--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My function is not to reassure people. I…" description: "\"My function is not to reassure people. I want to make them uncomfortable. To send them out of the place arguing and talking.\" — Ewan MacColl" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/ewan-maccoll-72403_arguing_my-function-is-not-to-reassure-people-i_89616.jpg" --- # My function is not to reassure people. I want to make them… ![“My function is not to reassure people. I want to make them uncomfortable. To send them out of the place arguing and talking.” quote by Ewan MacColl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/ewan-maccoll-72403_arguing_my-function-is-not-to-reassure-people-i_89616.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/ewan-maccoll-72403_arguing_my-function-is-not-to-reassure-people-i_89616.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/ewan-maccoll-72403_arguing_my-function-is-not-to-reassure-people-i_89616.jpg) > “My function is not to reassure people. I want to make them uncomfortable. To send them out of the place arguing and talking.” Ewan MacColl ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker aims to disrupt complacency, provoking discomfort to spark critical thinking and action rather than offering reassurance. **In simple terms:** Discomfort fuels change, not reassurance. Key Takeaway Provocation can be a catalyst for growth. Themes discomfort provocation social change Mood urgent challenging Type motivational political When to use this quote - activist organizing - educational workshops - creative brainstorming sessions Key Concepts psychology of persuasion Practical Applications - Use challenging questions to break groupthink - Design experiences that unsettle assumptions Questions to Reflect On - When does discomfort become counterproductive? - How can one balance provocation with empathy? A Different Perspective Excessive discomfort may alienate audiences and hinder constructive dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable/) ## Related quotes > [I think life is short, and you can't spend time doing things just to be on set to reassure yourself that people are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-cassel/i-think-life-is-short-and-you-can-t-spend-time-doing-things-just-to/) [Vincent Cassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-cassel/) > [I felt like I needed to reassure people in the safety of love and community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skip-marley/i-felt-like-i-needed-to-reassure-people-in-the-safety-of-love-and/) [Skip Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skip-marley/) > [It's important to reassure people that everything is going to be all right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle/it-s-important-to-reassure-people-that-everything-is-going-to-be-all/) [Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle/) > [There is a role that Muslims in the public eye play: to reassure people that we are OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/there-is-a-role-that-muslims-in-the-public-eye-play-to-reassure/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [Given the scope of the tragedy from last week, I am glad to reassure the people of New York and Washington, D.C. that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-todd-whitman/given-the-scope-of-the-tragedy-from-last-week-i-am-glad-to-reassure/) [Christine Todd Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-todd-whitman/) > [I have a taste for the macabre. I really am not drawn to imagery that is pretty, things that are just pretty. I’m drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pieter-hugo/i-have-a-taste-for-the-macabre-i-really-am-not-drawn-to-imagery-that/) [Pieter Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pieter-hugo/) > [“You make me uncomfortable because you don't make sense. I don't understand you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/you-make-me-uncomfortable-because-you-don-t-make-sense-i-don-t/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [I like being put in embarrassing positions because it's the reason why I wanted to be an actress. I want to try different things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzy-caplan/i-like-being-put-in-embarrassing-positions-because-it-s-the-reason/) [Lizzy Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzy-caplan/) > [“The world has many places that can make us uncomfortable. Calling them evil, or any other bad name, doesn’t make them go away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-z-colby/the-world-has-many-places-that-can-make-us-uncomfortable-calling-them/) [J.Z. Colby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-z-colby/) > [If you can say something to people that's maybe a little bit insulting, but they're kind of giggling as they are hearing it, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-critch/if-you-can-say-something-to-people-that-s-maybe-a-little-bit/) [Mark Critch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-critch/) > [I write about what I know: teenage dating, overly charged sexuality, all the things that make you uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-write-about-what-i-know-teenage-dating-overly-charged-sexuality-all/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [It's amazing to impact people's lives - it's a cool thing to have the spotlight and be able to reassure people, to say, "It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-clarkson/it-s-amazing-to-impact-people-s-lives-it-s-a-cool-thing-to-have-the/) [Kelly Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-clarkson/) > [I don't think we have done enough to reassure people about the motives behind economic liberation, that we genuinely believe that you will get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/i-don-t-think-we-have-done-enough-to-reassure-people-about-the/) [Nick Boles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-boles/) > [“Over and over I had to reassure her. “You hate me,” she would say. “Lori, I don’t hate you. I love you.” Finally it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-schiller/over-and-over-i-had-to-reassure-her-you-hate-me-she-would-say-lori-i/) [Lori Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-schiller/) > [But I always reassure them that as far as my contractual rights can go, I will protect them and make sure that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/but-i-always-reassure-them-that-as-far-as-my-contractual-rights-can/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) ## More by Ewan MacColl > [The first time I ever saw your face, I thought the sun rose in your eyes and the moon and the stars were the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-maccoll/the-first-time-i-ever-saw-your-face-i-thought-the-sun-rose-in-your/) Ewan MacColl > [“All you freeborn men of the travelling people Every tinker, rolling stone and gypsy rover Winds of change are blowing, old ways are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-maccoll/all-you-freeborn-men-of-the-travelling-people-every-tinker-rolling/) Ewan MacColl > [I'm a freeborn man of the travelling people. Got no fixed abode, and no man is my master. Country lanes and byways were always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-maccoll/i-m-a-freeborn-man-of-the-travelling-people-got-no-fixed-abode-and-no/) Ewan MacColl Explore all 4 Ewan MacColl quotes ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My function is not to reassure people. I want to make them uncomfortable. 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