--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sucking up to the biggies won't get us…" description: "\"Sucking up to the biggies won't get us anywhere.\" — Alice Walker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/alice-walker-347_anywhere_sucking-up-to-the-biggies-won-t-get-us-a_2890376.png" --- # Sucking up to the biggies won't get us anywhere. ![“Sucking up to the biggies won't get us anywhere.” quote by Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/alice-walker-347_anywhere_sucking-up-to-the-biggies-won-t-get-us-a_2890376.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/alice-walker-347_anywhere_sucking-up-to-the-biggies-won-t-get-us-a_2890376.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/alice-walker-347_anywhere_sucking-up-to-the-biggies-won-t-get-us-a_2890376.png) > “Sucking up to the biggies won't get us anywhere.” [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Flattering powerful people won’t lead to genuine progress. **In simple terms:** Sucking up doesn’t help. Key Takeaway Seek authentic influence, not flattery. Themes power authenticity social change Mood critical motivational Type social political When to use this quote - activism - community organizing - leadership training Key Concepts integrity political action Questions to Reflect On - How to influence without compromising values? - What alternatives to flattery exist? A Different Perspective May overlook strategic networking benefits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anywhere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anywhere/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Sucking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sucking/) [Sucking Biggies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sucking-biggies-4055896/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) ## Related quotes > [We, the artists, make the stuff they sell and they're like ticks on our backs, sucking the life out of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-wilson/we-the-artists-make-the-stuff-they-sell-and-they-re-like-ticks-on-our/) [Malcolm Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-wilson/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [Whatever your situation might be, set your mind to whatever you want to do and put a good attitude in it, and I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/whatever-your-situation-might-be-set-your-mind-to-whatever-you-want/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [Once I get out onstage, it's the same sort of basic production that it is anywhere else. But I might be a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-snow/once-i-get-out-onstage-it-s-the-same-sort-of-basic-production-that-it/) [Phoebe Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-snow/) > [You don't get anywhere unless you've had a little bit of a complicated life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/you-don-t-get-anywhere-unless-you-ve-had-a-little-bit-of-a/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [It's safe to say that if sucking it in were a sport, I'd be an Olympian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-safe-to-say-that-if-sucking-it-in-were-a-sport-i-d-be-an-olympian/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I tried it a few times but didn't see the point. I'm Zach Braff. What the fudge do I need a team for besides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-tried-it-a-few-times-but-didn-t-see-the-point-i-m-zach-braff-what/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I always thought of vampires, especially the young-adult ones, as a metaphor for sex - sucking blood, forbidden, taboo. I think they just ooze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-de-la-cruz/i-always-thought-of-vampires-especially-the-young-adult-ones-as-a/) [Melissa de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-de-la-cruz/) > [“I hope this will buy me all the questions I want—and your discretion.” She chucked the clean half of the leg onto the pile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/i-hope-this-will-buy-me-all-the-questions-i-want-and-your-discretion/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [We're doing the Twyla, not Twilight, so stop sucking!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisi-harrison/we-re-doing-the-twyla-not-twilight-so-stop-sucking/) [Lisi Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisi-harrison/) > [You can't survive by sucking the juice from a wet mitten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schulz/you-can-t-survive-by-sucking-the-juice-from-a-wet-mitten/) [Charles M. Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schulz/) > [“But beneath them all, at the very bottom of the stack, is a worn and slightly tattered magazine called African Mamas Sucking Hog. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-dubus-iii/but-beneath-them-all-at-the-very-bottom-of-the-stack-is-a-worn-and/) [Andre Dubus III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-dubus-iii/) > [“Sucking the fun out of life has always been an important component of politics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/sucking-the-fun-out-of-life-has-always-been-an-important-component-of/) [P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/) > [With the 'Watchmen' comic, we attempted to tell it in an accessible way. I deliberately made the artwork very clear, deceptively so. You think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gibbons/with-the-watchmen-comic-we-attempted-to-tell-it-in-an-accessible-way/) [Dave Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gibbons/) > [“I can't stand a man who fawns, you know what I mean? I can't stand a man sucking up to me, but he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/i-can-t-stand-a-man-who-fawns-you-know-what-i-mean-i-can-t-stand-a/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) ## More by Alice Walker > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Just be what it is that you are, and that is just fine. You don't have to be what you're not in any way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/just-be-what-it-is-that-you-are-and-that-is-just-fine-you-don-t-have/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Remember this-- say it & know it is true: Alice loves me Alice loves me and I am not blamed for this. ... she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/remember-this-say-it-know-it-is-true-alice-loves-me-alice-loves-me/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Only the sky above us do we hold in common.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/only-the-sky-above-us-do-we-hold-in-common/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Why aren't you happy in America, if everyone there drives motorcars?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/why-aren-t-you-happy-in-america-if-everyone-there-drives-motorcars/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“She saw poetry where other writers merely saw failure to cope with English.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/she-saw-poetry-where-other-writers-merely-saw-failure-to-cope-with/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [My mother had handed down respect for the possibilities...and the will to grasp them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-had-handed-down-respect-for-the-possibilities-and-the-will/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Helped are those who are content to be themselves; they will never lack mystery in their lives and the joys of self-discovery will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/helped-are-those-who-are-content-to-be-themselves-they-will-never/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“As others might prepare for an exam whose subject matter is unknown to them, so I must study, cram, for every conversation with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/as-others-might-prepare-for-an-exam-whose-subject-matter-is-unknown/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The original crime of niggers and lesbians is that they prefer themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-original-crime-of-niggers-and-lesbians-is-that-they-prefer/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [My mother was very strong. Once, she picked up a coconut and smashed it against my father's head. It taught me about women defending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-was-very-strong-once-she-picked-up-a-coconut-and-smashed-it/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Many readers fail to realize this, but 'The Color Purple' is a theological text. It is about the reclamation of one's original God: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/many-readers-fail-to-realize-this-but-the-color-purple-is-a/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The good news may be that Nature is phasing out the white man, but the bad news is that's who She thinks we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-good-news-may-be-that-nature-is-phasing-out-the-white-man-but-the/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Humans - whatever billions we are - we don't have the control. We are considered expendable, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/humans-whatever-billions-we-are-we-don-t-have-the-control-we-are/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my uncles. I had to fight my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/all-my-life-i-had-to-fight-i-had-to-fight-my-daddy-i-had-to-fight-my/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) [Explore all 654 Alice Walker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## More Anywhere quotes > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [If there is a record I don't have, I haven't heard it yet. My collection is always growing, but I can't really play it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grandmaster-flash/if-there-is-a-record-i-don-t-have-i-haven-t-heard-it-yet-my/) [Grandmaster Flash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grandmaster-flash/) > [My love of music has been ever-growing, and to live in Music City - I don't want to live anywhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-palladio/my-love-of-music-has-been-ever-growing-and-to-live-in-music-city-i/) [Sam Palladio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-palladio/) > [There is only one position for an artist anywhere; and that is upright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-thomas/there-is-only-one-position-for-an-artist-anywhere-and-that-is-upright/) [Dylan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-thomas/) > [You don't get anywhere unless you've had a little bit of a complicated life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/you-don-t-get-anywhere-unless-you-ve-had-a-little-bit-of-a/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Once I get out onstage, it's the same sort of basic production that it is anywhere else. But I might be a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-snow/once-i-get-out-onstage-it-s-the-same-sort-of-basic-production-that-it/) [Phoebe Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-snow/) > [I am a wire-walker. I can walk any time, anywhere - I'm indestructible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-petit/i-am-a-wire-walker-i-can-walk-any-time-anywhere-i-m-indestructible/) [Philippe Petit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-petit/) > [If you can make it as a children's party fairy, you can make it anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-snook/if-you-can-make-it-as-a-children-s-party-fairy-you-can-make-it/) [Sarah Snook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-snook/) > [My parents said that sitting at home playing video games all day won't bring you anywhere in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pewdiepie/my-parents-said-that-sitting-at-home-playing-video-games-all-day-won/) [PewDiePie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pewdiepie/) > [Land ownership in Guatemala is more unequal than anywhere else in Latin America. Roughly 90 percent of Guatemalan farms are too small to support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/land-ownership-in-guatemala-is-more-unequal-than-anywhere-else-in/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [I'm always thinking as an outsider, and I'm always mindful of whether a company can be impactful on a global basis. Frankly, I'm paranoid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-rimer/i-m-always-thinking-as-an-outsider-and-i-m-always-mindful-of-whether/) [Danny Rimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-rimer/) > [I'm a fan boy when it comes to Michael Buble. He's just so good at 'it'. He's got a voice of this generation, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-williams/i-m-a-fan-boy-when-it-comes-to-michael-buble-he-s-just-so-good-at-it/) [Robbie Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-williams/) > ['Back to Blood' really took it out of me. While I was writing it, I just never went out anywhere, except to the gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wolfe/back-to-blood-really-took-it-out-of-me-while-i-was-writing-it-i-just/) [Tom Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wolfe/) > [I didn't go to school, because I never stayed anywhere long enough, so I was completely closed off from the outside world. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neon-hitch/i-didn-t-go-to-school-because-i-never-stayed-anywhere-long-enough-so/) [Neon Hitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neon-hitch/) > [I'm a Buckeye at heart. I spend more time giving concerts in Ohio than I do in any other state - perhaps more time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-m-a-buckeye-at-heart-i-spend-more-time-giving-concerts-in-ohio-than/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) [Browse all 745 Anywhere quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anywhere/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sucking up to the biggies won't get us anywhere.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alice Walker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/sucking-up-to-the-biggies-won-t-get-us-anywhere/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anywhere" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/sucking-up-to-the-biggies-won-t-get-us-anywhere/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/alice-walker-347_anywhere_sucking-up-to-the-biggies-won-t-get-us-a_2890376.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/alice-walker-347_anywhere_sucking-up-to-the-biggies-won-t-get-us-a_2890376.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f0/alice-walker-347_anywhere_sucking-up-to-the-biggies-won-t-get-us-a_2890376.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sucking up to the biggies won't get us anywhere.” — Alice Walker", "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": "Alice Walker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sucking up to the biggies won't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/sucking-up-to-the-biggies-won-t-get-us-anywhere/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/sucking-up-to-the-biggies-won-t-get-us-anywhere/#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 } } ] } ```