--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I got into writing and thinking about…" description: "\"I got into writing and thinking about politics because I was told there would be no math.\" — Jeff Greenfield" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/jeff-greenfield-12787_math_i-got-into-writing-and-thinking-about-po_2647665.jpg" --- # I got into writing and thinking about politics because I… ![“I got into writing and thinking about politics because I was told there would be no math.” quote by Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/jeff-greenfield-12787_math_i-got-into-writing-and-thinking-about-po_2647665.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/jeff-greenfield-12787_math_i-got-into-writing-and-thinking-about-po_2647665.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/jeff-greenfield-12787_math_i-got-into-writing-and-thinking-about-po_2647665.jpg) > “I got into writing and thinking about politics because I was told there would be no math.” [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He entered writing and politics because he believed they required no math, highlighting a misconception about analytical skills in those fields. **In simple terms:** Thought politics and writing need no math. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about skills. Themes career choices politics writing Mood thoughtful curious Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - career counseling - political analysis - creative writing - academic advising Key Concepts education misconception Questions to Reflect On - What skills do you think are essential for politics? - Can creativity replace quantitative analysis? A Different Perspective Assuming lack of math excludes analytical thinking is limiting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I was told there would be no math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kell/i-was-told-there-would-be-no-math/) Chip Kell > [I categorically state that I did not participate in PTI politics. I was told to be engaged in certain activities as wives of politicians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reham-khan/i-categorically-state-that-i-did-not-participate-in-pti-politics-i/) [Reham Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reham-khan/) > [I wanted to choose the school where I want to send my kids to. So that's the way I got into politics. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-steel/i-wanted-to-choose-the-school-where-i-want-to-send-my-kids-to-so-that/) [Michelle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-steel/) > [In 2009, my father wanted me to join politics. I told him, 'Why should I jump into the dirt and grime of politics when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-s-jaganmohan-reddy/in-2009-my-father-wanted-me-to-join-politics-i-told-him-why-should-i/) [Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-jaganmohan-reddy/) > [Thinking I'd be in politics just wasn't something I'd thought of as a younger woman. There just weren't a lot of role models there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacky-rosen/thinking-i-d-be-in-politics-just-wasn-t-something-i-d-thought-of-as-a/) [Jacky Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacky-rosen/) > [I stay out of politics because if I begin thinking too much about politics, I'll probably... drop writing children's books and become a political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/i-stay-out-of-politics-because-if-i-begin-thinking-too-much-about/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [A lot of people grew up watching 'The West Wing' and thinking that politics can be decided by two people who agree. Well, sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-gallego/a-lot-of-people-grew-up-watching-the-west-wing-and-thinking-that/) [Ruben Gallego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-gallego/) > [I don't believe there are climate skeptics. I think there are people who indulge in a culture of what can be reduced to Fox…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-penn/i-don-t-believe-there-are-climate-skeptics-i-think-there-are-people/) [Sean Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-penn/) > [Don't fall into the trap of thinking about politics in your workplace too much. Just work hard, be cheerful, ignore distractions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-thinking-about-politics-in-your-workplace/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [Well, Judy, I would hope in the new year, we could start thinking about politics not like it was the Super Bowl, where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-breaux/well-judy-i-would-hope-in-the-new-year-we-could-start-thinking-about/) [John Breaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-breaux/) > [You may not be thinking about politics, but politics is thinking about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/you-may-not-be-thinking-about-politics-but-politics-is-thinking-about/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [Look, I get it. Whether it's school, work, family, we've all got a lot on our minds. People say to me, "I'm just too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/look-i-get-it-whether-it-s-school-work-family-we-ve-all-got-a-lot-on/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [Many of the left thinkers that really matter to me - that formed a big part of my thinking about politics and art -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/many-of-the-left-thinkers-that-really-matter-to-me-that-formed-a-big/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [I still love following and thinking about politics. I enjoy recommending important journalism I read or see from other sources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/i-still-love-following-and-thinking-about-politics-i-enjoy/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [We grew up in my family thinking that politics was a really fascinating way to spend one's career and a way to be involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy-jr/we-grew-up-in-my-family-thinking-that-politics-was-a-really/) [John F. Kennedy Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy-jr/) ## More by Jeff Greenfield > [In politics, Bugs Bunny always beats Daffy Duck. Daffy's always going berserk, jumping up and down, yelling. Bugs's got that sly smile, like he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/in-politics-bugs-bunny-always-beats-daffy-duck-daffy-s-always-going/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [There is something discordant about a team of speechwriters and political operatives hammering away to create an image of the 'real, inner' candidate. And,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/there-is-something-discordant-about-a-team-of-speechwriters-and/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [Describing the jury in the OJ Simpson murder trial: These people have served a longer sentence than some people who have committed murder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/describing-the-jury-in-the-oj-simpson-murder-trial-these-people-have/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [History doesn't turn on a dime; it turns on a plugged nickel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/history-doesn-t-turn-on-a-dime-it-turns-on-a-plugged-nickel/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [In every debate, whatever the format, whatever the questions, there is one and only one way to identify the winner: Who commands the room?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/in-every-debate-whatever-the-format-whatever-the-questions-there-is/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [Television is one of the most fickle businesses that there are, you are in favour one minute and out the next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/television-is-one-of-the-most-fickle-businesses-that-there-are-you/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [As a general proposition, campaigns do not linger on the vice presidential nominee. When they have, it's always meant very bad news for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/as-a-general-proposition-campaigns-do-not-linger-on-the-vice/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [More things in politics happen by accident or exhaustion than happen by conspiracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/more-things-in-politics-happen-by-accident-or-exhaustion-than-happen/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [In the many-mansioned house of Alternate History, I occupy a small corner. The trio of what-ifs I chronicled in 'Then Everything Changed' all begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/in-the-many-mansioned-house-of-alternate-history-i-occupy-a-small/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [“It was more than just material prosperity. America in 1960 was a country where restraint and boundaries were the natural conditions in all arenas.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/it-was-more-than-just-material-prosperity-america-in-1960-was-a/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [Well, politics is war, and in war, truth is the first casualty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/well-politics-is-war-and-in-war-truth-is-the-first-casualty/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [When Ronald Reagan chose George H.W. Bush in 1980, it was a clear signal that he was running an inclusive campaign; that he welcomed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/when-ronald-reagan-chose-george-h-w-bush-in-1980-it-was-a-clear/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [When George W. Bush picked Dick Cheney, it was a reassuring sign that the Texas governor would have an experienced, prudent voice at his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/when-george-w-bush-picked-dick-cheney-it-was-a-reassuring-sign-that/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [In the post-Watergate atmosphere of 1975 and 1976, the just-plain-folks personalities of both Ford and Carter seemed the perfect antidote to Nixon's arrogant, isolated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/in-the-post-watergate-atmosphere-of-1975-and-1976-the-just-plain/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) > [The Supreme Being I would sign up for would not prove his omnipotence by saving one life while ending dozens, or hundreds, or thousands.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-greenfield/the-supreme-being-i-would-sign-up-for-would-not-prove-his-omnipotence/) [Jeff Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) [Explore all 53 Jeff Greenfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-greenfield/) ## More Math quotes > [I worry about Las Vegas schools. 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It offers a break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-guarini/they-look-at-what-s-more-important-like-subjects-to-help-with-the-sat/) [Justin Guarini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-guarini/) > [For a physicist mathematics is not just a tool by means of which phenomena can be calculated, it is the main source of concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/for-a-physicist-mathematics-is-not-just-a-tool-by-means-of-which/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [In school math and science were my favorite subjects, but I probably in my true self I'm more of a people person. At the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/in-school-math-and-science-were-my-favorite-subjects-but-i-probably/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [“When one day Lagrange took out of his pocket a paper which he read at the Académe, and which contained a demonstration of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-biot/when-one-day-lagrange-took-out-of-his-pocket-a-paper-which-he-read-at/) Jean-Baptiste Biot > [Most people who open restaurants will fail, because they lack the fundamental understanding of restaurant math. Either they think they're superstar cooks or they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bastianich/most-people-who-open-restaurants-will-fail-because-they-lack-the/) [Joe Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bastianich/) > [Our eyes met in the math class. How were we to know that trigonometry would lead to matrimony?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/our-eyes-met-in-the-math-class-how-were-we-to-know-that-trigonometry/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [Math is easy; design is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-veen/math-is-easy-design-is-hard/) [Jeffrey Veen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-veen/) > [Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper till you get the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/arithmetic-is-numbers-you-squeeze-from-your-head-to-your-hand-to-your/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [I'd like to be able to do complex math in my head. Any kind of adversity and I become very anxious, but if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-woods/i-d-like-to-be-able-to-do-complex-math-in-my-head-any-kind-of/) [Zach Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-woods/) > [Christians remind me of schoolboys who want to look up the answers to their math problems in the back of the book rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christians-remind-me-of-schoolboys-who-want-to-look-up-the-answers-to/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Proof is an idol before which the mathematician tortures himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/proof-is-an-idol-before-which-the-mathematician-tortures-himself/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [I'm not a plumber who accidentally blew up or a math professor who accidentally backed into notoriety. 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