--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In that sense, I became politicized…" description: "\"In that sense, I became politicized because the people in the coal mining villages who were involved in the struggle knew why they were there. But they..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b3/billy-bragg-8867_became_in-that-sense-i-became-politicized-becau_9338.png" --- # In that sense, I became politicized because the people in… ![“In that sense, I became politicized because the people in the coal mining villages who were involved in the struggle knew why they were there. But they couldn't understand why some pop star from London would want to be there.” quote by Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b3/billy-bragg-8867_became_in-that-sense-i-became-politicized-becau_9338.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b3/billy-bragg-8867_became_in-that-sense-i-became-politicized-becau_9338.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b3/billy-bragg-8867_became_in-that-sense-i-became-politicized-becau_9338.png) > “In that sense, I became politicized because the people in the coal mining villages who were involved in the struggle knew why they were there. But they couldn't understand why some pop star from London would want to be there.” [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker became politically aware through direct contact with grassroots activists, contrasting their clear purpose with the perceived superficiality of celebrity involvement. **In simple terms:** Grassroots activism vs. celebrity tokenism Key Takeaway Authentic engagement beats symbolic presence Themes political consciousness class struggle authenticity celebrity culture grassroots activism Mood defiant reflective critical Type political social commentary personal anecdote When to use this quote - community organizing - cultural events - media interviews - political rallies - public debates Key Concepts political awareness social class media influence identity Practical Applications - educational workshops - campaign strategy Questions to Reflect On - How does genuine involvement differ from symbolic support? - What motivates people to join a cause? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Became](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/became/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Coal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coal/) [Coal mining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coal-mining/) [Involved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved/) [Involved Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved-struggle-351624/) [Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew/) [London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/london/) [Mining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mining/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politicized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicized-351621/) [Politicized People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicized-people-351620/) [Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop/) [Pop star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop-star/) [Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense/) [Sense Politicized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-politicized-351622/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Struggle Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle-knew-351623/) [Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand/) [Villages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villages/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [My dad battled various financial mishaps for years before achieving success as a stunt director, but my parents ensured that my brother and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicky-kaushal/my-dad-battled-various-financial-mishaps-for-years-before-achieving/) [Vicky Kaushal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicky-kaushal/) > [“Well it's not possible to win this kind of thing. This is a continuous striving that people have done for a long time. Of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/well-it-s-not-possible-to-win-this-kind-of-thing-this-is-a-continuous/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [I admire young people who are concerned with the affairs of their community and nation perhaps because I also became involved in struggle whist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-admire-young-people-who-are-concerned-with-the-affairs-of-their/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [There is more involved in this contest than is realized by every one. There is involved in this struggle the question whether your children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/there-is-more-involved-in-this-contest-than-is-realized-by-every-one/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I was very politicized always. I was very conservative politically, because I'd seen what the communists did to my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taki-theodoracopulos/i-was-very-politicized-always-i-was-very-conservative-politically/) [Taki Theodoracopulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taki-theodoracopulos/) > [Science has become politicized, and that's an embarrassment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-macfarlane/science-has-become-politicized-and-that-s-an-embarrassment/) [Seth MacFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-macfarlane/) > [Religion, for better or for worse, has been politicized in blatant ways that have seldom been equaled in American elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/religion-for-better-or-for-worse-has-been-politicized-in-blatant-ways/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Everybody is within reach of a television set. 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My messages are social and human messages. In many cases, they've been politicized but they are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/none-of-what-i-do-is-political-my-messages-are-social-and-human/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [What I was trying to say in that bit, without saying it out loud, is that there were things - you're right, everything is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/what-i-was-trying-to-say-in-that-bit-without-saying-it-out-loud-is/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [Art can be political, but when it becomes politicized, the purity is ruined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-loesch/art-can-be-political-but-when-it-becomes-politicized-the-purity-is/) [Dana Loesch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-loesch/) > [The world we live in has been and is being increasingly politicized so that our daily experience is more and more a matter of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-eisenberg/the-world-we-live-in-has-been-and-is-being-increasingly-politicized/) [Deborah Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-eisenberg/) > [Most people in the West are not politicized. They're the most simplistic consumers - they're animals, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/most-people-in-the-west-are-not-politicized-they-re-the-most/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) ## More by Billy Bragg > [“A virtue never tested is no virtue at all. - Must I Paint You a Picture ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/a-virtue-never-tested-is-no-virtue-at-all-must-i-paint-you-a-picture/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [Never trust anyone who has no doubts. And I'm not talking about scepticism either: scepticism can be a healthy thing. You can have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/never-trust-anyone-who-has-no-doubts-and-i-m-not-talking-about/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [I'm trying to make a case for those people who don't have a sense of belonging that they should have, that there is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/i-m-trying-to-make-a-case-for-those-people-who-don-t-have-a-sense-of/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [There are quite a few honest songwriters out there writing about relationships and their own personality traits. But for some reason, once they step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/there-are-quite-a-few-honest-songwriters-out-there-writing-about/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [By the time I was 19, punk had occurred. It had a completely different cultural dynamic to it which rejected everything and started again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/by-the-time-i-was-19-punk-had-occurred-it-had-a-completely-different/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [If there is a single trait in our character that has historically set us apart from other nations, it is our determination to limit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/if-there-is-a-single-trait-in-our-character-that-has-historically-set/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [You can experience a download, but you can't download an experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/you-can-experience-a-download-but-you-can-t-download-an-experience/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [The most important thing for anyone, I think, is to be engaged, whether you're an artist or a journalist is to be engaged in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/the-most-important-thing-for-anyone-i-think-is-to-be-engaged-whether/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [The evil lot who did that thing on September 11 did it because they wanted to create a war between America and Islam. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/the-evil-lot-who-did-that-thing-on-september-11-did-it-because-they/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [Certainly, the international image of the United States today is a lot less positive than 10 years ago. And that really shouldn't be, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/certainly-the-international-image-of-the-united-states-today-is-a-lot/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [I'd like to think that in a generation or two we'll have politicians whose life experience reflects that of the people who are voting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/i-d-like-to-think-that-in-a-generation-or-two-we-ll-have-politicians/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [I came into this whole business by going to see Rock Against Racism gigs with the Clash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/i-came-into-this-whole-business-by-going-to-see-rock-against-racism/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [“Freedom is merely privilege extended Unless enjoyed by one and all. - The Internationale ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/freedom-is-merely-privilege-extended-unless-enjoyed-by-one-and-all/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [War what is it good for? It's good for business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/war-what-is-it-good-for-it-s-good-for-business/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [You can be active with the activists or sleep in with the sleepers while you're waiting for the Great Leap Forwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/you-can-be-active-with-the-activists-or-sleep-in-with-the-sleepers/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) [Explore all 77 Billy Bragg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) ## More Became quotes > [My sketchbook became everything to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carr/my-sketchbook-became-everything-to-me/) [Steve Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carr/) > [Moses became America's true founding father because he evangelized action; he justified risk. 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I just came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-have-never-really-been-fond-of-animals-i-certainly-wasn-t-an-animal/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [In the Machine Age, the company itself became a machine - a machine for making money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/in-the-machine-age-the-company-itself-became-a-machine-a-machine-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [I felt cheated by the way grown-ups told me that the future of the world was bleak when I became a teenager in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-ridley/i-felt-cheated-by-the-way-grown-ups-told-me-that-the-future-of-the/) [Matt Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-ridley/) > [In my relationship, I was giving myself away to make the relationship better, but in actuality, wasn't doing better by doing that. 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