--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We live in a society that refuses to set…" description: "\"We live in a society that refuses to set a standard for what we will allow American entertainment to expose to our children. I think we need to set a s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/bakari-kitwana-29059_children_we-live-in-a-society-that-refuses-to-set_2999580.jpg" --- # We live in a society that refuses to set a standard for… ![“We live in a society that refuses to set a standard for what we will allow American entertainment to expose to our children. I think we need to set a standard that is entertainment industry wide, not just limited to hip-hop.” quote by Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/bakari-kitwana-29059_children_we-live-in-a-society-that-refuses-to-set_2999580.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/bakari-kitwana-29059_children_we-live-in-a-society-that-refuses-to-set_2999580.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/bakari-kitwana-29059_children_we-live-in-a-society-that-refuses-to-set_2999580.jpg) > “We live in a society that refuses to set a standard for what we will allow American entertainment to expose to our children. I think we need to set a standard that is entertainment industry wide, not just limited to hip-hop.” [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society must set universal entertainment standards for children, not just genre‑specific limits. **In simple terms:** Need broad media standards for kids. Key Takeaway Advocate for industry‑wide content guidelines. Themes media standards children entertainment Mood critical concerned Type social political When to use this quote - parenting - policy making - media criticism Key Concepts censorship cultural impact Questions to Reflect On - What standards should protect children? - How to balance creativity and safety? A Different Perspective Industry resistance may be strong. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Entertainment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertainment/) [Entertainment industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertainment-industry/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Why does there exist a global American entertainment industry, but there isn't an equivalent coming from France or Italy? This is the case simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/why-does-there-exist-a-global-american-entertainment-industry-but/) [Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/) > [In the first years after the systemic transition, our screens showed American entertainment that had not been available before, or had been available only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/in-the-first-years-after-the-systemic-transition-our-screens-showed/) [Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/) > [“The only significant exception to access to American ‘entertainment’ is in predominantly Muslim nations, where this form of ‘entertainment’ is not available. One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-price/the-only-significant-exception-to-access-to-american-entertainment-is/) [John Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-price/) > [Suddenly, the screens were dominated by American entertainment to the extent of something like 95 percent. As a result, audiences turned away from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/suddenly-the-screens-were-dominated-by-american-entertainment-to-the/) [Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/) > [Vaudeville was characterized by sunny optimism, acts that were uplifting, cheerful, and clean. It provided a fanciful, magical escape, but after Black Friday, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-abbott/vaudeville-was-characterized-by-sunny-optimism-acts-that-were/) [Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-abbott/) > [Hip-hop is a complex music and culture that has been reduced to a one-dimensional critique. Hip-hop's messages aren't all bad. Neither are they all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/hip-hop-is-a-complex-music-and-culture-that-has-been-reduced-to-a-one/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [And just as you can find hip-hop lyrics beating up on all these groups, including young Black men themselves, the primary producers of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/and-just-as-you-can-find-hip-hop-lyrics-beating-up-on-all-these/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [The question 'Why white kids love hip-hop?' forces us immediately to deal with the historical weight of race in America. On the surface people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/the-question-why-white-kids-love-hip-hop-forces-us-immediately-to/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [Few places in American culture have made as effective a case for entrepreneurship than hip-hop. Hip-hop tells young people that our society is offering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/few-places-in-american-culture-have-made-as-effective-a-case-for/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [Hip-hop is contributing to American society's misogyny and racism, hyper-sexuality anti-Black representations. Hip-Hop isn't setting the standard for misogyny. No one reduces the presidency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/hip-hop-is-contributing-to-american-society-s-misogyny-and-racism/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [I'm not a poster boy for misogyny and I don't think hip-hop should be either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/i-m-not-a-poster-boy-for-misogyny-and-i-don-t-think-hip-hop-should-be/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [If you don't set a standard for what you want in life, you'll find it's easy to slip into a quality of life that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markesa-yeager/if-you-don-t-set-a-standard-for-what-you-want-in-life-you-ll-find-it/) [Markesa Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markesa-yeager/) > [Never settle for less than you're worth. Respect and love yourself, set the standard for others, or you will fail in your search to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-settle-for-less-than-you-re-worth-respect-and-love-yourself-set/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You set the standard, and they’ll come up to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cyrus/you-set-the-standard-and-they-ll-come-up-to-it/) Emma Cyrus > [EPA gets to set a standard for new. For the existing, EPA sets guidelines for what we think is appropriate, but then states develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-mccarthy/epa-gets-to-set-a-standard-for-new-for-the-existing-epa-sets/) [Gina McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-mccarthy/) ## More by Bakari Kitwana > [I'm not a poster boy for misogyny and I don't think hip-hop should be either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/i-m-not-a-poster-boy-for-misogyny-and-i-don-t-think-hip-hop-should-be/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [Hip-hop is contributing to American society's misogyny and racism, hyper-sexuality anti-Black representations. Hip-Hop isn't setting the standard for misogyny. No one reduces the presidency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/hip-hop-is-contributing-to-american-society-s-misogyny-and-racism/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [Few places in American culture have made as effective a case for entrepreneurship than hip-hop. Hip-hop tells young people that our society is offering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/few-places-in-american-culture-have-made-as-effective-a-case-for/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [The question 'Why white kids love hip-hop?' forces us immediately to deal with the historical weight of race in America. On the surface people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/the-question-why-white-kids-love-hip-hop-forces-us-immediately-to/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [And just as you can find hip-hop lyrics beating up on all these groups, including young Black men themselves, the primary producers of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/and-just-as-you-can-find-hip-hop-lyrics-beating-up-on-all-these/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [“Wigger: a young white who wants desperately to be down with hip-hop, who identifies more strongly with Black culture than white. (What's disturbing about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/wigger-a-young-white-who-wants-desperately-to-be-down-with-hip-hop/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [Hip-hop is a complex music and culture that has been reduced to a one-dimensional critique. Hip-hop's messages aren't all bad. Neither are they all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/hip-hop-is-a-complex-music-and-culture-that-has-been-reduced-to-a-one/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [I agree that a lot of mainstream corporate sold hip-hop is self-hating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/i-agree-that-a-lot-of-mainstream-corporate-sold-hip-hop-is-self-hating/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [My hope is to get young people to think about ways that they can translate hip-hop's great cultural movement into political power that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/my-hope-is-to-get-young-people-to-think-about-ways-that-they-can/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [Hip-Hop's cultural movement is much larger than the corporate representation. The images most of hip-hop's critics point to are those manufactured by major corporations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/hip-hop-s-cultural-movement-is-much-larger-than-the-corporate/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [Legions of young hip-hop fans are as against this as hip-hop's most fierce critics. There is a huge underground movement within hip-hop circles that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/legions-of-young-hip-hop-fans-are-as-against-this-as-hip-hop-s-most/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [I agree that all kids of all colors love hip-hop. My point in writing the book was to raise questions about the ways the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/i-agree-that-all-kids-of-all-colors-love-hip-hop-my-point-in-writing/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [After many years of hip-hop as a nation we should have the sophistication to accept that their are distinctions between the corporate manifestation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/after-many-years-of-hip-hop-as-a-nation-we-should-have-the/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [We need to look beyond the obvious. Yes, there are minstrel images in hip-hop. Yes, there are demeaning, anti-racist, misogynistic and homophobic representations. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/we-need-to-look-beyond-the-obvious-yes-there-are-minstrel-images-in/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [Locally lived hip-hop culture that is giving many of America's youth the tool they need to survive and thrive in America, in the face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/locally-lived-hip-hop-culture-that-is-giving-many-of-america-s-youth/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) [Explore all 18 Bakari Kitwana quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We live in a society that refuses to set a standard for what we will allow American entertainment to expose to our children. 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