--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have no regrets about my political…" description: "\"I have no regrets about my political activity, only that I sometimes got carried away with it and didn't find the right balance between obligations to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/howard-zinn-576_activity_i-have-no-regrets-about-my-political-act_602122.jpg" --- # I have no regrets about my political activity, only that I… ![“I have no regrets about my political activity, only that I sometimes got carried away with it and didn't find the right balance between obligations to my family and my need to be involved in social movements.” quote by Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/howard-zinn-576_activity_i-have-no-regrets-about-my-political-act_602122.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/howard-zinn-576_activity_i-have-no-regrets-about-my-political-act_602122.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/howard-zinn-576_activity_i-have-no-regrets-about-my-political-act_602122.jpg) > “I have no regrets about my political activity, only that I sometimes got carried away with it and didn't find the right balance between obligations to my family and my need to be involved in social movements.” [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing activism with family duties is challenging; personal regrets arise when one side dominates. **In simple terms:** Activism can clash with family responsibilities. Key Takeaway Seek balance between cause and home. Themes activism family balance Mood thoughtful concerned Type reflective advisory When to use this quote - political organizing - family time - career planning - self‑reflection Key Concepts personal responsibility social movements work‑life integration Questions to Reflect On - What boundaries protect your family? - How can you stay effective without burnout? A Different Perspective Overcommitment can harm relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Carried away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carried-away/) [Have no regrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/have-no-regrets/) [Involved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [My family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-family/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [No regrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-regrets/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Obligations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligations/) [Obligations Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligations-family-4906632/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-activity-372278/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Regrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regrets/) [Regrets Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regrets-political-4906631/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social movements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-movements/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) ## Related quotes > [I have other obligations now - the show, my family, my life... though I know that without my sobriety I wouldn't have any of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/i-have-other-obligations-now-the-show-my-family-my-life-though-i-know/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [We've never had our injustices rectified from the top, from the president or Congress, or the Supreme Court, no matter what we learned in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/we-ve-never-had-our-injustices-rectified-from-the-top-from-the/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [When a social movement adopts the compromises of legislators, it has forgotten its role, which is to push and challenge the politicians, not fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/when-a-social-movement-adopts-the-compromises-of-legislators-it-has/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [I think a way to behave is to think not in terms of representative government, not in terms of voting, not in terms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/i-think-a-way-to-behave-is-to-think-not-in-terms-of-representative/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Sometimes the difference between two candidates is an important one in the immediate sense, and then I believe trying to get somebody into office,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/sometimes-the-difference-between-two-candidates-is-an-important-one/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The unique character of political activity lies, quite literally, in its publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-crick/the-unique-character-of-political-activity-lies-quite-literally-in/) [Bernard Crick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-crick/) > [No partisan political activity transpired in my office during the recount period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-harris/no-partisan-political-activity-transpired-in-my-office-during-the/) [Katherine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-harris/) > [All political activity must serve and promote the good of the human person and be based on respect for his or her dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/all-political-activity-must-serve-and-promote-the-good-of-the-human/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [ The \[Burmese\] government appears to be more interested in stamping out political activity than drug addiction. Very few university students on the campus could… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/the-burmese-government-appears-to-be-more-interested-in-stamping-out/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [In political activity men sail a boundless and bottomless sea; there is neither harbor for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting point nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-oakeshott/in-political-activity-men-sail-a-boundless-and-bottomless-sea-there/) [Michael Oakeshott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-oakeshott/) > [Writing fiction is an inherently political activity because people-even imaginary ones-do not live in vacuums... From Twilight to Romeo and Juliet to The Little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/writing-fiction-is-an-inherently-political-activity-because-people/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Public service does not necessarily mean service in the House of Commons, and public service is not synonymous with partisan political activity. It comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/public-service-does-not-necessarily-mean-service-in-the-house-of/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [“It is so much easier to throw oneself into social and political activity than to understand life as a whole; to be associated with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/it-is-so-much-easier-to-throw-oneself-into-social-and-political/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [In political activity, then, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea; there is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-joseph-oakeshott/in-political-activity-then-men-sail-a-boundless-and-bottomless-sea/) [Michael Joseph Oakeshott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-joseph-oakeshott/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## More by Howard Zinn > [“A black man, Benjamin Banneker, who taught himself mathematics and astronomy, predicted accurately a solar eclipse, and was appointed to plan the new city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-black-man-benjamin-banneker-who-taught-himself-mathematics-and/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/there-is-no-flag-large-enough-to-cover-the-shame-of-killing-innocent/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“a good education is a synthesis of book learning and involvement in social action, because each enrich the other. 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You would be astounded--maybe you wouldn't, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/now-i-have-been-studying-very-closely-what-happens-every-day-in-the/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [They were not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, they were absent in the Constitution and they were invisible in the new political democracy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/they-were-not-mentioned-in-the-declaration-of-independence-they-were/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Sexual purity was to be the special virtue of a woman. It was assumed that men, as a matter of biological nature, would sin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/sexual-purity-was-to-be-the-special-virtue-of-a-woman-it-was-assumed/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Middle-class Americans might be invited to join a new elite by attacks against the corruption of the established rich. 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There was a moment in our lives (or a month, or a year) when certain facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/we-were-not-born-critical-of-existing-society-there-was-a-moment-in/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Behind the deceptive words designed to entice people into supporting violence -- words like democracy, freedom, self-defense, national security -- there is the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/behind-the-deceptive-words-designed-to-entice-people-into-supporting/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“George Washington had turned down the requests of blacks, seeking freedom, to fight in the Revolutionary army. 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Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. 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