--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This was a group that lived their lives…" description: "\"“This was a group that lived their lives steeped in unbelievable anger. They were either poor or less rich than they thought they should be, they were ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/jared-yates-sexton-23407_anger_this-was-a-group-that-lived-their-lives_2939158.jpg" --- # This was a group that lived their lives steeped in… ![“This was a group that lived their lives steeped in unbelievable anger. They were either poor or less rich than they thought they should be, they were middle class or upper middle class, and they were, almost to a person, white. They were angry and all they wanted in the fucking world was to blame…” quote by Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/jared-yates-sexton-23407_anger_this-was-a-group-that-lived-their-lives_2939158.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/jared-yates-sexton-23407_anger_this-was-a-group-that-lived-their-lives_2939158.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/jared-yates-sexton-23407_anger_this-was-a-group-that-lived-their-lives_2939158.jpg) > ““This was a group that lived their lives steeped in unbelievable anger. They were either poor or less rich than they thought they should be, they were middle class or upper middle class, and they were, almost to a person, white. They were angry and all they wanted in the fucking world was to blame somebody. Trump wasn’t the cause; he was the disease personified.”” [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A critique of a demographic’s misplaced anger, attributing it to deeper societal disease rather than a single political figure. **In simple terms:** Blame is misdirected; anger stems from systemic issues. Key Takeaway Address root causes, not scapegoats. Themes politics anger social critique Mood critical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - public discourse - media analysis - political commentary Key Concepts blame systemic disease Questions to Reflect On - What underlying factors fuel collective anger? - How can societies mitigate scapegoating? A Different Perspective Overgeneralization may ignore individual variance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Anger Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger-poor-4373082/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Trump Wasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump-wasn-2184482/) [Unbelievable Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unbelievable-anger-4373083/) [White Angry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-angry-4373081/) [World Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-blame-818272/) ## Related quotes > [“If we have not been able to create a prosperous world, the blame for this should not only be placed on the greedy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-we-have-not-been-able-to-create-a-prosperous-world-the-blame-for/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The leader must own everything in his or her world. There is no one else to blame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/the-leader-must-own-everything-in-his-or-her-world-there-is-no-one/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [In the physical world, we would never blame the victim of the assault for that assault taking place, but yet we do so all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-alperovitch/in-the-physical-world-we-would-never-blame-the-victim-of-the-assault/) [Dmitri Alperovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-alperovitch/) > [It's also natural in that part of the world to blame what people view as the... as the most important authority in the region,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-abizaid/it-s-also-natural-in-that-part-of-the-world-to-blame-what-people-view/) [John Abizaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-abizaid/) > [Don't try to blame the rest of the world. The blame only lies with you. Recognize that immediately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sugar/don-t-try-to-blame-the-rest-of-the-world-the-blame-only-lies-with-you/) [Alan Sugar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sugar/) > [I do have to say when we read certain words being used to describe President Trump - it's never been done. It wasn't done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/i-do-have-to-say-when-we-read-certain-words-being-used-to-describe/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [Because Donald Trump wasn't a politician, he seemed unburdened by party messaging, 'political correctness' or talking points. He appeared unwedded to any particular ideology,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisyn-camerota/because-donald-trump-wasn-t-a-politician-he-seemed-unburdened-by/) [Alisyn Camerota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisyn-camerota/) > [ \[Donald\] Trump wasn't even in public life back in 2002-2003. There was nothing Trump could have done one way or the other no matter… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-wasn-t-even-in-public-life-back-in-2002-2003-there-was/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“One instance of his revisionism, and of the new stature he now seemed to assume as president, involved the lowest point of the campaign—the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/one-instance-of-his-revisionism-and-of-the-new-stature-he-now-seemed/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [Donald Trump wasn't vying for the popular vote. He was vying for the Electoral College, as was Hillary Clinton. The only difference is he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/donald-trump-wasn-t-vying-for-the-popular-vote-he-was-vying-for-the/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [ He \[Donald Trump\] wasn't softening on anything. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump-jr/he-donald-trump-wasn-t-softening-on-anything/) [Donald Trump, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump-jr/) > [President-elect Trump wasn't my choice, but I'm going to be like Dave Chappelle, and I'm going to give him a chance - but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-foley/president-elect-trump-wasn-t-my-choice-but-i-m-going-to-be-like-dave/) [Mick Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-foley/) > [We are not going back to the failed policies of the past. We are fighting for the middle class!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/we-are-not-going-back-to-the-failed-policies-of-the-past-we-are/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [But I don't think the Democratic Party is at eye level with the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-don-t-think-the-democratic-party-is-at-eye-level-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I grew up in the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/i-grew-up-in-the-middle-class/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) ## More by Jared Yates Sexton > [“Bernie was their last chance. A politician who came so very close to the nomination and the levers of power that he gave them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/bernie-was-their-last-chance-a-politician-who-came-so-very-close-to/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“when Clinton strode on stage after a playlist of millennial pop songs—“Happy,” “Stronger,” “Best Day of My Life,” and Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song,” which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/when-clinton-strode-on-stage-after-a-playlist-of-millennial-pop-songs/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“Outrage undoubtedly drives the internet,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/outrage-undoubtedly-drives-the-internet/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“Trump’s true talent was finding the pulse of these ignorant, livid people and playing them like a virtuoso strumming an instrument.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/trump-s-true-talent-was-finding-the-pulse-of-these-ignorant-livid/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“It was then, in that cramped theater, that I suddenly realized how little difference there was between the far far right and the far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/it-was-then-in-that-cramped-theater-that-i-suddenly-realized-how/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“Sanders was unequivocal. A Donald Trump presidency was too dangerous a concept for third-party politics or protest votes. Earlier in the day, he’d sent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/sanders-was-unequivocal-a-donald-trump-presidency-was-too-dangerous-a/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“Trump’s candidacy was the media gift that kept giving, and the more outrageous he became the better the payday for networks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/trump-s-candidacy-was-the-media-gift-that-kept-giving-and-the-more/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“The most frightening part of the confusion, however, was the uncertainty as to whether it was the result of a man trying frantically to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/the-most-frightening-part-of-the-confusion-however-was-the/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“Like Newt Gingrich shifting the focus from local to national, social media has transformed politics from the public to the personal. Whereas, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/like-newt-gingrich-shifting-the-focus-from-local-to-national-social/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“Each one, on the surface, seemed like a bizarre pick, but a pattern soon emerged and it became obvious that Trump and his team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/each-one-on-the-surface-seemed-like-a-bizarre-pick-but-a-pattern-soon/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“At the forum, Trump was the walking, talking embodiment of the cable news show, a rambling, bombastic blowhard who said nothing at all but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/at-the-forum-trump-was-the-walking-talking-embodiment-of-the-cable/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“In an effort to grow an ungrowable product, corporations try to be all things to all people. And once they reach that point, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/in-an-effort-to-grow-an-ungrowable-product-corporations-try-to-be-all/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“They wanted a single-payer system. A total nationalizing of the health-care industry. Most of all, they wanted Pelosi and Reid and Obama to quit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/they-wanted-a-single-payer-system-a-total-nationalizing-of-the-health/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“Convinced I’d fabricated the entire story, they wanted to know How come you don’t have any videos? No photos? Where’s your proof? They demanded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/convinced-i-d-fabricated-the-entire-story-they-wanted-to-know-how/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [“how the world operates.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/how-the-world-operates/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) [Explore all 26 Jared Yates Sexton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This was a group that lived their lives steeped in unbelievable anger. They were either poor or less rich than they thought they should be, they were middle class or upper middle class, and they were, almost to a person, white. They were angry and all they wanted in the fucking world was to blame somebody. 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