--- 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.\" — Don DeLillo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/250/don-delillo-294_citizen_being-called-a-bad-citizen-is-a-complime_1627547.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.” quote by Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/250/don-delillo-294_citizen_being-called-a-bad-citizen-is-a-complime_1627547.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/250/don-delillo-294_citizen_being-called-a-bad-citizen-is-a-complime_1627547.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/250/don-delillo-294_citizen_being-called-a-bad-citizen-is-a-complime_1627547.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.” [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 labeled a “bad citizen” is praised as it aligns with the novelist’s role to challenge societal norms. **In simple terms:** Bad citizen label is a novelist’s compliment. Key Takeaway Embrace critique to provoke thought. Themes rebellion literature identity Mood defiant introspective Type literary provocative When to use this quote - writing workshops - political activism - media commentary Key Concepts social critique artistic freedom Questions to Reflect On - How does criticism shape your work? - Is rebellion always productive? A Different Perspective Such labels may alienate readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad Citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-citizen-354884/) [Citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizen/) [Citizen Compliment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizen-compliment-354887/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Compliment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliment/) [Compliment Novelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliment-novelist-354885/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Novelist Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelist-mind-354886/) [Novelists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelists/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [ “\[…\] being called a 'bad citizen' is a compliment to a novelist, at least to my mind. That's exactly what we ought to do.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/being-called-a-bad-citizen-is-a-compliment-to-a-novelist-at-least-to-2/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Under our Constitution, if you're a bad citizen, you're still a citizen; that's the way we roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bannon/under-our-constitution-if-you-re-a-bad-citizen-you-re-still-a-citizen/) [Steve Bannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bannon/) > [I'm a very bad citizen. I've never even voted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-hall/i-m-a-very-bad-citizen-i-ve-never-even-voted/) [Jerry Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-hall/) > [The absolute pacifist is a bad citizen; times come when force must be used to uphold right, justice and ideals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-absolute-pacifist-is-a-bad-citizen-times-come-when-force-must-be/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Any sportswriter who thinks the world is no bigger than the outfield fence in not only a bad citizen, but also a lousy sportswriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/any-sportswriter-who-thinks-the-world-is-no-bigger-than-the-outfield/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [The best moments involve a loss of control. It's a kind of rapture, and it can happen with words and phrases fairly often -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-best-moments-involve-a-loss-of-control-it-s-a-kind-of-rapture-and/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [One connection I see between novelists and terrorists is that we both attempt to alter consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/one-connection-i-see-between-novelists-and-terrorists-is-that-we-both/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Naturally a direct comparison of terrorist and novelist is complete nonsense. But there was once a time when the novelist also had some influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/naturally-a-direct-comparison-of-terrorist-and-novelist-is-complete/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [I am here, a citizen of this country, and I'm saying, 'Hey, the system failed me. I am a good citizen. I contribute to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-am-here-a-citizen-of-this-country-and-i-m-saying-hey-the-system/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [The typical American citizen is the business man. The typical business man is a bad citizen; he is busy. If he is a 'big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-steffens/the-typical-american-citizen-is-the-business-man-the-typical-business/) [Lincoln Steffens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-steffens/) > [As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/as-a-citizen-hopefully-i-m-humanist-as-an-artist-i-m-free/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm less concerned about whether being a good corporate citizen burnishes a company's reputation. That's just an added benefit. I believe it's a responsibility,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-burns/i-m-less-concerned-about-whether-being-a-good-corporate-citizen/) [Ursula Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-burns/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [I will be a model prisoner, as I have been a model citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-edwards/i-will-be-a-model-prisoner-as-i-have-been-a-model-citizen/) [Edwin Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-edwards/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) ## More by Don DeLillo > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Everything is barely weeks. Everything is days. We have minutes to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/everything-is-barely-weeks-everything-is-days-we-have-minutes-to-live/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [The novel is the dream release, the suspension of reality that history needs to escape its own brutal confinements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-novel-is-the-dream-release-the-suspension-of-reality-that-history/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“As I listened I thought a featureless baggy man was striking me in slow motion with a well-polished stone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/as-i-listened-i-thought-a-featureless-baggy-man-was-striking-me-in/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Murray said, 'I don't trust anybody's nostalgia but my own. Nostalgia is a product of dissatisfaction and rage. It´s a settling of grievances between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/murray-said-i-don-t-trust-anybody-s-nostalgia-but-my-own-nostalgia-is/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“She is beginning to think it is possible that all creation is a spurt of blank matter that chances to make an emerald planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/she-is-beginning-to-think-it-is-possible-that-all-creation-is-a-spurt/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Those who have abandoned belief must still believe in us. They are sure that they are right not to believe but they know belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/those-who-have-abandoned-belief-must-still-believe-in-us-they-are/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“The plane had lost power in all three engines, dropped from thirty-four thousand feet to twelve thousand feet. Something like four miles. When the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-plane-had-lost-power-in-all-three-engines-dropped-from-thirty/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Grass: I live in a great steel tower that reflects the blazing sun. People catch fire just walking by. The more bodies that pile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/grass-i-live-in-a-great-steel-tower-that-reflects-the-blazing-sun/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“What people discard could make a nation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/what-people-discard-could-make-a-nation/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Marriage is something we make from available materials. In this sense it’s improvised, it’s almost offhand. Maybe this is why we know so little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/marriage-is-something-we-make-from-available-materials-in-this-sense/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [The true life is not reducible to words spoken or written, not by anyone, ever. The true life takes place when we're alone, thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-true-life-is-not-reducible-to-words-spoken-or-written-not-by/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [I've come to think of Europe as a hardcover book, America as the paperback version.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-ve-come-to-think-of-europe-as-a-hardcover-book-america-as-the/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [There is a set of balances and rhythms to a novel that we can't experience in real life. So I think there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/there-is-a-set-of-balances-and-rhythms-to-a-novel-that-we-can-t/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“There is no lie in war or preparation of war that can't be defended. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/there-is-no-lie-in-war-or-preparation-of-war-that-can-t-be-defended/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) [Explore all 699 Don DeLillo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) ## More Citizen quotes > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [I will be a model prisoner, as I have been a model citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-edwards/i-will-be-a-model-prisoner-as-i-have-been-a-model-citizen/) [Edwin Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-edwards/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [I'm less concerned about whether being a good corporate citizen burnishes a company's reputation. That's just an added benefit. I believe it's a responsibility,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-burns/i-m-less-concerned-about-whether-being-a-good-corporate-citizen/) [Ursula Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-burns/) > [As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/as-a-citizen-hopefully-i-m-humanist-as-an-artist-i-m-free/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [The typical American citizen is the business man. The typical business man is a bad citizen; he is busy. If he is a 'big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-steffens/the-typical-american-citizen-is-the-business-man-the-typical-business/) [Lincoln Steffens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-steffens/) > [I am here, a citizen of this country, and I'm saying, 'Hey, the system failed me. I am a good citizen. I contribute to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-am-here-a-citizen-of-this-country-and-i-m-saying-hey-the-system/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [“An anarchist government somehow creates an impression in the hearts of citizens that no one cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-anarchist-government-somehow-creates-an-impression-in-the-hearts/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [If the many allegations made to this date are true, then the burglars who broke into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/if-the-many-allegations-made-to-this-date-are-true-then-the-burglars/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [Individuality is the aim of political liberty. By leaving to the citizen as much freedom of action and of being as comports with order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/individuality-is-the-aim-of-political-liberty-by-leaving-to-the/) [James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/) > [Up until the point that you're a citizen, we wanna continue to make sure we understand who you are and why you're here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirstjen-nielsen/up-until-the-point-that-you-re-a-citizen-we-wanna-continue-to-make/) [Kirstjen Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirstjen-nielsen/) > [To be a good citizen, it's important to be able to put yourself in other people's shoes and see the big picture. If everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-pariser/to-be-a-good-citizen-it-s-important-to-be-able-to-put-yourself-in/) [Eli Pariser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-pariser/) > [“I am a citizen of this country,” I declare, “and Mr. Mayor, tonight I will be a citizen of this city when I put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-ash/i-am-a-citizen-of-this-country-i-declare-and-mr-mayor-tonight-i-will/) [Jerry Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-ash/) > [“In a country of ideas, consciousness is its' citizen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/in-a-country-of-ideas-consciousness-is-its-citizen/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“I have no country to fight for; my country is the earth; I am a citizen of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/i-have-no-country-to-fight-for-my-country-is-the-earth-i-am-a-citizen/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) [Browse all 464 Citizen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being called a 'bad citizen' is a compliment to a novelist, at least to my mind. 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