--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You will not be able to stay home…" description: "\"You will not be able to stay home, brother./You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out./You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and ski..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/gil-scott-heron-9568_able_you-will-not-be-able-to-stay-home-brothe_2872934.jpg" --- # You will not be able to stay home, brother./You will not… ![“You will not be able to stay home, brother./You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out./You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip,/Skip out for beer during commercials,/Because the revolution will not be televised.” quote by Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/gil-scott-heron-9568_able_you-will-not-be-able-to-stay-home-brothe_2872934.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/gil-scott-heron-9568_able_you-will-not-be-able-to-stay-home-brothe_2872934.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/gil-scott-heron-9568_able_you-will-not-be-able-to-stay-home-brothe_2872934.jpg) > “You will not be able to stay home, brother./You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out./You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip,/Skip out for beer during commercials,/Because the revolution will not be televised.” [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Resistance requires active participation, not passive avoidance; true change demands personal involvement. **In simple terms:** You must act, not just watch. Key Takeaway Engage directly, avoid complacency. Themes activism personal responsibility media critique social change Mood defiant urgent Type musical political When to use this quote - protests - daily routines - media consumption - political engagement Key Concepts political theory media studies behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - How does media shape your sense of agency? - What small actions can you take today? A Different Perspective Passive avoidance can be a coping mechanism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beer/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cop/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Losing yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/losing-yourself/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Stay Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-home/) [Televised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/televised/) ## Related quotes > [The revolution will not be televised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/the-revolution-will-not-be-televised/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [“The revolution will not be televised. It will be novelized.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royal-prince/the-revolution-will-not-be-televised-it-will-be-novelized/) Royal Prince > [The inner revolution will not be televised or sold on the Internet. It must take place within one's own mind and heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-levine/the-inner-revolution-will-not-be-televised-or-sold-on-the-internet-it/) [Noah Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-levine/) > [Revolution might be televised but make sure if they do see them people see my good side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/revolution-might-be-televised-but-make-sure-if-they-do-see-them/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [If you listen to 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,' by Gil Scott-Heron, that album is dripping with rage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/if-you-listen-to-the-revolution-will-not-be-televised-by-gil-scott/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“Yesterday I felt like shit, so I rode my bike around town and repeatedly grafittied “The revolution is not being televised” in paint pen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inga-muscio/yesterday-i-felt-like-shit-so-i-rode-my-bike-around-town-and/) [Inga Muscio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inga-muscio/) > [I had no idea this thing was televised. Boy, is my face red.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-had-no-idea-this-thing-was-televised-boy-is-my-face-red/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [With my own memoirs, they are truthful, and I write everything fully expecting to some day end up televised on Court TV, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/with-my-own-memoirs-they-are-truthful-and-i-write-everything-fully/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [If it's not televised, there's no way Americans will know about competitive badminton. All they know is the back-yard thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-bach/if-it-s-not-televised-there-s-no-way-americans-will-know-about/) [Howard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-bach/) > [John Kennedy won the first televised presidential debate among those watching it, while Richard Nixon won among those listening on the radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-estrich/john-kennedy-won-the-first-televised-presidential-debate-among-those/) [Susan Estrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-estrich/) > [I was the candidate first time a Green or any progressive third party has ever been in a national televised debate. I was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-camejo/i-was-the-candidate-first-time-a-green-or-any-progressive-third-party/) [Peter Camejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-camejo/) > [I was part of the first ever women's match to ever be televised in China. That's something no one can take away from me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-blanchard/i-was-part-of-the-first-ever-women-s-match-to-ever-be-televised-in/) [Tessa Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-blanchard/) > [Most fans don't realize 75 percent of the matches we have are non-televised. I prefer a non-televised show because it is more ring-focused and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wade-barrett/most-fans-don-t-realize-75-percent-of-the-matches-we-have-are-non/) [Wade Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wade-barrett/) > [Obviously, the Sixties was a time when everyone wanted to experiment, and then everything became very formulated and corporate, so artists tended to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/obviously-the-sixties-was-a-time-when-everyone-wanted-to-experiment/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [There's always been a little bit of tension between the writers of science fiction literature and then science-fiction televised shows or movies, partly because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scalzi/there-s-always-been-a-little-bit-of-tension-between-the-writers-of/) [John Scalzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scalzi/) ## More by Gil Scott-Heron > [Oftentimes, the way it seems to be is that our artists in particular point themselves out as spokesmen for a certain constituency in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/oftentimes-the-way-it-seems-to-be-is-that-our-artists-in-particular/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I was one of the first three black students to go to an all-white school in Tennessee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-was-one-of-the-first-three-black-students-to-go-to-an-all-white/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [A good poet feels what his community feels. Like if you stub your toe, the rest of your body hurts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/a-good-poet-feels-what-his-community-feels-like-if-you-stub-your-toe/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I find it not just strange but almost ridiculous that people could take a song like the one I was doing and interpret it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-find-it-not-just-strange-but-almost-ridiculous-that-people-could/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [Womenfolk raised me and I was full-grown before I knew I came from a broken home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/womenfolk-raised-me-and-i-was-full-grown-before-i-knew-i-came-from-a/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [If you aren't having no fun, die, because you're running a worthless program, far as I'm concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/if-you-aren-t-having-no-fun-die-because-you-re-running-a-worthless/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I have a novel that I can write. It's about three soldiers from Somalia. Some babies have been disappearing up on 144th Street, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-have-a-novel-that-i-can-write-it-s-about-three-soldiers-from/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [ I work hard at it \[delivery of lyrics\], just like I worked hard at getting my masters degree. It's not just something I sit… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-work-hard-at-it-delivery-of-lyrics-just-like-i-worked-hard-at/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [Your life has to consist of more than 'Black people should unite.' You hope they do, but not twenty-four hours a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/your-life-has-to-consist-of-more-than-black-people-should-unite-you/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [You should be able to do anything you can afford as an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/you-should-be-able-to-do-anything-you-can-afford-as-an-adult/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [You know what has made me the happiest I've ever been? Seeing my son and daughter graduate from college. More than wanting them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/you-know-what-has-made-me-the-happiest-i-ve-ever-been-seeing-my-son/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I've always had questions about what it meant to be a protester, to be in the minority. Are the people who are trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-ve-always-had-questions-about-what-it-meant-to-be-a-protester-to-be/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I was a piano player before I was a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-was-a-piano-player-before-i-was-a-poet/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I cannot afford to watch Fox News.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-cannot-afford-to-watch-fox-news/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I think a whole lot of stuff gets by people - I could name half a dozen groups that do songs that are openly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-think-a-whole-lot-of-stuff-gets-by-people-i-could-name-half-a-dozen/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) [Explore all 71 Gil Scott-Heron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You will not be able to stay home, brother./You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out./You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip,/Skip out for beer during commercials,/Because the revolution will not be televised.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gil Scott-Heron" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/you-will-not-be-able-to-stay-home-brother-you-will-not-be-able-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/you-will-not-be-able-to-stay-home-brother-you-will-not-be-able-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/gil-scott-heron-9568_able_you-will-not-be-able-to-stay-home-brothe_2872934.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/gil-scott-heron-9568_able_you-will-not-be-able-to-stay-home-brothe_2872934.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/gil-scott-heron-9568_able_you-will-not-be-able-to-stay-home-brothe_2872934.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You will not be able to stay home, brother./You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out./You will…” — Gil Scott-Heron", "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": "Gil Scott-Heron", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You will not be able to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/you-will-not-be-able-to-stay-home-brother-you-will-not-be-able-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/you-will-not-be-able-to-stay-home-brother-you-will-not-be-able-to/#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 } } ] } ```