--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was the first - I was extremely…" description: "\"I was the first - I was extremely unpopular with the establishment of the United States, particularly the New York Times was always an enemy, and Time ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/gore-vidal-466_enemy_i-was-the-first-i-was-extremely-unpopula_2552651.jpg" --- # I was the first - I was extremely unpopular with the… ![“I was the first - I was extremely unpopular with the establishment of the United States, particularly the New York Times was always an enemy, and Time magazine, off and on, the enemy, because I said things and took positions that other people didn't do.” quote by Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/gore-vidal-466_enemy_i-was-the-first-i-was-extremely-unpopula_2552651.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/gore-vidal-466_enemy_i-was-the-first-i-was-extremely-unpopula_2552651.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/gore-vidal-466_enemy_i-was-the-first-i-was-extremely-unpopula_2552651.jpg) > “I was the first - I was extremely unpopular with the establishment of the United States, particularly the New York Times was always an enemy, and Time magazine, off and on, the enemy, because I said things and took positions that other people didn't do.” [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Challenging powerful institutions can lead to unpopularity, but speaking truthfully is essential for progress. **In simple terms:** Speak truth despite opposition. Key Takeaway Stand firm, accept criticism. Themes politics free speech controversy integrity Mood critical reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - journalism - political activism - public speaking - policy debate Key Concepts media criticism public dissent courage Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance truth‑telling with personal risk? - What strategies protect you from media backlash? A Different Perspective Opposition can damage reputation and career. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Establishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establishment/) [Extremely Unpopular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremely-unpopular-795029/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Magazine Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magazine-enemy-1535322/) [Magazines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magazines/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [New york times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york-times/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Time magazine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-magazine/) [Times Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-enemy-1535321/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Unpopular Establishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpopular-establishment-1535323/) [York Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york-times/) ## Related quotes > [History shows that any attempt by government to interfere in the consumption of salt is always extremely unpopular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/history-shows-that-any-attempt-by-government-to-interfere-in-the/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [It is the rule in war, if ten times the enemy's strength, surround them; if five times, attack them; if double, be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-ten-times-the-enemy-s-strength-surround-them-2/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [I read the 'New York Times', I read 'The Nation', I read 'Newsweek', I read 'Time Magazine', I read 'Politico', I read 'Mediaite'. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-behar/i-read-the-new-york-times-i-read-the-nation-i-read-newsweek-i-read/) [Joy Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-behar/) > [The New York Times Bestseller 'The Amateur,' written by Ed Klein, former editor of the 'New York Times Magazine,' is one of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/the-new-york-times-bestseller-the-amateur-written-by-ed-klein-former/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [I have been on the cover of Time magazine. My father was on the cover of Time, and my grandfather was on the cover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-have-been-on-the-cover-of-time-magazine-my-father-was-on-the-cover/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The New York Times is the worst in that hardly anybody can write English over there. Most of it reads like slight translations from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-new-york-times-is-the-worst-in-that-hardly-anybody-can-write/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [They are longing for a war with Iran. Iran is no more a harm to us than was Iraq or Afghanistan. They invented an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/they-are-longing-for-a-war-with-iran-iran-is-no-more-a-harm-to-us/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [ Francis \[Ford Coppola\] was on the cover of Time Magazine for One From The Heart and for owning a studio, and he was fresh… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/francis-ford-coppola-was-on-the-cover-of-time-magazine-for-one-from/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [By the time I was 11, I wanted to be a comedian. So all those years later, I've managed to achieve my dream as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/by-the-time-i-was-11-i-wanted-to-be-a-comedian-so-all-those-years/) [George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/) > [“The wand is mighter then the sword.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-wand-is-mighter-then-the-sword/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Polls are now even more meaningless than ever... there was the case of Ronnie O'Brien, the young footballer who incredibly found himself at Juventus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-o-doherty/polls-are-now-even-more-meaningless-than-ever-there-was-the-case-of/) [Ian O'Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-o-doherty/) > [Time magazine interviewed Bill Clinton about the current presidential campaign, and he claimed he had to ask Hillary to marry him three times before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/time-magazine-interviewed-bill-clinton-about-the-current-presidential/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [America puts killers on the cover of 'TIME' magazine, giving them as much notoriety as our favorite movie stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/america-puts-killers-on-the-cover-of-time-magazine-giving-them-as/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [Collect treasures that have meaning only to you. Put them in a special place, and explain them to no one, except when you're giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-davis/collect-treasures-that-have-meaning-only-to-you-put-them-in-a-special/) [Gwen Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-davis/) > [By the time something reaches the cover of Time magazine, it's old news anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/by-the-time-something-reaches-the-cover-of-time-magazine-it-s-old/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More by Gore Vidal > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Many people in the United States happen to believe that United States policy is wrong in Vietnam and the Vietcong are correct in wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/many-people-in-the-united-states-happen-to-believe-that-united-states/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“It is curious how little interested we are in the sexual desires of those who do not attract us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-little-interested-we-are-in-the-sexual-desires-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/style-is-knowing-who-you-are-what-you-want-to-say-and-not-giving-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The oligarchs think that the people are both dangerous and stupid. Their point is moot. But we do know that the oligarchs are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-oligarchs-think-that-the-people-are-both-dangerous-and-stupid/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It is curious how often one prefers his enemies to his friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-often-one-prefers-his-enemies-to-his-friends/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/as-societies-grow-decadent-the-language-grows-decadent-too-words-are/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Rome ... at its most decadent, had never thought of hiring an actor to go through the motions of being an emperor while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/rome-at-its-most-decadent-had-never-thought-of-hiring-an-actor-to-go/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The malady of civilized man is his knowledge of death. The good artist, like the wise man, addresses himself to life and invests with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-malady-of-civilized-man-is-his-knowledge-of-death-the-good-artist/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Sex is a continuum. You go through different phases along life's way... and if you don't, you've been sort of cheated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/sex-is-a-continuum-you-go-through-different-phases-along-life-s-way/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [All I want is that Americans still be able to read the alphabet in a hundred years. I am not very ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/all-i-want-is-that-americans-still-be-able-to-read-the-alphabet-in-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I do not admire 'the people,' as such. No one really does. Their folk wisdom is usually false, their instincts predatory. Even their sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-do-not-admire-the-people-as-such-no-one-really-does-their-folk/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“One of the problems of a society as tightly controlled as ours is that we get so little information about what those of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/one-of-the-problems-of-a-society-as-tightly-controlled-as-ours-is/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) [Explore all 539 Gore Vidal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## More Enemy quotes > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Fear is a man's worst enemy, but love is a man's most powerful weapon against anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-a-man-s-worst-enemy-but-love-is-a-man-s-most-powerful-weapon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [“Never let your Enemies become your Advocates.” by A. K. Hasan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-hasan/never-let-your-enemies-become-your-advocates-by-a-k-hasan/) [A.K. Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-k-hasan/) > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [In this business, you find the enemy, then go after and destroy him. Everything else is rubbish!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rickenbacker/in-this-business-you-find-the-enemy-then-go-after-and-destroy-him/) [Eddie Rickenbacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rickenbacker/) > [“Enemies Teach. Friends Preach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/enemies-teach-friends-preach/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) [Browse all 7,981 Enemy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was the first - I was extremely unpopular with the establishment of the United States, particularly the New York Times was always an enemy, and Time magazine, off and on, the enemy, because I said things and took positions that other people didn't do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gore Vidal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-was-the-first-i-was-extremely-unpopular-with-the-establishment-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enemy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-was-the-first-i-was-extremely-unpopular-with-the-establishment-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/gore-vidal-466_enemy_i-was-the-first-i-was-extremely-unpopula_2552651.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/gore-vidal-466_enemy_i-was-the-first-i-was-extremely-unpopula_2552651.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/gore-vidal-466_enemy_i-was-the-first-i-was-extremely-unpopula_2552651.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was the first - I was extremely unpopular with the establishment of the United States, particularly the…” — Gore Vidal", "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": "Gore Vidal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was the first - I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-was-the-first-i-was-extremely-unpopular-with-the-establishment-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-was-the-first-i-was-extremely-unpopular-with-the-establishment-of/#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 } } ] } ```