--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They would owe most of their success to a…" description: "\"“They would owe most of their success to a curious rape mania that rides on the shoulder of American journalism like some jeering, masturbating raven. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/hunter-s-thompson-278_success_they-would-owe-most-of-their-success-to_1690744.jpg" --- # They would owe most of their success to a curious rape… ![“They would owe most of their success to a curious rape mania that rides on the shoulder of American journalism like some jeering, masturbating raven. Nothing grabs an editor's eye like a good rape.” quote by Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/hunter-s-thompson-278_success_they-would-owe-most-of-their-success-to_1690744.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/hunter-s-thompson-278_success_they-would-owe-most-of-their-success-to_1690744.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/hunter-s-thompson-278_success_they-would-owe-most-of-their-success-to_1690744.jpg) > ““They would owe most of their success to a curious rape mania that rides on the shoulder of American journalism like some jeering, masturbating raven. Nothing grabs an editor's eye like a good rape.”” [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## 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 critiques sensationalist media that exploits sexual violence for shock value and profit. **In simple terms:** Media can exploit rape for sensationalism. Key Takeaway Reject sensationalism, demand ethical reporting. Themes journalism ethics violence media criticism power dynamics Mood critical incensed reflective Type critical ethical cautionary When to use this quote - newsrooms - political campaigns - online clickbait - documentary filmmaking - academic research Key Concepts sensationalism exploitation rape culture media ethics Questions to Reflect On - How does sensationalism affect public perception of sexual violence? - What responsibilities do editors have to avoid exploiting trauma? A Different Perspective It may be misinterpreted as endorsing the language rather than condemning it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-journalism-500379/) [Curious Rape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious-rape-1052425/) [Good Rape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-rape-1052423/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Rape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rape/) [Rape Mania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rape-mania-1052424/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“do something good... rape your self before your lifes next attempt…!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-ghosh/do-something-good-rape-your-self-before-your-lifes-next-attempt/) [Rahul Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-ghosh/) > [“MH: In an early letter to William Kennedy you spoke of the "dry rot" of American journalism. Tell me what you think. What's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/mh-in-an-early-letter-to-william-kennedy-you-spoke-of-the-dry-rot-of/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [I can only speak as an American, but most journalism here isn't doing its job any more. It's about selling stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-reddick/i-can-only-speak-as-an-american-but-most-journalism-here-isn-t-doing/) [Lance Reddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-reddick/) > [During a recent panel on the numerous failures of American journalism, I proposed that almost all stories about government should begin: “Look out! They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/during-a-recent-panel-on-the-numerous-failures-of-american-journalism/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [There has to be some decorum left in politics and in American journalism as well. Our husbands are the candidates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-mccain/there-has-to-be-some-decorum-left-in-politics-and-in-american/) [Cindy McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-mccain/) > [In hindsight, Watergate was a curse as well as a blessing for American journalism. The courageous reporting of the 'Post' and the 'New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-barber/in-hindsight-watergate-was-a-curse-as-well-as-a-blessing-for-american/) [Lionel Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-barber/) > [“The period that I would anoint as the golden era in American journalism was from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s. It had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-period-that-i-would-anoint-as-the-golden-era-in-american/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The whole point to American journalism is what ought to be true is true. 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Patrick Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-patrick-miller/) > [Most magazines have become wallpaper, they're all the same, all the same celebrities. It's really an abysmal time in American journalism right now. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-talbot/most-magazines-have-become-wallpaper-they-re-all-the-same-all-the/) [David Talbot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-talbot/) > [I had gone to all the big stories of the '80s, which was one of the most fertile times in American journalism, around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/i-had-gone-to-all-the-big-stories-of-the-80s-which-was-one-of-the/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) ## More by Hunter S. Thompson > [“There was also the fact that sending a penniless writer to get $135 worth of beer was — as Khrushchev said of Nixon —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-was-also-the-fact-that-sending-a-penniless-writer-to-get-135/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“Cases of champagne and scotch lay broken in the street, and everyone I saw had a bottle. They were screaming and dancing, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/cases-of-champagne-and-scotch-lay-broken-in-the-street-and-everyone-i/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No music + Bad TV = Bad mood & no pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-music-bad-tv-bad-mood-no-pages/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No one holds command over me. No man. No god. No Prince. What is a claim of age for ones who are immortal? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-one-holds-command-over-me-no-man-no-god-no-prince-what-is-a-claim/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“The person who doesn't scatter the morning dew will not comb grey hairs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-person-who-doesn-t-scatter-the-morning-dew-will-not-comb-grey/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Hope rises and dreams flicker and die. Love plans for tomorrow and loneliness thinks of yesterday. Life is beautiful and living is pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/hope-rises-and-dreams-flicker-and-die-love-plans-for-tomorrow-and/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [If we get chased out of Iraq with our tail between our legs, that will be the fifth consecutive Third-world country with no hint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-we-get-chased-out-of-iraq-with-our-tail-between-our-legs-that-will/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [At age 22 I set what I insist is an all-time record for distance hitchhiking in Bermuda shorts: 3,700 miles in three weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/at-age-22-i-set-what-i-insist-is-an-all-time-record-for-distance/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Paranoia is just another mask for ignorance. The truth, when you finally chase it down is almost always far worse than your darkest visions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/paranoia-is-just-another-mask-for-ignorance-the-truth-when-you/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“No doubt they all Got What Was Coming To Them. All those pathetically eager acid freaks who thought they could buy Peace and Understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-doubt-they-all-got-what-was-coming-to-them-all-those-pathetically/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“For several months they'd been drifting toward political involvement, but the picture was hazy and one of the most confusing elements was their geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/for-several-months-they-d-been-drifting-toward-political-involvement/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [He wandered into the Newsroom and asked for a job the same way he’d walk into a barbershop and ask for a haircut, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/he-wandered-into-the-newsroom-and-asked-for-a-job-the-same-way-he-d/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There's no point in getting into politics at all unless you plan to lash things around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-no-point-in-getting-into-politics-at-all-unless-you-plan-to/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There’s a lot of things wrong with this country, but one of the few things still right with it is that a man can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-a-lot-of-things-wrong-with-this-country-but-one-of-the-few/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) [Explore all 765 Hunter S. Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## More Journalism quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. 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