--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After long experience of politics, I have…" description: "\"After long experience of politics, I have never found that there is any inhibition caused by ignorance as regards criticism.\" — Harold MacMillan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/harold-macmillan-11133_criticism_after-long-experience-of-politics-i-have_2442186.png" --- # After long experience of politics, I have never found that… ![“After long experience of politics, I have never found that there is any inhibition caused by ignorance as regards criticism.” quote by Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/harold-macmillan-11133_criticism_after-long-experience-of-politics-i-have_2442186.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/harold-macmillan-11133_criticism_after-long-experience-of-politics-i-have_2442186.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/harold-macmillan-11133_criticism_after-long-experience-of-politics-i-have_2442186.png) > “After long experience of politics, I have never found that there is any inhibition caused by ignorance as regards criticism.” [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes that ignorance does not stop people from criticizing politics. **In simple terms:** Ignorance doesn't prevent political criticism. Key Takeaway Encourage informed critique despite knowledge gaps. Themes politics criticism ignorance Mood analytical concerned Type educational media When to use this quote - debates - editorials - social media - town halls Key Concepts media studies public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How can we improve critical understanding? - What role does education play? A Different Perspective Criticism without knowledge can be misinformed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Caused Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caused-ignorance-497248/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Ignorance Regards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance-regards-497247/) [Inhibitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inhibitions/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Politics Inhibition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-inhibition-497245/) [Regard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regard/) [Regards Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regards-criticism-497250/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-believe-all-suffering-is-caused-by-ignorance-people-inflict-pain-on-2/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“Limitations in life are caused by ignorance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/limitations-in-life-are-caused-by-ignorance/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-believe-all-suffering-is-caused-by-ignorance/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Rockers are the nicest people to photograph. They have no inhibitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/rockers-are-the-nicest-people-to-photograph-they-have-no-inhibitions/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [I spent a lot of time taking acting lessons... Actors have no inhibitions, and I'm inhibited by everything. To be able to make fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maksim-chmerkovskiy/i-spent-a-lot-of-time-taking-acting-lessons-actors-have-no/) [Maksim Chmerkovskiy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maksim-chmerkovskiy/) > [He was the kind of guy that made a woman want to rip his shirt open and watch the buttons scatter along with her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-day/he-was-the-kind-of-guy-that-made-a-woman-want-to-rip-his-shirt-open/) [Sylvia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-day/) > [ \[While voicing cartoons\] you have to lose your sanity and inhibitions and any kind of dignity and just throw yourself around a bit. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/while-voicing-cartoons-you-have-to-lose-your-sanity-and-inhibitions/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [If we denote excitation as an end-effect by the sign plus (+), and inhibition as end-effect by the sign minus (-), such a reflex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-scott-sherrington/if-we-denote-excitation-as-an-end-effect-by-the-sign-plus-and/) [Charles Scott Sherrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-scott-sherrington/) > [Inhibition is no good provider for a needy man, Inhibition, which does men great harm and great good. Inhibition attaches to poverty, boldness to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesiod/inhibition-is-no-good-provider-for-a-needy-man-inhibition-which-does/) [Hesiod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesiod/) > [So many people out there can probably sing very good - all they need to do is just drop their inhibitions. That's why most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-allman/so-many-people-out-there-can-probably-sing-very-good-all-they-need-to/) [Gregg Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-allman/) > [I mean, it didn't matter to me that there were people, it didn't matter that I was shy Just the sound was so captivating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/i-mean-it-didn-t-matter-to-me-that-there-were-people-it-didn-t-matter/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [The signs of good health are an intellect which is free from inhibition and arrogance, a heart which is full of compassion is healthy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/the-signs-of-good-health-are-an-intellect-which-is-free-from/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [One of the greatest inhibitions to the development of human potential is the aversion to effective practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-b-reeves/one-of-the-greatest-inhibitions-to-the-development-of-human-potential/) [Douglas B. Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-b-reeves/) > [There can be inhibitions, but there are millions of people who like to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/there-can-be-inhibitions-but-there-are-millions-of-people-who-like-to/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) ## More by Harold MacMillan > [Marxism is like a classical building that followed the Renaissance; beautiful in its way, but incapable of growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/marxism-is-like-a-classical-building-that-followed-the-renaissance/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [A successful current affairs television show seems to be more and more a cross between a music hall turn and a scene in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/a-successful-current-affairs-television-show-seems-to-be-more-and/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [No man should ever lose sleep over public affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/no-man-should-ever-lose-sleep-over-public-affairs/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [There might be 1 finger on the trigger, but there will be 15 fingers on the safety catch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/there-might-be-1-finger-on-the-trigger-but-there-will-be-15-fingers/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [I was a sort of son to Ike, and it was the other way round with Kennedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/i-was-a-sort-of-son-to-ike-and-it-was-the-other-way-round-with-kennedy/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [You will find the Americans much like the Greeks found the Romans: great, big, vulgar, bustling people more vigorous than we are and also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/you-will-find-the-americans-much-like-the-greeks-found-the-romans/) [Harold Macmillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [Churchill was fundamentally what the English call unstable - by which they mean anybody who has that touch of genius which is inconvenient in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/churchill-was-fundamentally-what-the-english-call-unstable-by-which/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [He (Aneurin Bevan) enjoys prophesying the imminent fall of the capitalist system, and is prepared to play a part, any part, in its burial,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/he-aneurin-bevan-enjoys-prophesying-the-imminent-fall-of-the/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [(A Foreign Secretary) is forever poised between the cliche and the indiscretion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/a-foreign-secretary-is-forever-poised-between-the-cliche-and-the/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [A Foreign Secretaryand this applies also to a prospective Foreign Secretaryis always faced with this cruel dilemma. Nothing he can say can do very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/a-foreign-secretaryand-this-applies-also-to-a-prospective-foreign/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [Britain's most useful role is somewhere between bee and dinosaur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/britain-s-most-useful-role-is-somewhere-between-bee-and-dinosaur/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [There are three bodies no sensible man directly challenges: the Roman Catholic Church, the Brigade of Guards and the National Union of Mineworkers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/there-are-three-bodies-no-sensible-man-directly-challenges-the-roman/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [It is a good thing to be laughed at. It is better than to be ignored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/it-is-a-good-thing-to-be-laughed-at-it-is-better-than-to-be-ignored/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [After a long life I have come to the conclusion that when all the Establishment is united it is always wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/after-a-long-life-i-have-come-to-the-conclusion-that-when-all-the/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) > [Once the bear's hug has got you, it is apt to be for keeps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/once-the-bear-s-hug-has-got-you-it-is-apt-to-be-for-keeps/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) [Explore all 61 Harold MacMillan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) ## More Criticism quotes > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [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/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [I'm more comfortable modelling as a man because I don't get any criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/i-m-more-comfortable-modelling-as-a-man-because-i-don-t-get-any/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [I don't mind positive criticism, but when it is negative and personal, it is quite hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/i-don-t-mind-positive-criticism-but-when-it-is-negative-and-personal/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Everything is allowable in literature, but what is not allowable in criticism is objection on the grounds of probability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/everything-is-allowable-in-literature-but-what-is-not-allowable-in/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [Lots of relationships fail because we spend more time pointing out each other's mistakes and not enough time enjoying each other's company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lots-of-relationships-fail-because-we-spend-more-time-pointing-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [People believe that criticism should be objective, whatever that means, but I really don't understand what people mean by that. I guess if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/people-believe-that-criticism-should-be-objective-whatever-that-means/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [I welcome criticism. I come from a - I wouldn't say mean, but you've got to have tough skin to be in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saweetie/i-welcome-criticism-i-come-from-a-i-wouldn-t-say-mean-but-you-ve-got/) [Saweetie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saweetie/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Browse all 3,954 Criticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After long experience of politics, I have never found that there is any inhibition caused by ignorance as regards criticism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harold MacMillan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/after-long-experience-of-politics-i-have-never-found-that-there-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Criticism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/after-long-experience-of-politics-i-have-never-found-that-there-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/harold-macmillan-11133_criticism_after-long-experience-of-politics-i-have_2442186.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/harold-macmillan-11133_criticism_after-long-experience-of-politics-i-have_2442186.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/harold-macmillan-11133_criticism_after-long-experience-of-politics-i-have_2442186.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“After long experience of politics, I have never found that there is any inhibition caused by ignorance as…” — Harold MacMillan", "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": "Harold MacMillan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "After long experience of politics, I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/after-long-experience-of-politics-i-have-never-found-that-there-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/after-long-experience-of-politics-i-have-never-found-that-there-is/#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 } } ] } ```