--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's important that these people think of…" description: "\"“It's important that these people think of their adversaries specifically as assholes. That's what gives the modern rhetoric of polarization its singul..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/geoffrey-nunberg-36662_enmity_it-s-important-that-these-people-think-o_82447.jpg" --- # It's important that these people think of their… ![“It's important that these people think of their adversaries specifically as assholes. That's what gives the modern rhetoric of polarization its singular stamp and makes it different from the execrations of other ages. Seeing our antagonists as assholes means, for one thing, that the enmity is…” quote by Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/geoffrey-nunberg-36662_enmity_it-s-important-that-these-people-think-o_82447.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/geoffrey-nunberg-36662_enmity_it-s-important-that-these-people-think-o_82447.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/geoffrey-nunberg-36662_enmity_it-s-important-that-these-people-think-o_82447.jpg) > ““It's important that these people think of their adversaries specifically as assholes. That's what gives the modern rhetoric of polarization its singular stamp and makes it different from the execrations of other ages. Seeing our antagonists as assholes means, for one thing, that the enmity is personal. (189)”” [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Labeling opponents as morally contemptible personalizes conflict, intensifying division beyond traditional polemics. **In simple terms:** Personalized enmity fuels polarization. Key Takeaway Dehumanizing opponents deepens societal splits. Themes polarization rhetoric personal conflict social division identity politics Mood irritated cynical critical Type political analytical critical When to use this quote - political debates - online discourse - media commentary - community meetings - campaign rhetoric Key Concepts enemy perception moral labeling social cohesion Practical Applications - critical media analysis - conflict resolution training Questions to Reflect On - How does personal vilification affect political compromise? - Can recognizing shared humanity reduce polarization? A Different Perspective Such labeling may oversimplify complex disagreements, hindering constructive dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Antagonists Assholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antagonists-assholes-1046011/) [Assholes Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assholes-means-1046012/) [Enmity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enmity/) [Enmity Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enmity-personal-1046010/) [Rhetoric Polarization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhetoric-polarization-1046009/) ## Related quotes > [“it is the very nature of the humanities, and in particular the study of literature, to help remind thoughtful people of the ambiguities and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-wolfe/it-is-the-very-nature-of-the-humanities-and-in-particular-the-study/) [Gregory Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-wolfe/) > [Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/most-of-us-think-of-pride-as-self-centeredness-conceit-boastfulness/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [To be nonviolent to human beings and to be a killer or enemy of the poor animals is Satan's philosophy. In this age there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhupada/to-be-nonviolent-to-human-beings-and-to-be-a-killer-or-enemy-of-the/) [A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhupada/) > [The memories which peaceful country scenes call up, are not of this world, nor of its thoughts and hopes. Their gentle influence may teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-memories-which-peaceful-country-scenes-call-up-are-not-of-this/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If there be any who nurture in their hearts the poisonous brew of enmity toward another, I plead with you to ask the Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/if-there-be-any-who-nurture-in-their-hearts-the-poisonous-brew-of/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [We had fed the heart on fantasies, The heart's grown brutal from the fare, More substance in our enmities Than in our love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-had-fed-the-heart-on-fantasies-the-heart-s-grown-brutal-from-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But if you should take the bond of goodwill out of the universe no house or city could stand, nor would even the tillage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/but-if-you-should-take-the-bond-of-goodwill-out-of-the-universe-no/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [I am not interested to know whether vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn't...The pain which it inflicts upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-am-not-interested-to-know-whether-vivisection-produces-results-that/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [There is an old saying which, from its truth, has become proverbial, that friendships should be immortal, enmities mortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/there-is-an-old-saying-which-from-its-truth-has-become-proverbial/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [“Sufis are those who have expunged from their minds the human tendencies of envy and enmity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufis-are-those-who-have-expunged-from-their-minds-the-human/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [As far back as she could remember, a phantom life had mocked her with its impenetrable “something else,” but now it was the opposite.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/as-far-back-as-she-could-remember-a-phantom-life-had-mocked-her-with/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Do nondoing, strive for non-stiving, savor the flavourless, make much of little, repay enmity with virture; plan for difficulty when it is still easy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/do-nondoing-strive-for-non-stiving-savor-the-flavourless-make-much-of/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The enmity of such a party towards Socialism does not mean that the members are only prejudiced against it because they do not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-radek/the-enmity-of-such-a-party-towards-socialism-does-not-mean-that-the/) [Karl Radek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-radek/) > [Do nondoing, strive for nonstriving, savor the flavorless, regard the small as important, make much of little, repay enmity with virtue; plan for difficulty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/do-nondoing-strive-for-nonstriving-savor-the-flavorless-regard-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Enmity means 'hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.' It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/enmity-means-hatred-toward-hostility-to-or-a-state-of-opposition-it/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) ## More by Geoffrey Nunberg > [“When Roger Ailes said that NPR executives were 'the left wing of Nazism," he wasn't trying to tar NPR as evil in the eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/when-roger-ailes-said-that-npr-executives-were-the-left-wing-of/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) > [“It's not odd these days to hear politicians trumpeting their own authenticity, a claim that an earlier day would have considered self-cancelling. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/it-s-not-odd-these-days-to-hear-politicians-trumpeting-their-own/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) > [When the world changes, correlation goes away… Causals are what endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/when-the-world-changes-correlation-goes-away-causals-are-what-endure/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) > [The Italian historian Armando Petrucci has done more than anyone else to revive interest in public writing. His groundbreaking Public Lettering: Script, Power, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/the-italian-historian-armando-petrucci-has-done-more-than-anyone-else/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) > [There are only two reasons for buying a book, after all. Either we intend to read it, in which case most of us find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/there-are-only-two-reasons-for-buying-a-book-after-all-either-we/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) > [“Still, to paraphrase what John Stuart Mill said about the stupidity of the Tories, while not all people who claim to be politically incorrect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/still-to-paraphrase-what-john-stuart-mill-said-about-the-stupidity-of/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) > [“The English language is shot through with idioms and expressions which allude to violence without inciting it, most of which pass without notice unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/the-english-language-is-shot-through-with-idioms-and-expressions/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) > [“Donald Trump comes closer than anyone else to being the archetype of the species; crossing genres, he exemplifies all the ways an asshole can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/donald-trump-comes-closer-than-anyone-else-to-being-the-archetype-of/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) > [Few people become assholes reluctantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/few-people-become-assholes-reluctantly/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) > [When it comes to being slaves to fashion, American managers make adolescent girls look like rugged individualists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/when-it-comes-to-being-slaves-to-fashion-american-managers-make/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) > [“Culpable obtuseness. He should know better. That's one reason why we don't use the a-word, for example, of little children. They can merit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/culpable-obtuseness-he-should-know-better-that-s-one-reason-why-we/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) [Explore all 12 Geoffrey Nunberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) ## More Enmity quotes > [Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/most-of-us-think-of-pride-as-self-centeredness-conceit-boastfulness/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Do nondoing, strive for nonstriving, savor the flavorless, regard the small as important, make much of little, repay enmity with virtue; plan for difficulty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/do-nondoing-strive-for-nonstriving-savor-the-flavorless-regard-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The enmity of such a party towards Socialism does not mean that the members are only prejudiced against it because they do not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-radek/the-enmity-of-such-a-party-towards-socialism-does-not-mean-that-the/) [Karl Radek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-radek/) > [Do nondoing, strive for non-stiving, savor the flavourless, make much of little, repay enmity with virture; plan for difficulty when it is still easy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/do-nondoing-strive-for-non-stiving-savor-the-flavourless-make-much-of/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [As far back as she could remember, a phantom life had mocked her with its impenetrable “something else,” but now it was the opposite.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/as-far-back-as-she-could-remember-a-phantom-life-had-mocked-her-with/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“Sufis are those who have expunged from their minds the human tendencies of envy and enmity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufis-are-those-who-have-expunged-from-their-minds-the-human/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [There is an old saying which, from its truth, has become proverbial, that friendships should be immortal, enmities mortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/there-is-an-old-saying-which-from-its-truth-has-become-proverbial/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [I am not interested to know whether vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn't...The pain which it inflicts upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-am-not-interested-to-know-whether-vivisection-produces-results-that/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [But if you should take the bond of goodwill out of the universe no house or city could stand, nor would even the tillage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/but-if-you-should-take-the-bond-of-goodwill-out-of-the-universe-no/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [We had fed the heart on fantasies, The heart's grown brutal from the fare, More substance in our enmities Than in our love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-had-fed-the-heart-on-fantasies-the-heart-s-grown-brutal-from-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If there be any who nurture in their hearts the poisonous brew of enmity toward another, I plead with you to ask the Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/if-there-be-any-who-nurture-in-their-hearts-the-poisonous-brew-of/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [The memories which peaceful country scenes call up, are not of this world, nor of its thoughts and hopes. Their gentle influence may teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-memories-which-peaceful-country-scenes-call-up-are-not-of-this/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [To be nonviolent to human beings and to be a killer or enemy of the poor animals is Satan's philosophy. In this age there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhupada/to-be-nonviolent-to-human-beings-and-to-be-a-killer-or-enemy-of-the/) [A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhupada/) > [Enmity means 'hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.' It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/enmity-means-hatred-toward-hostility-to-or-a-state-of-opposition-it/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [We must love one another, yes, yes, that's all true enough, but nothing says we have to like each other. It may be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-de-vries/we-must-love-one-another-yes-yes-that-s-all-true-enough-but-nothing/) [Peter De Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-de-vries/) [Browse all 213 Enmity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enmity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's important that these people think of their adversaries specifically as assholes. That's what gives the modern rhetoric of polarization its singular stamp and makes it different from the execrations of other ages. 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