Cheat Quote by Calvin Trillin
“The interesting thing about class warfare is that it's only class warfare if it's up, not down. If you talk about welfare cheats or something, that's not class warfare because it's down; you have to talk about rich people before it's class warfare.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “Class Warfare” in The New Yorker, 1970s
Class conflict is defined by who is targeted; focusing on the wealthy creates a different narrative than focusing on the poor
In simple terms: Class warfare only applies when the rich are the target
Key Takeaway
Recognize power dynamics in class discussions
Themes
social critique
economics
power structures
Mood
analytical
ironic
Type
satirical
critical
When to use this quote
- political commentary
- academic lectures
- public debates
- social media discourse
Key Concepts
inequality
political rhetoric
media framing
Questions to Reflect On
- Who benefits from labeling issues as class warfare?
- How does framing affect public perception?
A Different Perspective
Ignoring the rich can mischaracterize class issues
![“When the Democrats are attacked for [inciting class warfare] they shrink back. They don't say what obviously should be said, "Yes, there is class warfare. There has always been class warfare in this country." The reason the Democrats shrink back is because the Democrats and the Republicans are on…” quote by Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/45a/howard-zinn-576_class_when-the-democrats-are-attacked-for-inci_2485533.jpg)
![“[The word class has] been excised from the acceptable political vocabulary, except in the limited usage of right-wingers when they accuse liberals of inciting 'class warfare' - a charge that means it's okay for rich people to vote their economic interests but it's not all right to encourage poor…” quote by Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7b1/harry-shearer-7595_acceptable_the-word-class-has-been-excised-from-the_521303.jpg)
