---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The conflict between corporations and…"
description: "\"“The conflict between corporations and activists is that of narcolepsy versus remembrance. The corporations have money, power, and influence. Our sole ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09b/david-mitchell-264_civil-war_the-conflict-between-corporations-and-ac_2273786.jpg"
---

#  The conflict between corporations and activists is that of…

![“The conflict between corporations and activists is that of narcolepsy versus remembrance. The corporations have money, power, and influence. Our sole weapon is public outrage. Outrage blocked the Yuccan Dam, ousted Nixon, and in part, terminated the monstrosities in Vietnam. But outrage is…” quote by David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09b/david-mitchell-264_civil-war_the-conflict-between-corporations-and-ac_2273786.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09b/david-mitchell-264_civil-war_the-conflict-between-corporations-and-ac_2273786.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09b/david-mitchell-264_civil-war_the-conflict-between-corporations-and-ac_2273786.jpg)

> ““The conflict between corporations and activists is that of narcolepsy versus remembrance. The corporations have money, power, and influence. Our sole weapon is public outrage. Outrage blocked the Yuccan Dam, ousted Nixon, and in part, terminated the monstrosities in Vietnam. But outrage is unwieldy to manufacture and handle. First, you need scrutiny; second, widespread awareness; only when this reaches a critical mass does public outrage explode into being. Any stage may be sabotaged. The world’s Alberto Grimaldis can fight scrutiny by burying truth in committees, dullness, and misinformation, or by intimidating the scrutinizers. They can extinguish awareness by dumbing down education, owning TV stations, paying ‘guest fees’ to leader writers, or just buying the media up. The media—and not just The Washington Post—is where democracies conduct their civil wars.””

[David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/)

## About This Quote

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

Corporations use wealth and power to suppress truth, while activists rely on public outrage, which requires scrutiny and awareness to ignite.

**In simple terms:** Money and power hide truth; outrage needs awareness to grow.

Key Takeaway

Build scrutiny and awareness to trigger change.

Themes

power media activism public opinion democracy

Mood

cautious determined critical

Type

analytical inspirational

When to use this quote

- political campaigns
- environmental protests
- media analysis
- grassroots organizing

Key Concepts

information control social movements critical mass

Questions to Reflect On

- How can activists sustain momentum after an initial outrage?
- What safeguards prevent media consolidation from stifling dissent?

A Different Perspective

Outrage can be co-opted or suppressed by entrenched interests.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Fight Scrutiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight-scrutiny-5280938/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-power/) [Outrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrage/) [Outrage Blocked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrage-blocked-5280937/) [Outrage Outrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrage-outrage-5280939/) [Public Outrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-outrage-5273940/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/)

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