--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is doubtful if the oppressed ever…" description: "\"It is doubtful if the oppressed ever fight for freedom. They fight for pride and power - power to oppress others. The oppressed want above all to imita..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f59/eric-hoffer-343_freedom_it-is-doubtful-if-the-oppressed-ever-fig_2896756.jpg" --- # It is doubtful if the oppressed ever fight for freedom… ![“It is doubtful if the oppressed ever fight for freedom. They fight for pride and power - power to oppress others. The oppressed want above all to imitate their oppressors; they want to retaliate.” quote by Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f59/eric-hoffer-343_freedom_it-is-doubtful-if-the-oppressed-ever-fig_2896756.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f59/eric-hoffer-343_freedom_it-is-doubtful-if-the-oppressed-ever-fig_2896756.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f59/eric-hoffer-343_freedom_it-is-doubtful-if-the-oppressed-ever-fig_2896756.jpg) > “It is doubtful if the oppressed ever fight for freedom. They fight for pride and power - power to oppress others. The oppressed want above all to imitate their oppressors; they want to retaliate.” [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The oppressed often seek to gain the same power they lack, not merely freedom, leading to cycles of domination. **In simple terms:** Oppressed want power, not just liberty. Key Takeaway Recognize the desire for power in resistance. Themes power pride resistance cycle domination Mood reflective critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - political movements - social justice activism - community leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology social dynamics revenge Questions to Reflect On - What motivates the oppressed beyond freedom? - How can societies break the cycle of retaliatory power? A Different Perspective Power struggles can perpetuate oppression rather than resolve it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doubtful Oppressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubtful-oppressed-4098540/) [Fight Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight-freedom/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Oppressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressed/) [Oppressed Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressed-fight-4098539/) [Oppressed Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressed-want-3171537/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) [Oppressors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressors/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [It is doubtful whether the oppressed ever fight for freedom. 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"They call themselves ignorant and say the 'professor' is the one who has knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-oppressed-want-at-any-cost-to-resemble-the-oppressors-they-call/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [It is startling to see how the oppressed almost invariably shape themselves in the image of their hated oppressors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-is-startling-to-see-how-the-oppressed-almost-invariably-shape/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Muslims, scholars or not, are on the side of the oppressed and never on the side of the oppressors. Some scholars claim they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/muslims-scholars-or-not-are-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-and-never-on/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [It is said that this is a man's world, and sometimes, it is. For every casket girl that was saved, countless others were not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca/it-is-said-that-this-is-a-man-s-world-and-sometimes-it-is-for-every/) [Rebecca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca/) > [God wants to set the oppressed free from being oppressed and the oppressors free from oppressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/god-wants-to-set-the-oppressed-free-from-being-oppressed-and-the/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Our task is not to liberate the oppressed, but to liberate the oppressors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/our-task-is-not-to-liberate-the-oppressed-but-to-liberate-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [The rights of no oppressed people have ever yet been obtained by a voluntary act of justice on the part of the oppressors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-delany/the-rights-of-no-oppressed-people-have-ever-yet-been-obtained-by-a/) [Martin Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-delany/) > [REVOLUTIONARY: An oppressed person waiting for the opportunity to become an oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-bayan/revolutionary-an-oppressed-person-waiting-for-the-opportunity-to/) [Rick Bayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-bayan/) > [The oppressed must never allow the conscience of the oppressor to slumber. 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He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/we-lie-the-loudest-when-we-lie-to-ourselves/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Our originality shows itself most strikingly not in what we wholly originate but in what we do with that which we borrow from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/our-originality-shows-itself-most-strikingly-not-in-what-we-wholly/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The creative mind is the playful mind. 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The desire for praise is more imperative than the desire for food and shelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/this-food-and-shelter-theory-concerning-man-s-efforts-is-without/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) [Explore all 658 Eric Hoffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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