--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I shouldn't be saying this, high treason…" description: "\"I shouldn't be saying this, high treason really, but I sometimes wonder if Americans aren't fooled by our accent into detecting a brilliance that may n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec4/stephen-fry-573_brilliance_i-shouldn-t-be-saying-this-high-treason_432167.png" --- # I shouldn't be saying this, high treason really, but I… ![“I shouldn't be saying this, high treason really, but I sometimes wonder if Americans aren't fooled by our accent into detecting a brilliance that may not really be there.” quote by Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec4/stephen-fry-573_brilliance_i-shouldn-t-be-saying-this-high-treason_432167.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec4/stephen-fry-573_brilliance_i-shouldn-t-be-saying-this-high-treason_432167.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec4/stephen-fry-573_brilliance_i-shouldn-t-be-saying-this-high-treason_432167.png) > “I shouldn't be saying this, high treason really, but I sometimes wonder if Americans aren't fooled by our accent into detecting a brilliance that may not really be there.” [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. Questioning national identity and perceived superiority reveals how accents and stereotypes shape self‑image and external perception. **In simple terms:** Accents affect how we see ourselves and are seen by others. Key Takeaway Challenge assumptions about cultural superiority. Themes identity perception stereotypes nationalism Mood reflective thoughtful inquisitive Type cultural psychological When to use this quote - travel experiences - job interviews - media representation - education curricula Key Concepts social psychology lingultural communication self‑concept Questions to Reflect On - Do you judge people by their speech? - How does accent influence perceived intelligence? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on accent can distract from deeper cultural qualities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brilliance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brilliance/) [Treason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treason/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [I confess. If the law had been appiled to me properly for what I did in Vietnam, I'd have been convicted for high treason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/i-confess-if-the-law-had-been-appiled-to-me-properly-for-what-i-did/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [A state that suppresses all freedom of speech, and which by imposing the most terrible punishments, treats each and every attempt at criticism, however…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-huber/a-state-that-suppresses-all-freedom-of-speech-and-which-by-imposing/) [Kurt Huber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-huber/) > [High treason, when it is resistance to tyranny here below, has its origin in, and isfirst committed by, the powerthat makes and forever re-creates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/high-treason-when-it-is-resistance-to-tyranny-here-below-has-its/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“The consequences of committing high treason, if you were a man of the extreme Right, were not unduly heavy, despite the law, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-l-shirer/the-consequences-of-committing-high-treason-if-you-were-a-man-of-the/) [William L. Shirer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-l-shirer/) > [To be good and disagreeable is high treason against the royalty of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/to-be-good-and-disagreeable-is-high-treason-against-the-royalty-of/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [We have legalized confiscation, consecrated sacrilege, and condoned high treason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/we-have-legalized-confiscation-consecrated-sacrilege-and-condoned/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [“There is only one penalty for high treason: for a man, to be hanged, cut down alive and eviscerated, or for a woman, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/there-is-only-one-penalty-for-high-treason-for-a-man-to-be-hanged-cut/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [The highest possible form of treason is to say that Americans aren’t loved wherever they go, whatever they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-highest-possible-form-of-treason-is-to-say-that-americans-aren-t/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Children aren't fooled. They know we give time to the things we love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradshaw/children-aren-t-fooled-they-know-we-give-time-to-the-things-we-love/) [John Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradshaw/) > [ I think it's fine that there are five million people who are watching \[politics on TV\], and obviously I'm happy they are since they're… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/i-think-it-s-fine-that-there-are-five-million-people-who-are-watching/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [The overarching issue, as I see it, is the elitism of America's political system; the fact that regular, ordinary Americans aren't considered in policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-springer/the-overarching-issue-as-i-see-it-is-the-elitism-of-america-s/) [Jerry Springer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-springer/) > [Americans aren't accepting of black humor, it's terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/americans-aren-t-accepting-of-black-humor-it-s-terrible/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [Contrary to common assumption, many of the wealthiest Americans aren't worried about the weakening economy at all. They are actually excited about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-johnson/contrary-to-common-assumption-many-of-the-wealthiest-americans-aren-t/) [Jamie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-johnson/) > [If you Americans aren't from the stone age then explain to me how your president is a \*\*\*\*ing pterodactyl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/if-you-americans-aren-t-from-the-stone-age-then-explain-to-me-how/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Most Americans aren't the sort of citizens the Founding Fathers expected; they are contented serfs. Far from being active critics of government, they assume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/most-americans-aren-t-the-sort-of-citizens-the-founding-fathers/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) ## 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 Brilliance quotes > [Asanas bring perfection in body, beauty in form, grace, strength, compactness, and the hardness and brilliance of a diamond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patanjali/asanas-bring-perfection-in-body-beauty-in-form-grace-strength/) [Patanjali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patanjali/) > [Evil may mar the divine image and cloud its brilliance, but it cannot destroy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/evil-may-mar-the-divine-image-and-cloud-its-brilliance-but-it-cannot/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/knowledge-is-merely-brilliance-in-organization-of-ideas-and-not/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Sensual pleasures have the fleeting brilliance of a comet; a happy marriage has the tranquillity of a lovely sunset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/sensual-pleasures-have-the-fleeting-brilliance-of-a-comet-a-happy/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [What is writing, no matter how lavish the pieces, if it says nothing of the truth, cares little for the heart, and is merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/what-is-writing-no-matter-how-lavish-the-pieces-if-it-says-nothing-of/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [I love the idea of a movie hero in a thriller who is able to get ahead by just his brilliance, and not with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-love-the-idea-of-a-movie-hero-in-a-thriller-who-is-able-to-get/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [Most brilliance arises from ordinary people working together in extraordinary ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/most-brilliance-arises-from-ordinary-people-working-together-in/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [A man doesn't need brilliance or genius, all he needs is energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-m-greenfield/a-man-doesn-t-need-brilliance-or-genius-all-he-needs-is-energy/) Albert M. Greenfield > [We aren't suggesting that mental instability or unhappiness makes one a better poet, or a poet at all; and contrary to the romantic notion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorianne-laux/we-aren-t-suggesting-that-mental-instability-or-unhappiness-makes-one/) [Dorianne Laux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorianne-laux/) > [Enlightenment is like witnessing the brilliant sun for the first time in the morning. It is like seeing the beautiful flowers that grow in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/enlightenment-is-like-witnessing-the-brilliant-sun-for-the-first-time/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Too much brilliance has its disadvantages, and misplaced wit may raise a laugh, but often beheads a topic of profound interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-asquith/too-much-brilliance-has-its-disadvantages-and-misplaced-wit-may-raise/) [Margot Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-asquith/) > [It is not brilliance or facility that is necessary, but the determination to bear and even enjoy the dull process of wading into one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-o-nan/it-is-not-brilliance-or-facility-that-is-necessary-but-the/) [Stewart O'Nan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-o-nan/) > [Our humanity is trapped by moral adolescents. We have too many men of science, too few men of God. The world has achieved brilliance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-n-bradley/our-humanity-is-trapped-by-moral-adolescents-we-have-too-many-men-of/) [Omar N. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-n-bradley/) > [Here is just emptiness. There is no getting my ego out of the way, and all that stuff. There is just the seeing, shining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-harding/here-is-just-emptiness-there-is-no-getting-my-ego-out-of-the-way-and/) [Douglas Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-harding/) > [“You can't stop the future. All you can do is pick a side”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-sakey/you-can-t-stop-the-future-all-you-can-do-is-pick-a-side/) Markus Sakey [Browse all 411 Brilliance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brilliance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I shouldn't be saying this, high treason really, but I sometimes wonder if Americans aren't fooled by our accent into detecting a brilliance that may not really be there.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Fry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-shouldn-t-be-saying-this-high-treason-really-but-i-sometimes-wonder/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brilliance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-shouldn-t-be-saying-this-high-treason-really-but-i-sometimes-wonder/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec4/stephen-fry-573_brilliance_i-shouldn-t-be-saying-this-high-treason_432167.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec4/stephen-fry-573_brilliance_i-shouldn-t-be-saying-this-high-treason_432167.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec4/stephen-fry-573_brilliance_i-shouldn-t-be-saying-this-high-treason_432167.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I shouldn't be saying this, high treason really, but I sometimes wonder if Americans aren't fooled by our…” — 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 shouldn't be saying this, high...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-shouldn-t-be-saying-this-high-treason-really-but-i-sometimes-wonder/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/i-shouldn-t-be-saying-this-high-treason-really-but-i-sometimes-wonder/#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 } } ] } ```