--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men who are engaged in public life must…" description: "\"Men who are engaged in public life must necessarily aim at reducing opposition to a minimum, and one of the most obvious means to that end is by misrep..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/frederick-scott-oliver-59976_aim_men-who-are-engaged-in-public-life-must_2216531.jpg" --- # Men who are engaged in public life must necessarily aim at… ![“Men who are engaged in public life must necessarily aim at reducing opposition to a minimum, and one of the most obvious means to that end is by misrepresenting, discrediting or ruining their opponents.” quote by Frederick Scott Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/frederick-scott-oliver-59976_aim_men-who-are-engaged-in-public-life-must_2216531.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/frederick-scott-oliver-59976_aim_men-who-are-engaged-in-public-life-must_2216531.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/frederick-scott-oliver-59976_aim_men-who-are-engaged-in-public-life-must_2216531.jpg) > “Men who are engaged in public life must necessarily aim at reducing opposition to a minimum, and one of the most obvious means to that end is by misrepresenting, discrediting or ruining their opponents.” [Frederick Scott Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-scott-oliver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politicians often try to minimize dissent by attacking opponents' credibility rather than addressing issues. **In simple terms:** Politicians attack opponents to silence dissent. Key Takeaway Beware of character attacks in debates. Themes politics conflict ethics Mood skeptical critical Type analytical cautionary When to use this quote - elections - legislative debates - media coverage Key Concepts propaganda misinformation power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you distinguish legitimate critique from smear? - What are alternatives to suppressing opposition? A Different Perspective Such tactics can backfire and erode public trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Discrediting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrediting/) [Discrediting Ruining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrediting-ruining-4929661/) [Engaged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engaged/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Minimum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minimum/) [Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obvious/) [Opponents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opponents/) [Opposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposition/) [Opposition Minimum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposition-minimum-4929659/) [Public life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-life/) [Reducing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reducing/) [Reducing Opposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reducing-opposition-4929658/) [Ruining Opponents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruining-opponents-4929660/) ## Related quotes > [STOP discrediting yourself for everything you arent. START giving yourself credit for everything that you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/stop-discrediting-yourself-for-everything-you-arent-start-giving/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We do not draw people to Christ by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/we-do-not-draw-people-to-christ-by-loudly-discrediting-what-they-2/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [“This vacillation between assertion and denial in discussions about organised abuse can be understood as functional, in that it serves to contain the traumatic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/this-vacillation-between-assertion-and-denial-in-discussions-about/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [The single most amazing phenomenon is the discrediting of idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-single-most-amazing-phenomenon-is-the-discrediting-of-idealism/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [ If these laws \[in the Bible\] belonged to any other ancient culture we would approach them very differently. We need not bother to reject… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/if-these-laws-in-the-bible-belonged-to-any-other-ancient-culture-we/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [“In cases of organized and multi-perpetrator abuse when the abuse occurs in the context of rituals and ceremonies, some elements of the experience may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-galton/in-cases-of-organized-and-multi-perpetrator-abuse-when-the-abuse/) [Graeme Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-galton/) > [“Today, acknowledgement of the prevalence and harms of child sexual abuse is counterbalanced with cautionary tales about children and women who, under pressure from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/today-acknowledgement-of-the-prevalence-and-harms-of-child-sexual/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Madeleine L'Engle observes: "We do not draw people to Christ by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnificat/madeleine-l-engle-observes-we-do-not-draw-people-to-christ-by-loudly/) [Magnificat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magnificat/) > [“You can't change who you are, can you? That would require changing the people who made you along the way. That would mean discrediting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/you-can-t-change-who-you-are-can-you-that-would-require-changing-the/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“Some readers may find it a curious or even unscientific endeavour to craft a criminological model of organised abuse based on the testimony of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/some-readers-may-find-it-a-curious-or-even-unscientific-endeavour-to/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [By reducing our dependence of foreign oil and increasing alternative energy sources such as ethanol, we can begin to bring down prices at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-ryun/by-reducing-our-dependence-of-foreign-oil-and-increasing-alternative/) [Jim Ryun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-ryun/) > [Listing the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act could harm bear conservation efforts by eliminating revenues from the carefully-regulated sport hunting of polar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-ridenour/listing-the-polar-bear-under-the-endangered-species-act-could-harm/) [Amy Ridenour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-ridenour/) > [Reducing your life down to three pairs of jeans, two skirts, a couple of shirts, and a few pairs of shoes was so nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/reducing-your-life-down-to-three-pairs-of-jeans-two-skirts-a-couple/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [There's a lot of evidence that fruits and vegetables are beneficial for reducing the risk of stroke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-willett/there-s-a-lot-of-evidence-that-fruits-and-vegetables-are-beneficial/) [Walter Willett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-willett/) > [It is astounding how much the immune system is strengthened by reducing daily mental stress levels with either visualization or meditation. The other great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/it-is-astounding-how-much-the-immune-system-is-strengthened-by/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) ## More by Frederick Scott Oliver > [In taking stock of a politician, the first question is not whether he was a good man who used righteous means, but whether he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-scott-oliver/in-taking-stock-of-a-politician-the-first-question-is-not-whether-he/) [Frederick Scott Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-scott-oliver/) > [It is true that the politician, in his professional character, does not always, or even very often, conform to the most approved pattern of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-scott-oliver/it-is-true-that-the-politician-in-his-professional-character-does-not/) [Frederick Scott Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-scott-oliver/) > [No politician has ever yet been able to rule his country, nor has any country ever yet been able to face the world, upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-scott-oliver/no-politician-has-ever-yet-been-able-to-rule-his-country-nor-has-any/) [Frederick Scott Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-scott-oliver/) > [A wise politician will never grudge a genuflexion or a rapture if it is expected of him by prevalent opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-scott-oliver/a-wise-politician-will-never-grudge-a-genuflexion-or-a-rapture-if-it/) [Frederick Scott Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-scott-oliver/) [Explore all 5 Frederick Scott Oliver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-scott-oliver/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Men who are engaged in public life must necessarily aim at reducing opposition to a minimum, and one of the most obvious means to that end is by misrepresenting, discrediting or ruining their opponents.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frederick Scott Oliver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-scott-oliver/men-who-are-engaged-in-public-life-must-necessarily-aim-at-reducing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-scott-oliver/men-who-are-engaged-in-public-life-must-necessarily-aim-at-reducing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/frederick-scott-oliver-59976_aim_men-who-are-engaged-in-public-life-must_2216531.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/frederick-scott-oliver-59976_aim_men-who-are-engaged-in-public-life-must_2216531.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bf/frederick-scott-oliver-59976_aim_men-who-are-engaged-in-public-life-must_2216531.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Men who are engaged in public life must necessarily aim at reducing opposition to a minimum, and one of the…” — Frederick Scott Oliver", "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": "Frederick Scott Oliver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-scott-oliver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Men who are engaged in public...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-scott-oliver/men-who-are-engaged-in-public-life-must-necessarily-aim-at-reducing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-scott-oliver/men-who-are-engaged-in-public-life-must-necessarily-aim-at-reducing/#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 } } ] } ```