---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: […] being called a 'bad citizen' is a…"
description: "\"“[…] being called a 'bad citizen' is a compliment to a novelist, at least to my mind. That's exactly what we ought to do. We ought to be bad citizens. ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/don-delillo-294_citizen_being-called-a-bad-citizen-is-a-complime_2843752.jpg"
---

#  \[…\] being called a 'bad citizen' is a compliment to a…

![“[…] being called a 'bad citizen' is a compliment to a novelist, at least to my mind. That's exactly what we ought to do. We ought to be bad citizens. We ought to, in the sense that we're writing against what power represents, and often what government represents, and what the corporation dictates…” quote by Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/don-delillo-294_citizen_being-called-a-bad-citizen-is-a-complime_2843752.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/don-delillo-294_citizen_being-called-a-bad-citizen-is-a-complime_2843752.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/don-delillo-294_citizen_being-called-a-bad-citizen-is-a-complime_2843752.jpg)

> ““\[…\] being called a 'bad citizen' is a compliment to a novelist, at least to my mind. That's exactly what we ought to do. We ought to be bad citizens. We ought to, in the sense that we're writing against what power represents, and often what government represents, and what the corporation dictates, and what consumer consciousness has come to mean. In that sense, if we're bad citizens, we're doing our job.””

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

## About This Quote

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

Being a “bad citizen” means challenging power structures through writing, which is a writer’s duty.

**In simple terms:** Bad citizens resist power through writing.

Key Takeaway

Write to question authority.

Themes

activism literature political critique

Mood

provocative thought‑provoking

Type

literary political

When to use this quote

- journalism
- art activism
- social media campaigns

Key Concepts

novelists media culture

Questions to Reflect On

- What responsibilities do writers have to society?
- How can dissent be expressed responsibly?

A Different Perspective

Not all writers aim to be subversive.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizen/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/)

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