--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: During the first day, curious at having…" description: "\"During the first day, curious at having outsiders among them, a long stream of inmates came over and talked with me. Remarkably, according to what they..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/alan-alda-1859_awful_during-the-first-day-curious-at-having-o_2623930.png" --- # During the first day, curious at having outsiders among… ![“During the first day, curious at having outsiders among them, a long stream of inmates came over and talked with me. Remarkably, according to what they told me, nearly every inmate in the prison didn't do it. Several thousand people had been locked up unjustly and, by an incredible coincidence…” quote by Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/alan-alda-1859_awful_during-the-first-day-curious-at-having-o_2623930.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/alan-alda-1859_awful_during-the-first-day-curious-at-having-o_2623930.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/alan-alda-1859_awful_during-the-first-day-curious-at-having-o_2623930.png) > “During the first day, curious at having outsiders among them, a long stream of inmates came over and talked with me. Remarkably, according to what they told me, nearly every inmate in the prison didn't do it. Several thousand people had been locked up unjustly and, by an incredible coincidence, all in the same prison. On the other hand, they knew an awful lot about how to knife somebody.” [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many inmates claim wrongful imprisonment yet possess knowledge of violence, highlighting systemic contradictions. **In simple terms:** Inmates claim injustice while knowing violent methods. Key Takeaway Address systemic flaws and rehabilitation. Themes justice contradiction systemic failure Mood critical analytical Type social political When to use this quote - legal advocacy - rehabilitation programs Key Concepts prison reform ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can reforms balance safety and fairness? - What drives inmates to share violent knowledge? A Different Perspective Complexity of guilt vs. innocence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awful/) [Coincidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coincidence/) [Coincidence Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coincidence-prison-2134360/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Curious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious/) [First Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-day/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Incredibles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incredibles/) [Inmates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inmates/) [Inmates Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inmates-came-2134359/) [Knives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knives/) [Locked up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locked-up/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Outsiders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outsiders/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Prison Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison-didn-2094276/) [Streams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streams/) [Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand/) ## Related quotes > [I've worked in the prison system for five years, and most of those folks in prison didn't have a direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stedman-graham/i-ve-worked-in-the-prison-system-for-five-years-and-most-of-those/) [Stedman Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stedman-graham/) > [I escaped my destiny. 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You get there by carrying a canoe - you can't take a taxi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/originality-is-unexplored-territory-you-get-there-by-carrying-a-canoe/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [It's always better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-always-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [M\*A\*S\*H' was a collection of people, in front of and behind the cameras, that really clicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/m-a-s-h-was-a-collection-of-people-in-front-of-and-behind-the-cameras/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [“Be brave enough to live creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. 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