Wit & Attitude Quote by Kathleen Turner

Aging, in Kathleen Turner’s line, isn’t framed as decline; it’s framed as a sharpening blade. “The older I get” sets up time as a teacher, not a thief, and what it teaches is ruthlessness about where attention goes. “The less I suffer fools gladly” borrows a slightly archaic, almost courtly phrasing, which makes the sentiment land harder: she’s not ranting, she’s issuing a cool verdict. The old-fashioned construction also signals control. Turner isn’t performing outrage; she’s announcing that the performance is over.

The intent is boundary-setting with bite. In an industry built on pleasing, smoothing, and taking meetings you don’t want, the refusal to “suffer” fools reads as an earned luxury and a quiet protest. Subtext: I’ve done the politeness tax. I’ve smiled through condescension. I’ve watched mediocre men talk past their expertise and call it confidence. Now I’m opting out.

There’s also a gendered charge here. When men in power are “impatient,” it’s decisiveness; when women are, it’s attitude. Turner reclaims the alleged flaw and makes it sound like survival skill. The word “gladly” matters, too: she’s not claiming she never encounters fools. She’s admitting the world is full of them, but she’s withdrawing the little psychological treat of accommodating them.

It works because it’s both confession and warning: the audience gets catharsis, and the fools get notice.