--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not only are unpaid internships…" description: "\"Not only are unpaid internships exploitative, they're one of the main forces keeping publishing in this country a primary white middle-class industry, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/942/deborah-smith-13837_class_not-only-are-unpaid-internships-exploita_2765062.jpg" --- # Not only are unpaid internships exploitative, they're one… ![“Not only are unpaid internships exploitative, they're one of the main forces keeping publishing in this country a primary white middle-class industry, which has a direct knock-on effect on what gets published and how.” quote by Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/942/deborah-smith-13837_class_not-only-are-unpaid-internships-exploita_2765062.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/942/deborah-smith-13837_class_not-only-are-unpaid-internships-exploita_2765062.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/942/deborah-smith-13837_class_not-only-are-unpaid-internships-exploita_2765062.jpg) > “Not only are unpaid internships exploitative, they're one of the main forces keeping publishing in this country a primary white middle-class industry, which has a direct knock-on effect on what gets published and how.” [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unpaid internships sustain a white, middle‑class publishing monopoly, limiting diversity and shaping content. **In simple terms:** Internships keep publishing exclusive. Key Takeaway Advocate fair pay and inclusive hiring. Themes labor inequality media diversity Mood critical urgent Type sociopolitical analytical When to use this quote - publishing houses - career entry - policy advocacy - education programs Key Concepts economic power gatekeeping Questions to Reflect On - Who benefits from unpaid labor? - How can emerging writers break the cycle? A Different Perspective Change may be slow due to entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Internships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internships/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishing/) ## Related quotes > [I eventually moved to New York with just a couple unpaid internships. Meeting people and going to go the Upright Citizens Brigade, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasheer-zamata/i-eventually-moved-to-new-york-with-just-a-couple-unpaid-internships/) [Sasheer Zamata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasheer-zamata/) > [“Unpaid internships are worse than slavery," Gabby said. I looked at her, unsure of what she meant. "They make us work ridiculous hours, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-lo/unpaid-internships-are-worse-than-slavery-gabby-said-i-looked-at-her/) [Teresa Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-lo/) > [Graduation is when your summers of unpaid internships finally earn you a full-time unpaid internship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/graduation-is-when-your-summers-of-unpaid-internships-finally-earn/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And to improve access to the UK publishing industry - I'm hoping to set up an internship or work experience for someone from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/and-to-improve-access-to-the-uk-publishing-industry-i-m-hoping-to-set/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [I was the first in my family to go to college, and I waitressed all the way through, using my earnings to pay for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-liebegott/i-was-the-first-in-my-family-to-go-to-college-and-i-waitressed-all/) [Ali Liebegott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-liebegott/) > [Horrifying as it was to crack up in the public eye, it made me look at myself and fix it. People were exploitative; that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-kidder/horrifying-as-it-was-to-crack-up-in-the-public-eye-it-made-me-look-at/) [Margot Kidder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-kidder/) > [My name, Diana Ross, is my name and nobody should be able to use that for exploitative purposes but me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-ross/my-name-diana-ross-is-my-name-and-nobody-should-be-able-to-use-that/) [Diana Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-ross/) > [Photography is, by its nature, exploitative. It's whether you use this process with a sense of responsibility or not. I feel that I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/photography-is-by-its-nature-exploitative-it-s-whether-you-use-this/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [“Standing in the spotlight, surrounded by all my selves, each of them naked and vulnerable before your lens, I want to be split open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kidd/standing-in-the-spotlight-surrounded-by-all-my-selves-each-of-them/) [Kris Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kidd/) > [The pay in the minor leagues, I think it's terrible, it's disgusting, it's exploitative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/the-pay-in-the-minor-leagues-i-think-it-s-terrible-it-s-disgusting-it/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [Writing can sometimes be exploitative. I like to take a few steps of remove in order to respect the privacy of the subject. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/writing-can-sometimes-be-exploitative-i-like-to-take-a-few-steps-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, use for entertainment or for any exploitative purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/animals-are-not-ours-to-eat-wear-experiment-on-use-for-entertainment/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh about what gets published; sometimes it's annoying, but in general I don't care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-martinez/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-about-what-gets-published-sometimes-it-s/) [Olivier Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-martinez/) > [The memoir industry is, what's the word? Under regulated. I think it needs to be pruned. If there are too many books right now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-phillips/the-memoir-industry-is-what-s-the-word-under-regulated-i-think-it/) [Arthur Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-phillips/) > [“As long as algorithms determine the distribution of profits, they will also determine what gets published. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-carr/as-long-as-algorithms-determine-the-distribution-of-profits-they-will/) [Nicholas Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-carr/) ## More by Deborah Smith > [Happy people look young. You’re really afraid of getting older, aren’t you? You should only be afraid of getting less happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/happy-people-look-young-you-re-really-afraid-of-getting-older-aren-t/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [“I buried my grief for my son, not my memories, but my grief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/i-buried-my-grief-for-my-son-not-my-memories-but-my-grief/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [I read The Vegetarian and fell in love with it. A year later, I was invited to go and speak at the London Book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/i-read-the-vegetarian-and-fell-in-love-with-it-a-year-later-i-was/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [A chorus of tough southern belles whispered, You need a loyal husband around here. Loyal to you, loyal to your family, loyal to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/a-chorus-of-tough-southern-belles-whispered-you-need-a-loyal-husband/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [Instead of fearing what might happen if I failed, I should be excited about what could happen if I succeeded!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/instead-of-fearing-what-might-happen-if-i-failed-i-should-be-excited/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [I suspected learning a language would be both useful and enjoyable (I love memorising lists of things), and would get rid of the embarrassment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/i-suspected-learning-a-language-would-be-both-useful-and-enjoyable-i/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [“A vida é fugaz. A vida é preciosa. Temos de gozar cada momento. A sensualidade de respirar, de sentir, de querer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/a-vida-fugaz-a-vida-preciosa-temos-de-gozar-cada-momento-a/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [“The best sex takes us somewhere. Somewhere warm and expansive, a paradise of lust and happiness. Sex is and can be and should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/the-best-sex-takes-us-somewhere-somewhere-warm-and-expansive-a/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [Possibly the best thing about the whole experience is that Kang and I are now really good friends. It's as much of a pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/possibly-the-best-thing-about-the-whole-experience-is-that-kang-and-i/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [I've translated two of Bae's novels, A Greater Music and Recitation, which are coming from Open Letter and Deep Vellum in October and January…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/i-ve-translated-two-of-bae-s-novels-a-greater-music-and-recitation/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [Simon Collinson, of digital publisher Canelo and über-cool Aussie mag The Lifted Brow, is our digital producer; Sarah Shin, Verso's comms director, is helping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/simon-collinson-of-digital-publisher-canelo-and-ber-cool-aussie-mag/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [There's no linear narrative - the structure is more like a series of variations on a theme (how identity is shaped by language), with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/there-s-no-linear-narrative-the-structure-is-more-like-a-series-of/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [There’s something very freeing about losing the anchors that have always defined you. Frightening, sad, but exhilarating in a poignant way, as well. You’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/there-s-something-very-freeing-about-losing-the-anchors-that-have/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [Plus, publishing's inherent conservatism, means that what little did get through was weighted towards the commercial end of the scale, which is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/plus-publishing-s-inherent-conservatism-means-that-what-little-did/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [ Whenever I visit Korea she \[Kang\] buys me lunch and takes me to a gallery. As if all this wasn't enough, she has incredible… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/whenever-i-visit-korea-she-kang-buys-me-lunch-and-takes-me-to-a/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) [Explore all 47 Deborah Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) ## More Class quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [If I had to guess and put a name on it, I'd say that at some point, the drug war was as much a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/if-i-had-to-guess-and-put-a-name-on-it-i-d-say-that-at-some-point-the/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [I grew up in the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/i-grew-up-in-the-middle-class/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“Poor people do not go on holiday; they go home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/poor-people-do-not-go-on-holiday-they-go-home/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [But I don't think the Democratic Party is at eye level with the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-don-t-think-the-democratic-party-is-at-eye-level-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not a dancer. Never took a dance class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/i-m-not-a-dancer-never-took-a-dance-class/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [The structure of the Swiss ruling class is rock-hard, and unchanged since the time of Napoleon. They sit on their mountains and lecture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ziegler/the-structure-of-the-swiss-ruling-class-is-rock-hard-and-unchanged/) [Jean Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ziegler/) > [We are not going back to the failed policies of the past. We are fighting for the middle class!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/we-are-not-going-back-to-the-failed-policies-of-the-past-we-are/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) [Browse all 7,637 Class quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Not only are unpaid internships exploitative, they're one of the main forces keeping publishing in this country a primary white middle-class industry, which has a direct knock-on effect on what gets published and how.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Deborah Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/not-only-are-unpaid-internships-exploitative-they-re-one-of-the-main/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Class" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/not-only-are-unpaid-internships-exploitative-they-re-one-of-the-main/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/942/deborah-smith-13837_class_not-only-are-unpaid-internships-exploita_2765062.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/942/deborah-smith-13837_class_not-only-are-unpaid-internships-exploita_2765062.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/942/deborah-smith-13837_class_not-only-are-unpaid-internships-exploita_2765062.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Not only are unpaid internships exploitative, they're one of the main forces keeping publishing in this…” — Deborah Smith", "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": "Deborah Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Not only are unpaid internships exploitative,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/not-only-are-unpaid-internships-exploitative-they-re-one-of-the-main/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/not-only-are-unpaid-internships-exploitative-they-re-one-of-the-main/#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 } } ] } ```