--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Objectivity” means nothing more than…" description: "\"“Objectivity” means nothing more than reflecting the biases and serving the interests of entrenched Washington. Opinions are problematic only when they..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/glenn-greenwald-1215_objectivity_objectivity-means-nothing-more-than-refl_2339731.jpg" --- # Objectivity” means nothing more than reflecting the biases… ![“Objectivity” means nothing more than reflecting the biases and serving the interests of entrenched Washington. Opinions are problematic only when they deviate from the acceptable range of Washington orthodoxy.” quote by Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/glenn-greenwald-1215_objectivity_objectivity-means-nothing-more-than-refl_2339731.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/glenn-greenwald-1215_objectivity_objectivity-means-nothing-more-than-refl_2339731.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/glenn-greenwald-1215_objectivity_objectivity-means-nothing-more-than-refl_2339731.jpg) > ““Objectivity” means nothing more than reflecting the biases and serving the interests of entrenched Washington. Opinions are problematic only when they deviate from the acceptable range of Washington orthodoxy.”” [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Asserts that “objectivity” is a façade masking Washington’s entrenched biases. **In simple terms:** Objectivity is a bias mask. Key Takeaway Question the neutrality of mainstream discourse. Themes journalism bias power ethics Mood critical provocative Type media political When to use this quote - news consumption - policy debate - academic study Key Concepts media criticism institutional bias Questions to Reflect On - Who defines the “acceptable range” of opinion? - How can independent voices be amplified? A Different Perspective Objectivity can be weaponized to silence dissent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Objectivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objectivity/) [Objectivity Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objectivity-means-3399551/) [Opinions Problematic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinions-problematic-5657937/) [Reflecting Biases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflecting-biases-5657938/) [Washington Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/washington-opinions-5657936/) ## Related quotes > [Feminist objectivity means quite simply situated knowledges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-j-haraway/feminist-objectivity-means-quite-simply-situated-knowledges/) [Donna J. Haraway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-j-haraway/) > [Objectivity means trying to give all sides a hearing. It does not, in my view, mean treating all sides as equal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/objectivity-means-trying-to-give-all-sides-a-hearing-it-does-not-in/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [ Those \[American Jews\] who favor the \[Israeli\] attack on Gaza are certainly guilty of such overwhelming emotional and cultural attachment to Israel and Israelis,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/those-american-jews-who-favor-the-israeli-attack-on-gaza-are/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Wisdom is the God-given ability to see life with rare objectivity and to handle life with rare stability.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/wisdom-is-the-god-given-ability-to-see-life-with-rare-objectivity-and/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [A poem generated by its own laws may be unrealized and bad in terms of so-called objective principles of taste, judgement, deduction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-ammons/a-poem-generated-by-its-own-laws-may-be-unrealized-and-bad-in-terms/) [A. R. Ammons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-ammons/) > [ \[In geology,\] As in history, the material in hand remains silent if no questions are asked. The nature of these questions depends on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-geology-as-in-history-the-material-in-hand-remains-silent-if-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician's objective. Election and power are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/one-of-the-reasons-people-hate-politics-is-that-truth-is-rarely-a/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [As a scientist, objectivity is one of my most deeply held values. If we could just try harder, I once thought, surely we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-everett/as-a-scientist-objectivity-is-one-of-my-most-deeply-held-values-if-we/) [Daniel Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-everett/) > [Biochemists and biologists who adhere blindly to the Darwinism theory search for results that will be in agreement with their theories and consequently orient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/biochemists-and-biologists-who-adhere-blindly-to-the-darwinism-theory/) [Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/) > [“Religion, like science, is only noteworthy when it emphasizes a matter of what is true rather than whose belief is greater or lesser or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/religion-like-science-is-only-noteworthy-when-it-emphasizes-a-matter/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“The scientific method is famous for requiring objectivity and emotional detachment on the part of the investigator. Scientific experimentation also involves extensive manipulation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heath/the-scientific-method-is-famous-for-requiring-objectivity-and/) [Joseph Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heath/) > [The quality an artist must have is objectivity in judging his work, plus the honesty and courage not to kid himself about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/the-quality-an-artist-must-have-is-objectivity-in-judging-his-work/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“Empirically, things are poignant, tragic, beautiful, humorous, settled, disturbed, comfortable, annoying, barren, harsh, consoling, splendid, fearful; are such immediately and in their own right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/empirically-things-are-poignant-tragic-beautiful-humorous-settled/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [Surely to root politics out of art is a highly necessary undertaking: for the freedom of art, like that of science, depends entirely upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyndham-lewis/surely-to-root-politics-out-of-art-is-a-highly-necessary-undertaking/) [Wyndham Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyndham-lewis/) ## More by Glenn Greenwald > [In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/in-essence-i-see-the-value-of-journalism-as-resting-in-a-twofold/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“The evidence shows that assurances that surveillance is only targeted at those who “have done something wrong” should provide little comfort, since a state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-evidence-shows-that-assurances-that-surveillance-is-only-targeted/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“It's almost hard to imagine anything more undemocratic than the view that political officials should not debate American wars in public, but only express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-almost-hard-to-imagine-anything-more-undemocratic-than-the-view/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [It's hardly news that the Obama administration is intensely and, in many respects, unprecedentedly hostile toward the news-gathering process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-hardly-news-that-the-obama-administration-is-intensely-and-in/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Only In America can a renowned and devoted terrorism supporter like Peter King be the arbiter of national security and treason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/only-in-america-can-a-renowned-and-devoted-terrorism-supporter-like/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Above even our physical well-being, a central value is keeping the state out of the private realm—our “persons, houses, papers, and effects,” as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/above-even-our-physical-well-being-a-central-value-is-keeping-the/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“That capability at any time could be turned around on the American people and no American would have any privacy left, such is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/that-capability-at-any-time-could-be-turned-around-on-the-american/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Converting the Internet into a system of surveillance thus guts it of its core potential. Worse, it turns the Internet into a tool of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/converting-the-internet-into-a-system-of-surveillance-thus-guts-it-of/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“the desire for privacy is shared by us all as an essential, not ancillary, part of what it means to be human. We all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-desire-for-privacy-is-shared-by-us-all-as-an-essential-not/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [I don't have a 'side'—I'm responsible for what I say and nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/i-don-t-have-a-side-i-m-responsible-for-what-i-say-and-nothing-else/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Encryption matters, and it is not just for spies and philanderers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/encryption-matters-and-it-is-not-just-for-spies-and-philanderers/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Among other devices, the agency intercepts and tampers with routers and servers manufactured by Cisco to direct large amounts of Internet traffic back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/among-other-devices-the-agency-intercepts-and-tampers-with-routers/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“NSA has increasingly made use of a secret technology that enables it to enter and alter data in computers even if they are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/nsa-has-increasingly-made-use-of-a-secret-technology-that-enables-it/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [A key purpose of journalism is to provide an adversarial check on those who wield the greatest power by shining a light on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/a-key-purpose-of-journalism-is-to-provide-an-adversarial-check-on/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“We all instinctively understand that the private realm is where we can act, think, speak, write, experiment, and choose how to be, away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/we-all-instinctively-understand-that-the-private-realm-is-where-we/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) [Explore all 270 Glenn Greenwald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## More Objectivity quotes > [Surely to root politics out of art is a highly necessary undertaking: for the freedom of art, like that of science, depends entirely upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyndham-lewis/surely-to-root-politics-out-of-art-is-a-highly-necessary-undertaking/) [Wyndham Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyndham-lewis/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [“Empirically, things are poignant, tragic, beautiful, humorous, settled, disturbed, comfortable, annoying, barren, harsh, consoling, splendid, fearful; are such immediately and in their own right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/empirically-things-are-poignant-tragic-beautiful-humorous-settled/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The quality an artist must have is objectivity in judging his work, plus the honesty and courage not to kid himself about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/the-quality-an-artist-must-have-is-objectivity-in-judging-his-work/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“The scientific method is famous for requiring objectivity and emotional detachment on the part of the investigator. Scientific experimentation also involves extensive manipulation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heath/the-scientific-method-is-famous-for-requiring-objectivity-and/) [Joseph Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heath/) > [“Religion, like science, is only noteworthy when it emphasizes a matter of what is true rather than whose belief is greater or lesser or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/religion-like-science-is-only-noteworthy-when-it-emphasizes-a-matter/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Biochemists and biologists who adhere blindly to the Darwinism theory search for results that will be in agreement with their theories and consequently orient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/biochemists-and-biologists-who-adhere-blindly-to-the-darwinism-theory/) [Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/) > [As a scientist, objectivity is one of my most deeply held values. If we could just try harder, I once thought, surely we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-everett/as-a-scientist-objectivity-is-one-of-my-most-deeply-held-values-if-we/) [Daniel Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-everett/) > [One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician's objective. Election and power are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/one-of-the-reasons-people-hate-politics-is-that-truth-is-rarely-a/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [ \[In geology,\] As in history, the material in hand remains silent if no questions are asked. The nature of these questions depends on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-geology-as-in-history-the-material-in-hand-remains-silent-if-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A poem generated by its own laws may be unrealized and bad in terms of so-called objective principles of taste, judgement, deduction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-ammons/a-poem-generated-by-its-own-laws-may-be-unrealized-and-bad-in-terms/) [A. R. Ammons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-ammons/) > [“Wisdom is the God-given ability to see life with rare objectivity and to handle life with rare stability.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/wisdom-is-the-god-given-ability-to-see-life-with-rare-objectivity-and/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [The image can only be studied through the image, by dreaming images as they gather in reverie. It is a non-sense to claim to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-bachelard/the-image-can-only-be-studied-through-the-image-by-dreaming-images-as/) [Gaston Bachelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-bachelard/) > [No one seriously doubts Socrates' maxim: The unexamined life isn't worth living. Self-assessment and attempts at self-improvement are essential aspects of "the good life."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/no-one-seriously-doubts-socrates-maxim-the-unexamined-life-isn-t/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [ I can assure the conspiracy theorists who have very effectively savaged \[Gerald\] Posner in their books that they're going to have a much, much… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/i-can-assure-the-conspiracy-theorists-who-have-very-effectively/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) [Browse all 385 Objectivity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objectivity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Objectivity” means nothing more than reflecting the biases and serving the interests of entrenched Washington. 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