--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [O]ne could translate the 555 pages of…" description: "\"[O]ne could translate the 555 pages of The Social System into about 150 pages of straightforward English. The result would not be very impressive.\" — C..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/c-wright-mills-9475_impressive_o-ne-could-translate-the-555-pages-of-th_2011775.jpg" --- # \[O\]ne could translate the 555 pages of The Social System… ![“[O]ne could translate the 555 pages of The Social System into about 150 pages of straightforward English. The result would not be very impressive.” quote by C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/c-wright-mills-9475_impressive_o-ne-could-translate-the-555-pages-of-th_2011775.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/c-wright-mills-9475_impressive_o-ne-could-translate-the-555-pages-of-th_2011775.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/c-wright-mills-9475_impressive_o-ne-could-translate-the-555-pages-of-th_2011775.jpg) > “\[O\]ne could translate the 555 pages of The Social System into about 150 pages of straightforward English. The result would not be very impressive.” [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Condensing a complex sociological work into plain language loses depth and nuance. **In simple terms:** Simplifying a dense book reduces its impact. Key Takeaway Preserve complexity when summarizing. Themes sociology communication complexity Mood thoughtful analytical Type explanatory critical When to use this quote - academic study - policy analysis - teaching - public discourse Key Concepts critical analysis information loss Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance clarity with depth? - What is lost when we oversimplify? A Different Perspective Simplification may omit essential arguments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [150 Pages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/150-pages-3254362/) [555 Pages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/555-pages-3596610/) [English Result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-result-3596613/) [Impressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impressive/) [Ne Translate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ne-translate-3596612/) [Pages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pages/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-systems/) [Straightforward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straightforward/) [Translate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translate/) [Translate 555](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translate-555-3596611/) [Translation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translation/) [Very impressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-impressive/) ## Related quotes > [I have a lot of novels that I haven't finished. I usually get 150 pages in and I realize it's not going anywhere. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/i-have-a-lot-of-novels-that-i-haven-t-finished-i-usually-get-150/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [The way 'The Icarus Girl' came about was by me just basically bragging it with a literary agent and telling him I'd written 150…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-oyeyemi/the-way-the-icarus-girl-came-about-was-by-me-just-basically-bragging/) [Helen Oyeyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-oyeyemi/) > [I have to get three pages done every day, and there's usually a point about 150 pages in where everything falls apart, where all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sean-greer/i-have-to-get-three-pages-done-every-day-and-there-s-usually-a-point/) [Andrew Sean Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sean-greer/) > [I didn't really get into underground comics, though I've liked some of what I've seen. Dame Darcy was very impressive to meet, really talented.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-farber/i-didn-t-really-get-into-underground-comics-though-i-ve-liked-some-of/) [Neil Farber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-farber/) > [Every time I traveled to a new city, I would learn about local heroes I did not know about, and I would learn about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/every-time-i-traveled-to-a-new-city-i-would-learn-about-local-heroes/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [The White Palace was pretty impressive. Very impressive, in fact. The day to day running of the set was everybody showed up for work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/the-white-palace-was-pretty-impressive-very-impressive-in-fact-the/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [A vague goal is no goal at all. The Ten Commandments wouldn't be very impressive, for instance, if they weren't specific, but simply were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/a-vague-goal-is-no-goal-at-all-the-ten-commandments-wouldn-t-be-very/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [I've been wearing hearing aids for a long time. The technology available now is simply unbelievable. When I compare the new digital products to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/i-ve-been-wearing-hearing-aids-for-a-long-time-the-technology/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [From shadow queen to puppet queen in one rule. That's very impressive. When he rules your country and he tells you he loves you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/from-shadow-queen-to-puppet-queen-in-one-rule-that-s-very-impressive/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [ A very, very impressive director, Tomas Alfredson. It's only his second film \[ 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'\], but he's a real find. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/a-very-very-impressive-director-tomas-alfredson-it-s-only-his-second/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Very impressive. Where did you learn that?" Made it up just now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/very-impressive-where-did-you-learn-that-made-it-up-just-now/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [I wouldn't be able to do anything with my vampire horde except make it run around in a herd, but it would be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/i-wouldn-t-be-able-to-do-anything-with-my-vampire-horde-except-make/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Inventions that are not made, like babies that are not born, are rarely missed. In the absence of new developments, old ones may seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/inventions-that-are-not-made-like-babies-that-are-not-born-are-rarely/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [I went to a psychoanalyst. He explained things about my love life that I found very impressive... almost scary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britney-spears/i-went-to-a-psychoanalyst-he-explained-things-about-my-love-life-that/) [Britney Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britney-spears/) > [I consider myself lucky that Sheila Johnson, the cofounder of Black Entertainment Television, didn't choose to rest on her very impressive business laurels. Her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-king/i-consider-myself-lucky-that-sheila-johnson-the-cofounder-of-black/) [Gayle King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-king/) ## More by C. Wright Mills > [As a social and as a personal force, religion has become a dependent variable. It does not originate; it reacts. It does not denounce;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/as-a-social-and-as-a-personal-force-religion-has-become-a-dependent/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [Every revolution has its counterrevolution - that is a sign the revolution is for real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/every-revolution-has-its-counterrevolution-that-is-a-sign-the/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [For the first time in American history, men in authority are talking about an 'emergency' without a foreseeable end... such men as these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/for-the-first-time-in-american-history-men-in-authority-are-talking/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [Prestige is the shadow of money and power. Where these are, there it is. Like the national market for soap or automobiles and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/prestige-is-the-shadow-of-money-and-power-where-these-are-there-it-is/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [America is a nation with no truly national city, no Paris, no Rome, no London, no city which is at once the social center,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/america-is-a-nation-with-no-truly-national-city-no-paris-no-rome-no/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [What we experience in various and specific milieux, I have noted, is often caused by structural changes. Accordingly, to understand the changes of many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/what-we-experience-in-various-and-specific-milieux-i-have-noted-is/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [The nearest the modern general or admiral comes to a small-arms encounter of any sort is at a duck hunt in the company of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/the-nearest-the-modern-general-or-admiral-comes-to-a-small-arms/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [IBM Plus Reality Plus Humanism = Sociology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/ibm-plus-reality-plus-humanism-sociology/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [You can never really understand an individual unless you also understand the society,historical time period in which they live,personal troubles, and social issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/you-can-never-really-understand-an-individual-unless-you-also/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [Fate has to do with events in history that are the summary and unintended results of innumerable decisions of innumerable men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/fate-has-to-do-with-events-in-history-that-are-the-summary-and/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [Whatever sociology may be, it is the result of constantly asking the question, what is the meaning of this?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/whatever-sociology-may-be-it-is-the-result-of-constantly-asking-the/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [The mass production of distraction is now as much a part of the American way of life as the mass production of automobiles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/the-mass-production-of-distraction-is-now-as-much-a-part-of-the/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [If we accept the Greek's definition of the idiot as an altogether private man, then we must conclude that many American citizens are now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/if-we-accept-the-greek-s-definition-of-the-idiot-as-an-altogether/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [Seldom aware of the intricate connection between the patterns of their own lives and the course of world history, ordinary people do not usually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/seldom-aware-of-the-intricate-connection-between-the-patterns-of/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [Neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/neither-the-life-of-an-individual-nor-the-history-of-a-society-can-be/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) [Explore all 70 C. Wright Mills quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) ## More Impressive quotes > [“Getting rich is easy, staying rich is impressive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-trip/getting-rich-is-easy-staying-rich-is-impressive/) [Don Trip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-trip/) > [Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/do-not-be-proud-of-your-inconsistency-it-is-a-pity-it-is-a-pity-that/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [I am an atheist. I don't think there's anything divine. Beautiful, impressive, awe-inspiring - sure, but not divine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomy-arpaly/i-am-an-atheist-i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-divine-beautiful/) [Nomy Arpaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomy-arpaly/) > [“You don’t have to be strong, or fast, or impressive. Just consistent. The rest will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-allen-dunn/you-don-t-have-to-be-strong-or-fast-or-impressive-just-consistent-the/) [Randall Allen Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-allen-dunn/) > [He went to Paris looking for answers to questions that bothered him so. He was impressive, young and aggressive, saving the world on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/he-went-to-paris-looking-for-answers-to-questions-that-bothered-him/) [Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/) > [Most people, it seems, stretch the truth to make themselves seem more impressive. I, it seems, stretch the truth to make myself look worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/most-people-it-seems-stretch-the-truth-to-make-themselves-seem-more/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [But by fighting the difficulties in which one finds oneself, an inner strength develops from within our heart, which improves in life's fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/but-by-fighting-the-difficulties-in-which-one-finds-oneself-an-inner/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Michael Jackson is an extremely productive ethnographer, a serious reader of phenomenological and existential philosophy, and a remarkable writer at a level that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-kleinman/michael-jackson-is-an-extremely-productive-ethnographer-a-serious/) [Arthur Kleinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-kleinman/) > [“It's kind of impressive...you know, the idea of discovering something that, for all intents and purposes, goes against your abilities, and yet still deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/it-s-kind-of-impressive-you-know-the-idea-of-discovering-something/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [The guitar is my favorite and the one, I guess, I'm best at. But I play enough of the different instruments to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/the-guitar-is-my-favorite-and-the-one-i-guess-i-m-best-at-but-i-play/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [That this awareness of my own fallibility will prevent me from making many mistakes doesn't alter the fact that I'm bound to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/that-this-awareness-of-my-own-fallibility-will-prevent-me-from-making/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Long, blue, spiky-edged shadows crept out across the snow-fields, while a rosy glow, at first scarce discernible, gradually deepened and suffused every mountain-top, flushing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/long-blue-spiky-edged-shadows-crept-out-across-the-snow-fields-while/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [there are few things that are more endearing than the grace of listening with attention; indeed, it is more than endearing, it is impressive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-deland/there-are-few-things-that-are-more-endearing-than-the-grace-of/) [Margaret Deland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-deland/) > [It is the sense of unfamiliar envelopment that is impressive, whether in the living grays of hoarfrost, the crimson of the heavens at sunset,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-j-phillips/it-is-the-sense-of-unfamiliar-envelopment-that-is-impressive-whether/) [Walter J. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-j-phillips/) > [I consider myself lucky that Sheila Johnson, the cofounder of Black Entertainment Television, didn't choose to rest on her very impressive business laurels. Her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-king/i-consider-myself-lucky-that-sheila-johnson-the-cofounder-of-black/) [Gayle King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-king/) [Browse all 553 Impressive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impressive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[O]ne could translate the 555 pages of The Social System into about 150 pages of straightforward English. The result would not be very impressive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C. 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