--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps anxious politicians may prove…" description: "\"Perhaps anxious politicians may prove that only seventeen white men and five negroes were concerned in the late enterprise; but their very anxiety to p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d42/henry-david-thoreau-20_anxiety_perhaps-anxious-politicians-may-prove-th_2201682.jpg" --- # Perhaps anxious politicians may prove that only seventeen… ![“Perhaps anxious politicians may prove that only seventeen white men and five negroes were concerned in the late enterprise; but their very anxiety to prove this might suggest to themselves that all is not told. Why do they still dodge the truth? They are so anxious because of a dim consciousness…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d42/henry-david-thoreau-20_anxiety_perhaps-anxious-politicians-may-prove-th_2201682.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d42/henry-david-thoreau-20_anxiety_perhaps-anxious-politicians-may-prove-th_2201682.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d42/henry-david-thoreau-20_anxiety_perhaps-anxious-politicians-may-prove-th_2201682.jpg) > “Perhaps anxious politicians may prove that only seventeen white men and five negroes were concerned in the late enterprise; but their very anxiety to prove this might suggest to themselves that all is not told. Why do they still dodge the truth? They are so anxious because of a dim consciousness of the fact, which they do not distinctly face, that at least a million of the free inhabitants of the United States would have rejoiced if it had succeeded. They at most only criticise the tactics.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anxious leaders may hide truth due to fear of confronting uncomfortable realities. **In simple terms:** Leaders fear truth, leading to avoidance. Key Takeaway Address underlying anxieties. Themes politics truth fear leadership Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy debates - public statements - media coverage - community meetings Key Concepts cognitive dissonance social denial Questions to Reflect On - What truths are leaders avoiding today? - How does fear shape political narratives? A Different Perspective Confronting truth can cause conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Anxious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxious/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Enterprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enterprise/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Tactics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tactics/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [White man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-man/) ## Related quotes > [The superior man is anxious lest he should not get the truth; he is not anxious lest poverty should come upon him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-anxious-lest-he-should-not-get-the-truth-he-is/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [ Senator \[Stephen\] Douglas is of world-wide renown. All the anxious politicians of his party, or who have been of his party for years past,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/senator-stephen-douglas-is-of-world-wide-renown-all-the-anxious/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The North has no interest in the particular Negro, but talks of justice for the whole. The South has not interest, and pretends none,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/the-north-has-no-interest-in-the-particular-negro-but-talks-of/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [In my own field, x-ray crystallography, we used to work out the structure of minerals by various dodges which we never bothered to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-my-own-field-x-ray-crystallography-we-used-to-work-out-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My head aches every time Donald Trump successfully dodges a question with this reoccurring tactic. What's his worst offense? I don't know. How long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-teigen/my-head-aches-every-time-donald-trump-successfully-dodges-a-question/) [Chrissy Teigen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-teigen/) > [ Speaking of \[Colin\] Kaepernick, did you see what \[Barack\] Obama said about Kaepernick? I mean this was the biggest dodge I have ever seen.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/speaking-of-colin-kaepernick-did-you-see-what-barack-obama-said-about/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [A Glass Eye leaped out from behind a parcked smail-trasport, blocked thier way. "Did you drop something?" Dodge asked the assassian. "Caus I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-beddor/a-glass-eye-leaped-out-from-behind-a-parcked-smail-trasport-blocked/) [Frank Beddor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-beddor/) > [A gun I had been brought down by a gun. It was practically comical. Cheaters, I thought. I’d spent my life focusing on hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/a-gun-i-had-been-brought-down-by-a-gun-it-was-practically-comical/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [All problems become smaller if you don't dodge them, but confront them. Touch a thistle timidly, and it pricks you; grasp it boldly, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-halsey/all-problems-become-smaller-if-you-don-t-dodge-them-but-confront-them/) [William Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-halsey/) > [It is the little bits of things that fret and worry us; we can dodge a elephant, but we can't dodge a fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/it-is-the-little-bits-of-things-that-fret-and-worry-us-we-can-dodge-a/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [I've managed to dodge the curse. Not all my family have. Of course, music helped me - music is all about civilization, about something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-getty/i-ve-managed-to-dodge-the-curse-not-all-my-family-have-of-course/) [Gordon Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-getty/) > [During the season, I dodge the media. After practice, I need to be taking care of my body and recovering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/during-the-season-i-dodge-the-media-after-practice-i-need-to-be/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [Thoughtcrime was not a thing that could be concealed forever. You might dodge successfully for a while, even for years, but sooner or later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/thoughtcrime-was-not-a-thing-that-could-be-concealed-forever-you/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [After a long silence, Dodge cleared his throat. "I think I speak for all of us when I say, 'Huh?'" -Dodge(obviously)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-beddor/after-a-long-silence-dodge-cleared-his-throat-i-think-i-speak-for-all/) [Frank Beddor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-beddor/) > [You can't dodge them all. I got hammered plenty of times through the years. But you just get up and keep playing. I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bradshaw/you-can-t-dodge-them-all-i-got-hammered-plenty-of-times-through-the/) [Terry Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bradshaw/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Perhaps anxious politicians may prove that only seventeen white men and five negroes were concerned in the late enterprise; but their very anxiety to prove this might suggest to themselves that all is not told. 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