--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [Prison] relieves us of the…" description: "\"“[Prison] relieves us of the responsibility of seriously engaging with the problems of our society, especially those produced by racism and, increasing..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/816/angela-y-davis-34412_capitalism_prison-relieves-us-of-the-responsibility_3003925.jpg" --- # \[Prison\] relieves us of the responsibility of seriously… ![“[Prison] relieves us of the responsibility of seriously engaging with the problems of our society, especially those produced by racism and, increasingly, global capitalism.” quote by Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/816/angela-y-davis-34412_capitalism_prison-relieves-us-of-the-responsibility_3003925.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/816/angela-y-davis-34412_capitalism_prison-relieves-us-of-the-responsibility_3003925.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/816/angela-y-davis-34412_capitalism_prison-relieves-us-of-the-responsibility_3003925.jpg) > ““\[Prison\] relieves us of the responsibility of seriously engaging with the problems of our society, especially those produced by racism and, increasingly, global capitalism.”” [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prison diverts responsibility from confronting systemic racism and capitalism. **In simple terms:** Prison avoids confronting injustice. Key Takeaway Address root causes of oppression. Themes justice racism capitalism incarceration Mood urgent hopeful Type activist reformative When to use this quote - policy making - activism - community organizing - education Key Concepts systemic oppression social reform Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives to prison could protect society? - How can we hold individuals accountable without incarceration? A Different Perspective Abolition may overlook immediate safety concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Prison Relieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison-relieves-4782594/) [Prisons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisons/) [Problems Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems-society-258356/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Racism Increasingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism-increasingly-4782595/) [Relieves Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relieves-responsibility-1056507/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Sociology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sociology/) ## Related quotes > [Heredity is a splendid phenomenon that relieves us of responsibility for our shortcomings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/heredity-is-a-splendid-phenomenon-that-relieves-us-of-responsibility/) [Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/) > [One of the greatest sources of problems in our society arises from people having loads of wrong theories in their heads - often theories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/one-of-the-greatest-sources-of-problems-in-our-society-arises-from/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [Unless we can join forces and recognize each other's humanity, how can we do business together, let alone make progress on the increasingly complex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lubetzky/unless-we-can-join-forces-and-recognize-each-other-s-humanity-how-can/) [Daniel Lubetzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lubetzky/) > [I think the idea that the systemic problems in a society lead to illness is important to know. We shouldn't be separating out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-rankine/i-think-the-idea-that-the-systemic-problems-in-a-society-lead-to/) [Claudia Rankine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-rankine/) > [I think that there are so many problems that we have as a society that AI can help us address.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-etzioni/i-think-that-there-are-so-many-problems-that-we-have-as-a-society/) [Oren Etzioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-etzioni/) > [“I think we have gone through a period when too many children and people have been given to understand 'I have a problem, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-think-we-have-gone-through-a-period-when-too-many-children-and/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [A lot of problems in the society exist because we don't talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anubhav-sinha/a-lot-of-problems-in-the-society-exist-because-we-don-t-talk-about-it/) [Anubhav Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anubhav-sinha/) > [One of the real problems of society is that its far too atomized, what sociologists call secondary associations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/one-of-the-real-problems-of-society-is-that-its-far-too-atomized-what/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I thought to myself: What are the most important problems that society faces that I could contribute to? 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If you're trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/when-all-you-can-think-of-is-your-own-personal-problems-you-have/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Education will not cure all the problems of society, but without it no cure for any problem is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/education-will-not-cure-all-the-problems-of-society-but-without-it-no/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [With my first album, I was just simply trying to highlight problems within society and put it into pop songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/with-my-first-album-i-was-just-simply-trying-to-highlight-problems/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [Television and radio do a wonderful job in focusing attention on the problems of our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-daley/television-and-radio-do-a-wonderful-job-in-focusing-attention-on-the/) [Richard J. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-daley/) > [We should get rid of the SAT as fast as we can. Look, there are bigger problems in society. This is not the biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-katzman/we-should-get-rid-of-the-sat-as-fast-as-we-can-look-there-are-bigger/) [John Katzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-katzman/) ## More by Angela Y. Davis > [“The process of trying to assimilate into an existing category in many ways runs counter to efforts to produce radical or revolutionary results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/the-process-of-trying-to-assimilate-into-an-existing-category-in-many/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“When Obama was elected president, a prisoner said “one black man in the White House doesn’t make up for one million black men in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/when-obama-was-elected-president-a-prisoner-said-one-black-man-in-the/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“This is central to the development of feminist abolitionist theories and practices: we have to learn how to think and act and struggle against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/this-is-central-to-the-development-of-feminist-abolitionist-theories/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“YA DA DO (Lovie Austin) Every evenin’ ’bout half past four Sweet piano playin’ near my door And turn to raggin’, you never heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/ya-da-do-lovie-austin-every-evenin-bout-half-past-four-sweet-piano/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“Our histories never unfold in isolation. We cannot truly tell what we consider to be our own histories without knowing the other stories. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/our-histories-never-unfold-in-isolation-we-cannot-truly-tell-what-we/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“Neoliberal ideology drives us to focus on individuals, ourselves, individual victims, individual perpetrators. 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Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“In a racist society it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/in-a-racist-society-it-is-not-enough-to-be-non-racist-we-must-be-anti/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“even when police are indicted, we cannot be certain that change is on the agenda. There”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/even-when-police-are-indicted-we-cannot-be-certain-that-change-is-on/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“the struggle for an abolitionist democracy is aspiring to create the institutions that will truly allow for a democratic society. What”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/the-struggle-for-an-abolitionist-democracy-is-aspiring-to-create-the/) [Angela Y. 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