--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing that hurts, that became anger…" description: "\"The thing that hurts, that became anger, was when I realized that if you tell the truth, in a country that says you’re entitled to tell the truth, you ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/eartha-kitt-4073_anger_the-thing-that-hurts-that-became-anger-w_784917.jpg" --- # The thing that hurts, that became anger, was when I… ![“The thing that hurts, that became anger, was when I realized that if you tell the truth, in a country that says you’re entitled to tell the truth, you get your face slapped and you get put out of work.” quote by Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/eartha-kitt-4073_anger_the-thing-that-hurts-that-became-anger-w_784917.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/eartha-kitt-4073_anger_the-thing-that-hurts-that-became-anger-w_784917.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/eartha-kitt-4073_anger_the-thing-that-hurts-that-became-anger-w_784917.jpg) > “The thing that hurts, that became anger, was when I realized that if you tell the truth, in a country that says you’re entitled to tell the truth, you get your face slapped and you get put out of work.” [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Speaking truth in a society that claims to value honesty can lead to personal and professional retaliation, highlighting the gap between ideals and reality. **In simple terms:** Truth can be punished. Key Takeaway Consider the costs of honesty in oppressive contexts. Themes truth justice repression societal hypocrisy Mood reflective somber Type political philosophical When to use this quote - activism - journalism - whistleblowing - authoritarian regimes Key Concepts ethical dilemmas freedom of speech personal risk Questions to Reflect On - What strategies protect truth‑tellers? - When is silence a survival tactic? A Different Perspective Even truthful voices can be silenced, limiting societal progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Anger Realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger-realized-6040110/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Entitled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entitled/) [Entitled Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entitled-tell-2216961/) [Face Slapped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-slapped-6040111/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [Hurts Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurts-anger-3126395/) [I realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-realized/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Telling the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-the-truth/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Your face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-face/) ## Related quotes > [People who have money have an obligation. I wouldn't say I'm entitled to tell them what to do with it but to use it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-feeney/people-who-have-money-have-an-obligation-i-wouldn-t-say-i-m-entitled/) [Chuck Feeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-feeney/) > [the important consideration is not your opponents, but yourself. It is bad to scream at them, not because it hurts them, they ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-important-consideration-is-not-your-opponents-but-yourself-it-is/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The more we hold on to our hurts, anger and bitterness, the more we become slaves to unforgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-leigh-demoss/the-more-we-hold-on-to-our-hurts-anger-and-bitterness-the-more-we/) [Nancy Leigh DeMoss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-leigh-demoss/) > [Everyone is entitled to their opinion and you can't stop anyone from expressing their thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-khan/everyone-is-entitled-to-their-opinion-and-you-can-t-stop-anyone-from/) [Sara Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-khan/) > [“Because when you give too many fucks—when you give a fuck about everyone and everything—you will feel that you’re perpetually entitled to be comfortable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/because-when-you-give-too-many-fucks-when-you-give-a-fuck-about/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [Children are entitled to life. We conceive them and so we owe them our care and our protection. This may not be a dictate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/children-are-entitled-to-life-we-conceive-them-and-so-we-owe-them-our/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [If I had a religious experience, what I know for sure is that I would stop doing philosophy and would start doing religion, teaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-critchley/if-i-had-a-religious-experience-what-i-know-for-sure-is-that-i-would/) [Simon Critchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-critchley/) > [“He is a free man, not because is in a poition of political power and influence that you will never be able to achieve,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-meekins/he-is-a-free-man-not-because-is-in-a-poition-of-political-power-and/) [Evan Meekins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-meekins/) > [The kingly office is entitled to no respect. It was originally procured by the highwayman's methods. It remains a perpetuated crime, can never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-kingly-office-is-entitled-to-no-respect-it-was-originally/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I have what I call an iron prescription that helps me keep sane when I naturally drift toward preferring one ideology over another and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-have-what-i-call-an-iron-prescription-that-helps-me-keep-sane-when/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Long made it possible for me to get on records, so what little money he did take from me, if any at all, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brownie-mcghee/long-made-it-possible-for-me-to-get-on-records-so-what-little-money/) [Brownie McGhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brownie-mcghee/) > [Unpleasant questions are being raised about Mother's Day. Is this day necessary? . . . Isn't it bad public policy? . . . No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/unpleasant-questions-are-being-raised-about-mother-s-day-is-this-day/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [When I was a child at sixteen, I was just a child. All sixteen year-olds are just children. As much as we like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/when-i-was-a-child-at-sixteen-i-was-just-a-child-all-sixteen-year/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) > [Receiving the care that you need, and are entitled to, shouldn't be a struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/receiving-the-care-that-you-need-and-are-entitled-to-shouldn-t-be-a/) [Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/) ## More by Eartha Kitt > [I don't have to have the biggest house or the biggest car or the longest mink, but quality of life is really glamorous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-don-t-have-to-have-the-biggest-house-or-the-biggest-car-or-the/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [I fight for other people better than I fight for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-fight-for-other-people-better-than-i-fight-for-myself/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [When the Batman TV series was taken to the silver screen, one of America's favourite sweethearts would don the mask and claws of Catwoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/when-the-batman-tv-series-was-taken-to-the-silver-screen-one-of/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [I said to the president's wife, Vietnam is the main reason we are having trouble with the youth of America. It is a war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-said-to-the-president-s-wife-vietnam-is-the-main-reason-we-are/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [The children of America are not rebelling for no reason. They are not hippies for no reason at all. We don’t have what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/the-children-of-america-are-not-rebelling-for-no-reason-they-are-not/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [Eartha Mae is very shy. She's scared to be seen, scared of rejection and even afraid of affection. Relationships can be rather uncomfortable for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/eartha-mae-is-very-shy-she-s-scared-to-be-seen-scared-of-rejection/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [The boys that were running away from America because they didn't want to get involved with the Vietnam War had come to me. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/the-boys-that-were-running-away-from-america-because-they-didn-t-want/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [I was trying to find out who my father was. They say that at that time, that if you are illegitimate, the father doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-was-trying-to-find-out-who-my-father-was-they-say-that-at-that-time/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [Sometimes it's good to fall down to see who will pick you up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/sometimes-it-s-good-to-fall-down-to-see-who-will-pick-you-up/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [The river is constantly turning and bending and you never know where it's going to go and where you'll wind up. Following the bend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/the-river-is-constantly-turning-and-bending-and-you-never-know-where/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [Live theater to me is much more free than the movies or television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/live-theater-to-me-is-much-more-free-than-the-movies-or-television/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [I fall in love with myself, and I want someone to share it with me. And I want someone to share me, with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-fall-in-love-with-myself-and-i-want-someone-to-share-it-with-me-and/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [I thought Britney Spears was absolutely marvelous in the beginning. But now I think she's gone off the deep end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-thought-britney-spears-was-absolutely-marvelous-in-the-beginning/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [Generally the whole entertainment business now is bland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/generally-the-whole-entertainment-business-now-is-bland/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) [Explore all 116 Eartha Kitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing that hurts, that became anger, was when I realized that if you tell the truth, in a country that says you’re entitled to tell the truth, you get your face slapped and you get put out of work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eartha Kitt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/the-thing-that-hurts-that-became-anger-was-when-i-realized-that-if/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/the-thing-that-hurts-that-became-anger-was-when-i-realized-that-if/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/eartha-kitt-4073_anger_the-thing-that-hurts-that-became-anger-w_784917.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/eartha-kitt-4073_anger_the-thing-that-hurts-that-became-anger-w_784917.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/eartha-kitt-4073_anger_the-thing-that-hurts-that-became-anger-w_784917.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The thing that hurts, that became anger, was when I realized that if you tell the truth, in a country that…” — Eartha Kitt", "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": "Eartha Kitt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The thing that hurts, that became...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/the-thing-that-hurts-that-became-anger-was-when-i-realized-that-if/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/the-thing-that-hurts-that-became-anger-was-when-i-realized-that-if/#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 } } ] } ```