--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Governing is occupying but not…" description: "\"Governing is occupying but not interesting, governments are occupying but not interesting.\" — Gertrude Stein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/gertrude-stein-667_governing_governing-is-occupying-but-not-interesti_622443.jpg" --- # Governing is occupying but not interesting, governments… ![“Governing is occupying but not interesting, governments are occupying but not interesting.” quote by Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/gertrude-stein-667_governing_governing-is-occupying-but-not-interesti_622443.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/gertrude-stein-667_governing_governing-is-occupying-but-not-interesti_622443.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/gertrude-stein-667_governing_governing-is-occupying-but-not-interesti_622443.jpg) > “Governing is occupying but not interesting, governments are occupying but not interesting.” [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Governance can become a monotonous duty, lacking excitement or engagement. **In simple terms:** Governing can be dull and uninteresting. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond mere administration. Themes politics leadership engagement mundane Mood thoughtful neutral Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - public office - corporate management - nonprofit leadership Key Concepts political theory organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - What makes governance meaningful? - How can leaders inject interest into routine tasks? A Different Perspective Bureaucracy can stifle creativity and motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Governing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governing/) [Governing Occupying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governing-occupying-5033766/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Governments Occupying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments-occupying-5033765/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Interesting Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting-governments-5033768/) [Occupying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occupying/) [Occupying Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occupying-interesting-5033767/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Oh, I wish I were a miser; being a miser must be so occupying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/oh-i-wish-i-were-a-miser-being-a-miser-must-be-so-occupying/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“Israel is the only nation in the West that is occupying another people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-shavit/israel-is-the-only-nation-in-the-west-that-is-occupying-another-people/) [Ari Shavit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-shavit/) > [I don't think we would have had to be an occupying power if we had done the right thing in 1991.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lee-anderson/i-don-t-think-we-would-have-had-to-be-an-occupying-power-if-we-had/) [Jon Lee Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lee-anderson/) > [I don't think you're going to be seeing the U.S. employing large army divisions to deal with small terrorist groups again. I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/i-don-t-think-you-re-going-to-be-seeing-the-u-s-employing-large-army/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [As long as we're here, we are the occupying power. It's a very ugly word, but it's true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bremer/as-long-as-we-re-here-we-are-the-occupying-power-it-s-a-very-ugly/) [Paul Bremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bremer/) > [Much of living is an attempt to preserve oneself by annexing and occupying others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-frame/much-of-living-is-an-attempt-to-preserve-oneself-by-annexing-and/) [Janet Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-frame/) > [Occupying armies have responsibilities, not rights. Their primary responsibility is to withdraw as quickly and expeditiously as possible, in a manner determined by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/occupying-armies-have-responsibilities-not-rights-their-primary/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I was writing and I have three kids. I was occupying my time with them but it was difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/i-was-writing-and-i-have-three-kids-i-was-occupying-my-time-with-them/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I ask every man and woman occupying a place of responsibility whose duty it is to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heber-j-grant/i-ask-every-man-and-woman-occupying-a-place-of-responsibility-whose/) [Heber J. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heber-j-grant/) > [We go in to liberate Cuba, but Cuba still isn't free; we don't really think through what we'll do after the initial treaty is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/we-go-in-to-liberate-cuba-but-cuba-still-isn-t-free-we-don-t-really/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [We will liberate our country from the occupying forces and put an end to relations between Russia and the Chechen State, no matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aslan-maskhadov/we-will-liberate-our-country-from-the-occupying-forces-and-put-an-end/) [Aslan Maskhadov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aslan-maskhadov/) > [Our strategy is to defend ourselves against an occupying army and against settlers and settlements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-yassin/our-strategy-is-to-defend-ourselves-against-an-occupying-army-and/) [Ahmed Yassin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-yassin/) > [Occupy has to continue as a bold, in-your-face movement - occupying banks, corporate headquarters, board meetings, campuses and Wall Street itself. We need weekly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/occupy-has-to-continue-as-a-bold-in-your-face-movement-occupying/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [There must not be favoured treatment for those occupying a position of public responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-felipe-vi/there-must-not-be-favoured-treatment-for-those-occupying-a-position/) [King Felipe VI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-felipe-vi/) > [As for antichrist occupying the papal chair, it is evident that a pope living contrary to Christ, like any other perverted person, is called,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-hus/as-for-antichrist-occupying-the-papal-chair-it-is-evident-that-a-pope/) [Jan Hus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-hus/) ## More by Gertrude Stein > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/americans-are-very-friendly-and-very-suspicious-that-is-what/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Just as everybody has the vote including women, I think children should, because as a child is conscious of itself then it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/just-as-everybody-has-the-vote-including-women-i-think-children/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“When is there some discharge when. There never is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/when-is-there-some-discharge-when-there-never-is/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [There is no such thing as repetition. Only insistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/there-is-no-such-thing-as-repetition-only-insistance/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I am I because my little dog knows me but, creatively speaking the little dog knowing that you are you and your recognising that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-am-i-because-my-little-dog-knows-me-but-creatively-speaking-the/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [How likely are definitions to be pleasurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/how-likely-are-definitions-to-be-pleasurable/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [ “What is the answer?" \[ I \[Alice B Toklas\] was silent \] In that case, what is the question?” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/what-is-the-answer-i-alice-b-toklas-was-silent-in-that-case-what-is/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [More and more I like to take a train. I understand why the French prefer it to automobiling it is so much more sociable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/more-and-more-i-like-to-take-a-train-i-understand-why-the-french/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Adventure is making the distant approach nearer but romance is having what is where it is which is not where you are stay where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/adventure-is-making-the-distant-approach-nearer-but-romance-is-having/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Forensics is eloquence and reduction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/forensics-is-eloquence-and-reduction/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Eating and sleeping are not like loving and breathing. Washing is not like eating and sleeping. Believing is like breathing and loving. Religion can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/eating-and-sleeping-are-not-like-loving-and-breathing-washing-is-not/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I write for myself and strangers. The strangers, dear Readers, are an afterthought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-write-for-myself-and-strangers-the-strangers-dear-readers-are-an/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“A bag which was left and not only taken but turned away was not found. The place was shown to be very like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/a-bag-which-was-left-and-not-only-taken-but-turned-away-was-not-found/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I don't envisage collectivism. There is no such animal, it is always individualism, sometimes the rest vote and sometimes they do not, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-don-t-envisage-collectivism-there-is-no-such-animal-it-is-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) [Explore all 418 Gertrude Stein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) ## More Governing quotes > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The US has developed two coordinate governing classes: the one, called 'business,' building cities, manufacturing and distributing goods, and holding complete and autocratic power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-arnold/the-us-has-developed-two-coordinate-governing-classes-the-one-called/) [Thurman Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-arnold/) > [It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-will-be-of-little-avail-to-the-people-that-the-laws-are-made-by/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [While receiving radiation treatment for a thyroid illness, I had refused to take beta-blockers - a medication that would have eased its side effects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-devers/while-receiving-radiation-treatment-for-a-thyroid-illness-i-had/) [Gail Devers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-devers/) > [Plato long ago pointed out the importance of being governed by men with sufficient sense of responsibility and comprehension of public duties to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/plato-long-ago-pointed-out-the-importance-of-being-governed-by-men/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [For me, governing starts with people. It doesn't start with bureaucracy. It doesn't start with policy. It starts with people and what people need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-hodges/for-me-governing-starts-with-people-it-doesn-t-start-with-bureaucracy/) [Betsy Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-hodges/) > [The EU Constitution is something new in human history. Though it is not as eloquent as the French and U.S. constitutions, it is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/the-eu-constitution-is-something-new-in-human-history-though-it-is/) [Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/) > [A Prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/a-prohibition-law-strikes-a-blow-at-the-very-principles-upon-which/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The attack on youth is a national pathology, unwarranted by fact, smokescreen for the failure of adulthood and its leadership to confront larger predicaments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-a-males/the-attack-on-youth-is-a-national-pathology-unwarranted-by-fact/) [Mike A. Males](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-a-males/) > [“If you do not have a moral question in your governing process, then you do not have a process that is going to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-lyons/if-you-do-not-have-a-moral-question-in-your-governing-process-then/) [Oren Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-lyons/) > [ \[The current governing judicial philosophy is:\] If you want something passionately enough, it is guaranteed by the Constitution. No need to fiddle around gathering… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bork/the-current-governing-judicial-philosophy-is-if-you-want-something/) [Robert Bork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bork/) > [It is already clear that, because of advances in technology, drones are going to play an increased role in warfare in the years ahead.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-alexander/it-is-already-clear-that-because-of-advances-in-technology-drones-are/) [Douglas Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-alexander/) > [Following World War II, the U.S. was the architect of the UN system, and the world financial system, and the Human Rights Declaration, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/following-world-war-ii-the-u-s-was-the-architect-of-the-un-system-and/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [This isn't about fans, greed or money. It's about being morally right or wrong. Nobody is governing the way music gets from artists to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-ulrich/this-isn-t-about-fans-greed-or-money-it-s-about-being-morally-right/) [Lars Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-ulrich/) > [The skill of telemarketing does not necessarily translate into governing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/the-skill-of-telemarketing-does-not-necessarily-translate-into/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) [Browse all 394 Governing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Governing is occupying but not interesting, governments are occupying but not interesting.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gertrude Stein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/governing-is-occupying-but-not-interesting-governments-are-occupying/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Governing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/governing-is-occupying-but-not-interesting-governments-are-occupying/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/gertrude-stein-667_governing_governing-is-occupying-but-not-interesti_622443.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/gertrude-stein-667_governing_governing-is-occupying-but-not-interesti_622443.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee5/gertrude-stein-667_governing_governing-is-occupying-but-not-interesti_622443.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Governing is occupying but not interesting, governments are occupying but not interesting.” — Gertrude Stein", "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": "Gertrude Stein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Governing is occupying but not interesting,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/governing-is-occupying-but-not-interesting-governments-are-occupying/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/governing-is-occupying-but-not-interesting-governments-are-occupying/#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 } } ] } ```