--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's too late. We can't win, they've…" description: "\"It's too late. We can't win, they've gotten too powerful.\" — Abbie Hoffman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/abbie-hoffman-9684_can-t-win_it-s-too-late-we-can-t-win-they-ve-gotte_2452200.png" --- # It's too late. We can't win, they've gotten too powerful. ![“It's too late. We can't win, they've gotten too powerful.” quote by Abbie Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/abbie-hoffman-9684_can-t-win_it-s-too-late-we-can-t-win-they-ve-gotte_2452200.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/abbie-hoffman-9684_can-t-win_it-s-too-late-we-can-t-win-they-ve-gotte_2452200.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/abbie-hoffman-9684_can-t-win_it-s-too-late-we-can-t-win-they-ve-gotte_2452200.png) > “It's too late. We can't win, they've gotten too powerful.” [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. A bleak assessment that the opposition has become too powerful to defeat. **In simple terms:** It feels hopeless against a strong enemy. Key Takeaway Seek alternative strategies or alliances. Themes politics activism power hopelessness Mood somber determined Type political motivational When to use this quote - organizing protests - building coalitions - reassessing goals Key Concepts strategic adaptation resistance Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives exist when power seems overwhelming? - How can morale be maintained? A Different Perspective The statement may discourage necessary action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Can't win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-t-win/) [Gotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gotten/) [Gotten Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gotten-powerful-579368/) [Last words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-words/) [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Late Win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late-win-579367/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) [Ve Gotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-gotten/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [Being a villain is great, even though I've only gotten to do it a few times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-ashmore/being-a-villain-is-great-even-though-i-ve-only-gotten-to-do-it-a-few/) [Shawn Ashmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-ashmore/) > [I've gotten tougher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-wilfried-tsonga/i-ve-gotten-tougher/) [Jo-Wilfried Tsonga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-wilfried-tsonga/) > [I've never gotten enough credit!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hefner/i-ve-never-gotten-enough-credit/) [Hugh Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hefner/) > [I've gotten rejected hundreds of times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-david-washington/i-ve-gotten-rejected-hundreds-of-times/) [John David Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-david-washington/) > [The more games I've played, the better I've gotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/the-more-games-i-ve-played-the-better-i-ve-gotten/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [I've made music since I was a kid so I've always gotten joy out of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-houser/i-ve-made-music-since-i-was-a-kid-so-i-ve-always-gotten-joy-out-of/) [Randy Houser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-houser/) > [I'm a little more shy as I've gotten older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-gordon/i-m-a-little-more-shy-as-i-ve-gotten-older/) [Molly Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-gordon/) > [I've gotten used to being a foreigner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/i-ve-gotten-used-to-being-a-foreigner/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) > [“In today's world if we do what we've always done, we will NOT get what we've always gotten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-northup/in-today-s-world-if-we-do-what-we-ve-always-done-we-will-not-get-what/) [Tom Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-northup/) > [Another fine mess you've gotten me into.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-laurel/another-fine-mess-you-ve-gotten-me-into/) [Stan Laurel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-laurel/) > [Nothing has been easy for me... I've always had to work for everything I've gotten and everything I've accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-wagner/nothing-has-been-easy-for-me-i-ve-always-had-to-work-for-everything-i/) [Ashley Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-wagner/) > [Once you've gotten used to performing, you can't give it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minnie-pearl/once-you-ve-gotten-used-to-performing-you-can-t-give-it-up/) [Minnie Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minnie-pearl/) > [If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/if-you-do-what-you-ve-always-done-you-ll-get-what-you-ve-always-gotten/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“If you’ve been there, done that, gotten the t-shirt, isn’t it time to move on to a new destination? Don’t waste a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-hale/if-you-ve-been-there-done-that-gotten-the-t-shirt-isn-t-it-time-to/) [Mandy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-hale/) > [I've gotten much better at Excel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-nassib/i-ve-gotten-much-better-at-excel/) [Carl Nassib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-nassib/) ## 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 Can't win quotes > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [We can't win the struggle for high standards if we just talk a good game . . . we've got to play a good game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/we-can-t-win-the-struggle-for-high-standards-if-we-just-talk-a-good/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [You can't win 'til you're not afraid to lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-win-til-you-re-not-afraid-to-lose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hate games I can't win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/i-hate-games-i-can-t-win/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [Well you can't win the lottery if you don't have a ticket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/well-you-can-t-win-the-lottery-if-you-don-t-have-a-ticket/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [The people that can't win elections, outside of Barack Obama, the people on the Democrat side who cannot win elections, who do not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-people-that-can-t-win-elections-outside-of-barack-obama-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't know how you change that. There's hardly anybody left like me in the Democratic Party in Congress. These districts have been so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-peterson/i-don-t-know-how-you-change-that-there-s-hardly-anybody-left-like-me/) [Collin Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-peterson/) > [Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/oh-the-places-you-ll-go-there-is-fun-to-be-done-there-are-points-to/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Italians can't win the game against you, but you can lose the game against the Italians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/italians-can-t-win-the-game-against-you-but-you-can-lose-the-game/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [Self-esteem can’t win you a race if you’re not in shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-zamperini/self-esteem-can-t-win-you-a-race-if-you-re-not-in-shape/) [Louis Zamperini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-zamperini/) > [Certainly the game is rigged. Don't let that stop you; if you don't bet you can't win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/certainly-the-game-is-rigged-don-t-let-that-stop-you-if-you-don-t-bet/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [You can't win for losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/you-can-t-win-for-losing/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [Ball so hard that you can't win it. So much money bank can't fit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/ball-so-hard-that-you-can-t-win-it-so-much-money-bank-can-t-fit-it/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [People are already talking about the next presidential election. There's stories all over about who might run. At a recent speech, a prominent Democrat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/people-are-already-talking-about-the-next-presidential-election-there/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [All my life, the naysayers have told me that I can't win because I'm a progressive... because I'm a woman... even because I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/all-my-life-the-naysayers-have-told-me-that-i-can-t-win-because-i-m-a/) [Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/) [Browse all 156 Can't win quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-t-win/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's too late. 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