--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you have the national narrative…" description: "\"When you have the national narrative being \"crack is awful and black people are using it,\" why go against that narrative when you want to get that publ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/carl-hart-8006_awful_when-you-have-the-national-narrative-bei_1467172.jpg" --- # When you have the national narrative being "crack is awful… ![“When you have the national narrative being "crack is awful and black people are using it," why go against that narrative when you want to get that publication in The New York Times or wherever? It encourages people to play right into it.” quote by Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/carl-hart-8006_awful_when-you-have-the-national-narrative-bei_1467172.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/carl-hart-8006_awful_when-you-have-the-national-narrative-bei_1467172.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/carl-hart-8006_awful_when-you-have-the-national-narrative-bei_1467172.jpg) > “When you have the national narrative being "crack is awful and black people are using it," why go against that narrative when you want to get that publication in The New York Times or wherever? It encourages people to play right into it.” [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Manipulating narratives about crack can backfire, especially when seeking mainstream acceptance. **In simple terms:** Playing into stereotypes hurts progress. Key Takeaway Challenge harmful narratives. Themes media race policy Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical advocational When to use this quote - journalism - advocacy - community outreach - policy reform Key Concepts stereotypes public perception Questions to Reflect On - How can you reframe the conversation? - What evidence counters the stereotype? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched views is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [York Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york-times/) ## Related quotes > [“This isn't to deny that there were fierce arguments, at the time and ever since, about the causes and goals of both the Civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/this-isn-t-to-deny-that-there-were-fierce-arguments-at-the-time-and/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [“I read like fiends smoke crack”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-swierczynski/i-read-like-fiends-smoke-crack/) [Duane Swierczynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-swierczynski/) > [I'm an artist and an engineer, which is, increasingly, a more common kind of hybrid. But I still fall into this weird crack where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/golan-levin/i-m-an-artist-and-an-engineer-which-is-increasingly-a-more-common/) [Golan Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/golan-levin/) > [“There is no such thing as a social crack user.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-carr/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-social-crack-user/) [David Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-carr/) > [A crack on the head is what you get for not asking, and a crack on the head is what you get for asking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-smiths/a-crack-on-the-head-is-what-you-get-for-not-asking-and-a-crack-on-the/) [The Smiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-smiths/) > [I heard I won 'best butt crack' on television recently. It's true. I did it, you guys. I made it. I wish I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-edelstein/i-heard-i-won-best-butt-crack-on-television-recently-it-s-true-i-did/) [Lisa Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-edelstein/) > [Leave my door open just a crack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owl-city/leave-my-door-open-just-a-crack/) [Owl City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owl-city/) > [“The brief sound is like a color swallowed by a crack. But what color?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/the-brief-sound-is-like-a-color-swallowed-by-a-crack-but-what-color/) [Roberto Bolaño](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/) > [A reputation once broken may possibly be repaired, but the world will always keep their eyes on the spot where the crack was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-hall/a-reputation-once-broken-may-possibly-be-repaired-but-the-world-will/) [Joseph Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-hall/) > [Yeah, I am fun loving. I do crack jokes at times too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-chakraborty/yeah-i-am-fun-loving-i-do-crack-jokes-at-times-too/) [Rhea Chakraborty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-chakraborty/) > [“There was never anything wrong with my life. Perhaps that was the problem... The crack in my life was the fact that I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/there-was-never-anything-wrong-with-my-life-perhaps-that-was-the/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [You only learn if you're given a crack at things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-fearon/you-only-learn-if-you-re-given-a-crack-at-things/) [Ray Fearon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-fearon/) > [There is some really good crack when I come back here. This is where I learned to swear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/there-is-some-really-good-crack-when-i-come-back-here-this-is-where-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Trust is like an egg shell, one crack is beyond repair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tshepo-koos-maluleke/trust-is-like-an-egg-shell-one-crack-is-beyond-repair/) [Tshepo Koos Maluleke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tshepo-koos-maluleke/) > [When I was 13, I began relaxing my hair, and that meant when I turned 18 it began to crack and fall off, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/when-i-was-13-i-began-relaxing-my-hair-and-that-meant-when-i-turned/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) ## More by Carl Hart > [If politicians did care about their constituents, they would work harder to seek out people like me. They don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/if-politicians-did-care-about-their-constituents-they-would-work/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [“If Barack Obama had come up in a time when the drug war was being waged as intensely as it is now, we probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/if-barack-obama-had-come-up-in-a-time-when-the-drug-war-was-being/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [All of my childhood, we were on welfare. My mom received Aid for Families with Dependent Children - welfare. Without that, we wouldn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/all-of-my-childhood-we-were-on-welfare-my-mom-received-aid-for/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [It takes some courage to say you were wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/it-takes-some-courage-to-say-you-were-wrong/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [Perhaps, for once, we should try interventions that are informed by science and proven to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/perhaps-for-once-we-should-try-interventions-that-are-informed-by/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [When you go to jail, you are under the supervision of the state. You are housed with people who are criminals, so that becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/when-you-go-to-jail-you-are-under-the-supervision-of-the-state-you/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [One of the things we know about people is that people are not very courageous in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/one-of-the-things-we-know-about-people-is-that-people-are-not-very/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [The notion that scientists are dispassionate - first of all, that's wrong. Scientists are extremely passionate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/the-notion-that-scientists-are-dispassionate-first-of-all-that-s/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [“Indeed, a great deal of pathological drug use is driven by unmet social needs, by being alienated and having difficulty connecting with others. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/indeed-a-great-deal-of-pathological-drug-use-is-driven-by-unmet/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [I don't want to be on the bandwagon of dogging any president or anybody in positions where they have all these different constituencies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/i-don-t-want-to-be-on-the-bandwagon-of-dogging-any-president-or/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [Dopamine makes up less than one percent of the brain's neurotransmitters. It's a small portion. Dopamine is released when people are happy, angry, stressed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/dopamine-makes-up-less-than-one-percent-of-the-brain-s/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [Your decision to place your law enforcement resources in these communities is racism, but nobody has called people out on this. The law itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/your-decision-to-place-your-law-enforcement-resources-in-these/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [When I got out of the military, I finished up my education at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and I had some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/when-i-got-out-of-the-military-i-finished-up-my-education-at-the/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [When we make decisions based on factors other than the available empirical evidence, we are less than objective, which means we are no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/when-we-make-decisions-based-on-factors-other-than-the-available/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [The way we have been thinking about brain science is that people show you pretty pictures, pretty images, and you think that that tells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/the-way-we-have-been-thinking-about-brain-science-is-that-people-show/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) [Explore all 84 Carl Hart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) ## More Awful quotes > [It must be that I am dreaming, and that I shall awaken in a moment to see that awful knife descending toward my heart-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/it-must-be-that-i-am-dreaming-and-that-i-shall-awaken-in-a-moment-to/) [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) > [I spent two years in Palo Alto - what an awful, suffocating place for those of us who don't care about yoga, yogurts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/i-spent-two-years-in-palo-alto-what-an-awful-suffocating-place-for/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [Layla brought her arms around herself, no doubt because she was remembering the feel of another, stronger set. "I have wanted to, but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/layla-brought-her-arms-around-herself-no-doubt-because-she-was/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [You've seen the first issue and what happened in the last page. Some pretty awful stuff. I don't know why I seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-shalvey/you-ve-seen-the-first-issue-and-what-happened-in-the-last-page-some/) [Declan Shalvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-shalvey/) > [It is not like studying German, where you mull along, in a groping, uncertain way, for thirty years; and at last, just as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-is-not-like-studying-german-where-you-mull-along-in-a-groping/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [There was a special challenge in describing the awful childhood of a person who happens to be my own husband. It was very painful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-stephenson/there-was-a-special-challenge-in-describing-the-awful-childhood-of-a/) [Pamela Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-stephenson/) > [On balance the moral influence of religion has been awful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/on-balance-the-moral-influence-of-religion-has-been-awful/) [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) > [When you finish a poem, it clicks shut like the top of a jewel box, but prose is endless. I haven't experienced an awful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-koch/when-you-finish-a-poem-it-clicks-shut-like-the-top-of-a-jewel-box-but/) [Kenneth Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-koch/) > [Fascism: awful stench of saw and axe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-leiris/fascism-awful-stench-of-saw-and-axe/) [Michel Leiris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-leiris/) > [No one with a bad tie is getting my vote. Some Lib Dems wear the most shockingly awful ties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-fox/no-one-with-a-bad-tie-is-getting-my-vote-some-lib-dems-wear-the-most/) [Freddie Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-fox/) > [“Here she was back in the brightly lit world she had been avoiding for twenty years, and it was exactly as awful as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/here-she-was-back-in-the-brightly-lit-world-she-had-been-avoiding-for/) [Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/) > [I'm pretty indiscriminating, and I have awful taste, generally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nellie-mckay/i-m-pretty-indiscriminating-and-i-have-awful-taste-generally/) [Nellie McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nellie-mckay/) > [The blessed Religion revealed in the word of God will remain an eternal and awful monument to prove that the best Institution may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-blessed-religion-revealed-in-the-word-of-god-will-remain-an/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [“I am awful. I am heartless. I am scared that these things are actually true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-am-awful-i-am-heartless-i-am-scared-that-these-things-are-actually/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Democracy is an awful way to run a country, but it's the best system we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/democracy-is-an-awful-way-to-run-a-country-but-it-s-the-best-system/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) Browse all 1,826 Awful quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you have the national narrative being \"crack is awful and black people are using it,\" why go against that narrative when you want to get that publication in The New York Times or wherever? It encourages people to play right into it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carl Hart" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/when-you-have-the-national-narrative-being-crack-is-awful-and-black/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Awful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/when-you-have-the-national-narrative-being-crack-is-awful-and-black/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/carl-hart-8006_awful_when-you-have-the-national-narrative-bei_1467172.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/carl-hart-8006_awful_when-you-have-the-national-narrative-bei_1467172.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/260/carl-hart-8006_awful_when-you-have-the-national-narrative-bei_1467172.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you have the national narrative being \"crack is awful and black people are using it,\" why go against…” — Carl Hart", "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": "Carl Hart", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you have the national narrative...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/when-you-have-the-national-narrative-being-crack-is-awful-and-black/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/when-you-have-the-national-narrative-being-crack-is-awful-and-black/#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 } } ] } ```