--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever you discuss politics, it is…" description: "\"Whenever you discuss politics, it is always better to use individual names rather then the term neocon.\" — David Frum" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/david-frum-3455_individual_whenever-you-discuss-politics-it-is-alwa_1605435.jpg" --- # Whenever you discuss politics, it is always better to use… ![“Whenever you discuss politics, it is always better to use individual names rather then the term neocon.” quote by David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/david-frum-3455_individual_whenever-you-discuss-politics-it-is-alwa_1605435.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/david-frum-3455_individual_whenever-you-discuss-politics-it-is-alwa_1605435.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/david-frum-3455_individual_whenever-you-discuss-politics-it-is-alwa_1605435.jpg) > “Whenever you discuss politics, it is always better to use individual names rather then the term neocon.” [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Using personal names in political discussion clarifies accountability more than vague labels. **In simple terms:** Names clarify politics better than labels. Key Takeaway Name individuals, not groups. Themes politics accountability communication Mood analytical critical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - debates - media analysis - policy discussions Key Concepts labeling bias personal responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How to balance specificity with nuance? - When is labeling useful? A Different Perspective Names may oversimplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Billionaires who want to influence politics could get better 'returns on investment' than from early stage Amazon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cummings/billionaires-who-want-to-influence-politics-could-get-better-returns/) [Dominic Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cummings/) > [“In the high-octane, low responsibility world of American politics it was better to be seen as crazy than weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-peters/in-the-high-octane-low-responsibility-world-of-american-politics-it/) Richard Peters > [In the anarchic world of international politics, it is better to be Godzilla than Bambi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/in-the-anarchic-world-of-international-politics-it-is-better-to-be/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [“Is literature better, is politics better, for having discarded the moralist and the philosopher?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/is-literature-better-is-politics-better-for-having-discarded-the/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Sometimes in international politics, the better part of wisdom is to defer dangers rather than try to eliminate them altogether instantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/sometimes-in-international-politics-the-better-part-of-wisdom-is-to/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [In politics, it is better never to have loved at all than to have loved and lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/in-politics-it-is-better-never-to-have-loved-at-all-than-to-have/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [In politics, it is better …...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/in-politics-it-is-better/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I am interested in politics but have stayed away from writing overtly political songs, or message songs, because I find it difficult to discuss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-am-interested-in-politics-but-have-stayed-away-from-writing-overtly/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [Do you think it's possible to discuss politics without preaching?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/do-you-think-it-s-possible-to-discuss-politics-without-preaching/) [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) > [My husband spends the whole day in politics. I make it a point not to discuss politics with him when he comes home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-gandhi/my-husband-spends-the-whole-day-in-politics-i-make-it-a-point-not-to/) [Sonia Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-gandhi/) > [I don't think I can remember a moment in my life where people didn't discuss politics. People discuss politics at the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-nielsen/i-don-t-think-i-can-remember-a-moment-in-my-life-where-people-didn-t/) [Connie Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-nielsen/) > [I come from a political family. My father was a freedom fighter. He was a prominent leader of the locality and member of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pranab-mukherjee/i-come-from-a-political-family-my-father-was-a-freedom-fighter-he-was/) [Pranab Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pranab-mukherjee/) > [I am not interested in politics at all. At home, around the dinner table, we never discuss politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/columba-bush/i-am-not-interested-in-politics-at-all-at-home-around-the-dinner/) [Columba Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/columba-bush/) > [My dad and I get into it all the time. He loves to discuss politics much more than I do and we have pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/my-dad-and-i-get-into-it-all-the-time-he-loves-to-discuss-politics/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [Working with BET always provides a reminder of why I began to do this work. It is essential that we have platforms where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rye/working-with-bet-always-provides-a-reminder-of-why-i-began-to-do-this/) [Angela Rye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rye/) ## More by David Frum > [While there is an attempt by the Trump people to say that California isn't really America. California certainly seems like America to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/while-there-is-an-attempt-by-the-trump-people-to-say-that-california/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [I always believed as a speechwriter that if you could persuade the president to commit himself to certain words, he would feel himself committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that-if-you-could-persuade-the/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [One of the things we're all going to have to discover, establishment is just an abusive term for institutions. It's institutions that keep us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/one-of-the-things-we-re-all-going-to-have-to-discover-establishment/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [One of the things that really has gone wrong in modern politics, one of the things that made Trump possible was that many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/one-of-the-things-that-really-has-gone-wrong-in-modern-politics-one/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [People who want to wage cultural wars ought to keep in mind that cultural views often don't move at all for a very long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/people-who-want-to-wage-cultural-wars-ought-to-keep-in-mind-that/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [A generation ago, or two, when there were three channels, plus PBS, and when you needed - when you needed 15 million people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/a-generation-ago-or-two-when-there-were-three-channels-plus-pbs-and/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Trump is not just unlike a Republican, he's unlike a presidential candidate. The whole elaborate presidential process is designed to screen out people like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/trump-is-not-just-unlike-a-republican-he-s-unlike-a-presidential/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [More Irishmen died fighting for Britain in World War I than died fighting against her in all of Ireland's bids for independence combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/more-irishmen-died-fighting-for-britain-in-world-war-i-than-died/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Donald Trump, as a businessman, he's not much of a builder and he's not much of dealmaker and he certainly isn't very good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/donald-trump-as-a-businessman-he-s-not-much-of-a-builder-and-he-s-not/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [The system we have is one that protects my rights under a president I don't approve. That tomorrow we'll do the same for you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/the-system-we-have-is-one-that-protects-my-rights-under-a-president-i/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [ \[democrats\] hated Richard Nixon, and no wonder. It was Nixon who sent Alger Hiss to jail, and Nixon who waged the Vietnam War after… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/democrats-hated-richard-nixon-and-no-wonder-it-was-nixon-who-sent/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Crown Prince Rupprecht, the heir to the throne of Bavaria who commanded the army group facing the British at the Somme, was the senior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/crown-prince-rupprecht-the-heir-to-the-throne-of-bavaria-who/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Partly because of the desperate economic situation in the country, what were once the leading institutions of conservatism are constrained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/partly-because-of-the-desperate-economic-situation-in-the-country/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [ \[In politics,\] when there is no reason to speak, there is a reason not to speak. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/in-politics-when-there-is-no-reason-to-speak-there-is-a-reason-not-to/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Look, the media are trapped by changes in the technology and business of their industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/look-the-media-are-trapped-by-changes-in-the-technology-and-business/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) [Explore all 130 David Frum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) ## More Individual quotes > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The strains and stresses suffered by the individual in society are grounded in the normal functioning of that society (and of the individual!) rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-strains-and-stresses-suffered-by-the-individual-in-society-are/) [Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/) > [Politics is about power. It is about the power of the state. It is about the power of the state as applied to individuals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-rudd/politics-is-about-power-it-is-about-the-power-of-the-state-it-is/) [Kevin Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-rudd/) > [Why do we love certain homes, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/why-do-we-love-certain-homes-and-why-do-they-seem-to-love-us-it-is/) T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Nations, like individuals, interest us in their growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/nations-like-individuals-interest-us-in-their-growth/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [ \[Sport officials\] blocked their support of us. But those individuals \[ Muhammad Ali, the Jim Browns, the Bill Russells, Kareem Abdul Jabbar \] were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/sport-officials-blocked-their-support-of-us-but-those-individuals/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [Popular culture as a whole is popular, but in today's fragmented market it's a jostle of competing unpopular popular cultures. As the critic Stanley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/popular-culture-as-a-whole-is-popular-but-in-today-s-fragmented/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [The State must act as the guardian of a millennial future in the face of which the wishes and the selfishness of the individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-state-must-act-as-the-guardian-of-a-millennial-future-in-the-face/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The individual, by means of the discipline imposed on him by sport, not only plays and finds relaxation from the various compulsions to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-individual-by-means-of-the-discipline-imposed-on-him-by-sport-not/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Youre always going to have some individual incidents that arent going to show off the Ryder Cup in the true form and spirit that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-kite/youre-always-going-to-have-some-individual-incidents-that-arent-going/) [Tom Kite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-kite/) > [ The self is defined psychologically as the psychic totality of the individual. Anything that a \[person\] postulates as being a greater totality than \[oneself\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-self-is-defined-psychologically-as-the-psychic-totality-of-the/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 10,654 Individual quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whenever you discuss politics, it is always better to use individual names rather then the term neocon.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Frum" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/whenever-you-discuss-politics-it-is-always-better-to-use-individual/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Individual" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/whenever-you-discuss-politics-it-is-always-better-to-use-individual/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/david-frum-3455_individual_whenever-you-discuss-politics-it-is-alwa_1605435.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/david-frum-3455_individual_whenever-you-discuss-politics-it-is-alwa_1605435.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/david-frum-3455_individual_whenever-you-discuss-politics-it-is-alwa_1605435.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whenever you discuss politics, it is always better to use individual names rather then the term neocon.” — David Frum", "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 Frum", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whenever you discuss politics, it is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/whenever-you-discuss-politics-it-is-always-better-to-use-individual/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/whenever-you-discuss-politics-it-is-always-better-to-use-individual/#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 } } ] } ```