--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is the case in every society: those…" description: "\"“This is the case in every society: those who pose no challenge are rarely targeted by oppressive measures, and from their perspective, they can then c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/glenn-greenwald-1215_freedom_this-is-the-case-in-every-society-those_1777590.jpg" --- # This is the case in every society: those who pose no… ![“This is the case in every society: those who pose no challenge are rarely targeted by oppressive measures, and from their perspective, they can then convince themselves that oppression does not really exist. But the true measure of a society’s freedom is how it treats its dissidents and other…” quote by Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/glenn-greenwald-1215_freedom_this-is-the-case-in-every-society-those_1777590.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/glenn-greenwald-1215_freedom_this-is-the-case-in-every-society-those_1777590.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c89/glenn-greenwald-1215_freedom_this-is-the-case-in-every-society-those_1777590.jpg) > ““This is the case in every society: those who pose no challenge are rarely targeted by oppressive measures, and from their perspective, they can then convince themselves that oppression does not really exist. But the true measure of a society’s freedom is how it treats its dissidents and other marginalized groups, not how it treats good loyalists.”” [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. Freedom is measured by treatment of dissent and marginalized groups, not loyalists. **In simple terms:** True liberty protects the vulnerable. Key Takeaway Support those who challenge power. Themes freedom justice oppression Mood thoughtful serious Type analytical critical When to use this quote - activism - policy debates - community organizing Key Concepts political theory human rights Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect dissent? - What responsibilities do loyalists have? A Different Perspective Opposition may be suppressed despite good intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Convince Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince-oppression-1834412/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) [Oppression Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression-does-959838/) [Oppressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressive/) [Oppressive Measures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressive-measures-1834413/) [Targeted Oppressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/targeted-oppressive-1834414/) ## Related quotes > [What you must understand is oppression does not end with the niggers. 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Aren't our energies better spent fighting the common enemy instead of each other?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/oppression-does-not-know-the-meaning-of-provincial-boundaries-aren-t/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [The experience of past ages may inform us, that when the circumstances of a people render them distressed, their rulers generally recur to severe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-experience-of-past-ages-may-inform-us-that-when-the-circumstances/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [The task of resisting our own oppression does not relieve us of the responsibility of acknowledging our complicity in the oppression of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-daniel-tatum/the-task-of-resisting-our-own-oppression-does-not-relieve-us-of-the/) [Beverly Daniel Tatum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-daniel-tatum/) > [Oppression does not make for hearts as big as all outdoors. 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There was something oppressive about all those twinkling colored lights. "Are you happy?" "Do you fit in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chica-umino/christmas-always-used-to-get-me-down-there-was-something-oppressive/) [Chica Umino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chica-umino/) ## 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. 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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 Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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