--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Recognizing that the world is governed by…" description: "\"Recognizing that the world is governed by a minority, the sexually active, and that they hold sway of a huge majority of the nonsexual, those people to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/edmund-white-2376_able_recognizing-that-the-world-is-governed-b_2390477.jpg" --- # Recognizing that the world is governed by a minority, the… ![“Recognizing that the world is governed by a minority, the sexually active, and that they hold sway of a huge majority of the nonsexual, those people too young or too old or too poor or too homely or sick or crazy or powerless to be able to afford sexual partners (or the luxury of systematic…” quote by Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/edmund-white-2376_able_recognizing-that-the-world-is-governed-b_2390477.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/edmund-white-2376_able_recognizing-that-the-world-is-governed-b_2390477.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/edmund-white-2376_able_recognizing-that-the-world-is-governed-b_2390477.jpg) > “Recognizing that the world is governed by a minority, the sexually active, and that they hold sway of a huge majority of the nonsexual, those people too young or too old or too poor or too homely or sick or crazy or powerless to be able to afford sexual partners (or the luxury of systematic, sustained and shared introspection, so sexual in its own way). All advertisements and films and songs are addressed to sexuals, to their rash whims and finicky tastes.” [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The sexual minority dominates cultural media, marginalizing those who are not sexually active or lack desire. **In simple terms:** Sexuality drives most media, leaving non‑sexual people overlooked. Key Takeaway Recognize diverse desires and broaden representation. Themes media sexuality representation Mood critical reflective analytical Type cultural social When to use this quote - advertising - film - music - public policy - education Key Concepts cultural hegemony sexual politics inclusion Questions to Reflect On - How can media reflect non‑sexual perspectives? - What impact does this bias have on social norms? A Different Perspective Not all audiences share the same sexual drive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Introspection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/introspection/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Minorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minorities/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Powerless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerless/) [Sexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexuality/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Plain living and high thinking are no more. The homely beauty of the good old cause Is gone; our peace, our fearful innocence, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/plain-living-and-high-thinking-are-no-more-the-homely-beauty-of-the/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [It is for homely features to keep home,- They had their name thence; coarse complexions And cheeks of sorry grain will serve to ply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/it-is-for-homely-features-to-keep-home-they-had-their-name-thence/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There is not a single homely thing that, looked at from a certain angle, does not become fairy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-mirrlees/there-is-not-a-single-homely-thing-that-looked-at-from-a-certain/) [Hope Mirrlees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-mirrlees/) > [Because I like that I got an ugly girl's personality. In other words, a homely girl always has to develop that muscle. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldie-hawn/because-i-like-that-i-got-an-ugly-girl-s-personality-in-other-words-a/) [Goldie Hawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldie-hawn/) > [Even though I am an actor, by nature I am what you could call a homely girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divyanka-tripathi/even-though-i-am-an-actor-by-nature-i-am-what-you-could-call-a-homely/) [Divyanka Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divyanka-tripathi/) > [Robert Frost says in a piece of homely doggerel that he has hoped wisdom could be not only Attic but Laconic, Boeotian even -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-jarrell/robert-frost-says-in-a-piece-of-homely-doggerel-that-he-has-hoped/) [Randall Jarrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-jarrell/) > [The man who could withstand, with his fellow-men in single line, a charge of cavalry may lose all command of himself on the occurrence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/the-man-who-could-withstand-with-his-fellow-men-in-single-line-a/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [Good-looking individuals are treated better than homely ones in virtually every social situation, from dating to trial by jury. If everyday experience hasn't convinced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/good-looking-individuals-are-treated-better-than-homely-ones-in/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [Dear Lord, who made the face of me not all that I would have it be, not really homely, only plain, but strong and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-perry/dear-lord-who-made-the-face-of-me-not-all-that-i-would-have-it-be-not/) Ruth Perry > [ My new city \[Seattle\] and its hinterland felt deceptively homely. 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Through its silver veil the evil and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/quite-the-ugliest-face-i-ever-saw-was-that-of-a-woman-whom-the-world/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [There is a homely directness about these rustic apothegms which makes them far more palatable than the strained and sophisticated epigrams of the characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brander-matthews/there-is-a-homely-directness-about-these-rustic-apothegms-which-makes/) [Brander Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brander-matthews/) > [I was a homely kid with freckles that came out every spring and stuck on me till Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrna-loy/i-was-a-homely-kid-with-freckles-that-came-out-every-spring-and-stuck/) [Myrna Loy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrna-loy/) > [I have a very spartan flat in London, and when they see it people say: 'Why don't you make it more homely?' 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They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-talk-shows-in-the-states-want-celebrities-not-authors-in-france/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [Just like Barack Obama, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and now I am a reluctant groom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/just-like-barack-obama-my-views-on-gay-marriage-have-evolved-and-now/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [In 'A Boy's Own Story' and 'Jack Holmes and His Friend,' my idea was to take someone totally different from my real self and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/in-a-boy-s-own-story-and-jack-holmes-and-his-friend-my-idea-was-to/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [Everyone seems agreed that writing about sex is perilous, partly because it threatens to swamp highly individualised characters in a generic, featureless activity (much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/everyone-seems-agreed-that-writing-about-sex-is-perilous-partly/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > ['The Sound of Things Falling' may be a page turner, but it's also a deep meditation on fate and death. 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