--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Discussion in America means dissent." description: "\"Discussion in America means dissent.\" — James Thurber" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/james-thurber-1534_america_discussion-in-america-means-dissent-2923_2923392.png" --- # Discussion in America means dissent. ![“Discussion in America means dissent.” quote by James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/james-thurber-1534_america_discussion-in-america-means-dissent-2923_2923392.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/james-thurber-1534_america_discussion-in-america-means-dissent-2923_2923392.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/james-thurber-1534_america_discussion-in-america-means-dissent-2923_2923392.png) > “Discussion in America means dissent.” [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. American discourse thrives on disagreement, highlighting the value of dissent. **In simple terms:** Discussion in America means dissent. Key Takeaway Encourage healthy debate. Themes freedom speech democracy Mood thoughtful provocative Type political philosophical When to use this quote - political forums - education - media commentary Key Concepts civic engagement critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - When does debate become division? - How to foster constructive dissent? A Different Perspective Dissent can become polarization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Dissent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissent/) ## Related quotes > [I know of no country in which there is so little independence of mind and real freedom of discussion as in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-know-of-no-country-in-which-there-is-so-little-independence-of-mind/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Europe, in legend, has always been the home of subtle philosophical discussion; America was the land of grubby pragmatism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-bell/europe-in-legend-has-always-been-the-home-of-subtle-philosophical/) [Daniel Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-bell/) > [Through Black Lives Matter and social media, we've been able to have a really challenging discussion with America about police and how much it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/through-black-lives-matter-and-social-media-we-ve-been-able-to-have-a/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [One thing that has gone away from civil discussion in America is this idea that our neighbors are not out to ruin the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-pill/one-thing-that-has-gone-away-from-civil-discussion-in-america-is-this/) [Alison Pill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-pill/) > [And freedom is what America means to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audie-murphy/and-freedom-is-what-america-means-to-the-world/) [Audie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audie-murphy/) > [The true meaning of America, you ask? It's in a Texas rodeo, in a policeman's badge, in the sound of laughing children, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audie-murphy/the-true-meaning-of-america-you-ask-it-s-in-a-texas-rodeo-in-a/) [Audie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audie-murphy/) > [Patriotism is easy to understand in America. It means looking out for yourself by looking out for your country. Happy Independence Day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/patriotism-is-easy-to-understand-in-america-it-means-looking-out-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When Trump says America first, it doesn't mean cheering for America only. It means if you want to care for your neighbors, you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/when-trump-says-america-first-it-doesn-t-mean-cheering-for-america/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [The establishment and their media enablers will control over America through means that are very well known. Anyone who challenges their control is deemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-establishment-and-their-media-enablers-will-control-over-america/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Being a Negro in America means trying to smile when you want to cry. It means trying to hold on to physical life amid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/being-a-negro-in-america-means-trying-to-smile-when-you-want-to-cry/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [America's a funny place. Every time I've come over it just feels absolutely gigantic and massive. I've always had good shows there, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-o-brien/america-s-a-funny-place-every-time-i-ve-come-over-it-just-feels/) [Conor O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-o-brien/) > [“Set a good example of what America means for the generations to come. They will need it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-snyder/set-a-good-example-of-what-america-means-for-the-generations-to-come/) [Timothy Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-snyder/) > [What America first means is we put the national interests of the United States and the well-being of our own country and our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/what-america-first-means-is-we-put-the-national-interests-of-the/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [We need our president to be successful because our futures are all tied to the success of America, which means America's government, which means,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/we-need-our-president-to-be-successful-because-our-futures-are-all/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [You convey too great a compliment when you say that I have earned the right to the presidential nomination. No man can establish such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/you-convey-too-great-a-compliment-when-you-say-that-i-have-earned-the/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) ## More by James Thurber > [ Salvador \[Dali\] was brought up in Spain, a country colored by the legends of Hannibal, El Greco, and Cervantes. I was brought up in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/salvador-dali-was-brought-up-in-spain-a-country-colored-by-the/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“Her own mother lived the latter years of her life in the horrible suspicion that electricity was dripping invisibly all over the house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/her-own-mother-lived-the-latter-years-of-her-life-in-the-horrible/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“Against the may, the could be, and the should, folly 'tis to balance doubt or hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/against-the-may-the-could-be-and-the-should-folly-tis-to-balance/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Love is the strange bewilderment that overtakes one person on account of another person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/love-is-the-strange-bewilderment-that-overtakes-one-person-on-account/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“ There was an old coddle so molly, He talked in a glot that was poly, His gaws were so gew That his laps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/there-was-an-old-coddle-so-molly-he-talked-in-a-glot-that-was-poly/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“you might as well fall on your face as lean over too far backwards”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/you-might-as-well-fall-on-your-face-as-lean-over-too-far-backwards/) [james thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [I myself have known some profoundly thoughtful dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-myself-have-known-some-profoundly-thoughtful-dogs/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [He knows all about art, but he doesn't know what he likes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/he-knows-all-about-art-but-he-doesn-t-know-what-he-likes/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/all-men-should-strive-to-learn-before-they-die-what-they-are-running/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Quick, name some towns in New Jersey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/quick-name-some-towns-in-new-jersey/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Looks can be deceiving; it's eating that's believing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/looks-can-be-deceiving-it-s-eating-that-s-believing/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [“I don’t understand,” said the scientist, “why you lemmings all rush down to the sea and drown yourselves.” “How curious,” said the lemming. “The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/i-don-t-understand-said-the-scientist-why-you-lemmings-all-rush-down/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Humor does not include sarcasm, invalid irony, sardonicism, innuendo, or any other form of cruelty. When these things are raised to a high point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/humor-does-not-include-sarcasm-invalid-irony-sardonicism-innuendo-or/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Where most of us end up there is no knowing, but the hellbent get where they are going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-knowing-but-the-hellbent-get/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Comedy has to be done en clair. You can't blunt the edge of wit or the point of satire with obscurity. Try to imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/comedy-has-to-be-done-en-clair-you-can-t-blunt-the-edge-of-wit-or-the/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) [Explore all 229 James Thurber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... 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The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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