--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is what people have been missing…" description: "\"This is what people have been missing: politics shouldn't be about the dour cultishness and pomposity that dominated the left for decades - it should b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/ash-sarkar-13807_joyful_this-is-what-people-have-been-missing-po_1574261.jpg" --- # This is what people have been missing: politics shouldn't… ![“This is what people have been missing: politics shouldn't be about the dour cultishness and pomposity that dominated the left for decades - it should be joyful and exuberant.” quote by Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/ash-sarkar-13807_joyful_this-is-what-people-have-been-missing-po_1574261.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/ash-sarkar-13807_joyful_this-is-what-people-have-been-missing-po_1574261.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/ash-sarkar-13807_joyful_this-is-what-people-have-been-missing-po_1574261.jpg) > “This is what people have been missing: politics shouldn't be about the dour cultishness and pomposity that dominated the left for decades - it should be joyful and exuberant.” [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politics should be vibrant and joyful rather than grim and dogmatic, encouraging exuberant participation **In simple terms:** Politics should be fun and lively Key Takeaway Embrace joy in political engagement Themes politics joy culture Mood hopeful inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - Campaign rallies - community meetings - social media activism - grassroots organizing Key Concepts Democratic participation civic enthusiasm Questions to Reflect On - How can joy be integrated without undermining seriousness? - What examples show effective joyful political movements? A Different Perspective Joyful politics may be dismissed as lacking seriousness ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decades Joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades-joyful-5933052/) [Dominated Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dominated-left-5933051/) [Joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joyful/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Left Decades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-decades-5933050/) [Missing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missing/) [Missing Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missing-politics-4337675/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Politics Shouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-shouldn-2278130/) ## Related quotes > [What the left ends up missing is that politics have always been at the heart of American culture; it's been a white identity that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/what-the-left-ends-up-missing-is-that-politics-have-always-been-at/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [What I hope is that politics shouldn't be dominated by the pro-Chinese elite; it should be related to everyone's daily life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/what-i-hope-is-that-politics-shouldn-t-be-dominated-by-the-pro/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [If I'm lucky enough to be involved in the Academy Awards in the future, I'll just let people make up their decision without being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/if-i-m-lucky-enough-to-be-involved-in-the-academy-awards-in-the/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [After a great deal of thought and discussions with my family, I have decided not to seek re-election in 2014. Politics shouldn't be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-runyan/after-a-great-deal-of-thought-and-discussions-with-my-family-i-have/) [Jon Runyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-runyan/) > [The main topic I'm always talking about is equality, and I get that it's politics, but it shouldn't be. It should be the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conchita-wurst/the-main-topic-i-m-always-talking-about-is-equality-and-i-get-that-it/) [Conchita Wurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conchita-wurst/) > [A father may turn his back on his child, brothers and sisters may become inveterate enemies, husbands may desert their wives, wives their husbands.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/a-father-may-turn-his-back-on-his-child-brothers-and-sisters-may/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/laughter-is-immeasurable-be-joyful/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“Don't feel bad if your youth cannot be joyful, but at least make it useful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-feel-bad-if-your-youth-cannot-be-joyful-but-at-least-make-it/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars-and if you have eyes you will be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/look-at-the-trees-look-at-the-birds-look-at-the-clouds-look-at-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Treat your eyeballs to people who are truly joyful, escapist or interesting for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasia-demetriou/treat-your-eyeballs-to-people-who-are-truly-joyful-escapist-or/) [Natasia Demetriou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasia-demetriou/) > [“Spend more time doing things that make you forget about the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/spend-more-time-doing-things-that-make-you-forget-about-the-time/) [Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/) > [That joyful moment when you and your friend get the same grade as you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/that-joyful-moment-when-you-and-your-friend-get-the-same-grade-as-you/) [Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/) > [Joy:show joy & enjoy: then others will be joyful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/joy-show-joy-enjoy-then-others-will-be-joyful/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [The future teachers I try to recruit are those show have refused to let themselves be neutered in this way, either in their private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/the-future-teachers-i-try-to-recruit-are-those-show-have-refused-to/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [ In a moment comes either death or joyful victory. \[Lat., Horae Momento cita mors venit aut victoria laeta.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/in-a-moment-comes-either-death-or-joyful-victory-lat-horae-momento/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) ## More by Ash Sarkar > [But communism is the only thing which says all things should be brought into the hands of commons to benefit all people. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/but-communism-is-the-only-thing-which-says-all-things-should-be/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [The reason Brexiteers have been so effective is that they have made the fight about broad political values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/the-reason-brexiteers-have-been-so-effective-is-that-they-have-made/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [As a long-termist, I acknowledge there are more pressing causes than the abolition of private property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/as-a-long-termist-i-acknowledge-there-are-more-pressing-causes-than/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [Britain's done a lot of changing in the past 50 years. The decline of manufacturing and heavy industry under Margaret Thatcher ripped the economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/britain-s-done-a-lot-of-changing-in-the-past-50-years-the-decline-of/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [Our priorities are all wrong if we only care about how long people are in prison for, and not what goes on inside them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/our-priorities-are-all-wrong-if-we-only-care-about-how-long-people/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [It is up to us to push for a transformation in political culture in which the basic human dignity of migrants is unequivocally respected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/it-is-up-to-us-to-push-for-a-transformation-in-political-culture-in/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [International Women's Day, if it is to claim any kind of political relevance, has to reject ladies' Christmas consumerism and lowest-common-denominator universalism. Look beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/international-women-s-day-if-it-is-to-claim-any-kind-of-political/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [Not all cultural borrowing is a form of social violence: some of it is just cringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/not-all-cultural-borrowing-is-a-form-of-social-violence-some-of-it-is/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [As in health, so in crime - prevention is better than cure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/as-in-health-so-in-crime-prevention-is-better-than-cure/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [The launch of the National Health Service in 1948, one of the world's foremost examples of something being decommodified in the interest of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/the-launch-of-the-national-health-service-in-1948-one-of-the-world-s/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [Offering a politician's non-apology that accepts everything but responsibility isn't the same as accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/offering-a-politician-s-non-apology-that-accepts-everything-but/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [Ezra Pound was a pioneer of the most exciting aesthetic movement of the 20th century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/ezra-pound-was-a-pioneer-of-the-most-exciting-aesthetic-movement-of/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [The demand for adequate social housing provision is something that transcends race, religion and settled status.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/the-demand-for-adequate-social-housing-provision-is-something-that/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [Immigration has tremendously changed the fabric of this country. Immigration is what built our NHS, when Britain invited people from the Commonwealth, from nations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/immigration-has-tremendously-changed-the-fabric-of-this-country/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [No one but the ruling class wins in a culture war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/no-one-but-the-ruling-class-wins-in-a-culture-war/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) [Explore all 49 Ash Sarkar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) ## More Joyful quotes > [ In a moment comes either death or joyful victory. \[Lat., Horae Momento cita mors venit aut victoria laeta.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/in-a-moment-comes-either-death-or-joyful-victory-lat-horae-momento/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [The future teachers I try to recruit are those show have refused to let themselves be neutered in this way, either in their private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/the-future-teachers-i-try-to-recruit-are-those-show-have-refused-to/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [Joy:show joy & enjoy: then others will be joyful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/joy-show-joy-enjoy-then-others-will-be-joyful/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [That joyful moment when you and your friend get the same grade as you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/that-joyful-moment-when-you-and-your-friend-get-the-same-grade-as-you/) [Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/) > [“Spend more time doing things that make you forget about the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/spend-more-time-doing-things-that-make-you-forget-about-the-time/) [Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/) > [Treat your eyeballs to people who are truly joyful, escapist or interesting for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasia-demetriou/treat-your-eyeballs-to-people-who-are-truly-joyful-escapist-or/) [Natasia Demetriou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasia-demetriou/) > [Look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars-and if you have eyes you will be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/look-at-the-trees-look-at-the-birds-look-at-the-clouds-look-at-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“Don't feel bad if your youth cannot be joyful, but at least make it useful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-feel-bad-if-your-youth-cannot-be-joyful-but-at-least-make-it/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/laughter-is-immeasurable-be-joyful/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [A father may turn his back on his child, brothers and sisters may become inveterate enemies, husbands may desert their wives, wives their husbands.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/a-father-may-turn-his-back-on-his-child-brothers-and-sisters-may/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [To be quite honest, the joyful relief of the publication of my book was short-lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-knox/to-be-quite-honest-the-joyful-relief-of-the-publication-of-my-book/) [Amanda Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-knox/) > [I am learning how to be angry and sad and lonely and joyful and excited and afraid and happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-am-learning-how-to-be-angry-and-sad-and-lonely-and-joyful-and/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [Spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/spring-work-is-going-on-with-joyful-enthusiasm/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [The law of giving and receiving is fundamental, and relates just as much to God as it does to us. As we go through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selwyn-hughes/the-law-of-giving-and-receiving-is-fundamental-and-relates-just-as/) [Selwyn Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selwyn-hughes/) > [“Be joyful in tribulations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/be-joyful-in-tribulations/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) [Browse all 731 Joyful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joyful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This is what people have been missing: politics shouldn't be about the dour cultishness and pomposity that dominated the left for decades - it should be joyful and exuberant.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ash Sarkar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/this-is-what-people-have-been-missing-politics-shouldn-t-be-about-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Joyful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/this-is-what-people-have-been-missing-politics-shouldn-t-be-about-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/ash-sarkar-13807_joyful_this-is-what-people-have-been-missing-po_1574261.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/ash-sarkar-13807_joyful_this-is-what-people-have-been-missing-po_1574261.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/ash-sarkar-13807_joyful_this-is-what-people-have-been-missing-po_1574261.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This is what people have been missing: politics shouldn't be about the dour cultishness and pomposity that…” — Ash Sarkar", "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": "Ash Sarkar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "This is what people have been...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/this-is-what-people-have-been-missing-politics-shouldn-t-be-about-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/this-is-what-people-have-been-missing-politics-shouldn-t-be-about-the/#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 } } ] } ```