--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Q.Why don't you write about nice people?…" description: "\"“Q.Why don't you write about nice people? Haven't you ever known any nice people in your life? A.My theory about nice people is so simple that I am emb..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b85/tennessee-williams-745_knowledge-and-unders_q-why-don-t-you-write-about-nice-people_877569.jpg" --- # Q.Why don't you write about nice people? Haven't you ever… ![“Q.Why don't you write about nice people? Haven't you ever known any nice people in your life? A.My theory about nice people is so simple that I am embarrassed to say it. Q.Please say it. A.Well, I've never met one that I couldn't love if I completely knew him and understood him, and in my work I…” quote by Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b85/tennessee-williams-745_knowledge-and-unders_q-why-don-t-you-write-about-nice-people_877569.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b85/tennessee-williams-745_knowledge-and-unders_q-why-don-t-you-write-about-nice-people_877569.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b85/tennessee-williams-745_knowledge-and-unders_q-why-don-t-you-write-about-nice-people_877569.jpg) > ““Q.Why don't you write about nice people? Haven't you ever known any nice people in your life? A.My theory about nice people is so simple that I am embarrassed to say it. Q.Please say it. A.Well, I've never met one that I couldn't love if I completely knew him and understood him, and in my work I have at least tried to arrive at knowledge and understanding. I don't believe in 'original sin'. I don't believe in 'guilt'. I don't believe in villains or heroes - only right or wrong ways that individuals have taken, not by choice but by necessity or by certain still-uncomprehended influences in themselves, their circumstances, and their antecedents. This is so simple I'm ashamed to say it, but I'm sure it's true. In fact, I would bet my life on it! And that's why I don't understand why our propaganda machines are always trying to teach us, to persuade us, to hate and fear other people on the same little world that we live in. Why don't we meet these people and get to know them as I try to meet and know people in my plays?”” [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues that all people are fundamentally loveable if truly understood, rejecting the notion of inherent evil or sin. **In simple terms:** People are loveable when fully known. Key Takeaway Seek deeper understanding of others. Themes human nature empathy morality Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal relationships - theatre - media criticism - social discourse Key Concepts psychology determinism social influence Questions to Reflect On - How can we truly know another person? - What limits our ability to empathize? A Different Perspective Assumes everyone can be understood, which may not be possible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Knowledge and understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-and-understanding/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nice people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice-people/) [People in your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-in-your-life/) [Right or wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-or-wrong/) ## Related quotes > [I don't believe in "original sin." I don't believe in "guilt." I don't believe in villains or heroes - only right or wrong ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/i-don-t-believe-in-original-sin-i-don-t-believe-in-guilt-i-don-t/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [“I don't believe in villains or heroes--only right or wrong ways that individuals have taken, not by choice but by necessity or by certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/i-don-t-believe-in-villains-or-heroes-only-right-or-wrong-ways-that/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [Learn by doing. Theory is nice, but nothing replaces actual experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hsieh/learn-by-doing-theory-is-nice-but-nothing-replaces-actual-experience/) [Tony Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hsieh/) > [I have a theory that as nice and sweet as you can be equates to how dangerous you can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/channing-tatum/i-have-a-theory-that-as-nice-and-sweet-as-you-can-be-equates-to-how/) [Channing Tatum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/channing-tatum/) > [We pray for our enemies; we seek to persuade those who hate us without cause to live conformably to the goodly precepts of Christ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/we-pray-for-our-enemies-we-seek-to-persuade-those-who-hate-us-without/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [Now bring what we have into common stock, and communicate to everyone in need; we who hated and destroyed one another, and on account…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-martyr/now-bring-what-we-have-into-common-stock-and-communicate-to-everyone/) [Justin Martyr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-martyr/) > [I don't believe in villains - just people who channel their energy in the wrong way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mcgovern/i-don-t-believe-in-villains-just-people-who-channel-their-energy-in/) [Elizabeth McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mcgovern/) > [I don't personally believe that villains exist. Villains are just a way of saying that somebody has an opposing conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-don-t-personally-believe-that-villains-exist-villains-are-just-a/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [“Never believe that villains are hurting people by accident. They want to get better at their craft of breaking jaws just as you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-nayeri/never-believe-that-villains-are-hurting-people-by-accident-they-want/) [Daniel Nayeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-nayeri/) > [“I don't think I believe in villains. Heroes either. Just people. People with agendas and the things they're willing to do to get what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerrigan-byrne/i-don-t-think-i-believe-in-villains-heroes-either-just-people-people/) [Kerrigan Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerrigan-byrne/) > [Funny thing, as you become famous, people write less nice things about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-ross/funny-thing-as-you-become-famous-people-write-less-nice-things-about/) [Katharine Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-ross/) > [I don't really get philosophical, but I believe that nice people are strong and usually in my horror stories, I don't like to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-don-t-really-get-philosophical-but-i-believe-that-nice-people-are/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“For me it's hard to write about the nice trees and flowers and happy shit. It's a lot easier to write about what's pissing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gontier/for-me-it-s-hard-to-write-about-the-nice-trees-and-flowers-and-happy/) [Adam Gontier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gontier/) > [“I learned to write nice as hell. Birds an' stuff like that, too; not just word writin'. My ol' man'll be sore when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-learned-to-write-nice-as-hell-birds-an-stuff-like-that-too-not-just/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I write for myself - but it is nice when other people like it, too!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/i-write-for-myself-but-it-is-nice-when-other-people-like-it-too/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) ## More by Tennessee Williams > [“Nothing human disgusts me unless its unkind”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/nothing-human-disgusts-me-unless-its-unkind/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [These are the intensities that one cannot live with, that he has to outgrow if he wants to survive. But who can help grieving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/these-are-the-intensities-that-one-cannot-live-with-that-he-has-to/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [“Well, you better look out. They got a new bureau in the guvamint files. It’s called U.W. Stands for Useless Wimmen. Tha’s secret plans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/well-you-better-look-out-they-got-a-new-bureau-in-the-guvamint-files/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [People go to the movies instead of moving. Hollywood characters are supposed to have all the adventures for everybody in America, while everybody in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/people-go-to-the-movies-instead-of-moving-hollywood-characters-are/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [They chatter together like birds on Cypress Hill, but all they say is 'Live, live, live, live, live!' It's all they've learned, it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/they-chatter-together-like-birds-on-cypress-hill-but-all-they-say-is/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [You take it for granted that I am in something that I want to get out of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/you-take-it-for-granted-that-i-am-in-something-that-i-want-to-get-out/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [Guessing isn't knowing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/guessing-isn-t-knowing/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [I respect a person that has had to fight and howl for his decency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/i-respect-a-person-that-has-had-to-fight-and-howl-for-his-decency/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [Life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by you so quickly you hardly catch it going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/life-is-all-memory-except-for-the-one-present-moment-that-goes-by-you/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [Most of the confidence which I appear to feel, especially when influenced by noon wine, is only a pretense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/most-of-the-confidence-which-i-appear-to-feel-especially-when/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [I cannot write any sort of story unless there is at least one character in it for whom I have physical desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/i-cannot-write-any-sort-of-story-unless-there-is-at-least-one/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [I know so well what becomes of unmarried women who aren't prepared to occupy a position. I've seen such pitiful cases in the South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/i-know-so-well-what-becomes-of-unmarried-women-who-aren-t-prepared-to/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [“The Jefferson is such a dignified hotel / There is no such thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/the-jefferson-is-such-a-dignified-hotel-there-is-no-such-thing/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [“A drinking man's someone who wants to forget he isn't still young and believing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/a-drinking-man-s-someone-who-wants-to-forget-he-isn-t-still-young-and/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [“As for me, no one will ever love me. But you could get used to me, couldn't you, Jimmy?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/as-for-me-no-one-will-ever-love-me-but-you-could-get-used-to-me/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) [Explore all 373 Tennessee Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) ## More Knowledge and understanding quotes > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [The true foundation of all culture is the knowledge and understanding of water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-schauberger/the-true-foundation-of-all-culture-is-the-knowledge-and-understanding/) [Viktor Schauberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-schauberger/) > [Our knowledge and understanding of nonhuman animals is polluted far more than we acknowledge by our belief in our own superiority, our unrecognized cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-tuttle/our-knowledge-and-understanding-of-nonhuman-animals-is-polluted-far/) [Will Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-tuttle/) > [I think the reason why I haven't done a film in India so far is because I haven't found a script that's completely gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freida-pinto/i-think-the-reason-why-i-haven-t-done-a-film-in-india-so-far-is/) [Freida Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freida-pinto/) > [“No matter how much you know, your destiny depends on the Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding you display.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-uwandu/no-matter-how-much-you-know-your-destiny-depends-on-the-wisdom/) [James C. Uwandu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-uwandu/) > [All civilization in a sense exists only in the mind. Gunpowder, textile arts, machinery, laws, telephones are not themselves transmitted from man to man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-l-kroeber/all-civilization-in-a-sense-exists-only-in-the-mind-gunpowder-textile/) Alfred L. Kroeber > [“A woman is like a universe; there are many things that even she still needs to discover about herself. Men on the other hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/a-woman-is-like-a-universe-there-are-many-things-that-even-she-still/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [“Science is a human construct. Scientific laws are as valid as our understanding at any particular moment. Scientific laws are not absolute. Scientific laws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/science-is-a-human-construct-scientific-laws-are-as-valid-as-our/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [If you think you're going to have an eternity in which you can talk to Mozart and Chopin and Schopenhauer on a cloud and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/if-you-think-you-re-going-to-have-an-eternity-in-which-you-can-talk/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“I strongly believe that teachers need to tell students about great lives and make children understand their history and heritage. It is only through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-j-abdul-kalam-2/i-strongly-believe-that-teachers-need-to-tell-students-about-great/) [A.P.J. Abdul Kalam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-j-abdul-kalam-2/) > [Competing is exciting and winning is exhilarating, but the true prize will always be the self-knowledge and understanding that you have gained along the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-coe/competing-is-exciting-and-winning-is-exhilarating-but-the-true-prize/) [Sebastian Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-coe/) > [It's such a wonderful thing to be uniquely different, be who God called you to be regardless of your knowing or unknowing mistakes. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-lynn/it-s-such-a-wonderful-thing-to-be-uniquely-different-be-who-god/) Patricia Lynn > [“Common people tend to term any kind of bizarre phenomenon as “paranormal” or “supernatural”. They often exaggerate it as the work of the Gods.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/common-people-tend-to-term-any-kind-of-bizarre-phenomenon-as/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Patience is a godly attribute that can heal souls, unlock treasures of knowledge and understanding, and transform ordinary men and women into saints and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/patience-is-a-godly-attribute-that-can-heal-souls-unlock-treasures-of/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [Don't accept anything saying its your fate because your fate is determined by your faith, your knowledge and understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/don-t-accept-anything-saying-its-your-fate-because-your-fate-is/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) [Browse all 96 Knowledge and understanding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-and-understanding/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Q.Why don't you write about nice people? Haven't you ever known any nice people in your life? A.My theory about nice people is so simple that I am embarrassed to say it. Q.Please say it. A.Well, I've never met one that I couldn't love if I completely knew him and understood him, and in my work I have at least tried to arrive at knowledge and understanding. I don't believe in 'original sin'. I don't believe in 'guilt'. I don't believe in villains or heroes - only right or wrong ways that individuals have taken, not by choice but by necessity or by certain still-uncomprehended influences in themselves, their circumstances, and their antecedents. This is so simple I'm ashamed to say it, but I'm sure it's true. In fact, I would bet my life on it! And that's why I don't understand why our propaganda machines are always trying to teach us, to persuade us, to hate and fear other people on the same little world that we live in. 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