--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If all printers were determined not to…" description: "\"If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.\" — Benjamin Franklin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/benjamin-franklin-65_censorship_if-all-printers-were-determined-not-to-p_1473475.png" --- # If all printers were determined not to print anything till… ![“If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.” quote by Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/benjamin-franklin-65_censorship_if-all-printers-were-determined-not-to-p_1473475.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/benjamin-franklin-65_censorship_if-all-printers-were-determined-not-to-p_1473475.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/benjamin-franklin-65_censorship_if-all-printers-were-determined-not-to-p_1473475.png) > “If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.” [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Censorship stifles expression; fear of causing offense leads to silence. **In simple terms:** Fear of offense stops printing. Key Takeaway Speak truth, accept risk. Themes freedom of speech censorship creativity Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - journalism - art - academic publishing - political discourse Key Concepts ethics social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What would you publish if you feared offense? - How does fear shape what is shared? A Different Perspective Over‑cautious self‑censorship can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Censorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censorship/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) ## Related quotes > [You will get little or nothing from the printed page if you bring it nothing but your eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-get-little-or-nothing-from-the-printed-page-if-you-bring-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Much is published, but little printed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/much-is-published-but-little-printed/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Normally I do all my own post work. It's not that I do it better than anyone else, I just do it my way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-heisler/normally-i-do-all-my-own-post-work-it-s-not-that-i-do-it-better-than/) [Gregory Heisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-heisler/) > [My father is not around any more, so I cannot ask him to do my drawings for me. So, I had to find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wade-guyton/my-father-is-not-around-any-more-so-i-cannot-ask-him-to-do-my/) [Wade Guyton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wade-guyton/) > [Over time, shop classes sort of disappeared or got marginalized in the states. I don't really know why. Now with tech like 3-D printers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/over-time-shop-classes-sort-of-disappeared-or-got-marginalized-in-the/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [There was a tangible sense of potential as we packed them up. 'We're giving people 3-D printers that they can afford. What are they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bre-pettis/there-was-a-tangible-sense-of-potential-as-we-packed-them-up-we-re/) [Bre Pettis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bre-pettis/) > [The people who are getting 3-D printers at home are pioneers, kind of like the people who bought Apple IIs in 1981. Adults are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bre-pettis/the-people-who-are-getting-3-d-printers-at-home-are-pioneers-kind-of/) [Bre Pettis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bre-pettis/) > [Learning hath gained most by those books by which printers have lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/learning-hath-gained-most-by-those-books-by-which-printers-have-lost/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Learning hath gained most by those books by which the printers have lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/learning-hath-gained-most-by-those-books-by-which-the-printers-have/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [We wanted people to 3-D-print anything, not just more 3-D printers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bre-pettis/we-wanted-people-to-3-d-print-anything-not-just-more-3-d-printers/) [Bre Pettis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bre-pettis/) > [“Offence is like muddy soil; when trapped underfoot, it resists rapid progress. Don't trap offences under your mind, else you resist change! Jesus said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/offence-is-like-muddy-soil-when-trapped-underfoot-it-resists-rapid/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [People ask could I have written the show I wrote in 1990 now, and I don't think I could. I think it's much easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-saunders/people-ask-could-i-have-written-the-show-i-wrote-in-1990-now-and-i/) [Jennifer Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-saunders/) > [And, re-assembling our afflicted powers, consult how we may henceforth most offend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-re-assembling-our-afflicted-powers-consult-how-we-may-henceforth/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“I didn't mean to offend," he quickly adds. "Then, what exactly did you mean to say?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhonielle-clayton/i-didn-t-mean-to-offend-he-quickly-adds-then-what-exactly-did-you/) [Dhonielle Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhonielle-clayton/) > [“the key: at least in the body of Christ, never presume that someone intended to offend you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-riccardo/the-key-at-least-in-the-body-of-christ-never-presume-that-someone/) [John Riccardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-riccardo/) ## More by Benjamin Franklin > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/give-me-26-lead-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the affairs of this world, men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/in-the-affairs-of-this-world-men-are-saved-not-by-faith-but-by-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I have thought that wild flowers might be the alphabet of angels, — whereby they write on hills and fields mysterious truths, which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-have-thought-that-wild-flowers-might-be-the-alphabet-of-angels/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Little leaks sink the ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/little-leaks-sink-the-ship/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/who-is-rich-he-that-is-content-who-is-that-nobody/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“But on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/but-on-the-whole-though-i-never-arrived-at-the-perfection-i-had-been/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-good-particular-men-may-do-separately-in-relieving-the-sick-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/love-your-neighbour-yet-don-t-pull-down-your-hedge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/take-counsel-in-wine-but-resolve-afterwards-in-water/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [He that's secure is not safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-that-s-secure-is-not-safe/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Explore all 1,692 Benjamin Franklin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More Censorship quotes > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [“Censors don’t want children exposed to ideas different from their own. If every individual with an agenda had his/her way, the shelves in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/censors-don-t-want-children-exposed-to-ideas-different-from-their-own/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) > [Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/censorship-is-the-child-of-fear-and-the-father-of-ignorance/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I don't believe in censorship in any form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-bigelow/i-don-t-believe-in-censorship-in-any-form/) [Kathryn Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-bigelow/) > [We must be talented, powerful and resilient creatures indeed given how much we manage to produce despite the constant undercutting, ridicule and needless censorship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/we-must-be-talented-powerful-and-resilient-creatures-indeed-given-how/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [When a critic sets himself up as an arbiter of morality, a judge of the matter and not the manner of a work, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-a-critic-sets-himself-up-as-an-arbiter-of-morality-a-judge-of/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [When there is official censorship it is a sign that speech is serious. Where there is none, it is pretty certain that the official…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/when-there-is-official-censorship-it-is-a-sign-that-speech-is-serious/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [“I agree that it's a shame some books have to suffer ratings that clearly are invalid. However I can't think of a way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otis-y-chandler/i-agree-that-it-s-a-shame-some-books-have-to-suffer-ratings-that/) Otis Y. Chandler > [I think that, honestly, people's censorship issues are personal but I disagree with most of those personal choices that I see others make. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/i-think-that-honestly-people-s-censorship-issues-are-personal-but-i/) [Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/) > [Art made tongue-tied by authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/art-made-tongue-tied-by-authority/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“The tendency to want what has been banned and therefore to presume that it is more worthwhile is not limited to such commodities as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-cialdini/the-tendency-to-want-what-has-been-banned-and-therefore-to-presume/) [Robert B. Cialdini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-cialdini/) > [The only thing that is obscene is censorship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-thing-that-is-obscene-is-censorship/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a feature film, the question of censorship always comes up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javed-jaffrey/in-a-feature-film-the-question-of-censorship-always-comes-up/) [Javed Jaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javed-jaffrey/) > [“Don't join the book burners. Don't think you're going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/don-t-join-the-book-burners-don-t-think-you-re-going-to-conceal/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [ If no one speaks out for \[young readers\], if they don’t speak out for themselves, all they’ll get for required reading will be the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/if-no-one-speaks-out-for-young-readers-if-they-don-t-speak-out-for/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) [Browse all 884 Censorship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censorship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Franklin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-all-printers-were-determined-not-to-print-anything-till-they-were/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Censorship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-all-printers-were-determined-not-to-print-anything-till-they-were/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/benjamin-franklin-65_censorship_if-all-printers-were-determined-not-to-p_1473475.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/benjamin-franklin-65_censorship_if-all-printers-were-determined-not-to-p_1473475.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/benjamin-franklin-65_censorship_if-all-printers-were-determined-not-to-p_1473475.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there…” — Benjamin Franklin", "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": "Benjamin Franklin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If all printers were determined not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-all-printers-were-determined-not-to-print-anything-till-they-were/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-all-printers-were-determined-not-to-print-anything-till-they-were/#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 } } ] } ```