--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we really need to be understanding…" description: "\"What we really need to be understanding is that all of these things matter and they all stem from the fact that certain people live with power and auth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/anita-hill-15394_authority_what-we-really-need-to-be-understanding_633073.png" --- # What we really need to be understanding is that all of… ![“What we really need to be understanding is that all of these things matter and they all stem from the fact that certain people live with power and authority and they want to maintain it” quote by Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/anita-hill-15394_authority_what-we-really-need-to-be-understanding_633073.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/anita-hill-15394_authority_what-we-really-need-to-be-understanding_633073.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/anita-hill-15394_authority_what-we-really-need-to-be-understanding_633073.png) > “What we really need to be understanding is that all of these things matter and they all stem from the fact that certain people live with power and authority and they want to maintain it” [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Powerful individuals often protect their status, causing widespread issues that affect many people. **In simple terms:** People in power keep things the way they are, harming others. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge entrenched authority. Themes power authority social justice inequality Mood concerned determined Type political social commentary When to use this quote - policy reform - activism - community organizing - legal advocacy Key Concepts political science ethics systemic oppression Questions to Reflect On - How does authority shape everyday life? - What can individuals do to shift power dynamics? A Different Perspective Power structures can be resistant to change despite pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [We believe that the people are the source of all governmental power; that the authority of the people is to be extended, not restricted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-jordan/we-believe-that-the-people-are-the-source-of-all-governmental-power/) [Barbara Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-jordan/) > [The power of authority is never more subtle and effective than when it produces a psychological atmosphere or climate favorable to the life of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-balfour/the-power-of-authority-is-never-more-subtle-and-effective-than-when/) [Arthur Balfour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-balfour/) > [When people in authority want the rest of us to behave, it matters-first and foremost-how they behave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-people-in-authority-want-the-rest-of-us-to-behave-it-matters-3/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“When people in authority want the rest of us to behave, it matters—first and foremost—how they behave. This is called the “principle of legitimacy,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-people-in-authority-want-the-rest-of-us-to-behave-it-matters/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“When people in authority want the rest of us to behave, it matters - first and foremost - how they behave. This is called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-people-in-authority-want-the-rest-of-us-to-behave-it-matters-2/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“His hand framed my face and his tone was edget with husky authority. "I want you, but only if you want me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/his-hand-framed-my-face-and-his-tone-was-edget-with-husky-authority-i/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [Cause even grown men need understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/cause-even-grown-men-need-understanding/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [We need to have an understanding of what causes what to happen in the world, and why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/we-need-to-have-an-understanding-of-what-causes-what-to-happen-in-the/) [Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/) > [I don't mean to be demanding but I need some understanding, I want to be with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-mean-to-be-demanding-but-i-need-some-understanding-i-want-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are an awful lot of things going on that need understanding and explanation, but - to put it mildly - the world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/there-are-an-awful-lot-of-things-going-on-that-need-understanding-and/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [“You don’t need to be too anxious about anything; you only need to get understanding!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/you-don-t-need-to-be-too-anxious-about-anything-you-only-need-to-get/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [It is not for us to judge those who might be confused or who have not the strength to change. What they need is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-b-ringger/it-is-not-for-us-to-judge-those-who-might-be-confused-or-who-have-not/) Hans B. Ringger > [You need those people to also have power and authority, and in a way that has been the story of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-ehrenreich/you-need-those-people-to-also-have-power-and-authority-and-in-a-way/) [Alden Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-ehrenreich/) > [My relationship to power and authority is that I'm all for it. People need somebody to watch over them. Ninety-five percent of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/my-relationship-to-power-and-authority-is-that-i-m-all-for-it-people/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [“Don’t mistake me,” Jasnah continued. “Some kinds of power are real—power to command armies, power to Soulcast. These come into play far less often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/don-t-mistake-me-jasnah-continued-some-kinds-of-power-are-real-power/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## More by Anita Hill > [It would have been more comfortable to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/it-would-have-been-more-comfortable-to-remain-silent/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [Telling the world is the most difficult experience of my life, but it is very close to having to live through the experience that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/telling-the-world-is-the-most-difficult-experience-of-my-life-but-it/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [we need to turn the question around to look at the harasser, not the target. We need to be sure that we can go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/we-need-to-turn-the-question-around-to-look-at-the-harasser-not-the/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [Most women who are harassed don't come forward, they don't complain because they're skeptical of the process, or they don't think anything is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/most-women-who-are-harassed-don-t-come-forward-they-don-t-complain/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I became the messenger who had to be killed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-became-the-messenger-who-had-to-be-killed/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [If I can mean to people - if I can symbolize the ability to pursue gender equality, racial equality, and to be truthful about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/if-i-can-mean-to-people-if-i-can-symbolize-the-ability-to-pursue/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [The real problem is that the way that power is given out in our society pits us against each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/the-real-problem-is-that-the-way-that-power-is-given-out-in-our/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [When I think of what has happened in a larger sense, beyond myself, then I would not change anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/when-i-think-of-what-has-happened-in-a-larger-sense-beyond-myself/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I have no personal vendetta against Clarence Thomas. I seek only to provide the committee with information which it may regard as relevant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-have-no-personal-vendetta-against-clarence-thomas-i-seek-only-to/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I was aware, however, that telling at any point in my career could adversely affect my future career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-was-aware-however-that-telling-at-any-point-in-my-career-could/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I see myself as an educator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-see-myself-as-an-educator/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [The experience of testifying and the aftermath have changed my life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/the-experience-of-testifying-and-the-aftermath-have-changed-my-life/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I resent the idea that people would blame the messenger for the message, rather than looking at the content of the message itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-resent-the-idea-that-people-would-blame-the-messenger-for-the/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [calls for equal treatment are often seen as calls for 'special treatment' in situations where discrimination has become the norm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/calls-for-equal-treatment-are-often-seen-as-calls-for-special/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I am really proud to be a part in whatever way of women becoming active in the political scene. I think it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-am-really-proud-to-be-a-part-in-whatever-way-of-women-becoming/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) [Explore all 43 Anita Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) [Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What we really need to be understanding is that all of these things matter and they all stem from the fact that certain people live with power and authority and they want to maintain it", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anita Hill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/what-we-really-need-to-be-understanding-is-that-all-of-these-things/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Authority" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/what-we-really-need-to-be-understanding-is-that-all-of-these-things/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/anita-hill-15394_authority_what-we-really-need-to-be-understanding_633073.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/anita-hill-15394_authority_what-we-really-need-to-be-understanding_633073.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/anita-hill-15394_authority_what-we-really-need-to-be-understanding_633073.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What we really need to be understanding is that all of these things matter and they all stem from the fact…” — Anita Hill", "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": "Anita Hill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What we really need to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/what-we-really-need-to-be-understanding-is-that-all-of-these-things/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/what-we-really-need-to-be-understanding-is-that-all-of-these-things/#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 } } ] } ```