They say you can't study Kabbalah until you are at least 40 years old. You know why? You have to have experienced at least one generation making the same mistakes as the previous one.
David MametRead
I've been alienating my public since I was 20 years old. When 'American Buffalo' came out on Broadway, people would storm out and say, 'How dare he use that kind of language!' Of course I'm alienating the public! That's what they pay me for.
Interpretation
What this quote means
David Mamet expresses the idea that provoking audiences through controversial language and themes is a deliberate part of his artistic expression.
In this quote, David Mamet reflects on his career as a playwright and acknowledges the alienation he has often caused among audiences due to his bold use of language and themes. He conveys that this alienation is not a mistake or something negative, but rather an intentional aspect of his work. Mamet suggests that the role of an artist is to challenge societal norms and provoke thought, even at the risk of displeasing some viewers. This willingness to confront and disturb the audience is part of what compels him as a creator and what audiences can expect from his performances.
Themes
AlienationArtProvocationLanguageTheater
In practice
Example use cases
During a panel discussion about artistic expression, one might quote Mamet to emphasize the importance of challenging audience perceptions.
More from David Mamet
All quotes →My alma mater is the Chicago Public Library. I got what little educational foundation I got in the third-floor reading room, under the tutelage of a Coca-Cola sign.
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You know, young actors say all the time, 'Should I use my own life experience?' And my response is, 'What choice do you have?'
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It's hard for a Jew of my generation, an American Jew, who is philo-Zionistic, not to romanticize Israel.
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You can't write about history without writing about politics at some point. History is about movements of people. 'What is criminality and what is government' is a theme that runs through every history.
David MametRead
Every reiteration of the idea that nothing matters debases the human spirit.
David MametRead
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