--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a society like this there is no…" description: "\"In a society like this there is no negotiation, no discussion, except to tell you that power can crush you any time they want—not only you, your whole ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/ai-weiwei-824_crush_in-a-society-like-this-there-is-no-negot_1148347.png" --- # In a society like this there is no negotiation, no… ![“In a society like this there is no negotiation, no discussion, except to tell you that power can crush you any time they want—not only you, your whole family and all people like you.” quote by Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/ai-weiwei-824_crush_in-a-society-like-this-there-is-no-negot_1148347.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/ai-weiwei-824_crush_in-a-society-like-this-there-is-no-negot_1148347.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cc/ai-weiwei-824_crush_in-a-society-like-this-there-is-no-negot_1148347.png) > “In a society like this there is no negotiation, no discussion, except to tell you that power can crush you any time they want—not only you, your whole family and all people like you.” [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power can dominate and oppress individuals and families without dialogue or negotiation. **In simple terms:** Power can crush people without discussion. Key Takeaway Recognize and resist oppressive power. Themes political oppression human rights social injustice Mood urgent defiant Type activist philosophical When to use this quote - activism - community organizing - legal advocacy - education programs Key Concepts authoritarianism surveillance Questions to Reflect On - What can you do to protect your community? - How does silence enable oppression? A Different Perspective Resistance can be dangerous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crush/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Negotiation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiation/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Whole family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-family/) ## Related quotes > [Police in China can do whatever they want; after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/police-in-china-can-do-whatever-they-want-after-81-days-in-arbitrary/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [Society, like nature, is one body, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-griffin/society-like-nature-is-one-body-really/) [Susan Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-griffin/) > [“Because language and society are so closely linked, it is possible, in some cases, to encourage social change by directing attention towards linguistic reflections…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-trudgill/because-language-and-society-are-so-closely-linked-it-is-possible-in/) Peter Trudgill > [I do not think you want too much sincerity in society. It would be like an iron girder in a house of cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-do-not-think-you-want-too-much-sincerity-in-society-it-would-be/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Whatever we, as prospective participants unaware of our specific features, would desire society to be like is what, morally speaking, we ought to institute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pogge/whatever-we-as-prospective-participants-unaware-of-our-specific/) [Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/) > [Traditional society was more like a set of concentric circles of meaningful structures, while modern man must learn how to find meaning in many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-illich/traditional-society-was-more-like-a-set-of-concentric-circles-of/) [Ivan Illich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-illich/) > [Society is like this card game here, cousin. 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However, just because you don't like it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nana-patekar/we-live-in-a-society-where-you-may-not-like-everything-that-is/) [Nana Patekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nana-patekar/) > [“National Sarcasm Society: Like We Need Your Support.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/national-sarcasm-society-like-we-need-your-support/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [We live in society. Our security is dependent on our position in society. So whether we like it or not, a certain amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-papian/we-live-in-society-our-security-is-dependent-on-our-position-in/) [Ruben Papian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-papian/) > [If we were in India now, there would be servants standing in the corners of this room and I wouldn't notice them. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/if-we-were-in-india-now-there-would-be-servants-standing-in-the/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) ## More by Ai Weiwei > [I'm totally independent. I don't bear any responsibility to any system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-m-totally-independent-i-don-t-bear-any-responsibility-to-any-system/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [If my art has nothing to do with people's pain and sorrow, what is 'art' for?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/if-my-art-has-nothing-to-do-with-people-s-pain-and-sorrow-what-is-art/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Police in China can do whatever they want; after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/police-in-china-can-do-whatever-they-want-after-81-days-in-arbitrary/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [China has a rich history that has spanned millennia. It consists of the histories of many nations and regions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/china-has-a-rich-history-that-has-spanned-millennia-it-consists-of/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [This world should be much more open and should be much more free, so the young people would have the chance to exercise the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/this-world-should-be-much-more-open-and-should-be-much-more-free-so/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [By participating in the society we live in, we understand our conditions and the way we relate to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/by-participating-in-the-society-we-live-in-we-understand-our/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I see the Beijing National Stadium as an architectural project. I accepted Herzog and De Meuron's invitation to collaborate on the design, and our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-see-the-beijing-national-stadium-as-an-architectural-project-i/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [ I curated this show \[Shanghai Biennale \], I was by no means trying to shock people or be controversial. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-curated-this-show-shanghai-biennale-i-was-by-no-means-trying-to/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I think we cannot have a double standard. We cannot see our art as different from the reality. We cannot use two different sets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-think-we-cannot-have-a-double-standard-we-cannot-see-our-art-as/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [It doesn't matter where I am - China will stay in me. I don't know how far I can still walk on this road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/it-doesn-t-matter-where-i-am-china-will-stay-in-me-i-don-t-know-how/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Chinese citizens have never had the right to really express their opinions; in the constitution it says you can, but in the real world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/chinese-citizens-have-never-had-the-right-to-really-express-their/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Your own acts tell the world who you are and what kind of society you think it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/your-own-acts-tell-the-world-who-you-are-and-what-kind-of-society-you/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Our lives are bound by physical limits, familial ties, political conditions, and geographical restrictions. Individual freedom takes us beyond them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/our-lives-are-bound-by-physical-limits-familial-ties-political/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Now I've come to such a mixed culture: America, Europe, South America, Africa. And the politics are changing everywhere all the time and becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/now-i-ve-come-to-such-a-mixed-culture-america-europe-south-america/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [I don't think it's worth discussing new directions in the context of Chinese art - there were no old directions, either. Chinese art has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-don-t-think-it-s-worth-discussing-new-directions-in-the-context-of/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) [Explore all 359 Ai Weiwei quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) ## More Crush quotes > [Mortals are such fragile things. Just tender feelings walking around exposed in their delicate shells...Easy to crush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/mortals-are-such-fragile-things-just-tender-feelings-walking-around/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [Each child’s story is worthy of telling. There shouldn’t be a sliding scale of death. The weight of it is crushing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/each-child-s-story-is-worthy-of-telling-there-shouldn-t-be-a-sliding/) [Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/) > [I wish that I coul be her. but in the mean time dont forget about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzie-ann/i-wish-that-i-coul-be-her-but-in-the-mean-time-dont-forget-about-me/) [Kenzie-ann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzie-ann/) > [I had to smile when stories emerged questioning whether I was gay. 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Over the stove she had hung these old, maroon painted letters that spell out, “MANIFEST.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-laybourne/my-mom-believed-that-you-make-your-own-luck-over-the-stove-she-had/) [Emmy Laybourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-laybourne/) > [I'm very disturbed to find out that the leader of the Townies has a soul and I'm beginning to develop a bit of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/i-m-very-disturbed-to-find-out-that-the-leader-of-the-townies-has-a/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“Connor Crane was currently the secret crush of half the female HHH population. And a couple of the males, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-halliday/connor-crane-was-currently-the-secret-crush-of-half-the-female-hhh/) [Gemma Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-halliday/) > [My dream would be to hear rocks at my window n to look out and see u just standing there, in the pouring rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blondie/my-dream-would-be-to-hear-rocks-at-my-window-n-to-look-out-and-see-u/) [Blondie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blondie/) > [Tireless passion, fierce jealousy, longing to possess and crush-these alone were left of all his love for Rosalind; these remained to him as payment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/tireless-passion-fierce-jealousy-longing-to-possess-and-crush-these/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [He sank into the rocking chair, the same one in which Rebecca had sat during the early days of the house to give embroidery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/he-sank-into-the-rocking-chair-the-same-one-in-which-rebecca-had-sat/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [...It's an unmeetable level of writing. But even if it's something I feel like I can't ever attain, it doesn't crush my spirit. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-banks/it-s-an-unmeetable-level-of-writing-but-even-if-it-s-something-i-feel/) [Paul Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-banks/) > [Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs. 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