---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Prohibiting any words not approved of as…"
description: "\"Prohibiting any words not approved of as 'politically correct' - that's not progressive. Putting 'trigger warnings' on books, movies, music, anything t..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/dave-rubin-11946_books_prohibiting-any-words-not-approved-of-as_1902127.jpg"
---

#  Prohibiting any words not approved of as 'politically…

![“Prohibiting any words not approved of as 'politically correct' - that's not progressive. Putting 'trigger warnings' on books, movies, music, anything that might offend people - that's not progressive, either.” quote by Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/dave-rubin-11946_books_prohibiting-any-words-not-approved-of-as_1902127.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/dave-rubin-11946_books_prohibiting-any-words-not-approved-of-as_1902127.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/dave-rubin-11946_books_prohibiting-any-words-not-approved-of-as_1902127.jpg)

> “Prohibiting any words not approved of as 'politically correct' - that's not progressive. Putting 'trigger warnings' on books, movies, music, anything that might offend people - that's not progressive, either.”

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Labeling language and warnings as progressive can be counterproductive; true progress should foster open dialogue without censorship.

**In simple terms:** Progress should encourage open dialogue, not censorship.

Key Takeaway

Promote free expression while respecting sensitivities.

Themes

speech progress censorship

Mood

controversial analytical

Type

political ethical

When to use this quote

- media platforms
- educational settings
- public forums

Key Concepts

political discourse media ethics social norms

Questions to Reflect On

- When does speech become harmful?
- How can we protect vulnerable groups without stifling discourse?

A Different Perspective

Balancing free speech with harm reduction is complex.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Offend People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offend-people/) [Politically correct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politically-correct/) [Progressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressive/) [Prohibiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prohibiting-709769/) [Prohibiting Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prohibiting-words-2813339/) [Trigger Warnings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trigger-warnings-462810/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/)

## Related quotes

> [I've never really been one to try to be politically correct. I just feel truth is truth, and sometimes I probably offend some people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/i-ve-never-really-been-one-to-try-to-be-politically-correct-i-just/)

[Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/)

> [Trigger warnings are an instantiation of the West's zeitgeist of perpetual offense and victimhood that defines much of public discourse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-saad/trigger-warnings-are-an-instantiation-of-the-west-s-zeitgeist-of/)

[Gad Saad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-saad/)

> [Trigger warnings are part of the West's debauchery of self-indulgent victimhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-saad/trigger-warnings-are-part-of-the-west-s-debauchery-of-self-indulgent/)

[Gad Saad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-saad/)

> [“Some suggest that this cocoon mentality is behind recent campus trends such as "trigger warnings" to alert students that a reading or lecture material…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-m-twenge/some-suggest-that-this-cocoon-mentality-is-behind-recent-campus/)

[Jean M. Twenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-m-twenge/)

> [Do I think that, when we're teaching a book at school, should we go through a myriad list of trigger warnings? No. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levinson/do-i-think-that-when-we-re-teaching-a-book-at-school-should-we-go/)

[Sam Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levinson/)

> [“The way a story is told is as important as the story being told, although the way that the story is told is usually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-way-a-story-is-told-is-as-important-as-the-story-being-told/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [There are justifiable case-by-case situations wherein an educator might exhibit targeted sensitivity to a student's unique circumstances. This is humane and laudable. In most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-saad/there-are-justifiable-case-by-case-situations-wherein-an-educator/)

[Gad Saad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-saad/)

> [Trigger warnings and safe spaces are an infantilizing setback for feminism - and for women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-hoff-sommers/trigger-warnings-and-safe-spaces-are-an-infantilizing-setback-for/)

[Christina Hoff Sommers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-hoff-sommers/)

> [Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/congress-shall-make-no-law-respecting-an-establishment-of-religion-or-3/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [I would not want to see any relaxation of the law prohibiting human cloning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-would-not-want-to-see-any-relaxation-of-the-law-prohibiting-human/)

[Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/)

> [Nothing optional -- from homosexuality to adultery -- is ever made punishable unless those who do the prohibiting (and exact the fierce punishment) have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/nothing-optional-from-homosexuality-to-adultery-is-ever-made/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [In 1972, there was still a New York City law prohibiting women there from 'furnishing refreshments to the audience or spectators at any place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/in-1972-there-was-still-a-new-york-city-law-prohibiting-women-there/)

[Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/)

> [There are already laws prohibiting the promotion of hatred and we are now considering new laws to establish limits on the use of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-rock/there-are-already-laws-prohibiting-the-promotion-of-hatred-and-we-are/)

[Allan Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-rock/)

> [“It may be that the most striking thing about members of my literary generation in retrospect will be that we were allowed to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/it-may-be-that-the-most-striking-thing-about-members-of-my-literary/)

[Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/)

> [One of the elementary rules of nature is that, in the absence of a law prohibiting an event or phenomenon, it is bound to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-w-ford/one-of-the-elementary-rules-of-nature-is-that-in-the-absence-of-a-law/)

[Kenneth W. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-w-ford/)

## More by Dave Rubin

> [The election of Trump threw the chess board up. The pieces are all over the place. That's upsetting to a lot of people, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/the-election-of-trump-threw-the-chess-board-up-the-pieces-are-all/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [Classical liberalism is the idea that individual freedom and limited government are the best way for humans to form a free society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/classical-liberalism-is-the-idea-that-individual-freedom-and-limited/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [Sometimes inaction is worse than action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/sometimes-inaction-is-worse-than-action/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [If you took one of these One Direction kids, because they basically are kids, my guess is one of them is gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/if-you-took-one-of-these-one-direction-kids-because-they-basically/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [I'm so in favor of gay marriage that I even married a guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/i-m-so-in-favor-of-gay-marriage-that-i-even-married-a-guy/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [I believe the regressive Left - the group of people who use illiberal tactics to silence those defending liberal principles - to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/i-believe-the-regressive-left-the-group-of-people-who-use-illiberal/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [The whole point of real comedy is that you can say something that is true, and by being funny, you can make it tolerable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/the-whole-point-of-real-comedy-is-that-you-can-say-something-that-is/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [Those who only tolerate people they agree with or like aren't actually tolerant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/those-who-only-tolerate-people-they-agree-with-or-like-aren-t/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [I spent too many years of my life stressing over and struggling with my sexuality. But it was a valuable lesson. I realised that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/i-spent-too-many-years-of-my-life-stressing-over-and-struggling-with/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [I don't do anything in my life as far as I know, or at least consciously, that's based in religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/i-don-t-do-anything-in-my-life-as-far-as-i-know-or-at-least/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [I think virtually everyone wants to do good and be good and be decent to each other and pursue something that is valuable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/i-think-virtually-everyone-wants-to-do-good-and-be-good-and-be-decent/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [Obviously, I agree with Trump on many of his criticisms of the mainstream media. You can absolutely argue that their failure to report honestly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/obviously-i-agree-with-trump-on-many-of-his-criticisms-of-the/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [Whatever differences we have, tolerating others' opinions is a prerequisite to a functioning and free society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/whatever-differences-we-have-tolerating-others-opinions-is-a/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [I think the media has portrayed conservatives as these cold, heartless people who want poor people to die and let half the population starve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/i-think-the-media-has-portrayed-conservatives-as-these-cold-heartless/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

> [I remember thinking Democrats and liberals were the good guys. They cared about the little guy. They cared about poor people. They cared about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/i-remember-thinking-democrats-and-liberals-were-the-good-guys-they/)

[Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

[Explore all 57 Dave Rubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/)

## More Books quotes

> [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/)

[Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/)

> [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/)

[Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/)

> [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/)

[Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/)

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/)

[Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/)

> [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/)

[Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/)

> [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/)

[Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/)

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/)

[Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/)

> [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/)

[Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/)

> [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/)

[Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/)

> [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/)

[Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/)

> [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/)

[Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/)

[Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Prohibiting any words not approved of as 'politically correct' - that's not progressive. Putting 'trigger warnings' on books, movies, music, anything that might offend people - that's not progressive, either.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dave Rubin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/prohibiting-any-words-not-approved-of-as-politically-correct-that-s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Books"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/prohibiting-any-words-not-approved-of-as-politically-correct-that-s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/dave-rubin-11946_books_prohibiting-any-words-not-approved-of-as_1902127.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/dave-rubin-11946_books_prohibiting-any-words-not-approved-of-as_1902127.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb2/dave-rubin-11946_books_prohibiting-any-words-not-approved-of-as_1902127.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Prohibiting any words not approved of as 'politically correct' - that's not progressive. Putting 'trigger…” — Dave Rubin",
                "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": "Dave Rubin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Prohibiting any words not approved of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/prohibiting-any-words-not-approved-of-as-politically-correct-that-s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/prohibiting-any-words-not-approved-of-as-politically-correct-that-s/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
