--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whether a country is actually free is…" description: "\"Whether a country is actually free is determined not by how well-rewarded its convention-affirming media elites are and how ignored its passive citizen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/glenn-greenwald-1215_affirming_whether-a-country-is-actually-free-is-de_1099850.jpg" --- # Whether a country is actually free is determined not by… ![“Whether a country is actually free is determined not by how well-rewarded its convention-affirming media elites are and how ignored its passive citizens are but by how it treats its dissidents, those posing authentic challenges to what the government does.” quote by Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/glenn-greenwald-1215_affirming_whether-a-country-is-actually-free-is-de_1099850.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/glenn-greenwald-1215_affirming_whether-a-country-is-actually-free-is-de_1099850.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/glenn-greenwald-1215_affirming_whether-a-country-is-actually-free-is-de_1099850.jpg) > “Whether a country is actually free is determined not by how well-rewarded its convention-affirming media elites are and how ignored its passive citizens are but by how it treats its dissidents, those posing authentic challenges to what the government does.” [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 how a society treats its critics, not by elite media rewards or passive citizens. **In simple terms:** True freedom is protecting dissent. Key Takeaway Defend dissent to safeguard liberty. Themes freedom dissent media citizen engagement Mood critical concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - journalism - activism - policy making - education - public debate Key Concepts political theory human rights democracy Questions to Reflect On - How do we protect dissent without chaos? - What responsibilities do media have? A Different Perspective Balancing security and dissent is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affirming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirming/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Challenges Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges-government-2886310/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Conventions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conventions/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Dissidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissidents/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Elites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elites/) [Elites Ignored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elites-ignored-2886312/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Ignored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignored/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Passive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passive/) [Passive Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passive-citizens-2886311/) [Posing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/posing/) [Treats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treats/) [Treats Dissidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treats-dissidents-2886309/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [“the true measure of a society’s freedom is how it treats its dissidents and other marginalized groups, not how it treats good loyalists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-true-measure-of-a-society-s-freedom-is-how-it-treats-its/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [The ultimate test of a society's freedom is not how it treats its good, obedient, compliant citizens; it's how it treats its dissidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-ultimate-test-of-a-society-s-freedom-is-not-how-it-treats-its/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Black people are expected to be passive citizens, good immigrants, mute and grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-olusoga/black-people-are-expected-to-be-passive-citizens-good-immigrants-mute/) [David Olusoga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-olusoga/) > [“No matter the specific techniques involved, historically mass surveillance has had several constant attributes. Initially, it is always the country’s dissidents and marginalized who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/no-matter-the-specific-techniques-involved-historically-mass/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [During the Cold War, the United States took its friends where it found them. If they were willing to cast their lot with us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/during-the-cold-war-the-united-states-took-its-friends-where-it-found/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [ \[Dissidents\] groups would benefit enormously from learning about Ho Chi Minh's ideas on how to defeat a more popular enemy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-duiker/dissidents-groups-would-benefit-enormously-from-learning-about-ho-chi/) [William J. Duiker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-duiker/) > [“Despots, it turns out, are learning to practice what journalist Rebecca MacKinnon calls “networked authoritarianism”—the use of the Internet to consolidate power. Rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/despots-it-turns-out-are-learning-to-practice-what-journalist-rebecca/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My own feminist revolution evolved slowly, and traveled the world with me. To this day I have no idea what dissident professor or librarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-eltahawy/my-own-feminist-revolution-evolved-slowly-and-traveled-the-world-with/) [Mona Eltahawy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-eltahawy/) > [The "prophets" were what we would call dissident intellectuals. They provided critical geopolitical analysis, condemned the crimes of the powerful, called for justice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-prophets-were-what-we-would-call-dissident-intellectuals-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Whenever there is injustice, oppression, aggression, violence, it's standard for it to be supported by those we now call "intellectuals," but typically not by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/whenever-there-is-injustice-oppression-aggression-violence-it-s/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being aspires to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/america-will-not-pretend-that-jailed-dissidents-prefer-their-chains/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Dissidents are not imprisoned as in the domains of the Kremlin, in the old days. They do not have their brains blown out by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/dissidents-are-not-imprisoned-as-in-the-domains-of-the-kremlin-in-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Luckily I was not born in Eastern Europe, because I might have been born into the communist establishment and I'm glad I was not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amira-hass/luckily-i-was-not-born-in-eastern-europe-because-i-might-have-been/) [Amira Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amira-hass/) > [An American professor complained that a crypto-Marxist like me was invited in the USA, and I was denounced by the press in Eastern European…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/an-american-professor-complained-that-a-crypto-marxist-like-me-was/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [Dominion is a spy novel, a love story, and also I hope gives some sense of the difficulties faced by dissidents under any totalitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/dominion-is-a-spy-novel-a-love-story-and-also-i-hope-gives-some-sense/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) ## 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 Affirming quotes > [I don't think that writing, real writing, has much to do with affirming belief--if anything it causes rifts and gaps in belief which make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-evenson/i-don-t-think-that-writing-real-writing-has-much-to-do-with-affirming/) [Brian Evenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-evenson/) > [Change your thoughts, change your life. —LAO TZU When I was fighting depression, I remember hearing this expression and not understanding it at first.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/change-your-thoughts-change-your-life-lao-tzu-when-i-was-fighting/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Where a generation ago people felt entitled to a chance at education, they now feel entitled to the credential affirming that they have completed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-henry-iii/where-a-generation-ago-people-felt-entitled-to-a-chance-at-education/) [William A. Henry III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-henry-iii/) > [To create something beautiful about despair or out of a feeling of despair is for me the most hopeful life affirming thing a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kane/to-create-something-beautiful-about-despair-or-out-of-a-feeling-of/) [Sarah Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kane/) > [“By affirming that all 'meaning,' every assertion about the significance of life and reality, must be judged by reference to a brief succession of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/by-affirming-that-all-meaning-every-assertion-about-the-significance/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [It feels intimate and life affirming to me when someone tweets things that appear to just be insane thoughts they had and typed out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-gonzalez/it-feels-intimate-and-life-affirming-to-me-when-someone-tweets-things/) [Mira Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-gonzalez/) > [ \[F\]or academic men to be happy, the universe would have to take shape. All of philosophy has no other goal: it is a matter… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-bataille/f-or-academic-men-to-be-happy-the-universe-would-have-to-take-shape/) [Georges Bataille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-bataille/) > [It is so inspiring to see a new group coming together not to focus on a particular war or weapons system, but on all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/medea-benjamin/it-is-so-inspiring-to-see-a-new-group-coming-together-not-to-focus-on/) [Medea Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/medea-benjamin/) > [I think we're in a new era where the advancing tide is towards human unity, where people all around the world want to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/i-think-we-re-in-a-new-era-where-the-advancing-tide-is-towards-human/) [Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/) > [Despite two decisions, in 2008 and 2010, by the U.S. Supreme Court unequivocally affirming that the Second Amendment to the Constitution guarantees an individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barr/despite-two-decisions-in-2008-and-2010-by-the-u-s-supreme-court/) [Bob Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barr/) > [To be honest, I am not theatre-trained and though I am confident in my skill set, to do theatre requires a better-tuned set of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/to-be-honest-i-am-not-theatre-trained-and-though-i-am-confident-in-my/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [The fact that you have a policy of such consequence directly affecting millions of people and you have a legal question of great consequence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-verrilli-jr/the-fact-that-you-have-a-policy-of-such-consequence-directly/) [Donald Verrilli Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-verrilli-jr/) > [Action eradicates fear. No matter what you fear,--- positive, self-affirming action can diminish or completely cancel that which you are fearful of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-victor-hansen/action-eradicates-fear-no-matter-what-you-fear-positive-self/) [Mark Victor Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-victor-hansen/) > [Coming out to gays is a way of affirming sanity and self-worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-weinberg/coming-out-to-gays-is-a-way-of-affirming-sanity-and-self-worth/) [George Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-weinberg/) > [“we are affirming our trust that creation means well within us all, and that whatever painful growth and change may lie ahead, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-silf/we-are-affirming-our-trust-that-creation-means-well-within-us-all-and/) [Margaret Silf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-silf/) [Browse all 167 Affirming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirming/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whether a country is actually free is determined not by how well-rewarded its convention-affirming media elites are and how ignored its passive citizens are but by how it treats its dissidents, those posing authentic challenges to what the government does.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Glenn Greenwald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/whether-a-country-is-actually-free-is-determined-not-by-how-well/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affirming" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/whether-a-country-is-actually-free-is-determined-not-by-how-well/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/glenn-greenwald-1215_affirming_whether-a-country-is-actually-free-is-de_1099850.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/glenn-greenwald-1215_affirming_whether-a-country-is-actually-free-is-de_1099850.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/glenn-greenwald-1215_affirming_whether-a-country-is-actually-free-is-de_1099850.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whether a country is actually free is determined not by how well-rewarded its convention-affirming media…” — Glenn Greenwald", "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": "Glenn Greenwald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whether a country is actually free...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/whether-a-country-is-actually-free-is-determined-not-by-how-well/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/whether-a-country-is-actually-free-is-determined-not-by-how-well/#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 } } ] } ```