--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I live in the USSR, work actively and…" description: "\"I live in the USSR, work actively and count naturally on the worker and peasant spectator. If I am not comprehensible to them I should be deported.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/dmitri-shostakovich-19403_ifs_i-live-in-the-ussr-work-actively-and-cou_737163.jpg" --- # I live in the USSR, work actively and count naturally on… ![“I live in the USSR, work actively and count naturally on the worker and peasant spectator. If I am not comprehensible to them I should be deported.” quote by Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/dmitri-shostakovich-19403_ifs_i-live-in-the-ussr-work-actively-and-cou_737163.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/dmitri-shostakovich-19403_ifs_i-live-in-the-ussr-work-actively-and-cou_737163.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/dmitri-shostakovich-19403_ifs_i-live-in-the-ussr-work-actively-and-cou_737163.jpg) > “I live in the USSR, work actively and count naturally on the worker and peasant spectator. If I am not comprehensible to them I should be deported.” [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker demands that if they are not understood by workers and peasants, they should be expelled, reflecting an extreme stance on ideological conformity. **In simple terms:** If not understood by the masses, they should be removed. Key Takeaway Demand conformity or face removal. Themes political ideology conformity exclusion artistic expression Mood critical questioning Type political social When to use this quote - artistic communities - political regimes - public discourse - cultural institutions Key Concepts authoritarianism social pressure Questions to Reflect On - Is forced conformity ever justified? - How does misunderstanding affect artistic freedom? A Different Perspective Such rigidity can stifle diversity and dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Peasants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peasants/) [Ussr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ussr/) [Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers/) ## Related quotes > [You commit a felony, it does not matter who you are, you could be deported](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slick-rick/you-commit-a-felony-it-does-not-matter-who-you-are-you-could-be/) [Slick Rick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slick-rick/) > [President Obama has deported millions and millions of people just the way it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/president-obama-has-deported-millions-and-millions-of-people-just-the/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“Several thousand peasants were loaded at gunpoint onto lorries and deported hundreds of miles from their homes and then left without food or money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-preston/several-thousand-peasants-were-loaded-at-gunpoint-onto-lorries-and/) Paul Preston > [You can be deported back to Canada, absolutely, for a shockingly minor infraction. Little bar fight. Next thing you know you are back in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/you-can-be-deported-back-to-canada-absolutely-for-a-shockingly-minor/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [Granddad was deported to a Siberian prison camp at the age of 15.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/granddad-was-deported-to-a-siberian-prison-camp-at-the-age-of-15/) [Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/) > [I want to be viewed like a serious actress, and I'm afraid that people are just going to see me as the poor little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-want-to-be-viewed-like-a-serious-actress-and-i-m-afraid-that-people/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [...for the system to be credible, people actually have to be deported at the end of the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-jordan/for-the-system-to-be-credible-people-actually-have-to-be-deported-at/) [Barbara Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-jordan/) > [Auschwitz was one of the wealthiest places in the world. Everyone who was deported there had been in such a hurry that they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-lasker-wallfisch/auschwitz-was-one-of-the-wealthiest-places-in-the-world-everyone-who/) [Anita Lasker-Wallfisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-lasker-wallfisch/) > [People always break the law, but for the most part the rule of law triumphed and illegal immigrants were found and deported. The case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/people-always-break-the-law-but-for-the-most-part-the-rule-of-law/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [What would I do now, at age 48, if I were deported to a country that I have not seen in more than 40…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/what-would-i-do-now-at-age-48-if-i-were-deported-to-a-country-that-i/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [On November 13, 2005, as I was flying into Moscow from a weekend away, I was stopped at Sheremetyevo airport, detained for 15 hours,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-browder/on-november-13-2005-as-i-was-flying-into-moscow-from-a-weekend-away-i/) [Bill Browder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-browder/) > [On Tuesday 26 July 2011, I was arrested in front of the White House along with a dozen other pro-immigrant advocates and clergy. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/on-tuesday-26-july-2011-i-was-arrested-in-front-of-the-white-house/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [With all of the talk about polling and demographics, I think too many people have lost touch with the human and moral crisis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-holt-baker/with-all-of-the-talk-about-polling-and-demographics-i-think-too-many/) Arlene Holt Baker > [Our friends, neighbors, and their families have been forced to live in the shadows out of fear of being torn from their families and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-veasey/our-friends-neighbors-and-their-families-have-been-forced-to-live-in/) [Marc Veasey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-veasey/) > [I went through depression, which is something that we don't often talk about when we look at undocumented communities and deported families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-went-through-depression-which-is-something-that-we-don-t-often-talk/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) ## More by Dmitri Shostakovich > [When a man is in despair, it means that he still believes in something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/when-a-man-is-in-despair-it-means-that-he-still-believes-in-something/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [It's about the people, who have stopped believing because the cup of evil has run over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/it-s-about-the-people-who-have-stopped-believing-because-the-cup-of/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [I don't know what will become of this piece. Our brave critics will no doubt charge me with imitating Ravel's Bolero. Too bad -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/i-don-t-know-what-will-become-of-this-piece-our-brave-critics-will-no/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [I feel eternal pain for those who were killed by Hitler, but I feel no less pain for those killed on Stalin's orders. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/i-feel-eternal-pain-for-those-who-were-killed-by-hitler-but-i-feel-no/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [I always try to make myself as widely understood as possible; and if I don't succeed, I consider it my own fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/i-always-try-to-make-myself-as-widely-understood-as-possible-and-if-i/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [Many consider that Shostakovich is the greatest 20th-century composer. In his 15 symphonies, 15 quartets, and in other works he demonstrated mastery of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/many-consider-that-shostakovich-is-the-greatest-20th-century-composer/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [Football is the ballet of the masses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/football-is-the-ballet-of-the-masses/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [Music is good, not evil. Poetry is good, not evil. Primitive, but oh, so true!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/music-is-good-not-evil-poetry-is-good-not-evil-primitive-but-oh-so/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [In the long run, any words about music are less important than the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/in-the-long-run-any-words-about-music-are-less-important-than-the/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [Real music is always revolutionary, for it cements the ranks of the people; it arouses them and leads them onward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/real-music-is-always-revolutionary-for-it-cements-the-ranks-of-the/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [The most uninteresting part of the biography of a composer is his childhood. All those preludes are the same and the reader hurries on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/the-most-uninteresting-part-of-the-biography-of-a-composer-is-his/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [The real geniuses know where their writing has to be good and where they can get away with some mediocrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/the-real-geniuses-know-where-their-writing-has-to-be-good-and-where/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [What you have in your head, put down on paper. The head is a fragile vessel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/what-you-have-in-your-head-put-down-on-paper-the-head-is-a-fragile/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [We should think more about it, and accustom ourselves to the thought of death. We can't allow the fear of death to creep up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/we-should-think-more-about-it-and-accustom-ourselves-to-the-thought/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [I write music, it’s performed. After all, my music says it all. It doesn’t need historical and hysterical commentaries. In the long run, any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/i-write-music-it-s-performed-after-all-my-music-says-it-all-it-doesn/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) [Explore all 32 Dmitri Shostakovich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) ## More Ifs quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [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/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [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/) Browse all 94,303 Ifs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I live in the USSR, work actively and count naturally on the worker and peasant spectator. 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