--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everybody now seems to be talking about…" description: "\"Everybody now seems to be talking about democracy. I don't understand this. As I think of it, democracy isn't like a Sunday suit to be brought out and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/dalton-trumbo-9732_decent_everybody-now-seems-to-be-talking-about_2897244.jpg" --- # Everybody now seems to be talking about democracy. I don't… ![“Everybody now seems to be talking about democracy. I don't understand this. As I think of it, democracy isn't like a Sunday suit to be brought out and worn only for parades. It's the kind of a life a decent man leads, it's something to live for and to die for.” quote by Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/dalton-trumbo-9732_decent_everybody-now-seems-to-be-talking-about_2897244.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/dalton-trumbo-9732_decent_everybody-now-seems-to-be-talking-about_2897244.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5a/dalton-trumbo-9732_decent_everybody-now-seems-to-be-talking-about_2897244.jpg) > “Everybody now seems to be talking about democracy. I don't understand this. As I think of it, democracy isn't like a Sunday suit to be brought out and worn only for parades. It's the kind of a life a decent man leads, it's something to live for and to die for.” [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy is a lived commitment, not a ceremonial costume; it demands personal sacrifice. **In simple terms:** Democracy is everyday life, not just a symbol. Key Takeaway Live democracy daily, be ready to defend it. Themes democracy commitment values citizenship sacrifice Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - voting - public service - civil protest - community building - ethical decision making Key Concepts political philosophy civic duty morality identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you practice democracy daily? - What sacrifices define your civic duty? A Different Perspective Democracy can be misused as a symbol without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Parades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parades/) [Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunday/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Everybody now seems to be talking about democracy. I don't understand this. As I think of it, democracy isn't like a Sunday suit to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/everybody-now-seems-to-be-talking-about-democracy-i-don-t-understand/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [I grew up in a dictatorship, so I really appreciate democracy. I think democracy isn't just a random thing that's around - a democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-van-dyk/i-grew-up-in-a-dictatorship-so-i-really-appreciate-democracy-i-think/) [Paul van Dyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-van-dyk/) > [Dishonesty in government is the business of every citizen. It is not enough to do your own job. There's no particular gift in that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/dishonesty-in-government-is-the-business-of-every-citizen-it-is-not-2/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [Democracy isn't a gift. It's a responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/democracy-isn-t-a-gift-it-s-a-responsibility/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [Dishonesty in government is the business of every citizen. It is not enough to do your own job. There's no particular virtue in that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/dishonesty-in-government-is-the-business-of-every-citizen-it-is-not/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [We ought to be talking about our democracy being under assault right now and what we're going to do about it and not what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/we-ought-to-be-talking-about-our-democracy-being-under-assault-right/) [James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/) > [“Everything is argued over in this world. Apart from only one thing that is not argued over. Nobody argues about democracy. Democracy is there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/everything-is-argued-over-in-this-world-apart-from-only-one-thing/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [Donald Trump's talking down our democracy. And I, for one, am appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our two major…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/donald-trump-s-talking-down-our-democracy-and-i-for-one-am-appalled/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“Naturally they all believe the Colonel is responsible for their salvation—who else could it be but Don Eli? This rankles greatly but I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/naturally-they-all-believe-the-colonel-is-responsible-for-their/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [In a democracy, if you don't get the votes, nothing else is possible, no matter how wonderful your dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/in-a-democracy-if-you-don-t-get-the-votes-nothing-else-is-possible-no/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [I lived in countries that had no democracy... so I don't find myself in the same luxury as you do. You grew up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/i-lived-in-countries-that-had-no-democracy-so-i-don-t-find-myself-in/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [If we don't have an informed electorate we don't have a democracy. So I don't care how people get the information, as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/if-we-don-t-have-an-informed-electorate-we-don-t-have-a-democracy-so/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [You can't have a free democracy if you don't have a free media that can provide vital and independent information to the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/you-can-t-have-a-free-democracy-if-you-don-t-have-a-free-media-that/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [In a democracy, you don't need anyone's permission to form a new political party, publish a politically charged article, or organize a 'tea party.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/in-a-democracy-you-don-t-need-anyone-s-permission-to-form-a-new/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [Let's not pretend we have too much of a democracy here, because we don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-van-zandt/let-s-not-pretend-we-have-too-much-of-a-democracy-here-because-we-don/) [Steven Van Zandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-van-zandt/) ## More by Dalton Trumbo > [Everybody now seems to be talking about democracy. I don't understand this. As I think of it, democracy isn't like a Sunday suit to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/everybody-now-seems-to-be-talking-about-democracy-i-don-t-understand/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [I never considered the working class anything other than something to get out of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/i-never-considered-the-working-class-anything-other-than-something-to/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [“They died crying in their minds like little babies. They forgot the thing they were fighting for the thing they were dying for. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/they-died-crying-in-their-minds-like-little-babies-they-forgot-the/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [Now the truth of the matter is that there are a lot of things people don't understand. Take the Einstein theory. Take taxes. Take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/now-the-truth-of-the-matter-is-that-there-are-a-lot-of-things-people/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [An animal can learn to fight, but to sing beautiful things and make people believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/an-animal-can-learn-to-fight-but-to-sing-beautiful-things-and-make/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [“There ought to be at least as much common sense about living and dying as there is about going to the grocery store and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/there-ought-to-be-at-least-as-much-common-sense-about-living-and/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [Goodbye, my love, my life. Goodbye, goodbye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/goodbye-my-love-my-life-goodbye-goodbye/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [“Have you ever noticed how many fences there're getting to be? And the signs they got on them: no hunting, no hiking, no admission,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/have-you-ever-noticed-how-many-fences-there-re-getting-to-be-and-the/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [The only kind of love worth having is the kind that goes on living and laughing and fighting and loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/the-only-kind-of-love-worth-having-is-the-kind-that-goes-on-living/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [“The worst criminals on earth are those who toy with love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/the-worst-criminals-on-earth-are-those-who-toy-with-love/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [“What the hell does liberty mean anyhow? It's just a word like house or table or any other word. 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Publicly, I believe in them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/privately-i-believe-in-none-of-them-neither-do-you-publicly-i-believe/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [“It will be you—-you who urge us on to battle you who incite us against ourselves you who would have one cobbler kill another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/it-will-be-you-you-who-urge-us-on-to-battle-you-who-incite-us-against/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [“I am trying to penetrate the mystery of why I am as I am- what I am- I have done everything well and right-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/i-am-trying-to-penetrate-the-mystery-of-why-i-am-as-i-am-what-i-am-i/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) > [Dishonesty in government is the business of every citizen. It is not enough to do your own job. There's no particular virtue in that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/dishonesty-in-government-is-the-business-of-every-citizen-it-is-not/) [Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) [Explore all 69 Dalton Trumbo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/) ## More Decent quotes > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. 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