---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The way they control a population is by…"
description: "\"The way they control a population is by pointing at somebody else - whether they're gay, Mexican, Jewish, black - and saying, 'They are different than ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/guillermo-del-toro-986_control_the-way-they-control-a-population-is-by_1940164.jpg"
---

#  The way they control a population is by pointing at…

![“The way they control a population is by pointing at somebody else - whether they're gay, Mexican, Jewish, black - and saying, 'They are different than you. They're the reason you're in the shape you're in. You're not responsible.' And when they exonerate you through vilifying and demonizing…” quote by Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/guillermo-del-toro-986_control_the-way-they-control-a-population-is-by_1940164.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/guillermo-del-toro-986_control_the-way-they-control-a-population-is-by_1940164.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/guillermo-del-toro-986_control_the-way-they-control-a-population-is-by_1940164.jpg)

> “The way they control a population is by pointing at somebody else - whether they're gay, Mexican, Jewish, black - and saying, 'They are different than you. They're the reason you're in the shape you're in. You're not responsible.' And when they exonerate you through vilifying and demonizing someone else, they control you.”

[Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote explains that scapegoating minorities shifts blame and allows those in power to manipulate and control the populace.

**In simple terms:** Blaming others lets leaders control people.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and challenge scapegoating narratives.

Themes

social control scapegoating media manipulation

Mood

critical reflective

Type

social educational

When to use this quote

- political discourse
- social media
- education curricula
- community dialogues

Key Concepts

psychology of blame political propaganda identity politics

Questions to Reflect On

- What strategies effectively counter scapegoating?
- How does identity influence susceptibility to blame?

A Different Perspective

Counter‑narratives can be dismissed as dissent, limiting impact.

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[Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/)

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