--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy is to have different ideas…" description: "\"Democracy is to have different ideas, even extreme ones. In democracy there is space for all of them and bridges to connect them. In Turkey we are losi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/burhan-sonmez-23988_democracy_democracy-is-to-have-different-ideas-eve_999590.jpg" --- # Democracy is to have different ideas, even extreme ones… ![“Democracy is to have different ideas, even extreme ones. In democracy there is space for all of them and bridges to connect them. In Turkey we are losing those bridges, and everyone is trying to destroy spaces for the opposite side. When we look at this, Istanbul is like different courtyards…” quote by Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/burhan-sonmez-23988_democracy_democracy-is-to-have-different-ideas-eve_999590.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/burhan-sonmez-23988_democracy_democracy-is-to-have-different-ideas-eve_999590.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/burhan-sonmez-23988_democracy_democracy-is-to-have-different-ideas-eve_999590.jpg) > “Democracy is to have different ideas, even extreme ones. In democracy there is space for all of them and bridges to connect them. In Turkey we are losing those bridges, and everyone is trying to destroy spaces for the opposite side. When we look at this, Istanbul is like different courtyards divided by big, thick walls.” [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy thrives when diverse, even extreme, ideas coexist and bridges link them; losing those bridges erodes dialogue and unity. **In simple terms:** Democracy needs space for all ideas and connections between them. Key Takeaway Protect and rebuild bridges for dialogue. Themes democracy pluralism dialogue polarization Mood concerned reflective Type political analytical When to use this quote - political debates - community forums - media discussions - policy making Key Concepts social cohesion political theory conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - How can societies rebuild trust across ideological divides? - What role do institutions play in maintaining open spaces? A Different Perspective Bridges alone cannot prevent deep societal rifts without mutual respect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Different ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-ideas/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) ## Related quotes > [It's an exciting time in the world - democracy, in all its different shapes, is rolling around to new countries all the time. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitali-klitschko/it-s-an-exciting-time-in-the-world-democracy-in-all-its-different/) [Vitali Klitschko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitali-klitschko/) > [There's a lot of really wonderful things about the United States of America, especially its ethnic diversity and its mostly successful struggle to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-tobar/there-s-a-lot-of-really-wonderful-things-about-the-united-states-of/) [Hector Tobar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-tobar/) > [“If you distance yourself from reality and just cling to cliches about democracy find yourself a different job than analyzing politics”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hany-ghoraba/if-you-distance-yourself-from-reality-and-just-cling-to-cliches-about/) Hany Ghoraba > [Berlin is still a very edgy place, a very cosmopolitan place. It's a place where completely different ideas and cultures come together and clash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/berlin-is-still-a-very-edgy-place-a-very-cosmopolitan-place-it-s-a/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [After spending many years in Wall Street and after making and losing millions of dollars I want to tell you this: It never was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-lauriston-livermore/after-spending-many-years-in-wall-street-and-after-making-and-losing/) [Jesse Lauriston Livermore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-lauriston-livermore/) > [People have different ideas on how to increase female racing driver participation. My belief is that men and women should compete together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-wolff/people-have-different-ideas-on-how-to-increase-female-racing-driver/) [Susie Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-wolff/) > [People have a different idea of how movies are made than they really are. On a certain level, everyone throws ideas into the hopper.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-gere/people-have-a-different-idea-of-how-movies-are-made-than-they-really/) [Richard Gere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-gere/) > [“My greatest strength is an unfocused mind. This is because while you are all thinking of one idea, I’m thinking of five different ideas.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mitchell/my-greatest-strength-is-an-unfocused-mind-this-is-because-while-you/) [Ben Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mitchell/) > [In the summer of 2010, I had decided to get into film and TV writing, so I wrote scripts for six different ideas I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-pizzolatto/in-the-summer-of-2010-i-had-decided-to-get-into-film-and-tv-writing/) [Nic Pizzolatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-pizzolatto/) > [“A person has to have confidence in what he's going to do. If he don't, he's not going to do it long. He has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaunda-micheaux-nelson/a-person-has-to-have-confidence-in-what-he-s-going-to-do-if-he-don-t/) [Vaunda Micheaux Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaunda-micheaux-nelson/) > [“I can't run out of different ideas. I am different. When can I run out of me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/i-can-t-run-out-of-different-ideas-i-am-different-when-can-i-run-out/) [Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/) > [It's really interesting to me how all of us can experience the exact same event, and yet come away with wildly disparate interpretations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-hornbacher/it-s-really-interesting-to-me-how-all-of-us-can-experience-the-exact/) [Marya Hornbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-hornbacher/) > [I'm usually up until around 1 A.M. or 2 A.M. I don't get much sleep - and I prefer it that way, writing notes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rande-gerber/i-m-usually-up-until-around-1-a-m-or-2-a-m-i-don-t-get-much-sleep-and/) [Rande Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rande-gerber/) > [Faith is a great thing, and really religious people would like us to believe that faith and knowing are the same thing, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/faith-is-a-great-thing-and-really-religious-people-would-like-us-to/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [While we may have very different ideas and core philosophies, at the end of the day, we are all Americans. We do well to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-johnson/while-we-may-have-very-different-ideas-and-core-philosophies-at-the/) [Mike Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-johnson/) ## More by Burhan Sonmez > [Istanbul is divided by time, not space. The first Istanbul is the Istanbul of the past. A long time ago, during the empire, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/istanbul-is-divided-by-time-not-space-the-first-istanbul-is-the/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [People feel that the beauty of the Istanbul is something we used to have in the past or something we will have in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/people-feel-that-the-beauty-of-the-istanbul-is-something-we-used-to/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [Turkish society is divided not only culturally but also politically. You're either conservative or progressive. Islamist or secular. Right wing or left wing. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/turkish-society-is-divided-not-only-culturally-but-also-politically/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [So many academics have been imprisoned or expelled from their university posts just because they signed a letter calling for peaceful solution to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/so-many-academics-have-been-imprisoned-or-expelled-from-their/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [Some people are like a defeated warrior: they accept the defeat, go to work, go back home, watch TV silently. That is like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/some-people-are-like-a-defeated-warrior-they-accept-the-defeat-go-to/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [Laughter is something we have against oppression and oppressive people. Dictators hate people who laugh at them. It's easy for them to destroy people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/laughter-is-something-we-have-against-oppression-and-oppressive/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [I've written some short stories about my personal experience, but it's not something you can use everywhere. Every novel, every work of fiction, needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/i-ve-written-some-short-stories-about-my-personal-experience-but-it-s/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [We are not in prison so we are free and happy? No. We're in a different kind of prison in this life. We have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/we-are-not-in-prison-so-we-are-free-and-happy-no-we-re-in-a-different/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [Turkey are the independent people. We are our own nation in this world - a nation of writers, journalists, artists, moviemakers, and academics. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/turkey-are-the-independent-people-we-are-our-own-nation-in-this-world/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [Someone might say about a person, "Oh, they are a 'Westerner." But who are Westerners? Greek, Bulgarian, German, English, Scandinavian, Spanish, American, Latin. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/someone-might-say-about-a-person-oh-they-are-a-westerner-but-who-are/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [It's a bit questionable whether Turkey is a model country or not, since our government is supporting ISIS in Syria, since there are legislations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/it-s-a-bit-questionable-whether-turkey-is-a-model-country-or-not/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [Syrian people have right to fight for democracy and freedom in their country but they don't need the penetration of foreign elements, fundamentalist ideologies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/syrian-people-have-right-to-fight-for-democracy-and-freedom-in-their/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > ["Culture" is a new phenomenon, I believe. Culture is the new religion. People treat you based upon your culture. You are pushed to describe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/culture-is-a-new-phenomenon-i-believe-culture-is-the-new-religion/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [I believe Tunisia and Egypt should look to Turkey and see what not to do. Turkey seems to be a secular and democratic country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/i-believe-tunisia-and-egypt-should-look-to-turkey-and-see-what-not-to/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) > [When you go from one part of the Turkish community to another, it's like you're moving from one century to another. People look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/when-you-go-from-one-part-of-the-turkish-community-to-another-it-s/) [Burhan Sonmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) [Explore all 25 Burhan Sonmez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/) ## More Democracy quotes > [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/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Democracy is to have different ideas, even extreme ones. In democracy there is space for all of them and bridges to connect them. In Turkey we are losing those bridges, and everyone is trying to destroy spaces for the opposite side. When we look at this, Istanbul is like different courtyards divided by big, thick walls.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Burhan Sonmez" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/democracy-is-to-have-different-ideas-even-extreme-ones-in-democracy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/democracy-is-to-have-different-ideas-even-extreme-ones-in-democracy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/burhan-sonmez-23988_democracy_democracy-is-to-have-different-ideas-eve_999590.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/burhan-sonmez-23988_democracy_democracy-is-to-have-different-ideas-eve_999590.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/burhan-sonmez-23988_democracy_democracy-is-to-have-different-ideas-eve_999590.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Democracy is to have different ideas, even extreme ones. In democracy there is space for all of them and…” — Burhan Sonmez", "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": "Burhan Sonmez", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burhan-sonmez/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Democracy is to have different ideas,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/democracy-is-to-have-different-ideas-even-extreme-ones-in-democracy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burhan-sonmez/democracy-is-to-have-different-ideas-even-extreme-ones-in-democracy/#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 } } ] } ```