things-for/)

[Gabriel Orozco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-orozco/)

> [I must say, to my great surprise and pleasure, I deeply loved making movies in the United States because of all the opportunities it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-villeneuve/i-must-say-to-my-great-surprise-and-pleasure-i-deeply-loved-making/)

[Denis Villeneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-villeneuve/)

> [I admire artists who are ageing and still retaining their edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mcgann/i-admire-artists-who-are-ageing-and-still-retaining-their-edge/)

[Paul McGann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mcgann/)

> [I admire artists who really take risks and aren't afraid to do smaller movies and obscure, abstract things. It would be really cool if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britne-oldford/i-admire-artists-who-really-take-risks-and-aren-t-afraid-to-do/)

[Britne Oldford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britne-oldford/)

> [I really admire artists who take the time to recharge their batteries and not continually call on it. I think you can spot tired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-friend/i-really-admire-artists-who-take-the-time-to-recharge-their-batteries/)

[Rupert Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-friend/)

> [I've never thought it was a good idea to act back-to-back. If you are going to have any chance of replicating life, you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-friend/i-ve-never-thought-it-was-a-good-idea-to-act-back-to-back-if-you-are/)

[Rupert Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-friend/)

> [I really admire artists that are willing to take a different approach and a different angle to their shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shania-twain/i-really-admire-artists-that-are-willing-to-take-a-different-approach/)

[Shania Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shania-twain/)

> [ If no one speaks out for \[young readers\], if they don’t speak out for themselves, all they’ll get for required reading will be the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/if-no-one-speaks-out-for-young-readers-if-they-don-t-speak-out-for/)

[Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/)

> [I am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed... My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God's hands...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-madrid/i-am-part-of-the-fellowship-of-the-unashamed-my-past-is-redeemed-my/)

[Patrick Madrid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-madrid/)

## More by Stephen Fry

> [“...Catholic versus Protestant, essentially. It's that kind of fight. ... And it goes on to this day. Will we never learn? Who knows? Religion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/catholic-versus-protestant-essentially-it-s-that-kind-of-fight-and-it/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [How dare you? How dare you create a world in which there is such misery that is not our fault? It's not right, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/how-dare-you-how-dare-you-create-a-world-in-which-there-is-such/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [“Look at the kind of people who most object to the childishness and cheapness of celebrity culture. Does one really want to side with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/look-at-the-kind-of-people-who-most-object-to-the-childishness-and/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [“The object of love should feel honoured or flattered, responsible in some way. Instead he felt insulted, degraded and revolted. More than that, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/the-object-of-love-should-feel-honoured-or-flattered-responsible-in/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [The only people who are obsessed with food are anorexics and the morbidly obese. That, in erotic terms, is the Catholic church, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/the-only-people-who-are-obsessed-with-food-are-anorexics-and-the/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [To me, reason is as spiritual as anything else, the beauty of reason seems to me indelible and ineffable and numinous... the spirit is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/to-me-reason-is-as-spiritual-as-anything-else-the-beauty-of-reason/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [The stranger might laugh and seem to enjoy the writing, but you hug to yourself the thought that they didn't quite understand its force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/the-stranger-might-laugh-and-seem-to-enjoy-the-writing-but-you-hug-to/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [“The future is a much bigger deal than the past,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/the-future-is-a-much-bigger-deal-than-the-past/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [I gather a repulsive nobody writing in a paper no one of any decency would be seen dead with has written something loathesome and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-gather-a-repulsive-nobody-writing-in-a-paper-no-one-of-any-decency/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [I've never had any illusions about being a lead actor in films, because lead actors have to be of a certain kind. Apart from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-ve-never-had-any-illusions-about-being-a-lead-actor-in-films/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [Because, let's face it, I do not get offered the parts that Brad Pitt has just turned down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/because-let-s-face-it-i-do-not-get-offered-the-parts-that-brad-pitt/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [I will defend the absolute value of Mozart over Miley Cyrus, of course I will, but we should be wary of false dichotomies. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-will-defend-the-absolute-value-of-mozart-over-miley-cyrus-of-course/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [You can't just say there is a god because the world is beautiful. You have to account for bone cancer in children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/you-can-t-just-say-there-is-a-god-because-the-world-is-beautiful-you/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [If you know someone who's depressed, please resolve never to ask them why. Depression isn't a straightforward response to a bad situation; depression just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/if-you-know-someone-who-s-depressed-please-resolve-never-to-ask-them/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [It's as if scientists exert every effort of will they possess deliberately to find the least significant problems in the world and explain them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/it-s-as-if-scientists-exert-every-effort-of-will-they-possess/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

[Explore all 466 Stephen Fry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

## More Absolutes quotes

> [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/)

[Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/)

> [There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. But there is perfect injustice, and we know it when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/there-is-no-perfect-justice-just-as-there-is-no-absolute-in-ethics/)

[Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/)

> [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/)

[John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/)

> [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/)

[Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/)

> [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [So many times we come to Jesus in worship and ask Him for things that He already IS and has already done... What a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-nockels/so-many-times-we-come-to-jesus-in-worship-and-ask-him-for-things-that/)

[Christy Nockels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-nockels/)

> [Those are decisions only the Lord will make. I believe the love of God is absolute. He said he gave his son for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/those-are-decisions-only-the-lord-will-make-i-believe-the-love-of-god/)

[Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/)

> [“The Gods know what it is to be eternal, and they love to toy with mortals who use absolutes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/the-gods-know-what-it-is-to-be-eternal-and-they-love-to-toy-with/)

[Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/)

> [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/)

[Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/)

> [I was asked the other day if I would be interested in the Nobel Prize, but I think that for me it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-was-asked-the-other-day-if-i-would-be-interested-in-the-nobel-prize/)

[Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/)

> [The only "definitive truth" for Buddhism is the absolute negation of any one truth as the Definitive Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-only-definitive-truth-for-buddhism-is-the-absolute-negation-of/)

[Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/)

> [The nature of the Absolute is neither perceptible nor imperceptible; and with phenomena it is just the same. But to one who has discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huangbo-xiyun/the-nature-of-the-absolute-is-neither-perceptible-nor-imperceptible/)

[Huangbo Xiyun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huangbo-xiyun/)

> [Joining a company is an act that calls for absolute loyalty in big matters and little ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/joining-a-company-is-an-act-that-calls-for-absolute-loyalty-in-big/)

[Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/)

> [In fine, a life of good or evil, the hope of Heaven or the despair of Hell, Faustus stands as a reminder that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-fine-a-life-of-good-or-evil-the-hope-of-heaven-or-the-despair-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 2,016 Absolutes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I'm absolute attacking my own instinct for politeness, but I think I admire artists who just speak out or who are strong, so it's very hard.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Stephen Fry"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-m-absolute-attacking-my-own-instinct-for-politeness-but-i-think-i/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Absolutes"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-m-absolute-attacking-my-own-instinct-for-politeness-but-i-think-i/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/stephen-fry-573_absolutes_i-m-absolute-attacking-my-own-instinct-f_2402218.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/stephen-fry-573_absolutes_i-m-absolute-attacking-my-own-instinct-f_2402218.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/stephen-fry-573_absolutes_i-m-absolute-attacking-my-own-instinct-f_2402218.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I'm absolute attacking my own instinct for politeness, but I think I admire artists who just speak out or…” — Stephen Fry",
                "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": "Stephen Fry",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I'm absolute attacking my own instinct...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-m-absolute-attacking-my-own-instinct-for-politeness-but-i-think-i/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-m-absolute-attacking-my-own-instinct-for-politeness-but-i-think-i/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
