--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Above all, what you have as young people…" description: "\"“Above all, what you have as young people that's vitally needed to make social change, is impatience. You want it to happen now. There have to be enoug..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c74/abbie-hoffman-9684_change_above-all-what-you-have-as-young-people_2272891.jpg" --- # Above all, what you have as young people that's vitally… ![“Above all, what you have as young people that's vitally needed to make social change, is impatience. You want it to happen now. There have to be enough people that say, "We want it now, in our lifetime. " We want to see apartheid in South Africa come down right now. We want to see the war in…” quote by Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c74/abbie-hoffman-9684_change_above-all-what-you-have-as-young-people_2272891.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c74/abbie-hoffman-9684_change_above-all-what-you-have-as-young-people_2272891.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c74/abbie-hoffman-9684_change_above-all-what-you-have-as-young-people_2272891.jpg) > ““Above all, what you have as young people that's vitally needed to make social change, is impatience. You want it to happen now. There have to be enough people that say, "We want it now, in our lifetime. " We want to see apartheid in South Africa come down right now. We want to see the war in Central America stop right now. We want the CIA off our campus right now. We want an end to sexual harassment in our communities right now. Be adventurists in the sense of being bold and daring. Be opportunists and seize this opportunity, this moment in history, to go out and save our country. It's your turn now.”” [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Impatience drives social change; urgency fuels collective action to confront injustice now. **In simple terms:** Urgent desire for change motivates bold action. Key Takeaway Act now with boldness. Themes activism urgency social justice youth empowerment Mood determined urgent Type motivational political When to use this quote - organizing protests - voting - community organizing - online campaigns - policy advocacy Key Concepts collective action political pressure civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can urgency be balanced with thoughtful strategy? - What risks arise from acting too hastily? A Different Perspective Impatience can lead to reckless tactics without strategic planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Impatience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-impatience-5274384/) [Impatience Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impatience-want-5274383/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Say Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-want/) [Social change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-change/) [Want Apartheid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-apartheid-5274380/) [Want Happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-happen/) [Young people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-people/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [It is always the young that make the change. You don't get these ideas when you're middle-aged. Young people have daring, creativity, imagination and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/it-is-always-the-young-that-make-the-change-you-don-t-get-these-ideas/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [We don't want apartheid liberalized. We want it dismantled. You can't improve something that is intrinsically evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/we-don-t-want-apartheid-liberalized-we-want-it-dismantled-you-can-t/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [When you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-you-really-want-something-to-happen-the-whole-universe-conspires/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [To have the kind of year you want to have, something has to happen that you can't explain why it happened. Something has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-bowden/to-have-the-kind-of-year-you-want-to-have-something-has-to-happen/) [Bobby Bowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-bowden/) > [“some people wish it would happen, some pepole want it to happen, others make it happen”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/some-people-wish-it-would-happen-some-pepole-want-it-to-happen-others/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [Some people want it to happen some people wish it would happen and some people make it happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-want-it-to-happen-some-people-wish-it-would-happen-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It doesn't always work out, but if I visualize myself getting what I want, it can happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-maxwell/it-doesn-t-always-work-out-but-if-i-visualize-myself-getting-what-i/) [Stella Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-maxwell/) > [I do what I do because it seems to be critically missing in the world and I want to see it not-happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalan-sherrard/i-do-what-i-do-because-it-seems-to-be-critically-missing-in-the-world/) [Kalan Sherrard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalan-sherrard/) > [There should be a place where only the things you want to happen, happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/there-should-be-a-place-where-only-the-things-you-want-to-happen/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [I'm chasing my goals, and I haven't been able to make things happen the way I want them to happen. It doesn't feel good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-dos-santos/i-m-chasing-my-goals-and-i-haven-t-been-able-to-make-things-happen/) [Junior dos Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junior-dos-santos/) > [If the thing that you want to happen is happening... it's no longer a movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/if-the-thing-that-you-want-to-happen-is-happening-it-s-no-longer-a/) [Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/) > [“I won't stop you. I want this to happen, because I want you to be safe. And yet I want to be with you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-won-t-stop-you-i-want-this-to-happen-because-i-want-you-to-be-safe/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Sometimes I have to be pulled down to reality. I want everything to happen all at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-yellin/sometimes-i-have-to-be-pulled-down-to-reality-i-want-everything-to/) [Dustin Yellin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-yellin/) > [When I want something to happen, I do nothing about it in hope that somebody else will make the first move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-want-something-to-happen-i-do-nothing-about-it-in-hope-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Today I will refuse to spend any time worrying about what might happen, and spend that time on what I want to have happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-i-will-refuse-to-spend-any-time-worrying-about-what-might/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Abbie Hoffman > [The first duty of a revolutionist is to get away with it. The second duty is to eat breakfast. I ain't going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-first-duty-of-a-revolutionist-is-to-get-away-with-it-the-second/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [It's going to be a combination Scopes trial, revolution in the streets, Woodstock Festival and People's Park, all rolled into one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/it-s-going-to-be-a-combination-scopes-trial-revolution-in-the-streets/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Wouldn't you want to be indicted by the govenment for a high crime? It's a great thrill. It's an honor. It's a compliment. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/wouldn-t-you-want-to-be-indicted-by-the-govenment-for-a-high-crime-it/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [The '60s are gone, dope will never be as cheap, sex never as free, and the rock and roll never as great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-60s-are-gone-dope-will-never-be-as-cheap-sex-never-as-free-and/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Smoking dope and hanging up Che's picture is no more a commitment than drinking milk and collecting postage stamps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/smoking-dope-and-hanging-up-che-s-picture-is-no-more-a-commitment/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [The first duty of a revolutionary is to get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-first-duty-of-a-revolutionary-is-to-get-away-with-it/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [If you don't have sex and you don't do drugs, your rock 'n' roll better be awfully good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/if-you-don-t-have-sex-and-you-don-t-do-drugs-your-rock-n-roll-better/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Revolution is not something fixed in ideology, nor is it something fashioned to a particular decade. It is a perpetual process embedded in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/revolution-is-not-something-fixed-in-ideology-nor-is-it-something/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [The majority of people were always sitting in the stands. When I find people who are willing to go against the grain, who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/the-majority-of-people-were-always-sitting-in-the-stands-when-i-find/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [“Lay off the needle drugs. The only dope worth shooting is Richard Nixon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/lay-off-the-needle-drugs-the-only-dope-worth-shooting-is-richard-nixon/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [When I appear in the Chicago courtroom, I want to be tried not because I support the NLF - which I do - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/when-i-appear-in-the-chicago-courtroom-i-want-to-be-tried-not-because/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Usually when you ask somebody in college why they are there, they'll tell you it's to get an education. The truth of it is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/usually-when-you-ask-somebody-in-college-why-they-are-there-they-ll/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [In this state, dig it, you get twenty years for sale of dope to a minor. You only get five to ten for manslaughter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/in-this-state-dig-it-you-get-twenty-years-for-sale-of-dope-to-a-minor/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [It is always the young that make the change. You don't get these ideas when you're middle-aged. Young people have daring, creativity, imagination and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/it-is-always-the-young-that-make-the-change-you-don-t-get-these-ideas/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) > [Once you get the right image the details aren't that important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/once-you-get-the-right-image-the-details-aren-t-that-important/) [Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) [Explore all 71 Abbie Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Above all, what you have as young people that's vitally needed to make social change, is impatience. 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