--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The people we need to hear from most are…" description: "\"The people we need to hear from most are the ones who make themselves heard least - except, of course, on Election Day.\" — Bret Stephens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/bret-stephens-3977_day_the-people-we-need-to-hear-from-most-are_422025.jpg" --- # The people we need to hear from most are the ones who make… ![“The people we need to hear from most are the ones who make themselves heard least - except, of course, on Election Day.” quote by Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/bret-stephens-3977_day_the-people-we-need-to-hear-from-most-are_422025.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/bret-stephens-3977_day_the-people-we-need-to-hear-from-most-are_422025.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/bret-stephens-3977_day_the-people-we-need-to-hear-from-most-are_422025.jpg) > “The people we need to hear from most are the ones who make themselves heard least - except, of course, on Election Day.” [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that the most important voices are often silent, except during elections when they speak loudly. **In simple terms:** Important voices are quiet except on Election Day. Key Takeaway Listen to quiet voices beyond voting times. Themes politics media civic engagement Mood critical concerned Type opinion political When to use this quote - community meetings - social media - policy debates Key Concepts silence public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How can we amplify unheard perspectives? - What platforms give voice to the silent? A Different Perspective Election focus can drown out everyday concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Election day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election-day/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [You hate those shows that you hear about, ones that are so good but if you don't get them from the beginning, you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-bell/you-hate-those-shows-that-you-hear-about-ones-that-are-so-good-but-if/) [Kristen Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-bell/) > [Oh, I offended you with my opinion? You should hear the the ones I keep to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patsy-cline/oh-i-offended-you-with-my-opinion-you-should-hear-the-the-ones-i-keep/) [Patsy Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patsy-cline/) > [Did I offend you with my opinion? Oh well, you should hear the ones I keep to myself...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/did-i-offend-you-with-my-opinion-oh-well-you-should-hear-the-ones-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Oh, I offended you with my opinion? You should hear the ones I keep to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-i-offended-you-with-my-opinion-you-should-hear-the-ones-i-keep-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People need to hear that it doesn't matter if you have everything, you still go through life with your struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/channing-frye/people-need-to-hear-that-it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-have-everything-you/) [Channing Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/channing-frye/) > [I think that R&B is something that people need to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/i-think-that-r-b-is-something-that-people-need-to-hear/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [People need to hear what I have to say. There's no one else who can say what I can say. It doesn't matter what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/people-need-to-hear-what-i-have-to-say-there-s-no-one-else-who-can/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [It doesn’t matter what I do. People need to hear what I have to say. There’s no one else who can say what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/it-doesn-t-matter-what-i-do-people-need-to-hear-what-i-have-to-say/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [I just think we have to create the climate so that people will come out on election day and vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/i-just-think-we-have-to-create-the-climate-so-that-people-will-come/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Voter fraud is almost non-existent. People don't just show up on election day, trying to impersonate other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-turner/voter-fraud-is-almost-non-existent-people-don-t-just-show-up-on/) [Nina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-turner/) > [We have a system that allows us to manage a free and fair election, free of fraud, free of intimidation, and that's what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-a-system-that-allows-us-to-manage-a-free-and-fair-election/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Government can't give us anything without depriving us of something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/government-can-t-give-us-anything-without-depriving-us-of-something/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) > [It is amazing how soon one becomes accustomed to the sound of ones voice, when forced to repeat a speech five or six times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/it-is-amazing-how-soon-one-becomes-accustomed-to-the-sound-of-ones/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [I always lose the election in the polls, and I always win it on election day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/i-always-lose-the-election-in-the-polls-and-i-always-win-it-on/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More by Bret Stephens > [The hater always suffers more than the object of his hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-hater-always-suffers-more-than-the-object-of-his-hatred/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Listen carefully to the global warming alarmists, and the main theme that emerges is that what the developed world needs is a large dose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/listen-carefully-to-the-global-warming-alarmists-and-the-main-theme/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > ['Democratic socialism' is awful as a slogan and catastrophic as a policy. And 'social democracy' - a term that better fits the belief of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/democratic-socialism-is-awful-as-a-slogan-and-catastrophic-as-a/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [When you work at 'The Wall Street Journal,' the coins of the realm are truth and trust - the latter flowing exclusively from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/when-you-work-at-the-wall-street-journal-the-coins-of-the-realm-are/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [No adviser to a president is going to get his way all of the time, but at a minimum, that adviser should be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/no-adviser-to-a-president-is-going-to-get-his-way-all-of-the-time-but/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Every president inherits a mixed bag when he comes to office, and Obama's was hardly the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/every-president-inherits-a-mixed-bag-when-he-comes-to-office-and/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [There was a time when the conservative movement was led by the likes of Bill Buckley and Irving Kristol and Bob Bartley, men of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/there-was-a-time-when-the-conservative-movement-was-led-by-the-likes/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [We elected Donald J. Trump to keep us jittery and entertained. He's delivered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/we-elected-donald-j-trump-to-keep-us-jittery-and-entertained-he-s/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [The United States survives so long as at least one of its major parties is politically and intellectually healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-united-states-survives-so-long-as-at-least-one-of-its-major/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Censoriously asserting one's moral superiority and treating skeptics as imbeciles and deplorables wins few converts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/censoriously-asserting-one-s-moral-superiority-and-treating-skeptics/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [What is absolutely clear is that if Trump is the nominee, Republicans cannot win. Maybe they can't win with Rubio or Cruz or Kasich.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/what-is-absolutely-clear-is-that-if-trump-is-the-nominee-republicans/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Everything Republicans once claimed to advocate - entitlement reform, free trade, standing up to dictators, encouraging the march of freedom around the world -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/everything-republicans-once-claimed-to-advocate-entitlement-reform/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [The best scientific evidence suggests temperatures are rising, and the best scientific evidence suggests man-made anthropogenic carbon emissions have some substantial thing to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-best-scientific-evidence-suggests-temperatures-are-rising-and-the/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [The intelligent defense of free speech should not rest on the notion that we must tolerate every form of speech, no matter how offensive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-intelligent-defense-of-free-speech-should-not-rest-on-the-notion/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [When George W. Bush decided to save the American position in Iraq by going against the advice of all of his wise men, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/when-george-w-bush-decided-to-save-the-american-position-in-iraq-by/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) [Explore all 118 Bret Stephens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) ## More Day quotes > [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/) [Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/) > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [I had developed a relationship with one of the anti-abortion sidewalk counselors who stood in front of my facility. We talked regularly through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/i-had-developed-a-relationship-with-one-of-the-anti-abortion-sidewalk/) [Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/) > [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/) [Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [Valentine's Day: Rubbing singles' noses in their lack of a mate and the noses of couples in their lack of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mclaughlin/valentine-s-day-rubbing-singles-noses-in-their-lack-of-a-mate-and-the/) [Emma McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mclaughlin/) > [One day I woke up and Juventus wanted me, another Manchester United and what I know is that there were approaches made. But an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-jimenez/one-day-i-woke-up-and-juventus-wanted-me-another-manchester-united/) [Raul Jimenez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-jimenez/) > [I think naturally I've been kind of a lead-by-doing guy. Just showing up to work every day. You never ask teammates something you wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/i-think-naturally-i-ve-been-kind-of-a-lead-by-doing-guy-just-showing/) [Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/) > [For 11 straight years, I woke up pretty much every single day with nothing to do unless I created something to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-rife/for-11-straight-years-i-woke-up-pretty-much-every-single-day-with/) [Matt Rife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-rife/) > [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [Being under-recruited coming out of Highland, I've carried that with me. I keep pushing forward, keep working hard every day, keep my head on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-daniels/being-under-recruited-coming-out-of-highland-i-ve-carried-that-with/) [Mike Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-daniels/) > [You can't cheat comedy. You know, it either is going to be there on the day you capture or it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/you-can-t-cheat-comedy-you-know-it-either-is-going-to-be-there-on-the/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) [Browse all 18,587 Day quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The people we need to hear from most are the ones who make themselves heard least - except, of course, on Election Day.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bret Stephens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-people-we-need-to-hear-from-most-are-the-ones-who-make-themselves/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Day" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-people-we-need-to-hear-from-most-are-the-ones-who-make-themselves/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/bret-stephens-3977_day_the-people-we-need-to-hear-from-most-are_422025.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/bret-stephens-3977_day_the-people-we-need-to-hear-from-most-are_422025.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/bret-stephens-3977_day_the-people-we-need-to-hear-from-most-are_422025.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The people we need to hear from most are the ones who make themselves heard least - except, of course, on…” — Bret Stephens", "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": "Bret Stephens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The people we need to hear...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-people-we-need-to-hear-from-most-are-the-ones-who-make-themselves/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-people-we-need-to-hear-from-most-are-the-ones-who-make-themselves/#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 } } ] } ```