--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's embarrassing ... you try to…" description: "\"It's embarrassing ... you try to overthrow the government and you wind up on the Best Seller's List.\" — Abbie Hoffman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/abbie-hoffman-9684_best-sellers_it-s-embarrassing-you-try-to-overthrow-t_1681471.png" --- # It's embarrassing ... you try to overthrow the government… ![“It's embarrassing ... you try to overthrow the government and you wind up on the Best Seller's List.” quote by Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/abbie-hoffman-9684_best-sellers_it-s-embarrassing-you-try-to-overthrow-t_1681471.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/abbie-hoffman-9684_best-sellers_it-s-embarrassing-you-try-to-overthrow-t_1681471.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/abbie-hoffman-9684_best-sellers_it-s-embarrassing-you-try-to-overthrow-t_1681471.png) > “It's embarrassing ... you try to overthrow the government and you wind up on the Best Seller's List.” [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. Attempting radical change can paradoxically bring fame and commercial success. **In simple terms:** Revolution can lead to fame. Key Takeaway Beware unintended consequences of activism. Themes activism irony success Mood cynical reflective Type political satirical When to use this quote - political protest - publishing - social movements Key Concepts counterculture media attention Questions to Reflect On - Is fame a betrayal of your goals? - How to stay true amid publicity? A Different Perspective Fame may dilute the original cause. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) ## Related quotes > [“she learned slowly and painfully that it was easier to overthrow a government than to create a one...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-withey/she-learned-slowly-and-painfully-that-it-was-easier-to-overthrow-a/) [Lynne Withey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-withey/) > [“Note to self: Overthrow government of magical Britain at earliest convenience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/note-to-self-overthrow-government-of-magical-britain-at-earliest/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [ \[T\]he people as ultimate sovereigns, retain the ultimate power - and even the duty - to overthrow any government that fails to respect their… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/t-he-people-as-ultimate-sovereigns-retain-the-ultimate-power-and-even/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [I don't want to overthrow the government. I wanna fire 'em.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gallagher/i-don-t-want-to-overthrow-the-government-i-wanna-fire-em/) [Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gallagher/) > [We need to change the system. We need to overthrow, not the government, as the authorities are always accusing the Communists 'of conspiring to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/we-need-to-change-the-system-we-need-to-overthrow-not-the-government/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [It is easy to overthrow a government but very difficult to build a new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/it-is-easy-to-overthrow-a-government-but-very-difficult-to-build-a/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [In Chile, they had penas, where the community would come together to sing and plan how they were going to overthrow the government. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/in-chile-they-had-penas-where-the-community-would-come-together-to/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [“Anyone can overthrow a government. It’s ruling that’s hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elan-mastai/anyone-can-overthrow-a-government-it-s-ruling-that-s-hard/) [Elan Mastai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elan-mastai/) > [I've never conspired to overthrow the government; all I did was report on the Arab Spring and suggest that something similar might happen in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskinder-nega/i-ve-never-conspired-to-overthrow-the-government-all-i-did-was-report/) [Eskinder Nega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskinder-nega/) > [I haven't won any prizes or had any best sellers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/i-haven-t-won-any-prizes-or-had-any-best-sellers/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [It had been fourteen years and I hadn't had anything published. I had 250 rejection slips. I got my first novel published and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-alther/it-had-been-fourteen-years-and-i-hadn-t-had-anything-published-i-had/) [Lisa Alther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-alther/) > [The Apple iPad is not going to be the company's next runaway best seller. Not if the industry can help it... With the iPad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-dvorak/the-apple-ipad-is-not-going-to-be-the-company-s-next-runaway-best/) [John C. Dvorak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-dvorak/) > [The measure of a great writer is not how many weeks his books spend on the best-seller lists, but how many years his books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/the-measure-of-a-great-writer-is-not-how-many-weeks-his-books-spend/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [My father didn't want to go to Manhattan for me, and I came to Manhattan and I have done a great job in Manhattan.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/my-father-didn-t-want-to-go-to-manhattan-for-me-and-i-came-to/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [If it so happened that I had once written a best-seller, this was a pure accident, due to inattention and naivete, and I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-it-so-happened-that-i-had-once-written-a-best-seller-this-was-a/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## 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 Best sellers quotes > [If it so happened that I had once written a best-seller, this was a pure accident, due to inattention and naivete, and I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-it-so-happened-that-i-had-once-written-a-best-seller-this-was-a/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [My father didn't want to go to Manhattan for me, and I came to Manhattan and I have done a great job in Manhattan.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/my-father-didn-t-want-to-go-to-manhattan-for-me-and-i-came-to/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The measure of a great writer is not how many weeks his books spend on the best-seller lists, but how many years his books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/the-measure-of-a-great-writer-is-not-how-many-weeks-his-books-spend/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [The Apple iPad is not going to be the company's next runaway best seller. Not if the industry can help it... With the iPad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-dvorak/the-apple-ipad-is-not-going-to-be-the-company-s-next-runaway-best/) [John C. Dvorak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-dvorak/) > [It had been fourteen years and I hadn't had anything published. I had 250 rejection slips. I got my first novel published and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-alther/it-had-been-fourteen-years-and-i-hadn-t-had-anything-published-i-had/) [Lisa Alther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-alther/) > [I haven't won any prizes or had any best sellers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/i-haven-t-won-any-prizes-or-had-any-best-sellers/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [Ironically, white America will catapult books about race to the top of the best-seller list, even as racism remains a national open wound. Obsession…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marita-golden/ironically-white-america-will-catapult-books-about-race-to-the-top-of/) [Marita Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marita-golden/) > [Writing isn't generally a lucrative source of income; only a few, exceptional writers reach the income levels associated with the best-sellers. Rather, most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-scott/writing-isn-t-generally-a-lucrative-source-of-income-only-a-few/) [Melissa Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-scott/) > [My books always make the best-seller lists in Wolf Hole, Arizona, and Hanksville, Utah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/my-books-always-make-the-best-seller-lists-in-wolf-hole-arizona-and/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Young adults that actually read are reading bodice rippers and best-sellers and me. And Horror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/young-adults-that-actually-read-are-reading-bodice-rippers-and-best/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Like many popular best-sellers, he was a very sad and solemn man who took himself too seriously and his art not seriously enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/like-many-popular-best-sellers-he-was-a-very-sad-and-solemn-man-who/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [The White Queen in many ways it is representative of the sort of drama that I'm talking about. The books by Philippa Gregory were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-callender/the-white-queen-in-many-ways-it-is-representative-of-the-sort-of/) [Colin Callender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-callender/) > [Some books and authors are best sellers, but most aren't. It may be easier to self-publish than it is to traditionally publish, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/some-books-and-authors-are-best-sellers-but-most-aren-t-it-may-be/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [“The ragged curtains were reaching out across the room and the foot of the bed was soaked with rain. She got up and closed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-b-brewer/the-ragged-curtains-were-reaching-out-across-the-room-and-the-foot-of/) [Nancy B. Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-b-brewer/) > [ 10 years ago \[in 2006\], nearly 90 percent of those albums sold enough in that year to reach Gold status. 10 years later, about… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-sherman/10-years-ago-in-2006-nearly-90-percent-of-those-albums-sold-enough-in/) Cary Sherman Browse all 63 Best sellers quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's embarrassing ... you try to overthrow the government and you wind up on the Best Seller's List.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abbie Hoffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/it-s-embarrassing-you-try-to-overthrow-the-government-and-you-wind-up/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best sellers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/it-s-embarrassing-you-try-to-overthrow-the-government-and-you-wind-up/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/abbie-hoffman-9684_best-sellers_it-s-embarrassing-you-try-to-overthrow-t_1681471.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/abbie-hoffman-9684_best-sellers_it-s-embarrassing-you-try-to-overthrow-t_1681471.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/abbie-hoffman-9684_best-sellers_it-s-embarrassing-you-try-to-overthrow-t_1681471.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's embarrassing ... you try to overthrow the government and you wind up on the Best Seller's List.” — Abbie Hoffman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abbie Hoffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbie-hoffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's embarrassing ... you try to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/it-s-embarrassing-you-try-to-overthrow-the-government-and-you-wind-up/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbie-hoffman/it-s-embarrassing-you-try-to-overthrow-the-government-and-you-wind-up/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```