--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Real rebels, as far as I can see, risk…" description: "\"“Real rebels, as far as I can see, risk disapproval.”\" — David Foster Wallace" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16d/david-foster-wallace-161_disapproval_real-rebels-as-far-as-i-can-see-risk-dis_2555229.jpg" --- # Real rebels, as far as I can see, risk disapproval. ![“Real rebels, as far as I can see, risk disapproval.” quote by David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16d/david-foster-wallace-161_disapproval_real-rebels-as-far-as-i-can-see-risk-dis_2555229.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16d/david-foster-wallace-161_disapproval_real-rebels-as-far-as-i-can-see-risk-dis_2555229.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16d/david-foster-wallace-161_disapproval_real-rebels-as-far-as-i-can-see-risk-dis_2555229.jpg) > ““Real rebels, as far as I can see, risk disapproval.”” [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True rebels accept the risk of disapproval, valuing authenticity over conformity. **In simple terms:** Rebels risk being disliked to stay true. Key Takeaway Embrace authenticity even if it invites criticism. Themes individualism authenticity risk social pressure Mood defiant reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - activism - artistic expression - personal decisions - leadership Key Concepts Existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs are you willing to defend despite criticism? - How does fear of judgment shape your choices? A Different Perspective Disapproval can lead to isolation and self‑doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disapproval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disapproval/) [Real Rebels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-rebels-1555634/) [Rebellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebellion/) [Rebels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebels/) [Rebels Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebels-far-1555636/) [Risk Disapproval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk-disapproval-1555635/) ## Related quotes > [Real rebels are rarely anything but second rate outside their rebellion; the drain of time and temper is ruinous to any other accomplishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gould-cozzens/real-rebels-are-rarely-anything-but-second-rate-outside-their/) [James Gould Cozzens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gould-cozzens/) > [“Real rebels, as far as I can see, risk disapproval. The old postmodern insurgents risked the gasp and squeal: shock, disgust, outrage, censorship, accusations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/real-rebels-as-far-as-i-can-see-risk-disapproval-the-old-postmodern/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Success also requires the courage to risk disapproval. Most independent thought, new ideas, or endeavors beyond the common measure are greeted with disapproval, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chin-ning-chu/success-also-requires-the-courage-to-risk-disapproval-most/) [Chin-Ning Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chin-ning-chu/) > [“We are not defined by the things we do in order to survive. We do not apologize for them,” she says quietly, eyes never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-sebastian/we-are-not-defined-by-the-things-we-do-in-order-to-survive-we-do-not/) [Laura Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-sebastian/) > [“All rebels are closet aristocrats.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/all-rebels-are-closet-aristocrats/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“Never close your hands in the face of evil fate; get up and rebel against it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/never-close-your-hands-in-the-face-of-evil-fate-get-up-and-rebel/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“...it’s just another one of those things I don’t understand: everyone impresses upon you how unique you are, encouraging you to cultivate your individuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-just-another-one-of-those-things-i-don-t-understand-everyone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's not rebels that make trouble, but trouble that makes rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-messinger/it-s-not-rebels-that-make-trouble-but-trouble-that-makes-rebels/) [Ruth Messinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-messinger/) > [Rebels are the people who refuse the seen for the unseen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-douglas-sedgwick/rebels-are-the-people-who-refuse-the-seen-for-the-unseen/) [Anne Douglas Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-douglas-sedgwick/) > [“And I kind of like the Teen Rebels; they seem to be better than the Bullying Trio. Still, watch your backs, rebels!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacquel-chrissy-may/and-i-kind-of-like-the-teen-rebels-they-seem-to-be-better-than-the/) [Jacquel Chrissy May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacquel-chrissy-may/) > [“We are rebels at war with God. We cannot make peace with Him until we lay down our rebellion—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-prince/we-are-rebels-at-war-with-god-we-cannot-make-peace-with-him-until-we/) [Derek Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-prince/) > [“Rebels usually have something to complain about, and if they don't they make it up. All too often the really disadvantaged are in no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-collier/rebels-usually-have-something-to-complain-about-and-if-they-don-t/) [Paul Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-collier/) > [“As her feet beat the concrete ground beneath them, her chest began to ache. It had been a long time since she had run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/as-her-feet-beat-the-concrete-ground-beneath-them-her-chest-began-to/) [Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/) > [“My dream is to create something so beautiful that it encourages people to present the best version of themselves to me everywhere I go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/my-dream-is-to-create-something-so-beautiful-that-it-encourages/) [Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/) > [“Try to think of it as though we are rewriting history––the first time this experience occurred you and I never kissed in this Dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/try-to-think-of-it-as-though-we-are-rewriting-history-the-first-time/) [Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/) ## More by David Foster Wallace > [“I felt more solidly composed, now that I was horizontal. I was impossible to knock down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/i-felt-more-solidly-composed-now-that-i-was-horizontal-i-was/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“We all have our little solipsistic delusions, ghastly intuitions of utter singularity: that we are the only one in the house who ever fills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/we-all-have-our-little-solipsistic-delusions-ghastly-intuitions-of/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“It's no accident that in a bureaucracy getting fired is called 'termination,' as in ontological erasure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/it-s-no-accident-that-in-a-bureaucracy-getting-fired-is-called/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Footnote: 79) The anchor is gigantic and must weigh a hundred tons, and -- delightfully -- it really is anchor-shaped, i.e. the same shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/footnote-79-the-anchor-is-gigantic-and-must-weigh-a-hundred-tons-and/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“The paradoxical intercourse of audience and celebrity. The suppressed awareness that the whole reason ordinary people found celebrity fascinating was that they were not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-paradoxical-intercourse-of-audience-and-celebrity-the-suppressed/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“I am coming to see that the sensation of the worst nightmares, a sensation that can be felt asleep or awake, is identical to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/i-am-coming-to-see-that-the-sensation-of-the-worst-nightmares-a/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“He cranks the condo’s AC way down at night and still most mornings wakes up soaked, fetally curled, entombed in that kind of psychic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/he-cranks-the-condo-s-ac-way-down-at-night-and-still-most-mornings/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“To me, at least in retrospect, the really interesting question is why dullness proves to be such a powerful impediment to attention. Why we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/to-me-at-least-in-retrospect-the-really-interesting-question-is-why/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“If you’re subjected to enough great salesmen and salespitches and marketing concepts for long enough—like from your earliest Saturday-morning cartoons, let’s say—it is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/if-you-re-subjected-to-enough-great-salesmen-and-salespitches-and/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“Why is the truth usually not just un- but anti-interesting?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/why-is-the-truth-usually-not-just-un-but-anti-interesting/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“She almost reminds the engineer of certain types in high school whom everyone adored because you sensed it made no difference to them whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/she-almost-reminds-the-engineer-of-certain-types-in-high-school-whom/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [To be, in a word, unborable… It is the key to modern life. If you are immune to boredom, there is literally nothing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/to-be-in-a-word-unborable-it-is-the-key-to-modern-life-if-you-are/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“It is within your power to experience a crowded, loud, slow, consumer-hell-type situation as not only meaningful but sacred, on fire with the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/it-is-within-your-power-to-experience-a-crowded-loud-slow-consumer/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“The happy pleasure of the person alone, yes?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-happy-pleasure-of-the-person-alone-yes/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [There is such a thing as raw, unalloyed, agendaless kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/there-is-such-a-thing-as-raw-unalloyed-agendaless-kindness/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) [Explore all 999 David Foster Wallace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) ## More Disapproval quotes > [Disapproval is a very important factor in all progress. There has really never been any progress without it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-henry-breasted/disapproval-is-a-very-important-factor-in-all-progress-there-has/) [James Henry Breasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-henry-breasted/) > [Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. It’s necessary. I make corrections only after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/approval-is-a-greater-motivator-than-disapproval-but-we-have-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Anger is the ultimate troublemaker. I feel you can express a strong disapproval or dislike of an object without losing your temper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/anger-is-the-ultimate-troublemaker-i-feel-you-can-express-a-strong/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Collective judgment of new ideas is so often wrong that it is arguable that progress depends on individuals being free to back their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-arthur-lewis/collective-judgment-of-new-ideas-is-so-often-wrong-that-it-is/) [W. Arthur Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-arthur-lewis/) > [The heart wants what the heart wants," she says, somewhat cryptically. I purse my lips in disapproval. "You'd think the heart would know better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/the-heart-wants-what-the-heart-wants-she-says-somewhat-cryptically-i/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) > [Don't look left nor right and never compete. Never. Watching the other guy is what kills all forms of energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-vreeland/don-t-look-left-nor-right-and-never-compete-never-watching-the-other/) [Diana Vreeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-vreeland/) > [“Approval is overrated. Approval and disapproval alike satisfy those who deliver it more than those who receive it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/approval-is-overrated-approval-and-disapproval-alike-satisfy-those/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“Looks like Faye's doing a little extracurricular activity," a voice behind her murmured, and Cassie turned gratefully. Nick nodded at the guy who was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/looks-like-faye-s-doing-a-little-extracurricular-activity-a-voice/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [No man likes to live under the eye of perpetual disapprobation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/no-man-likes-to-live-under-the-eye-of-perpetual-disapprobation/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The sooner we all learn to make a decision between disapproval and censorship, the better off society will be... Censorship cannot get at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/granville-hicks/the-sooner-we-all-learn-to-make-a-decision-between-disapproval-and/) [Granville Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/granville-hicks/) > [“Though I no longer liked him or respected him, the thought of his disapproval frightened me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/though-i-no-longer-liked-him-or-respected-him-the-thought-of-his/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [ The very term \['mental disease'\] is nonsensical, a semantic mistake. The two words cannot go together except metaphorically; you can no more have a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-fuller-torrey/the-very-term-mental-disease-is-nonsensical-a-semantic-mistake-the/) [E. Fuller Torrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-fuller-torrey/) > [“If you can't set a better example for progress, don't show disapproval against the worse tradition!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/if-you-can-t-set-a-better-example-for-progress-don-t-show-disapproval/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Hang your merit. I don't seek anyone's approbation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hang-your-merit-i-don-t-seek-anyone-s-approbation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Those who feel guilty contemplating "betraying" the tradition they love by acknowledging their disapproval of elements within it should reflect on the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/those-who-feel-guilty-contemplating-betraying-the-tradition-they-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 141 Disapproval quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disapproval/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Real rebels, as far as I can see, risk disapproval.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Foster Wallace" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/real-rebels-as-far-as-i-can-see-risk-disapproval/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disapproval" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/real-rebels-as-far-as-i-can-see-risk-disapproval/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16d/david-foster-wallace-161_disapproval_real-rebels-as-far-as-i-can-see-risk-dis_2555229.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16d/david-foster-wallace-161_disapproval_real-rebels-as-far-as-i-can-see-risk-dis_2555229.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16d/david-foster-wallace-161_disapproval_real-rebels-as-far-as-i-can-see-risk-dis_2555229.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Real rebels, as far as I can see, risk disapproval.” — David Foster Wallace", "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": "David Foster Wallace", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Real rebels, as far as I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/real-rebels-as-far-as-i-can-see-risk-disapproval/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/real-rebels-as-far-as-i-can-see-risk-disapproval/#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 } } ] } ```