--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I must stop compromising my plays with…" description: "\"“I must stop compromising my plays with this whiff of social application. They must be entirely untouched by any suspicion of usefulness.”\" — Tom Stoppard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/tom-stoppard-437_compromising_i-must-stop-compromising-my-plays-with-t_770646.png" --- # I must stop compromising my plays with this whiff of… ![“I must stop compromising my plays with this whiff of social application. They must be entirely untouched by any suspicion of usefulness.” quote by Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/tom-stoppard-437_compromising_i-must-stop-compromising-my-plays-with-t_770646.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/tom-stoppard-437_compromising_i-must-stop-compromising-my-plays-with-t_770646.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/tom-stoppard-437_compromising_i-must-stop-compromising-my-plays-with-t_770646.png) > ““I must stop compromising my plays with this whiff of social application. They must be entirely untouched by any suspicion of usefulness.”” [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He insists art must stay pure, free from practical concerns or utility. **In simple terms:** Art should stay pure, not useful. Key Takeaway Create without thinking of usefulness. Themes art purity creativity Mood reflective determined Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - writing - visual art - performance - design Key Concepts aestheticism anti‑utilitarianism Questions to Reflect On - Can art be both pure and impactful? - What value does usefulness bring? A Different Perspective Pure art may struggle to find audience or funding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compromising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromising/) [Compromising Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromising-plays-5957005/) [Plays Whiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays-whiff-5957008/) [Stop Compromising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stop-compromising-5957006/) [Whiff Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whiff-social-5957007/) ## Related quotes > [I can be taken away from myself quite easily, I kind of start betraying myself and compromising my integrity, to keep someone else happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-can-be-taken-away-from-myself-quite-easily-i-kind-of-start/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) > [The Republicans I know or the conservatives I know, they disagree with what the Republicans are doing in Washington because we are compromising too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-brooks/the-republicans-i-know-or-the-conservatives-i-know-they-disagree-with/) [Mo Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-brooks/) > [“You can be humble without compromising your values.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-can-be-humble-without-compromising-your-values/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I don't want stuff that's compromising to me as a person, but as long as it has a pathway to redemption and has meaning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harney/i-don-t-want-stuff-that-s-compromising-to-me-as-a-person-but-as-long/) [Michael Harney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harney/) > [But we have to find ways of compromising when we disagree on something. You know what compromise is, right?" "Uh-huh. It's when you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/but-we-have-to-find-ways-of-compromising-when-we-disagree-on/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > ['Style Strategy' is about shopping smart, staying chic and making it all last. It's about showing women how to shop for value without compromising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-garcia/style-strategy-is-about-shopping-smart-staying-chic-and-making-it-all/) [Nina Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-garcia/) > [In a relationship, when does the art of compromise become compromising?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jessica-parker/in-a-relationship-when-does-the-art-of-compromise-become-compromising/) [Sarah Jessica Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jessica-parker/) > [I don't think that independent or off-beat films are not commercial, nor do I want to categorise them. At the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhika-apte/i-don-t-think-that-independent-or-off-beat-films-are-not-commercial/) [Radhika Apte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhika-apte/) > [I've always said there is a boulevard that exists between compromising your principles and getting everything you want. 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Compromising is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-j-langer/if-we-examine-what-is-behind-our-desires-we-can-usually-get-what-we/) [Ellen J. Langer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-langer/) > [I've done loads of collaborations and I'm never totally happy with the outcome because it feels like you're compromising something of yourself in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-mohawke/i-ve-done-loads-of-collaborations-and-i-m-never-totally-happy-with/) [Hudson Mohawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hudson-mohawke/) > [My best business decision was to be independent as a musician and artist. My worst was compromising on certain aspects of a deal for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/my-best-business-decision-was-to-be-independent-as-a-musician-and/) [Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/) > [COMPROMISING doesn't mean that you are wrong and someone is right ,it only means that you value your RELATIONSHIP much more than your EGO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/compromising-doesn-t-mean-that-you-are-wrong-and-someone-is-right-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tom Stoppard > [If I wanted to change the world, the last thing I would do is write a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-i-wanted-to-change-the-world-the-last-thing-i-would-do-is-write-a/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. But, if you want to just alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-you-want-to-change-something-by-tuesday-theater-is-no-good/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [After all these years, I definitely associate having a pen in my hand with having an ashtray just out of eye line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/after-all-these-years-i-definitely-associate-having-a-pen-in-my-hand/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [The universe is deterministic all right, just like Newton said, I mean it's trying to be, but the only thing going wrong is people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/the-universe-is-deterministic-all-right-just-like-newton-said-i-mean/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [For me, human rights simply endorse a view of life and a set of moral values that are perfectly clear to an eight-year-old child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-me-human-rights-simply-endorse-a-view-of-life-and-a-set-of-moral/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [“What is an artist? For every thousand people there's nine hundred doing the work, ninety doing well, nine doing good, and one lucky bastard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/what-is-an-artist-for-every-thousand-people-there-s-nine-hundred/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Dying is not romantic, and death is not a game which will soon be over... Death is not anything... death is not... It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/dying-is-not-romantic-and-death-is-not-a-game-which-will-soon-be-over/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I'm not interested in clothes; I just like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-m-not-interested-in-clothes-i-just-like-them/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [For 10 years of my life, 3 times a day, I thanked the Lord for what I was about to receive and thanked him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-10-years-of-my-life-3-times-a-day-i-thanked-the-lord-for-what-i/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [You should not translate for more than two hours at a time. After that, you lose your edge, the language becomes clumsy, rigid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/you-should-not-translate-for-more-than-two-hours-at-a-time-after-that/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [No matter how imperfect things are, if you've got a free press everything is correctable, and without it everything is concealable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/no-matter-how-imperfect-things-are-if-you-ve-got-a-free-press/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [We must be born with an intuition of mortality. Before we know the word for it. Before we know that there are words. Out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/we-must-be-born-with-an-intuition-of-mortality-before-we-know-the/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Eternity's a terrible thought. I mean, where's it all going to end?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/eternity-s-a-terrible-thought-i-mean-where-s-it-all-going-to-end/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [There is truth and falsehood in a comma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/there-is-truth-and-falsehood-in-a-comma/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) [Explore all 559 Tom Stoppard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) ## More Compromising quotes > [I can be taken away from myself quite easily, I kind of start betraying myself and compromising my integrity, to keep someone else happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-can-be-taken-away-from-myself-quite-easily-i-kind-of-start/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) > [My best business decision was to be independent as a musician and artist. 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Langer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-langer/) > [“Compromising your principles, even one time, is a terrible mistake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/compromising-your-principles-even-one-time-is-a-terrible-mistake/) [Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/) > [I had a sort of bad experiences as a playwright early on, when directors were putting in huge concepts that I didn't intend, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rapp/i-had-a-sort-of-bad-experiences-as-a-playwright-early-on-when/) [Adam Rapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rapp/) > [I've always said there is a boulevard that exists between compromising your principles and getting everything you want. Now, we should never compromise our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/i-ve-always-said-there-is-a-boulevard-that-exists-between/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [I don't think that independent or off-beat films are not commercial, nor do I want to categorise them. At the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhika-apte/i-don-t-think-that-independent-or-off-beat-films-are-not-commercial/) [Radhika Apte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhika-apte/) > [In a relationship, when does the art of compromise become compromising?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jessica-parker/in-a-relationship-when-does-the-art-of-compromise-become-compromising/) [Sarah Jessica Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jessica-parker/) > ['Style Strategy' is about shopping smart, staying chic and making it all last. It's about showing women how to shop for value without compromising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-garcia/style-strategy-is-about-shopping-smart-staying-chic-and-making-it-all/) [Nina Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-garcia/) > [But we have to find ways of compromising when we disagree on something. You know what compromise is, right?" "Uh-huh. It's when you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/but-we-have-to-find-ways-of-compromising-when-we-disagree-on/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [I don't want stuff that's compromising to me as a person, but as long as it has a pathway to redemption and has meaning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harney/i-don-t-want-stuff-that-s-compromising-to-me-as-a-person-but-as-long/) [Michael Harney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harney/) > [“You can be humble without compromising your values.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-can-be-humble-without-compromising-your-values/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [The Republicans I know or the conservatives I know, they disagree with what the Republicans are doing in Washington because we are compromising too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-brooks/the-republicans-i-know-or-the-conservatives-i-know-they-disagree-with/) [Mo Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-brooks/) > [COMPROMISING doesn't mean that you are wrong and someone is right ,it only means that you value your RELATIONSHIP much more than your EGO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/compromising-doesn-t-mean-that-you-are-wrong-and-someone-is-right-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 86 Compromising quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromising/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I must stop compromising my plays with this whiff of social application. 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