--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do think - the metaphor I always use…" description: "\"I do think - the metaphor I always use - it's the role of intelligence community to stay down in the engine room and shovel that intelligence coal, and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-clapper-18647_bridge_i-do-think-the-metaphor-i-always-use-it_2101067.jpg" --- # I do think - the metaphor I always use - it's the role of… ![“I do think - the metaphor I always use - it's the role of intelligence community to stay down in the engine room and shovel that intelligence coal, and people on the bridge get to decide where to drive the ship and how fast and how to arrange all the deckchairs.” quote by James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-clapper-18647_bridge_i-do-think-the-metaphor-i-always-use-it_2101067.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-clapper-18647_bridge_i-do-think-the-metaphor-i-always-use-it_2101067.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-clapper-18647_bridge_i-do-think-the-metaphor-i-always-use-it_2101067.jpg) > “I do think - the metaphor I always use - it's the role of intelligence community to stay down in the engine room and shovel that intelligence coal, and people on the bridge get to decide where to drive the ship and how fast and how to arrange all the deckchairs.” [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Uses a ship metaphor to describe intelligence gathering as foundational work, while decision‑makers steer direction. **In simple terms:** Intelligence provides data; leaders decide actions. Key Takeaway Support informed decision‑making with solid intelligence. Themes leadership information strategy Mood analytical strategic Type professional educational When to use this quote - policy formulation - crisis management - military planning - public communication Key Concepts national security decision theory Questions to Reflect On - How can intelligence be better integrated into decisions? - What safeguards prevent misuse of intelligence? A Different Perspective Leaders may ignore intelligence due to bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridge/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligence Coal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-coal-4197101/) [Intelligence community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-community/) [Role Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/role-intelligence-1808175/) [Ship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ship/) [Think Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-metaphor-2597602/) ## Related quotes > [The role of the intelligence - that part of us which affirms and denies and formulates opinions is merely to submit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-role-of-the-intelligence-that-part-of-us-which-affirms-and-denies/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [The traditional metaphor for careers is a ladder, but I no longer think that metaphor holds. It just doesn’t make sense in a less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/the-traditional-metaphor-for-careers-is-a-ladder-but-i-no-longer/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [I think that metaphor really is a key to explaining thought and language. The human mind comes equipped with an ability to penetrate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/i-think-that-metaphor-really-is-a-key-to-explaining-thought-and/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“None of this can actually be happening. If it makes you more comfortable, you could simply think of it as metaphor. Religions are, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/none-of-this-can-actually-be-happening-if-it-makes-you-more-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [If you think about Don Quixote, Don Quixote is this guy who wants to live as if he was in a medieval chivalric romance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/if-you-think-about-don-quixote-don-quixote-is-this-guy-who-wants-to/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > [“If it makes you more comfortable, you could simply think of it as metaphor. Religions are, by definition, metaphors, after all: God is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/if-it-makes-you-more-comfortable-you-could-simply-think-of-it-as/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Typically, people in the intelligence community are just going to kind of hunker down and do their job, do their mission. And I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/typically-people-in-the-intelligence-community-are-just-going-to-kind/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [It's certainly not helpful when the commander in chief is a critic of the intelligence community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/it-s-certainly-not-helpful-when-the-commander-in-chief-is-a-critic-of/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [It is not the intelligence community's place to set and implement policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/it-is-not-the-intelligence-community-s-place-to-set-and-implement/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [A key player with respect to sanctions is, of course, China. 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How he did it was something that did not follow the procedures and practices of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-that-mr-snowden-raised-some-legitimate-concerns-how-he-did-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The intelligence community, for the most part, has no accountability at all; to the Congress, to us the American people, and so they feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/the-intelligence-community-for-the-most-part-has-no-accountability-at/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [“That capability at any time could be turned around on the American people and no American would have any privacy left, such is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/that-capability-at-any-time-could-be-turned-around-on-the-american/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## More by James Clapper > [The country of Iraq is somewhat of an artificial creation going back to colonial days. And so you have the Kurds and then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/the-country-of-iraq-is-somewhat-of-an-artificial-creation-going-back/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [The Russians are bent on establishing both a presence in the Western Hemisphere, and they're looking for opportunities to expand military cooperation: sell equipment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/the-russians-are-bent-on-establishing-both-a-presence-in-the-western/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [A key player with respect to sanctions is, of course, China. And so, if a military option were to be exercised, then obviously we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/a-key-player-with-respect-to-sanctions-is-of-course-china-and-so-if-a/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [It's certainly not helpful when the commander in chief is a critic of the intelligence community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/it-s-certainly-not-helpful-when-the-commander-in-chief-is-a-critic-of/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [I have always accepted intelligence was an honorable profession. We are all mindful of the need to comply with our moral values and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/i-have-always-accepted-intelligence-was-an-honorable-profession-we/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [The Intelligence Community Assessment concluded first that President Putin directed and influenced a campaign to erode the faith and confidence of the American people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/the-intelligence-community-assessment-concluded-first-that-president/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [I was a part of the decision-making in the Pentagon, when I was the undersecretary for intelligence, to start CYBERCOM, both as a sub-unified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/i-was-a-part-of-the-decision-making-in-the-pentagon-when-i-was-the/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [I think the notion of getting the North Koreans to denuclearize is probably a lost cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/i-think-the-notion-of-getting-the-north-koreans-to-denuclearize-is/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [In the future, we will probably see cyber operations that change or manipulate electronic information to compromise its integrity instead of simply deleting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/in-the-future-we-will-probably-see-cyber-operations-that-change-or/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [For the record, in my long career, I've never knowingly exposed classified information in an inappropriate manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/for-the-record-in-my-long-career-i-ve-never-knowingly-exposed/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [The Russians have a long history of interfering in elections - theirs and other people's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/the-russians-have-a-long-history-of-interfering-in-elections-theirs/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [A leak is an unauthorized disclosure of classified or sensitive information that is improper under any circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/a-leak-is-an-unauthorized-disclosure-of-classified-or-sensitive/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [I've long maintained during my 50-plus year career in intelligence that leaks endanger national security, they compromise sources, methods, and tradecraft, and they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/i-ve-long-maintained-during-my-50-plus-year-career-in-intelligence/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [Typically, people in the intelligence community are just going to kind of hunker down and do their job, do their mission. And I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/typically-people-in-the-intelligence-community-are-just-going-to-kind/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) > [The reason that ISIL was so successful, yes, it had to do with their capabilities and prowess on the battlefield, but they were dealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/the-reason-that-isil-was-so-successful-yes-it-had-to-do-with-their/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) [Explore all 34 James Clapper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) ## More Bridge quotes > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [“Art is what gets us beyond what is real. It makes reality more real. It also shortens the distance we gotta travel to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-pritchett/art-is-what-gets-us-beyond-what-is-real-it-makes-reality-more-real-it/) [Laura Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-pritchett/) > [People who have lost relationships often wonder why they can't just let it be water under the bridge. It is water under the bridge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-fairley/people-who-have-lost-relationships-often-wonder-why-they-can-t-just/) [Grant Fairley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-fairley/) > [Telling your story is transformative. For both the storyteller and their audience, a new bridge to understanding is created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-burton/telling-your-story-is-transformative-for-both-the-storyteller-and/) [Susan Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-burton/) > [The real test of a bridge player isn’t in keeping out of trouble, but in escaping once he’s in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-sheinwold/the-real-test-of-a-bridge-player-isn-t-in-keeping-out-of-trouble-but/) [Alfred Sheinwold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-sheinwold/) > [“Mr Benz, the parapet of an Italian bridge doesn’t look like the proper place for you,” said Chase.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefania-mattana/mr-benz-the-parapet-of-an-italian-bridge-doesn-t-look-like-the-proper/) [Stefania Mattana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefania-mattana/) > [I find that it's best to take one step at a time and cross each bridge as they come to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stuhlbarg/i-find-that-it-s-best-to-take-one-step-at-a-time-and-cross-each/) [Michael Stuhlbarg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stuhlbarg/) > [“Houses built on bridges are scandals. A bridge wants to not be. If it could choose its shape, a bridge would be no shape,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/houses-built-on-bridges-are-scandals-a-bridge-wants-to-not-be-if-it/) [China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) > [Bridge the gap with closed minds though careful dissection of ideas and solid presentation of fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximillian-degenerez/bridge-the-gap-with-closed-minds-though-careful-dissection-of-ideas/) [Maximillian Degenerez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximillian-degenerez/) > [I remember, many years ago, coming over the Brooklyn Bridge in the night and seeing the skyline of Manhattan, with the Twin Towers. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/i-remember-many-years-ago-coming-over-the-brooklyn-bridge-in-the/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [My parents wielded disposal cameras and Polaroids with the best of them, occasionally begging for at least one decent photo of my brother and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pilon/my-parents-wielded-disposal-cameras-and-polaroids-with-the-best-of/) [Mary Pilon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pilon/) > [“Love is a bridge between your future and mine. 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I like the idea of living over the river.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-broad/tower-bridge-would-make-a-cool-house-i-like-the-idea-of-living-over/) [Stuart Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-broad/) [Browse all 736 Bridge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I do think - the metaphor I always use - it's the role of intelligence community to stay down in the engine room and shovel that intelligence coal, and people on the bridge get to decide where to drive the ship and how fast and how to arrange all the deckchairs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Clapper" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/i-do-think-the-metaphor-i-always-use-it-s-the-role-of-intelligence/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bridge" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/i-do-think-the-metaphor-i-always-use-it-s-the-role-of-intelligence/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-clapper-18647_bridge_i-do-think-the-metaphor-i-always-use-it_2101067.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-clapper-18647_bridge_i-do-think-the-metaphor-i-always-use-it_2101067.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e7/james-clapper-18647_bridge_i-do-think-the-metaphor-i-always-use-it_2101067.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I do think - the metaphor I always use - it's the role of intelligence community to stay down in the engine…” — James Clapper", "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": "James Clapper", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I do think - the metaphor...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/i-do-think-the-metaphor-i-always-use-it-s-the-role-of-intelligence/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/i-do-think-the-metaphor-i-always-use-it-s-the-role-of-intelligence/#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 } } ] } ```