--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many of us learned that passivity…" description: "\"“Many of us learned that passivity lessened the possibility of attack.”\" — Bell Hooks" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/bell-hooks-464_passivity_many-of-us-learned-that-passivity-lessen_3035609.jpg" --- # Many of us learned that passivity lessened the possibility… ![“Many of us learned that passivity lessened the possibility of attack.” quote by Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/bell-hooks-464_passivity_many-of-us-learned-that-passivity-lessen_3035609.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/bell-hooks-464_passivity_many-of-us-learned-that-passivity-lessen_3035609.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/bell-hooks-464_passivity_many-of-us-learned-that-passivity-lessen_3035609.jpg) > ““Many of us learned that passivity lessened the possibility of attack.”” [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Passive behavior reduces the chance of being attacked. **In simple terms:** Passivity invites attack. Key Takeaway Avoid passivity to protect yourself. Themes self‑defence agency empowerment gender studies Mood cautious empowering Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - personal safety - social activism - relationship dynamics Key Concepts passivity vulnerability assertiveness Questions to Reflect On - When is passivity advantageous? - How can you assert without aggression? A Different Perspective Passivity can be a strategic choice in some contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Learned Passivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned-passivity-4979730/) [Lessened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessened-715562/) [Lessened Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessened-possibility-4979731/) [Passivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passivity/) [Passivity Lessened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passivity-lessened-4979729/) ## Related quotes > [The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late Th�oden, King.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-courtesy-of-your-hall-is-somewhat-lessened-of-late-th-oden-king/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Grief shared was grief lessened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/grief-shared-was-grief-lessened/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“You looked a little bit smarter when your stupidity lessened a lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/you-looked-a-little-bit-smarter-when-your-stupidity-lessened-a-lot/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [One pain is lessened by another's anguish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/one-pain-is-lessened-by-another-s-anguish/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“She walked away from him, and as he watched her go, he found that the terrible weight in his stomach seemed to have lessened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/she-walked-away-from-him-and-as-he-watched-her-go-he-found-that-the/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [I don't think it will ever be lessened. Because I always move on to something else - and the music that I listen to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradford-cox/i-don-t-think-it-will-ever-be-lessened-because-i-always-move-on-to/) [Bradford Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradford-cox/) > [The ordinary person senses the greatness of the odds against him even without thought or analysis, and he adapts his attitudes unconsciously. A huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/the-ordinary-person-senses-the-greatness-of-the-odds-against-him-even/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [Technology teaches passivity. Absorbed in our devices - at any age - we are absorbed in someone else's perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/technology-teaches-passivity-absorbed-in-our-devices-at-any-age-we/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [“Pursued by grace and supernatural power from God, I will passionately pursued my most cherished dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/pursued-by-grace-and-supernatural-power-from-god-i-will-passionately/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“That requires as much power as a small radio transmitter--and rather similar skills to operate. For it's the application of the power, not its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/that-requires-as-much-power-as-a-small-radio-transmitter-and-rather/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [It's a bit scary to see my book come true: the recent (if minor) LA earthquakes, Hurricane Sandy, the Boston bomber, and so on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edan-lepucki/it-s-a-bit-scary-to-see-my-book-come-true-the-recent-if-minor-la/) [Edan Lepucki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edan-lepucki/) > [Peace has to be created, in order to be maintained. It is the product of Faith, Strength, Energy, Will, Sympathy, Justice, Imagination, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/peace-has-to-be-created-in-order-to-be-maintained-it-is-the-product/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [People go to the movies instead of moving. Hollywood characters are supposed to have all the adventures for everybody in America, while everybody in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/people-go-to-the-movies-instead-of-moving-hollywood-characters-are/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [The commonest ivory tower is that of the average man, the state of passivity towards experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-commonest-ivory-tower-is-that-of-the-average-man-the-state-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The male dares to be different to the degree that he accepts his passivity and his desire to be female, his fagginess. The farthest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/the-male-dares-to-be-different-to-the-degree-that-he-accepts-his/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) ## More by Bell Hooks > [Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“Most folks believe we are hardwired biologically to long for sex but they do not believe we are hardwired to long for love. Almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/most-folks-believe-we-are-hardwired-biologically-to-long-for-sex-but/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [... we need to interrogate "reverence," for idolization can be another way one is objectified and not really taken seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/we-need-to-interrogate-reverence-for-idolization-can-be-another-way/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Couples who rarely or never have sex can know lifelong love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/couples-who-rarely-or-never-have-sex-can-know-lifelong-love/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [The power of patriarchy has been to make maleness feared and to make men feel that it is better to be feared that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-power-of-patriarchy-has-been-to-make-maleness-feared-and-to-make/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“I feel enormously blessed to be a successful black woman writer in this culture, but I have found my small fame, such as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/i-feel-enormously-blessed-to-be-a-successful-black-woman-writer-in/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Language is also a place of struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/language-is-also-a-place-of-struggle/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [In this culture, the phrase 'black woman' is not synonymous with 'tender,' or 'gentle.' It's as if those words couldn't possibly speak to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/in-this-culture-the-phrase-black-woman-is-not-synonymous-with-tender/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [It's interesting to look at all the aspects where everyday Americans, many of whom are not college educated, are thinking deeply now about our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/it-s-interesting-to-look-at-all-the-aspects-where-everyday-americans/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [The true teacher is within us. A good teacher is someone who can help you to go back and touch the true teacher within,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-true-teacher-is-within-us-a-good-teacher-is-someone-who-can-help/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“Advancing the notion that there can be many "feminisms" has served the conservative and liberal political interests of women seeking status and privileged class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/advancing-the-notion-that-there-can-be-many-feminisms-has-served-the/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [I love my family, even as I critique their dysfunctionalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/i-love-my-family-even-as-i-critique-their-dysfunctionalities/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [You must have courage to love, you have to have a profound will to do what is right to love, and it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/you-must-have-courage-to-love-you-have-to-have-a-profound-will-to-do/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [To truly love we must learn to mix various ingredients - care, affection, recognition, respect, commitment, and trust, as well as honest and open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/to-truly-love-we-must-learn-to-mix-various-ingredients-care-affection/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“Often emphasis on identity and lifestyle is appealing because it creates a false sense that one is engaged in praxis. However, praxis within any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/often-emphasis-on-identity-and-lifestyle-is-appealing-because-it/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) [Explore all 541 Bell Hooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) ## More Passivity quotes > [The male dares to be different to the degree that he accepts his passivity and his desire to be female, his fagginess. The farthest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/the-male-dares-to-be-different-to-the-degree-that-he-accepts-his/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [The commonest ivory tower is that of the average man, the state of passivity towards experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-commonest-ivory-tower-is-that-of-the-average-man-the-state-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [People go to the movies instead of moving. Hollywood characters are supposed to have all the adventures for everybody in America, while everybody in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/people-go-to-the-movies-instead-of-moving-hollywood-characters-are/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [Peace has to be created, in order to be maintained. It is the product of Faith, Strength, Energy, Will, Sympathy, Justice, Imagination, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/peace-has-to-be-created-in-order-to-be-maintained-it-is-the-product/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [It's a bit scary to see my book come true: the recent (if minor) LA earthquakes, Hurricane Sandy, the Boston bomber, and so on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edan-lepucki/it-s-a-bit-scary-to-see-my-book-come-true-the-recent-if-minor-la/) [Edan Lepucki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edan-lepucki/) > [Technology teaches passivity. Absorbed in our devices - at any age - we are absorbed in someone else's perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/technology-teaches-passivity-absorbed-in-our-devices-at-any-age-we/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [The ordinary person senses the greatness of the odds against him even without thought or analysis, and he adapts his attitudes unconsciously. A huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/the-ordinary-person-senses-the-greatness-of-the-odds-against-him-even/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [“Pursued by grace and supernatural power from God, I will passionately pursued my most cherished dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/pursued-by-grace-and-supernatural-power-from-god-i-will-passionately/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“That requires as much power as a small radio transmitter--and rather similar skills to operate. For it's the application of the power, not its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/that-requires-as-much-power-as-a-small-radio-transmitter-and-rather/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Declare war on passivity. Hush the inner voice that insists you're over the hill, past your prime, unworthy of attaining those dreams. Disbelief is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-hutchins/declare-war-on-passivity-hush-the-inner-voice-that-insists-you-re/) [J. C. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-hutchins/) > [In between war and passivity, there are a thousand possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/in-between-war-and-passivity-there-are-a-thousand-possibilities/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Conflict is the gadfly of thought. It stirs us to observation and memory. It instigates invention. It shocks us out of sheep-like passivity, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/conflict-is-the-gadfly-of-thought-it-stirs-us-to-observation-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [People don't become inured to what they are shown - if that's the right way to describe what happens - because of the quantity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/people-don-t-become-inured-to-what-they-are-shown-if-that-s-the-right/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [Once a depressed person becomes active and hopeful, self-esteem always improves. Bolstering self-esteem without changing hopelessness, without changing passivity, accomplishes nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/once-a-depressed-person-becomes-active-and-hopeful-self-esteem-always/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [Passivity is the dragon every woman has to murder in her quest for independence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-johnston/passivity-is-the-dragon-every-woman-has-to-murder-in-her-quest-for/) [Jill Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-johnston/) [Browse all 176 Passivity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passivity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Many of us learned that passivity lessened the possibility of attack.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bell Hooks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/many-of-us-learned-that-passivity-lessened-the-possibility-of-attack/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Passivity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/many-of-us-learned-that-passivity-lessened-the-possibility-of-attack/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/bell-hooks-464_passivity_many-of-us-learned-that-passivity-lessen_3035609.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/bell-hooks-464_passivity_many-of-us-learned-that-passivity-lessen_3035609.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/bell-hooks-464_passivity_many-of-us-learned-that-passivity-lessen_3035609.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Many of us learned that passivity lessened the possibility of attack.” — Bell Hooks", "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": "Bell Hooks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Many of us learned that passivity...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/many-of-us-learned-that-passivity-lessened-the-possibility-of-attack/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/many-of-us-learned-that-passivity-lessened-the-possibility-of-attack/#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 } } ] } ```